Termite infestation

[rockyysdt]

Hi All.

 

Not knowing where to slot this post, I chose farming due to the common use of pesticides by farmers.

 

A Thai family living near Thabo have discovered termite infestation in their home.

They have a two storey home made of a combination of concrete, concrete blocks, & timber.

The improperly designed tiled roof has inadequate valley gutters and the sides of the building is subject to heavy rain driven sideways during the rainy season.

 

I warned that using poisons is very dangerous, not only for the family but also the free range chickens, ducks, pets  and other farm animals.

 

I'm thinking it will require a multi pronged attack which might include:

1. Poison regime.

2. Remove dead, dried, or rotting foliage and plants near the house.

3. Repair the roof to reduce water damage.

4. Remove rotted timber from the structure and replace.

5. Fit sails which might block the ferocity of some of the heavy rains.

 

What's recommended to make a start regarding the poisoning of the termites?

Are there recommended exterminators in the Thabo area, or can it be tackled DIY?

I have a big concerns about using any service providers.

The family has had a litany of poorly constructed and overcharged extensions to the home.

It seems that dodgy operators abound.

 

Also, the roofing solution showcased on this vlog seemed very affordable and could be the way to go regarding rendering the roof waterproof from above.

 

Don't know if anyone might know who the roofing company is or whether they have a presence in Thabo or Udon Thani?

 

11 minute mark.

https://youtu.be/tTmKK7TSUrs?feature=shared

 

Thanking you

 

Rocky

 

 

Edited July 14 by rockyysdt

[Robert Paulson]

Gonna have to bite the bullet and get the new metal beams. The roof material is super cheap nowadays but it is loud in the rain.

[rockyysdt]

1 hour ago, Robert Paulson said:

Gonna have to bite the bullet and get the new metal beams. The roof material is super cheap nowadays but it is loud in the rain.

I saw a technique where they fix the metal over the existing tiles, but I guess if it's a wooden roof supporting structure it will still collapase eventually.

[bunnydrops]

First would need a bit more info. Is the house built on piers, floor slab on the ground, or raised? As for the roof, I had the same problem with the valleys leaking during high wind and rain. I had to remove the tiles and put in a wider metal valley tin. How steep is your roof? In the video, the tiles were put on a roof that was too flat for tile. I think you would need a 20-degree slope roof minimum for tile.

Back to termites. I am surprised that there is not more use of metal termite shields here. I have a friend who even though he built his house with a 1 meter-high crawl space under his house and concrete floor, termites found a crack and ate away most of his wooden drink cabinet before he noticed them.

 

Just a side note on the video. Metal needs to be washed down with vinegar or a product I have seen sold here to remove the oil before painting. The workers should have known that.

[rockyysdt]

5 hours ago, bunnydrops said:

First would need a bit more info. Is the house built on piers, floor slab on the ground, or raised? As for the roof, I had the same problem with the valleys leaking during high wind and rain. I had to remove the tiles and put in a wider metal valley tin. How steep is your roof? In the video, the tiles were put on a roof that was too flat for tile. I think you would need a 20-degree slope roof minimum for tile.

Back to termites. I am surprised that there is not more use of metal termite shields here. I have a friend who even though he built his house with a 1 meter-high crawl space under his house and concrete floor, termites found a crack and ate away most of his wooden drink cabinet before he noticed them.

 

Just a side note on the video. Metal needs to be washed down with vinegar or a product I have seen sold here to remove the oil before painting. The workers should have known that.

The roof is very steep.

Being 2 storey and steep it makes it very difficult/dangerous to work on it without either a cherry picker vehicle or experienced roofers.

The valleys are very narrow.

Also the wings fitted below the ceiling line to the walls which give side protection have collapsed.

 

The ground floor is slab with concrete brick rendered walls.

Staircase to second floor is wooden.

Everything from floor 2 is wooden and termites are in the floor.

Don't know how they climbed but need to investigate.

 

This details the roof treatment in more detail including costs.

https://youtu.be/Y0127xbE9mw?feature=shared

[bunnydrops]

43 minutes ago, rockyysdt said:

Also the wings fitted below the ceiling line to the walls which give side protection have collapsed.

