With recent changes to the Australian Standard AS 3660.1 for pre-construction limiting the use of soil-applied termiticides, the flexibility of the Novithor Pesticide-free Termite Protection System from Ensystex is proving popular with more and more professional pest managers.
With recent changes to the Australian Standard AS 3660.1 for pre-construction limiting the use of soil-applied termiticides, the flexibility of the Novithor Pesticide-free Termite Protection System from Ensystex is proving popular with more and more professional pest managers.
The Australian Building Codes Board CodeMark certification confirms Novithor’s compliance and performance with both the above Australian Standard AS 3660.1 and the Construction Code/ Building Code of Australia. More importantly, CodeMark offers reassurance to regulatory authorities and the market. Legislation requires building control authorities to accept CodeMark-certified products, which means a building surveyor must approve a building where Novithor has been correctly installed by a Novithor-licensed pest manager.
Novithor works by creating an impenetrable physical barrier that prevents the ingress of subterranean termites. The system comprises three products – a Flexi-Gel, Resin and Cemenitious Parge – allowing flexibility for any type of construction.
Novithor Termite Proof Flexi-Gel is a high-performance neutral cure silicone sealant and adhesive specifically formulated for termite proofing buildings. It is suitable for use indoors, outdoors or in confined spaces. It is used for: termite proofing construction joints and saw cuts in slabs; termite proofing control joints in brickwork or block work; termite proofing tilt slab panels and securing tilt panels; as well as filling construction and expansion joints or crevices in slabs.
Steve Broadbent, regional director of Ensystex, explained that Novithor Termite Proof Flexi-Gel is also proving useful in post-construction buildings. “As well as sealing termite entry points, Novithor Flexi-Gel inhibits mould and mildew growth, making it ideal for use in kitchens, bathrooms, laundries and for joining ant caps – no more need to solder! Since it is insect-resistant, it is a good all-rounder for use in cockroach proofing programs, too. As a powerful sealant it can be used with aluminium, zincalume, galvanised metal, PVC, concrete, masonry and stainless steel.”
Mr Broadbent added, “And, by popular demand, Novithor Flexi-Gel is now available in a dark slate grey colour, as well as the original light grey.”
The second product in the system, Novithor Termite Proof Resin, is a liquid product containing a unique blend of resins. The liquid carries the resins deep into the building substrate, typically penetrating 20 mm or deeper. The solvent then evaporates, leaving the resins invisibly embedded in the substrate where they solidify to form a granite-like, impenetrable barrier that termites cannot get through. It is applied to mortar joints and rendered masonry surfaces as a low pressure spray.
The third product, Novithor Termite-proof Cementitious Parge, is a resinous cement mortar that uses the same unique resins for filling cracks and crevices that termites may exploit to enter a property. It protects masonry retaining walls, repairs honeycombing and damage in concrete slabs, and protects pipe penetrations.
All three elements in the Novithor system work together to create an impregnable barrier that termites cannot chew through or damage, and which is also resistant to their secretions. Once applied, Novithor is invisible to the naked eye. The three-part system also gives pest managers much-needed flexibility with on-site building schedules.
“A challenge that most pest managers face is timing installation visits for pre-construction products to link in with the pouring of the slab by the builder,” explained Mr Broadbent. “There is many a professional who has had the call at 6pm saying they must be on the site for 8am the next day! As Novithor is installed after the bricks have gone on the slab, this gives a much greater window of opportunity for installation.”
Novithor offers benefits when it comes to pipe protection, too. With traditional collars, professionals have to arrive on site after the steel is placed, but before the slab is poured. In contrast, Novithor Termite-proof Cementitious Parge is applied after the slab is poured, providing a window of several weeks for pipes to be protected. In fact the Cementitious Parge can often be applied at the same time as the perimeter protection, which reduces the number of site visits required.
Mr Broadbent said, “As a pesticide-free termite management system, Novithor provides a flexible, cost-effective solution for green buildings – the largest growth segment in the building industry. Pest managers can be doubly reassured by the fact that Novithor continues to be fully tested in rigorous, independent termite trials with both CSIRO and Agrisearch.”
