The latest and greatest about the world of termites — and their control.
Published February 22, 2017
Editor’s note: Suppliers, if you have a termite control product you’d like to have highlighted in an upcoming issue, please send a press release and a high-resolution photo to jdorsch@gie.net.
Many events, such as torrential rains, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc., can lead to excessive flooding of structures. Should severe floods affect your community, your customers may need your help, too. To be sure their homes remain protected from termites, arrange an inspection to see if they need Termidor Restoration, BASF says.
Premise 75 is approved by the EPA as an Exterior Perimeter/Interior Spot Treatment application for termite control in most states, with the exception of New York and Alaska, with the following key usage points:
EXTERIOR Perimeter Treatment
It is required that all structures be protected by establishing a vertical treated zone along the outer perimeter of the foundation wall. This is done by trenching, rodding and trenching, and by sub-slab injections to concrete surfaces such as sidewalks, driveways and patios.
The Premise labeling allows for the drilling and treating below the slab: “Drill holes must be spaced in a manner that will allow for application of a continuous chemical zone.” If your situation dictates the need to drill greater than 12-inch spacing you may do so but must not exceed the maximum allowed in your state.
ACCESSIBLE Crawlspaces
If no termite activity is found in the accessible crawlspace, it is at the discretion of the PMP to treat the voids, interior foundation walls, piers, hollow block; however, treatment is not mandatory. If termite activity is present, Premise 75 must be applied to an area a minimum of 3 feet on each side of the active termite location.
INTERIOR Spot Treatment
Interior slabs, hollow block or masonry voids only need to be treated if termite activity is present. If termite activity is present, Premise 75 must be applied to area a minimum of 3 feet on each side of the active termite location.
Insulation helps keep crawlspaces dry, clean and comfortable. Unfortunately, insulation is suscep-tible to termite infestation and can trap moisture. Bora-Foam is an important component in preventing these problems — it’s the first termite-resistant expanded polystyrene insulation designed for basements and enclosed crawlspaces, the firm says.
During the Bora-Foam manufacturing process, a Nisus Corporation EPA-registered borate-based product that deters termites is incorporated into the insulation. Bora-Foam has been thoroughly tested, is safe for handling and is noncorrosive. Furthermore, Bora-Foam meets — or exceeds — building codes and is manufactured to Quality Control Program standards monitored by Underwriters Laboratories.
Features include:
2½-inch EPS
Resistant to termite damage
Can be used in all areas where termites are a risk
Vapor permeance 0.08
Provides R-11 insulation
Safe for handling, noncorrosive, puncture resistant
Pest management professionals eager to drive revenues during termite season may want to add access panels from Diversified Plastics Industries. DPI has been offering access solutions to the pest management industry for more than 25 years.
PMPs who expand their services to include the installation of bath trap panels and/or crawlspace access doors can generate additional revenue from existing and or new termite customers.
The Diversified Plastics product line includes:
E-Z Access Crawlspace Doors, standard and insulated versions.
E-Z Access II removable center panel provides easy access to wall voids, bath traps and moisture-prone areas where termites cause the most damage. Ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, laundry areas and wet bars. Includes hardware for quick and easy installation.
Cover-Up Access Panels are flat panels for quick repairs.
Mini-Port Access Covers are ideally suited for cabinets and other tight spaces. They are attractive and cost effective — 2 and 4 inches.
Vikane fumigant is the proven one-and-done treatment to eliminate all drywood termite colonies from properties, even those in areas inaccessible for inspection or spot treatment, manufacturer Douglas Products says. To help homeowners understand the pest, the threat and the fumigation process, Douglas Products has created a www.fumigationfacts.com website.
“The website makes it easier for fumigators to tell and show homeowners why fumigation with Vikane gives them assurance that the threat to their home has been eliminated,” says Heather Kern, global marketing leader for Douglas Products.