Are the rafters wood?

Maybe you can upload some pictures. I am not sure if you are talking about the rafters or a soffit built under it collapsed. If they are wood rafters, it sounds like the termites have gotten to them. You then need some professional help. There is a house near me (North of Korat) that was built in traditional Thai style about 20 years ago. The termites ate the floor joists so badly that it is not safe to go upstairs anymore.

 

Termite trails look like brown dirt lines going up the walls, they make dirt tunnels to travel in since they don't like light. Once into the wood, you don't see them until the wood breaks through and there is wood dust on the floor below.

 

If everything is good structurally, the method shown in the video should work. Just put new valley flashing over the old roof and under the new metal roof.

[carlyai]

We had a problem with termites in the Pattaya house.

They came up through the cement floor into the wooden door jam and marched on from there.

We got a pest exterminator company and the guy said that you have to kill the queen in the nest.

So he found the termites path in a false wooden show beam and with mimimal disturbance placed some termite food (yummy white block of poison I think), in the beam and closed the hole.

He said if it's noisy the termites won't come, but when it's quiet they march on (like Spain, sorry 😞  ).

When it was quiet you could hear them partying.

I can't remember how many weeks, but they died.

 

[remobb]

There is a spray you can do yourself:  Taurus SC: Best Overall  

• Active Ingredient: Fipronil
• Lasts For: Up to 10 years
• Works As Fast As: Less than three months

I used a garden spray around the house and between the floorboards both upstairs and downstairs. This is what the professionals use, must have Fipronil as this sticks to the termite's legs and transfers it to the nest in turn killing the queen. Haven't had any problems since. I respray once a year just to be safe. dilutes something like 1 to 100, very effective.

If you can't find this then get one with Fipronil.

 

Here is the guide but I didn't dig a trench:

 

Taurus SC is a highly concentrated, liquid termite killer that is applied to a trench around your house’s perimeter. For best results, dig a six-inch trench around your home’s perimeter, pour the solution in approximately every ten feet, and wait for your results. 

Taurus SC is a highly-effective termite killer because termites cannot detect it, so they walk over the liquid and bring the poison back to the termite colony with them. This leads to other termites being contaminated with Taurus SC and eventually eradicates the colony. It also works against wasps, ants, centipedes, roaches, and other pests as well. 

[alanrchase]

13 hours ago, bunnydrops said:

First would need a bit more info. Is the house built on piers, floor slab on the ground, or raised? As for the roof, I had the same problem with the valleys leaking during high wind and rain. I had to remove the tiles and put in a wider metal valley tin. How steep is your roof? In the video, the tiles were put on a roof that was too flat for tile. I think you would need a 20-degree slope roof minimum for tile.

Back to termites. I am surprised that there is not more use of metal termite shields here. I have a friend who even though he built his house with a 1 meter-high crawl space under his house and concrete floor, termites found a crack and ate away most of his wooden drink cabinet before he noticed them.

 

Just a side note on the video. Metal needs to be washed down with vinegar or a product I have seen sold here to remove the oil before painting. The workers should have known that.

Galvanized steel has no oil on it. Still best to give it a clean before paint but a lot easier than cleaning mild steel.

[cowellandrew]

The up side is that termites move mycelium around,

If you cant move them resort to America 

101 napalm delivered by the A1

[GammaGlobulin]

6 hours ago, carlyai said:

We had a problem with termites in the Pattaya house.

They came up through the cement floor into the wooden door jam and marched on from there.

We got a pest exterminator company and the guy said that you have to kill the queen in the nest.

So he found the termites path in a false wooden show beam and with mimimal disturbance placed some termite food (yummy white block of poison I think), in the beam and closed the hole.

He said if it's noisy the termites won't come, but when it's quiet they march on (like Spain, sorry 😞  ).

When it was quiet you could hear them partying.

I can't remember how many weeks, but they died.

 

 

OK.

Thank you for this info.

I need to protect from termites, too.

I want to be as proactive and prophylactic as possible, pronto!

 

I have been delaying for months.

