Termite Protection for New Builds and Renovations

New home under construction requiring termite protection

With up to a third of all houses in Australia having some history of termite attack, when building a new home or extension, or even carrying out renovations, it’s important to consider termite protection.

Having compliant termite protection is part of the sign off by the building inspector, so it’s important to get it right!

What is Pre-Construction Termite Protection?

In most areas of Australia, buildings (in particular residential housing) needs to be designed and constructed prevent the concealed entry of termites.

Pre-construction termite protection refers to the products installed during construction, to meet the termite protection requirements of the building regulations.

Successful termite protection for a building is achieved when the physical elements of the building work in conjunction with suitable chemical and physical termite protection products, to create a “termite barrier”.

The finished building and any termite protection measures need to block any concealed termite entry points, to meet Australia Standards AS 3660.1 – 2014: Termite Management, Part 1: New Building Work.

It is important that the termite protection system for the building is correctly installed otherwise the building may not get signed off as compliant by the building inspector.

What is concealed termite entry?

With termites able to squeeze through gaps smaller than 2 mm, there are lots of potential routes into your home! Many such entry points are under the building or within the walls – these are called concealed entry points, as you cannot see them. If termites access your house through a concealed entry point, they can do significant damage before their presence is detected.

Buildings are constructed and termite protection products are installed to eliminate all the concealed termite entry points. This does not mean termites cannot access your home, it just means that the only way for termites to get in are through visible routes (eg. On the outside of walls). Obviously once they become visible, they can be dealt with before significant damage is done. This is the reason regular termite inspections are a must.

What are termite barriers?

When it comes to termite protection and termite treatments, people offer refer to “termite barriers”, but what does this actually mean?

Physical termite barriers

Physical termite barriers are easy to visualise – they are essentially a physical barrier which termites cannot penetrate. They are used to block any potential concealed entry points in a building construction and are therefore common pre-construction termite products.

The classic example would be metal ant caps found on piers in the subfloor, but more commonly nowadays you would find polymer sheeting laid at the base of perimeter walls and plastic collars which get placed around utility pipes before being embedded in the concrete slab. 

Chemical termite barriers

When people mention a termite chemical barrier, they are generally referring to a termite soil treatment that has been applied around and under a house.

With the older style of chemicals which are repellent, this description makes sense, as the chemical creates a repellent barrier. However, with the newer style of termite treatments, the chemicals are not repellent but rather the termites cannot detect their presence and when they enter the treated soil they die. For this reason, chemical treatments to the soil are no longer referred to as chemical barriers but more correctly described as treated zones.

 

Termite Protection Products

Termite professionals will use a range of products to protect the various structural elements that represent a potential termite entry point.

Collars are used on concrete slab homes to block any gaps that may appear around pipework that penetrates the concrete slab. There are hard collars (rigid) and soft collars (flexible), with the different collar types used in different situations. Some come with insecticide impregnated for extra protection, but this generally isn’t necessary.

These collars are wrapped around the utility pipes or conduits before the concrete slab is poured and positioned so the collar set in the middle of the concrete slab, blocking any potential gaps.

Solid metal sheeting on top of brick piers – the traditional “ant” capping – is still used today. However, whereas it also used to be used at the base of perimeter walls, this is less common nowadays.

More common for perimeter wall protection are metal mesh products. These are lighter and more flexible making them easy to install. The mesh size is such that the termites cannot pass through the mesh.

As an alternative to metal sheeting, a range of polymer (plastic) sheeting is available, impregnated with insecticide. The sheet presents a physical barrier and the insecticide acts as a repellent, killing any termites that come in direct contact.

Rolls of different sizes are available for installations under perimeter walls and on piers.

Polymer sheeting is often used under concrete slabs as a damp proofing membrane. Through the incorporation of insecticide, some sheeting products can also be used as both damp proofing and termite protection under concrete slabs.

Sometimes instead of blocking termite entry with a sheeting material, granular products placed inside the wall cavity are chosen. A variety of granule types are available; glass, stone and polymer beads (impregnated with insecticide).

The stone and glass fragment products work on the principle that the granule size is such that the termites cannot move the granules, and as long as a sufficiently deep layer is installed the termites cannot crawl between the gaps, thus preventing termite access. The polymer beads also have the benefit of the repellent insecticide.

