cial granules around the property that termites can’t move or penetrate. This results in the termites’ path to the property getting blocked and they are diverted away from your home with no harm done.
In some cases a special plastic material mixed with insecticides can be used, for example Kordon. Kordon lasts as long as the building itself and as soon as termites come in contact with it, they’ll die and therefore they can’t penetrate the building to cause any damage.
Chemical termite barriers
One of the most important barriers is a ‘chemical barrier’. A chemical barrier ensures that any termite that attempts to penetrate the property will become infected or die. There are two different types of chemicals used in a chemical barrier, repellent and non repellent.
Repellent chemicals are cheaper as the are normal insecticides, often toxic to humans as well. Termites will sense the barrier and it will repel them. Some die right away from the insecticide, which sends a signal to the others to avoid the area. The downside of the repellent barrier is that if the termites manage to find a gap through the barrier, they will use it and, generally, colonies can survive on either side of the barrier and continue to expand. The worstcase scenario is when the nest is inside your home and you make a repellent perimeter barrier effectively trapping them inside!
Non repellent chemicals are more expensive and much less toxic to humans than repellent ones. Termites won’t sense anything while crawling through these barriers which means that many more of them will be infected and ultimately the entire colony is doomed. Non repellent chemicals are fantastic! One of the latest ones, Altriset, is not only environmentally friendly, it is also absolutely nontoxic to humans, pets and beneficial organisms such as worms and bees.
How long do chemical termite barriers last?
Chemical barriers normally last around 10 years, depending on the concentration and the chemical. Make sure you read the information on the label of the chemical your pest controller is using.
Installing a perimeter barrier such as is an effective way to protect homes from termites. If your property has a subfloor, installing the chemical barrier in the subfloor is the most effective way to protect your home against termites.