Douglas Products manufactures Vikane fumigant in the company-owned plant in Pittsburg, Calif. This allows the company to ensure product availability and quality, says Bill Fuller, company CEO. “Our mission is to provide the highest-quality fumigants along with all the technical and product support needed in a constantly evolving business environment,” Fuller says. “Central to that is our expertise. We back all of our industry-leading fumigants with the support of the largest and most experienced field sales and technical team in the industry. So, whether it’s technical advice for a job, ongoing training or meeting annual stewardship requirements, our customers have learned they can rely on the Douglas team and our distributor partners.”
“Fumigation is an essential pest management solution,” Fuller adds. “So, Douglas Products is investing to support its fumigation customers at every level — from meeting federal and state regulatory requirements, to issues management and media relations support, to training of fumigation companies to marketing support with homeowners. In all this we value our strong working relationships with our distributor partners, the National Pest Management Association and state pest control associations.”
Recruit AG FlexPack is the newest innovation to the Sentricon System from Dow AgroSciences. Recruit AG bait stations are designed to initiate immediate feeding and the colony elimination process whenever subterranean termite activity is accessible above ground. The new flexible packaging is moldable to allow easier installation around corners, baseboards or trim, as well as in tight or angled locations. Or, when preferred, Recruit AG FlexPack can also be used in the hard plastic case that is designed to be mounted on flat surfaces.
Recruit AG uses the proven active ingredient noviflumuron in a new briquetted fines formulation. In conjunction with Sentricon System in-ground stations, Recruit AG FlexPack is proven to eliminate termite colonies and the termite threat to properties. To make Recruit AG a convenient addition to the Sentricon System, its label does not have a defined service frequency when used with in-ground Sentricon stations.
Recruit AG FlexPack will be available to Certified Sentricon Specialists later this year, according to Dave Maurer, portfolio marketing leader with Dow AgroSciences. Recruit AG FlexPack is registered for use in every state except Alaska.
“Recruit AG is an effective component included in the Sentricon System. Uniquely, Recruit AG is labeled for use in food-manufacturing, food-preparation and food-service areas,” Maurer says.
Bora-Care is a premium liquid wood preservative that penetrates wood and prevents termite infestation, Nisus Corp. says. But Bora-Care does more than just prevent termite attack — it preserves the wood from other wood-destroying organisms such as decay fungi, which will further compromise wood members after termites have been present, the company adds.
Once Bora-Care penetrates the wood, it will not volatilize or degrade. Bora-Care is an ideal product to apply to wood after flooding when affected wood members have been compromised by excessive moisture and are more prone to termite attack, the manufacturer reports. In fact, it is the only product available on the market that not only protects wood from termite attack after flooding but also prevents beetle and carpenter ant attack as well as fungal decay, Nisus says. Moreover, as referenced in numerous extension publications and state department of agriculture newsletters, Bora-Care is the only product supported for such control measures after flooding and storm damage.
Bora-Care as a primary new construction treatment continues to protect new construction after baits are removed and liquid applications degrade. According to Nisus, as a mandatory precursor for all sill plates/end plates to be treated, Bora-Care is an ideal accompaniment to this mandate.
The Santa Fe CrawlGuard Total Encapsulation Solution protects buildings from both the humid outside air and the ground’s natural moisture, minimizing the chance of a termite infestation. An added bonus is that encapsulation with dehumidification minimizes fungi and mildew growth, resulting in a more structurally sound and healthier building, the firm says.
The Santa Fe CrawlGuard Total Encapsulation Solution is tailored specifically for the professionals who want to create a competitive advantage by offering their customers a high-quality crawlspace encapsulation solution. As part of an integrated moisture control management solution, the Santa Fe CrawlGuard Total Encapsulation Solution features several customized options designed to target a wide variety of moisture-driven problems that often arise in crawlspace environments.
A complete solution includes the installation of the CrawlGuard vapor barrier into the crawlspace, strategic placement of a Santa Fe Dehumidifier, and the minimal application of chemical treatments to help ensure a pest-free environment.