Flexible fillers containing insecticide are important for filling all the awkward gaps such as joins in concrete slabs. They can also be useful in rectifying mistakes or areas where protection may have been missed.

There are a range of sealants, paints and foams. Some foam products are available in pre-formed rolls others form a foam in situ filling the void to be protected.

Traditionally insecticides could be sprayed on the soil before the slab was poured. However, new regulations specify that chemicals can only be used if they can be replenished in the future, ensuring continued protection. To do this reticulations systems (a series of hose-like pipes with small holes) needs to be installed before pouring the slab. The reticulation can then be pumped up with insecticide every few years, with the insecticide leaking out into the soil to maintain protection.

The use of chemical application around the perimeter of the building may also be an option and indeed it is a common way to protect existing buildings to prevent termite attack. However, if used as a protection measure during the construction process it will need to be combined with other measures and if paths or driveways are to be laid, a reticulation system will need to be included as well.

Physical termite protection products (even those impregnated with insecticide) are designed to last the lifetime of the building (nominally 50 years)… but check individual products.

Chemical treatments will last anywhere up to 10 years, depending on the product used and dose applied. Often for chemical applied through a reticulation system they will recommend an application of a lower dose more frequently, requiring the system to be re-charged every 3 years (for example).

Our library has a large number of articles on termite protection products and techniques for protecting new homes and renovations from termite attack – pre-construction termite protection.

Termite protection for different construction types

The different construction types and building designs will have different points of weakness / potential termite entry points, which determines the areas that need termite protection.

Concrete slab home under construction image

There are various types of concrete slabs designs, but as long as they are built to standard, they should not crack. However, it is common to still have underslab treatments. Two types of underslab treatments are available; polymer sheeting and chemical treatments. With new building regulations, any chemical treatment under a concrete slab needs to have a system in place to replenish the chemical. This is achieved by installation of a reticulation system on the soil surface, before the slab is poured. The reticulation system is a series of interconnected tubes which can be pumped up with chemical which then leaks out of small holes in the tubes and seeps into the soil.

Even if there are no cracks in the slab, there are points of weakness where utility pipes pass through the slab. These entry points through the concrete slab are typically protected by hard or soft plastic termite collars, which are placed over the pipes before the concrete is poured, embedding them in the concrete.

Sometimes buildings are constructed using more than one concrete slab. Any joins in concrete slabs are an easy termite entry point and are typically protected by a flexible termite filler or sealant.

Where the concrete slab joins the perimeter wall is a particular point of weakness. This join and the wall cavity need to be protected. A range of sheeting materials and cavity fillers can be used to provide this protection.

The exposed edge of the concrete slab can be used as part of the termite management system on the exterior perimeter wall. If a minimum of 75 mm of the slab edge is visible above the soil level then no additional physical or chemical product is required around the perimeter. HOWEVER, this requires the homeowner to maintain this exposed edge and not cover it with garden beds, paths or other landscaping. If the concrete slab is covered by soil, there needs to be protection within the wall cavity and / or a chemical treatment to the soil around the perimeter of the home.

Homes built on brick or concrete piers, or even treated wood poles, are an older style of construction but still used today, more commonly on sloping sites or areas where flooding may occur.

The piers under the home need to have a barrier in place between the pier and the flooring timbers. Typically, metal termite capping is used and is designed to stop termites moving up inside the pier (yes they can move up the inside of brick piers), as it forces them to build their mud tubes around the “ant cap” to gain access to the flooring timbers. When this happens these mud tubes can be easily spotted and the problem dealt with.

Inspection metal termite capping on brick piers image

As with concrete slab homes, the perimeter of the home also needs to be protected. Typically, metal or polymer sheeting is used to prevent termites moving up inside the perimeter sub-wall to access the wall cavity.

Double brick homes are so called because the walls are made of two layers of brick separated by a wall cavity. In contrast to a brick veneer home, which consists of a timber frame with a single layer of brick on the outside, the lack of timber in a double brick home often gives owners the impression they won’t suffer a termite attack. This is not the case!

