PROTECTING YOUR HOUSE FROM TERMITES

Transcription

1 E N V I R O N M E N T A L H E A L T H G U I D E PROTECTING YOUR HOUSE FROM TERMITES This pubication repaces the brochure 'Termite Prevention for Your Home' and is intended to provide information on the different chemicas used in the treatment of buidings to prevent damage from termites. Information on other non-chemica methods of prevention can be obtained from the Ministry of Fair Trading, te: (08) , the Department of Loca Government, te: (08) , or your oca counci. Termites occur naturay throughout Austraia and there are many species. Ony a few species pose a major threat to buidings because they eat wood and other materias containing ceuose pant fibre. If eft unchecked, they can destroy both the strength and appearance of timbers in buidings. Because the termite nest is often beneath the soi surface, entry into a buiding can go unnoticed as severe structura damage may take a ong time to become visibe. If termites are discovered on your property there is no need to panic but there is a need for further investigation by a registered pest contro operator. THE RULES The Buiding Code of Austraia stipuates that a new buidings require some form of protection from termite entry. It is aso compusory for your pest contro operator to give you a copy of this pamphet before treating your house with a termiticide. Athough it contains information on the methods of termite prevention currenty avaiabe, the choice of method resides with the househoder. However, for new houses it is best to contact your oca government as the buiding surveyor may stipuate use of a specific method of treatment as a resut of the environmenta conditions in your area. METHODS OF PREVENTION Four methods of preventing termite entry are currenty approved: Use of construction methods which make entry of termites visibe. Use of physica barriers such as stainess stee mesh or crushed granite. Appication of chemica barriers, either hand-sprayed on the sand pad or distributed through a series of pipes aid under the concrete sab. Use of termite-resistant materias. The warranty for each method can vary consideraby and the extent of a warranty is commensurate with the cost of treatment. Warranties usuay refect the confidence of the termite prevention consutant, so cheap choices may not aways be wise choices.

2 APPROVED CHEMICALS Legisation requires that a chemicas are appied in accordance with abeed directions. Information in this pamphet suppements those directions, it does not repace or attempt to cover them a. Chemicas used in previous years such as heptachor, diedrin, adrin and chordane, are from the organochorine cass of chemicas and are now banned in Austraia. Chorpyrifos and bifenthrin are approved repacements of organochorines, both for preconstruction treatment of new buidings and treatment of existing buidings. Imidacoprid has recenty been registered for use in existing buidings. Arsenic trioxide, permethrin powder and hexafumuron are used sparingy on active infestations. CHLORPYRIFOS This chemica is from the organophosphate group. It often eaves an aftersme, especiay when used on existing buidings. Ventiation wi quicky dissipate this odour. Chorpyrifos is now approved for use on new buiding sites in addition to its previous registration for existing buidings. BIFENTHRIN This chemica is a synthetic pyrethroid, the use of which has recenty been extended to incude termite contro. It has a sight odour, noticeabe after use. Like chorpyrifos, it is registered for new and existing buidings. IMIDACLOPRID Ony recenty registered, this product provides imited ength protection to existing buidings. However, it is ess toxic to humans than most other termiticides and has amost no odour. ARSENIC TRIOXIDE (arsenic powder) This chemica is used to treat active termite infestations by appying sma amounts (one or two grams) to termite gaeries. A high eve of ski by the pest contro technician, and a knowedge of the behaviour of termites, increases the probabiity of arsenic trioxide successfuy destroying the infestation. PERMETHRIN POWDER This chemica is used for nest destruction in trees or tree stumps ony. HEXAFLUMURON A recent addition to the termiticide arena, this product is incorporated into a bait matrix which are paced as part of an integrated system around a buiding to aow for nest destruction. CHEMICAL TREATMENTS For information on aternative methods of termite contro, consut your buider or oca counci buiding surveyor. Chemicas can be toxic to fish, sma birds and animas, so advise your pest management technician if you have any pets. BARRIER TREATMENT OF NEW BUILDINGS An approved termiticide, currenty chorpyrifos or bifenthrin, is appied to the sand pad and covered with a waterproof membrane. When the construction is eventuay competed, an externa barrier must be estabished in the soi immediatey surrounding the perimeter of the buiding. This secondary treatment is considered essentia to protect the footings of the buiding from subterranean attack. Appied correcty, these chemicas shoud remain effective for many years. However, re-treatment at some future stage wi amost certainy be required. The period of protection can vary consideraby from site to site and with each chemica.