Sealing off a crawlspace and removing excess moisture by using the Santa Fe CrawlGuard Total Encapsulation Solution will:
Help control pests
Improve overall indoor air quality
Protect the building against structural damage caused by moisture
Polyguard Products’ TERM Pest Barriers were showcased in the Greenbuild KB Home ProjeKt demonstration home at the 2016 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Los Angeles in October. The home also is available nationwide via an online virtual tour (http://bit.ly/2jvSScy).
The Greenbuild KB Home ProjeKt, presented by Hanley Wood in partnership with KB Home, BUILDER Magazine, KTGY Architecture + Planning, and the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and Virginia Tech, was designed to serve as a time-travel look ahead to the years 2020 and 2050 as a way to bring new perspective and strategic planning opportunities to builders and consumers. The displays at the conference featured assemblies and systems, home tours, interactive educational features and a digital wall display.
TERM Sustainable Barriers by Polyguard incorporate non-chemical insect barriers around the building envelope, creating a new and higher level of sustainability. With almost all insects excluded over the life of the home, residents dwell more peacefully, and the need for pesticides is greatly reduced, Polyguard says.
Polyguard CEO John Muncaster says, “We have been working with Texas A&M entomology scientists on sustainable insect barriers since November 1999. Homes can now be designed to eliminate almost all of those tiny insect entry points.”
Polyguard Products has been producing barriers for moisture, air and other undesirable substances for more than 40 years. Since 2000, Polyguard has worked with researchers at Texas A&M University to successfully create TERM Pest Barriers, which help exclude pests with a sustainable system that drastically reduces the need for chemicals during both pre- and post-construction.
Pest Boys launches new Termite Poly Plugs, which will lower purchase and labor cost for PMPs, the firm says. Poly Plugs are made from lightweight, closed cell foam, instead of plastics or rubber, and will cut initial expenditures by 250-300 percent for PMPs, the company says. Not only will PMPs save thousands of dollars in expenditures on inventory stocking of plugs for months, but they will also save a significant amount in labor costs, the company adds.
“We are thrilled to offer our new product to PCOs providing a more efficient and cost-effective alternative,” said Lary Adkins, Pest Boys president and CEO. “We are offering a quality product which is much more efficient, it’s at a substantially cheaper cost, and provides benefits both to the PCOs and their customers.”
Currently, most technicians can install three to four plastic or rubber plugs per minute, the company says. This is because most other plugs used in sealing termite treatment drill holes in concrete require a hammer and nut driver tool in order to counter sink plugs, Pest Boys says. The plugs are only used to support concrete patching materials for 15 minutes of curing and are never seen again. The Poly Plugs by Pest Boys require no special tools and can be installed four times faster with up to 12 holes per minute. As a result, the firm estimates that termite technicians treating structures with 150-200 drill holes will be able to treat three structures a day instead of two. This should result in higher profits for the PCOs, but an overall cost of treatment savings for the structure’s owners.
Poly Plugs are available for drill holes of 3/8-inch, ½-inch, 9/16-inch and 5/8-inch.
Altriset termiticide from Syngenta is now labeled for drywood termites, in addition to eastern subterranean and Formosan termites. The updated label includes an expanded application rate range option to increase the amount of active ingredient per finished gallon of solution, from 0.05 percent to 0.1 percent.
Altriset paralyzes termites’ mouthparts within hours of exposure, stopping further damage immediately. Its unique mode of action increases aggregation and grooming behavior, which allows affected termites to expose other colony members to Altriset. With an excellent environmental profile, Altriset used at labeled rates has been shown to have low to no impact on beneficial soil organisms, like earthworms, Syngenta reports.
To control drywood termites, Altriset can be applied as a foam treatment to penetrate difficult-to-reach areas. In a University of California study, Altriset achieved 100 percent control of Incisitermes minor drywood termites within one month of application (source: Russ & Wright, University of California, Riverside, 2013).
Altriset is now sold as a Master Shipper in a 4 by 34-ounce package configuration. The Master Shipper qualifies for the PestPartner 365 Program from Syngenta, which can help better plan product purchases throughout the year.
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