If the building contains wood and there’s a way for termites to get in, any building can suffer a termite attack. A double brick home will often have a wood roofing timbers as a well as wooden floors, doors and windows frames, all of which can be attacked by termites.

Double brick homes require the same protection as brick veneer homes.

Metal framed home

Metal framed homes are often marketed as termite proof. Certainly termites will not eat the metal framework. However, if there’s a way for termites to get into the house, termites will happily eat any wood elements in a metal frame home, such as flooring, doors, window frames and cupboards. There are plenty of examples of this occurring. Metal framed homes still need termite protection.

Building and termite protection regulations when building extensions, whether using a builder or doing it yourself, still apply!

In some respects, ensuring you have a continuous termite protection system for the whole building is more tricky when building an extension as there is the need to protect the join between the new extension and the existing building.

Internal renovations, especially to “wet areas” – kitchens, laundries and bathrooms – also need to meet termite protection (as well as waterproofing) regulations. These are areas in the home which are the most common termite entry points – they often have a source of water (leak) and a concealed entry point. DIY renovators need to be confident of their skills and have an understanding of the regulations to ensure they don’t build a future termite problem!

Steps involved in Pre-Construction Termite Treatments

If you’re an owner builder managing the build of your new home or extension, or carrying our renovations, these are the key steps to make sure your home is compliant with building regulations and protected from termites.

  1. Determine the termite protection requirements
  2. Design a suitable termite protection system
  3. Install termite protection products at the appropriate stage during construction
  4. Building inspector signs off the system as being compliant
  5. Ensure annual termite inspections are carried out to maintain any warranty

If you are using a builder, then it is strongly suggested that you are aware of the termite protection requirements for  your particular situation and you have the opportunity to review / input on the termite protection system at the planning stage. It is also important that you ensure that the products are indeed installed correctly and at the correct time during construction, as it cannot easily be fixed if mistakes or errors are made. Using your own pest professional can help minimise such issues.

Ongoing termite management

As with any termite protection, ongoing maintenance is vital. There are two key elements to ensure your termite management system continues to perform over time:

Most physical elements of the management systems will continue to work for many years, but they aren’t quite “set and forget”. It’s important to remember the systems are in place and understand how they work, so that any gardening, landscaping or renovation activities that may be considered don’t bridge the termite protection measures, providing termites easy access to your home.

Find a Pest Control Company

Call a termite professional before you build!

Getting a termite professional involved at the planning stage of the project will help you design a termite smart building and make sure you get the best protection for your budget and meet all necessary regulations. Often an experience termite professional will also suggest potential improvements to the building plans delivering a better overall result and saving you money.

A word of warning. Builders are not experts on termite protection and many builders will often recommend the cheapest termite protection to meet regulations, in order to make more profit. This is not necessarily the best option for the homeowner who often want to get the best protection to protect their home. Using a termite professional at the early stages ensures you can review all the options from an independent expert.

Frequently Asked Questions

The price of a pre-construction treatment will depend on the size of the building and the type of construction. 

As examples, for houses built on concrete slabs, when protecting utility pipe entry points through concrete slabs, the price depends on the number of entry points that require protection. For houses built on piers, the number of piers requiring protection impacts the price. When protecting the perimeter walls, the price is dependent on the total length of the walls.

The different brands of same type of product will also have different prices, depending on their quality an the warranty offered.

Certainly there is some variation in prices, but the pre-construction market is very competitive. Some companies will offer a low cost for installation, providing you use them for your annual termite inspection in the following years.

Pre-construction termite products cannot be added after construction. They are called pre-construction products as they are installed before or during the construction and are integrated into the building structure.

If pre-construction products have been omitted or incorrectly installed during installation, then post-construction termite products can be used to provide ongoing termite protection. However, it is always better to have the pre-construction termite protection in place.

In cases where products have not been installed during the construction, it is important to refer to the contract with the builder to determine liability and potential action of recourse. 

Pre-construction termite products are designed to last at least 50-years or the “life-time of the building”.

However, it is important to recognise that this only holds if the termite protection system isn’t compromised by the actions of the homeowner, landscapers or builders in the subsequent years. Annual termite inspections are therefore necessary to maintain any warranty on the system.

It is not uncommon for older homes to also have an additional termite treatment installed around the home, even if pre-construction termite products are in place.

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