3 BARRIER TREATMENT OF EXISTING BUILDINGS Chorpyrifos, bifenthrin or imidacoprid is injected into the soi around the footings and/or the base of the stumps or piars, or poured into a trench around each, and then backfied. Simiar treatment around the perimeter of a buiding may aso be required. If appied to the sub-foor area of a buiding, these chemicas may eave after-smes. It is recommended that the ventiation in the sub-foor area be assessed by a person famiiar with buiding practices, such as a registered buider or architect, prior to this method of treatment. As with new homes, re-treatment periods and ength of protection can vary. Current abe recommendations are indicated beow. However, these are a guide ony and can vary substantiay. CHLORPYRIFOS re-appication may be required within 2 years in the NW of the State and 5 years in the rest of the State. BIFENTHRIN re-appication may be required within 6 years. IMIDACLOPRID provides 2 to 3 years protection. Notwithstanding, the Austraian Standard for termite contro, AS , recommends that reguar inspections be carried out at east annuay. SPOT TREATMENT OF ACTIVE INFESTATIONS The common procedure for technicians is to treat an active infestation in and around buidings with arsenic powder and revisit after days to re-estabish the chemica barrier. Nests in trees or tree stumps are treated with permethrin powder. Hexafumuron ures may be used to destroy nests that cannot be readiy ocated. RECORD OF TREATMENT A termiticide treatments shoud be recorded on the appropriate notice by the technician and paced in the meter box. This estabishes a permanent record of treatments at your home. AFTER TREATMENT SMELLS Smes may be noticeabe for some time after treatment. They may be due to the active constituent, other components of the soution appied, such as sovents or emusifiers, or a combination of a. Moisture in the sub-foor area can react with sovents resuting in persistent, and occasionay, strong odours. If a strong sme persists for onger than a week after appication, this may be evidence of a misappication. THE TECHNICIANS Commercia treatment of houses must ony be carried out by icensed operators empoyed by a registered firm. It is recommended that you ask the operator to produce a current icence and ensure that the work is being undertaken on behaf of a registered firm before aowing the operator to start work. Door to door saes reps offering chemicas and providing advice on their use, must aso be icensed. If in doubt about the vaidity of a icence, teephone the Heath Department's Pesticide Safety Section on (08) PRICES AND CONTRACTS These vary. The chemicas used are not cheap, so beware of very ow prices. Before signing a contract, take your time and obtain quotes. Ask for a written specification of treatment, incuding chemicas to be used, their strengths and the rates of appication. For your own

4 protection, ask for written detais of work to be performed, and what wi/wi not be covered by any warranty. If you decide to enter into a contract with a pest management firm by signing the documentation, remember that the contract is egay binding on both parties. If you aready have an annua contract, check exacty what services are to be provided. Annua treatments with termiticides are unikey to be necessary. Nevertheess, you shoud consider annua inspections which are important in good termite management programs. Further information on pest contro contracts can be obtained from the Ministry of Fair Trading, te: (08) MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS Annua maintenance shoud be confined to inspections for termites, at east initiay. If no infestation is present, treatment may not be required. If termites are found and chemica treatment is required, it may ony be necessary to treat the area of activity and the immediate vicinity. Inspection times wi vary, depending on the size of the property and type of buiding, but shoud invove inspection of the ceiing cavity, outside grounds and a accessibe areas. Termite infestations resut from incompete barriers. This may be due to disturbances, buiding extensions, poor initia appication, or norma chemica breakdown. TOXIC EFFECTS The termiticides described in this pamphet can be toxic to humans if sufficient amounts are absorbed through the skin, inhaed or swaowed, and some can aso be moderatey irritating to the skin and eyes. Permethrin and imidacoprid can aso be moderatey irritating to the skin and eyes. Even if sma amounts of the chemicas are absorbed, the human body is abe to detoxify them before excreting them in the usua manner. These chemicas do not accumuate in the body ike the organochorines which were used in the past. Buiding occupants are unikey to suffer any reaction to the chemica if the treatment has been carried out correcty and in accordance with the abeed directions. If occupants are exposed, either through misappication or because of an accident, the chemica used, its concentration, the period of exposure, the amount absorbed and the individua who is exposed, wi determine the toxic effect. In such cases, symptoms of poisoning may occur. Symptoms vary and are often unspecific, being simiar to those produced by a number of inesses or diseases. Nevertheess, if some or a of the foowing symptoms occur after exposure, contact your medica practitioner. SKIN IRRITATION, HEADACHE, INCREASED SALIVATION AND SWEATING, EXCESSIVE CONTRACTION OF THE PUPIL, DIZZINESS, BLURRED VISION, DIFFICULTY BREATHING, COUGHING, ABDOMINAL PAIN AND CRAMPS, NAUSEA, VOMITING, CONFUSION, DISORIENTATION. The foowing precautions shoud be observed as a matter of good practice. 1. Deay treatment, if possibe, where there is a pregnant woman or nursing mother in the house. Urgent treatments can be confined to sma spot treatments which minimise the risk of exposure. 2. Remove domestic animas, incuding birds and fish, from the areas to be treated. 3. Leave the premises during appication of the chemicas. Be aware that termite inspections can be invasive of persona items and furniture.

5 4. Ventiate the premises thoroughy after treatment for as ong as possibe but at east four hours. This is essentia to aow chemica odours to dissipate. 5. If you are concerned about your heath, contact a medica practitioner. 6. Contact your oca government Environmenta Heath Officer or the Heath Department, te: (08) if you beieve that a misappication has occurred. This pamphet is intended to be a brief guide for consumers. For further information on matters reating to treatment, contracts, compaints on workmanship, contact: Pesticide Safety Section Environmenta Heath Service Heath Department Of Western Austraia PO Box 8172 PERTH BUSINESS CENTRE WA 6849 Te: (08) Fax: (08) or Ministry Of Fair Trading 251 Hay Street EAST PERTH WA 6004 Te: (08)

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