Concrete Slab Termite Protection 1

[unclesyd]

Does anyone, especially Australia, know of a code or reference to the following?

Some years ago I had an article from a magazine that referenced the use of fine SS mesh screen under a residential slab for termite protection. I think the project was sponsored by NIDI and was in Australia. It was quite effective against some very agressive termites.

We have the Formosan variety in some areas and especially in an area where a colleague's home is going to be built.

 

[boo1]

Termi-mesh™ Termite Barrier (

http://www.termi-mesh.com)

Termi-mesh is a flexible, corrosion-resistant, high-grade, stainless steel mesh that termites cannot penetrate. The holes of the mesh are too small for termites to crawl through and it is too strong for termites to chew through. Termi-mesh is designed to prevent subterranean termites from entering a structure through any entrances through the foundation. It is applied over the soil surface beneath the foundation in potential termite entry areas, ie. around plumbing pipes. For this reason, Termi-mesh can only be installed during new construction. Termi-mesh must be installed by specially trained technicians approved by Termi-mesh Inc. Termi-mesh is very new to the continental United States however it has been available in Hawaii and Australia for several years.

http://www.sbccies.org/Evaluation/97/9713b.pdf

http://www.fhba.com/homebuilder/marchapril00/steelmesh.htm

 

[unclesyd]

boo1,
Appreciate the rapid response. It seems that there has been little exposure for this method of Termite control in this area.

There should be a lot of interest as the Premier Pest Control people were caught last of just spraying colored water with just enough material to have a smell. It seems like every one with a pickup has gone into the termite control business.

I had mentioned this several months ago and they could find no information locally from anyone they talked to.

Again many thanks for the additional links. These should satisfy all the permit questions if they go that way. Also try to talk them into steel studs.

 

[jhardy1]

Standards Australia has a series of standards on termite protection. You can buy them from

http://www.standards.com.au

Hope this helps.

AS 3660 Supp 1-1993
Protection of buildings from subterranean termites - Prevention, detection and treatment of infestation - Certificate of termiticide application (Supplement to AS 3660-1993)

AS 3660 Supp 2-1993
Protection of buildings from subterranean termites - Prevention, detection and treatment of infestation - Certificate of completion (Supplement to AS 3660-1993)

AS 3660.1-1995 (available superseded)
Protection of buildings from subterranean termites - New buildings

AS 3660.1-2000
Termite management - New building work

AS 3660.1-1995/Amdt 1-1996 (available superseded)
Protection of buildings from subterranean termites - New buildings

AS 3660.2-2000
Termite management - In and around existing buildings and structures - Guidelines

AS 3660.3-2000
Termite management - Assessment criteria for termite management systems

 

[unclesyd]

JulianHardy,
Appreciate the information. It could be a great help if there is any permitting trouble. I made a call to a friend near Orlando and his new house is supposed to have this type protection and is permitted. There was some problem at the start as the county wanted the standard termite treatment before the installation of the wire, but were dissuaded.

PS Hardy was my big bosses’s name for the last 15 years of work. I trained him too good and he went on by.

 

[boo1]

I have seen ads for polymer colars that were impregnated w termicide that were secured around pipes, cast in the concrete. See them at

http://www.impassee.com

 

[Ron]

unclesyd....those guys were roofers last week.

 

[unclesyd]

Must have learned about Termites in repairing roof damage by the Formosian variety.
That's what I like is someone who takes interest in his work and picks up on everything around him.

 

[boo1]

Corrected link

http://www.impasse.com

 

[AlohaBob]

We used an aggregate called BTB in Hawaii. It stands for Basaltic Termite Barrier. The pores in the basaltic gravel let the termite in, but he can't find his way out. We used it around the perimeter of the building and under slabs.

 

[unclesyd]

AlohaBob
Appreciate the information.

I had just ran across a reference to this method of protection and had started chasing it down. It is rather interesting in it’s the size of the material that actually does the blocking, it's actually a physical barrier.
Whatever you use it has to be 4 1/2" thick to be effective.
Using any of these material around here would cause an awful lot of rethinking on the thickness of the concrete slabs

It will be interesting to check size of the sand particles on the beach as they have F. termites and the sand has no clay what so ever

While looking I found this interesting site.

http://www.utoronto.ca/forest/termite/termite.htm