The Importance Of Treating Termites During Excavation

If you are currently in the process of excavating on your property for a new building construction, you should test for and treat termites before beginning the construction. Termites can wreak havoc on a construction site, which not be made evident until the home is built and you see the damage. Here are some things to know about termite treatment before you do the excavation.

What are termites?

Termites are small insects that attack different types of wood. If they get into a home, they will build tunnels through the wood, causing severe damage. You may not know you have termites until the wood floors or deck in your house collapses or shows signs of damage. When you are excavating, you will be going deep underground, which is when you might notice signs of termites. You might find these pale, soft-bodies insects, which means now is the time to get rid of them.

Where do termites live?

Termites generally build their colonies underground, but they will attack anything made of wood, from home structures to nearby trees. They prefer areas that have a high amount of moisture and are very damp. If you are excavating in wet soil or near plumbing and sewage pipes, you might have a higher risk of finding termites. If you found any decaying wood on the construction site, that is another reason to treat the area for termites.

Termite Treatment During Excavation

The first way to treat for termites when you are excavating is by treating the soil or by asking a pest control specialist to do this for you. You can do this by using insecticides specifically meant for termites. This will provide a chemical barrier in the soil that prevents termites from reaching past that point and destroying the wood or concrete building above it. You should use this insecticide on the bottom and sides of the trench before laying any foundation. You also want to make holes in the soil and fill it with the chemical products where concrete slabs will be built.

Termite Treatment During Construction

If you didn't catch the termites before you starting working on the house you are building, there is still something you can do to kill the termites and prevent more from returning. Start by making holes around the perimeter of the construction site and pour some of the chemical insecticide inside. You should also treat the walls and floor by drilling holes into them and putting the insecticide inside. Any points of contact between wood and ground should also be treated.