# Forum Home Renovation Pest Control  termite treatment optios for new build

## ghcomp69

Hi. Just wanted to see what other people have had with new builds/builders and termite protection. I do not want to use termimesh or other types of physical barriers.  
My slab is a waffle pod with monolithic concrete. Can the buildersimply build the house and i get a guy to chemically treat the perimiter (and repeat every 5 or so years).   
Also, do i need an underslab reticulation, even though the slab is monolithic?

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## John2b

Personally speaking, I would rather not belong to the group of Australians with early onset dementia and Parkinson's due to chemical exposure, but hey, each to their own.

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## Bros

Physical barrier every time, any other treatment requires on going maintenance.

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## phild01

Termite reticulation system then.

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## Marc

Termites are attracted to Styrofoam to build their nest and because of CO2 release. It is interesting to note that if you do a search on this topic, all australian sites will state that styrofoam does not attract termites because it has no "nutritional value". I suppose that my lawnmower wheels rubber, must have had high nutritional value to the termite that consumed them.
Most US sites talk about the massive problem they have with insulation and styrofoam blocks in the ground with termites.  
I would avoid the concrete waffle pod. The name is enough deterrent. Have a normal slab without the appalling cost reduction and termite attractant blocks of styrofoam. Normal slab and physical barrier. Once you have it all in place, call the pest dude and ask to have a line of termite bait stations around the house. You don't need to pay them to come and refill the bait this days. You can do it yourself when the termite find and consume the bait, just like you would for rats and mice. Its a new product ergo the price tag. Eventually it will come down.

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## phild01

> Termites are attracted to Styrofoam

  Sounds like a myth!
 Termites can chew their way through many things to get to a food a source.

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## Marc

Termites love CO2
It might not be a gourmet meal to us, but minute levels of CO2 certainly attract termites. University research has proved it. Termites are attracted to levels of CO2 that mimic those naturally given off by both rotting wood and termite nests, so the CO2 in the soil directs termites to potential feeding sites. The Focus Termite Attractantin your Exterra Station is doing its job, by naturally directing the termites to an Exterra Station and not your home.  https://www.fumapest.com.au/pdf/EXTE...20Terminal.pdf 
So the way to attract termites is via CO2 releasing agents right? The above system is outdated and expensive since it requires constant inspections, but such is beside the point. Co2 attracts termites and you don't want that unless in a controlled way as in the bait stations above.
Yet we are happy to have tons of Polystyrene blocks under the house that degrade slowly via oxidation into CO2 and organic carbon, that we know attracts termites.   https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.9b00532 
Oh but styrofoam does not attract termites because it has no nutritional value!  :Annoyed:  https://www.foamex.com.au/about-us/n...%20the%20house. 
There are lots of myths ... there is bottom of the garden myths and there are other myths like the fair and clean electoral machines supplied by Venezuela for the US elections.

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## phild01

https://sciencing.com/long-styrofoam...n-5407877.html  _"Though it has many uses and benefits, Styrofoam, a brand name for polystyrene foam, takes a hefty toll on the environment. Estimates vary for the breakdown of Styrofoam from a few years to as much as 1 million, depending on environmental conditions." 
"​Inside a landfill and shielded from light, however, no such breakdown takes place."_ 
So unsure where the CO2 factors insitu considering there is no exposure to daylight!

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## John2b

CO2 is one of a number of gases used to froth up polystyrene into foam. (Once upon a time chlorofluorocarbons were used as the blowing agent, but that gas punched a hole in the ozone layer that made life on earth possible, so it isn't done that way now!) 
Polystyrene blown with CO2 will have plenty of CO2 gas trapped inside the closed foam cells. That CO2 that will slowly leach out, just like the air leaching out of balloons causes them to deflate. CO2 may well be an attractant to termites which will give rise to more damage that increases the CO2 leaching rate.

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## phild01

Is there a publication that shows waffle pads attract termites by way of any CO2 emission.  It does seem a moot point as any compliant concrete slab  with collars on pipe penetrations will not provide entry to termites even if cracks occur. If a slab's crack is greater than 1 -1.4mm then it would be defective construction.

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## intertd6

I wouldn't hesitate to use a waffle pod slab, termites are vertually everywhere under the ground at all times, they can build a nest anywhere they like, under any type of concrete slab if they so choose. As long as its monolithic, the penetrations are sealed, has a visible barrier perimeter which is inspected at regular intervals,  it all good with no further need for chemicals .
inter

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## Bros

> I wouldn't hesitate to use a waffle pod slab, 
> inter

  I never thought anything good about waffle pods but the builder who built our house by the conventional methods (who is now retired) told me they are quite good if done properly. About 3 mths ago a house was built over the road from me and it had waffle pod and I thought for termite protection it would be very good provided the edge slab was at least 150mm above ground level.

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