Preparing for Concrete Slab Termites?

[karoc]

I hope get concrete slab done around New Years but have few questions on what needs to be done before pour.
First, I was told that I need to treat for termites by spraying wherever there’s a penetration in slab such as plumbing. Do guessing to spray in just those areas or do spray the whole foundation?
Another thing is I need to put treatments in dirt for beams that will keep roots from growing under the slab which I never heard that before. We have place that will sell me what I need to treat for termites but I don’t know what get for treating for roots, any ideas for that? I do have trees all over place so roots is a big concern. Thanks for any advice on concrete slab treatment or suggestions or links to information on these subjects

 

[mike93lx]

Who told you you "need" to do this stuff? An inspector/AHJ or a buddy?

There is no way to completely stop roots other than removing the source. You shouldn't have trees that close anyway, so dumping a bunch of chemicals in the ground is helping no one.

There are lots of options for controlling termites. Wood treatments, bait/insecticide spikes, powders, etc.

 

[D45]

Borax in the wall cavity before the walls are insulated

Lasts 20 years and is odorless

 

[58Yeoman]

My first wife and I built a house in '74, and before the foundation was backfilled, a friend of hers said to throw some scrap wood around the foundation, so the termites would eat that instead of our house. Uh...NO. At that same house, our 'across the alley' neighbor found termites in his ranch style home. In the header above the sliding glass doors, no where else, except the trail along the side to get up there.

Good luck with what ever you have to do.

 

[karoc]

Where I work we have two exterminators who are license by state. Told me to spray termite treatment all around where the plumbing comes up through slab, after asking these questions one of them told me to do the whole area. Saying that if there is ever a crack in slab that termites will come through those cracks. Now for the tree roots the person that told me this is one local contractors that builds pads for slabs which when he did his own he use granules to put down where the beams were going to be. Which did that few yrs ago but could not remember. what granules were called. He said that when roots reaches the area that is treated it will kill that part of the root. So I don't know if this is for real or not. I will google see what I come up with so don't offend anyone.

 

[bigman68]

You can use this as opposed to chemicals for termintes:

Pango - A Termite and Vapor Barrier Solution | Stego

Pango® Wrap Termite/Vapor Barrier is a 2-in-1 under-slab termite barrier designed to protect against subterranean termites and moisture vapor.

www.stegoindustries.com

 

[karoc]

Bigman, that may be the answer two purposes in one. Thanks for link

 

[PWC Repair]

Rock salt or copper sulfate will keep roots away. They use either one around here to keep roots away from septic drainfields. The good termite stuff is called Imidacloprid. You can find a product called 'Premise 2" that still has it. I know this because I have a friend in the commercial pest control biz and I had to repair a bunch of termite damage on my house this year. IT SUCKED! The termiticide soaks into the ground and stays in the dirt for 5 or more years. I would treat the whole perimeter of the slab, then mix up some in a pump up sprayer and treat all the wood in the first foot off the ground too.

 

[andyvh1959]

Termites, another reason I don't mind the winters up here in WI. I bet some parts of Wisconsin have termites but north of Madison and up to lake Michigan and Superior I've not heard of termite issues in the area.

 

[Jagmandave]

If you don't have a shop built with wood, it won't matter, right?

 

[AP514]

Steel Frame for the Termite Win

 

[bugman-74]

Here in AZ, the inspector required proof of pre-treatment prior to slab pour. Call your inspector and ask what the requirements are for your area.

I had mine done by a termite company. Prior to slab pour they sprayed with Termidor (200 gallons). After construction was complete, they came back and trenched/drilled for more Termidor (something like 32 gallons). That covers it for about 5 years before the next application. For my 2000sqft shop that all ran about $1900. You can do it yourself if you buy the concentrate from a place like domyown. As additional insurance: prior to insulation/drywall I treated the exposed 2x6's with a couple coats of Boracare up to about 3ft using a pump sprayer and a little indicator dye.

 

[HenryAZ]

When we built, we had the pre-treatment of course. But we also had perforated tubes laid under the slab (3 of them, making turns and covering all the area). The tubes terminate in a standard hose bib in the stem wall, all 3 in one place. Then every 2-3 years I pump in Termidor until it spits back out, about 80 gallons for all 3 tubes. After the application, the most incredible looking bugs come out, big bugs, like this Giant Desert centipede. This one was about 9" long before I emptied two cans of wasp/hornet killer on him.

 

[41plym]

I'm sure glad I live in a part of the country where all these critters don't.

 

[rayra]

Diatomacious earth (D.E., pool filter powder) is an effective barrier for any insect, powerful irritant in the cracks / joints of their shells. nd it is safe for humans. And cheap.

 

[rburke65]

WTF!….is that guy long enough?

 

[randyandrewsberg]

Termite pre-treatment can be done several ways and is region specific so be sure to ask the inspector what is required. Conventional pre-treat would be to spray the pea-gravel before the slab is poured for a horizontal barrier, and then spray the exterior foundation as the backfill goes in for a vertical barrier. The quantity of product required is typically 4 gallons per linear foot for the vertical barrier, and 1-1.5 gallons per 10 sq ft for horizontal. The product is usually something like Talstar P or any other product with an active ingredient in the Class 3A (aka pyrethroids). If you do the math that ends up being typically 200-400 gallons of diluted solution, not really a DIY treatment because of the volume involved. I would advise against the Imidacloprid (4a)for pre-treat because it can be drawn into flowering plants and can be deadly to pollinators. If your inspector allows it, using Boracare is a much more realistic job for DIY as it will only be a few gallons, can be applied with a hand sprayer and work very well. You spray it on all the exposed wood when the stick framing is completed including sill plates and a few feet up each stud. It is a much more stable treatment, as in, you never need to re-do it. It makes the wood poisoned against insects who eat the wood, so it doesn't help with any other creepy crawlies that don't damage wood, but if your concern is wood destroying insects, it is excellent.