But, reading these comments, I realize that if I act early, then I might avoid a falling roof.

 

Of course, I will need someone to come and climb up into the crawlspace above the ceiling, and check thoroughly to see the health of the existing wooden beams and wood structure.

 

But, you are correct:  When all is quiet, and silent as a mouse, throughout the house, it IS possible to hear the termites dissolving and consuming the wood with saliva, and the sound sounds like you would expect... Munch....Munch....Munch.  You can easily hear it with the unaided ear.

 

 

[rockyysdt]

2 hours ago, remobb said:

There is a spray you can do yourself:  Taurus SC: Best Overall  

• Active Ingredient: Fipronil
• Lasts For: Up to 10 years
• Works As Fast As: Less than three months

I used a garden spray around the house and between the floorboards both upstairs and downstairs. This is what the professionals use, must have Fipronil as this sticks to the termite's legs and transfers it to the nest in turn killing the queen. Haven't had any problems since. I respray once a year just to be safe. dilutes something like 1 to 100, very effective.

If you can't find this then get one with Fipronil.

 

Here is the guide but I didn't dig a trench:

 

Taurus SC is a highly concentrated, liquid termite killer that is applied to a trench around your house’s perimeter. For best results, dig a six-inch trench around your home’s perimeter, pour the solution in approximately every ten feet, and wait for your results. 

Taurus SC is a highly-effective termite killer because termites cannot detect it, so they walk over the liquid and bring the poison back to the termite colony with them. This leads to other termites being contaminated with Taurus SC and eventually eradicates the colony. It also works against wasps, ants, centipedes, roaches, and other pests as well. 

Thanks R.

 

How toxic is it for people and farm animals?

 

How do you avoid poisoning everyone else?

[Andycoops]

Best to rip it all out, it's very hard to completely eradicate termites in my experience as they bore into the centre of the wood and replace with steel which is cheap at the moment due to the chinese dumping here.

 

That's what I did to my garage and store rooms, I repurposed some of the tiles to save mobey and bought new ones.

 

 

[ericbj]

Where can one purchase Taurus SC in Thailand?
Preferably on-line, as not available locally.
International shipper found will not ship to Thailand.

BTW, for info:

Safety Data:
https://epestcontrol.com/images/Products/labels/taurus-sc-msds.pdf

Label Instructions:
https://epestcontrol.com/images/Products/labels/taurus-sc-label.pdf

Stuff I have bought locally, and used, is Chaindrite Stedfast 30SC, cost about 900 baht /litre.

I use it only as a cure (desperate measure) and preventatively poured into a crack outside around the foot of exterior walls.

Details here:
https://www.sherwood.co.th/msds_en/Chaindrite_Stedfast 30 SC.pdf

Safety Data:
https://sherwood.co.th/msds_en/Chaindrite_Stedfast_30_SC.pdf

As protective treatment of new timber and wood-based materials, I treat with two coats of saturated aqueous borax solution - dissolves better in hot water - before painting or varnishing.  Crystals can be purchased cheaply from Chemipan.  Non-toxic.  Once figured as a mouthwash in the British Pharmacopoeia.

Have not tried the following.  Apparently borax can be used to wipe out a termite colony.  Treat cardboard with very dilute borax solution and allow to dry.  Too dilute to discourage them from eating it and too dilute to kill them quickly.  They must have time to return to the nest and die there.  Search the Internet for the dilution required.

For protection of timbers exposed to regular washing or rain, use BegerDrite or similar.

[rockyysdt]

17 hours ago, remobb said:

There is a spray you can do yourself:  Taurus SC: Best Overall  

• Active Ingredient: Fipronil
• Lasts For: Up to 10 years
• Works As Fast As: Less than three months

 

It appears this product will only be supplied to licensed firms.

 

So now the goal is to:

1. Track down a local company which uses Fipronil products.

2. A company which is professional in the execution of their work and does not overcharge.

3. The need to deal with living in a farm house with poison which is highly toxic and known to cause tumors.

 

Any leads?

[rockyysdt]

On 7/14/2024 at 10:44 PM, Robert Paulson said:

Gonna have to bite the bullet and get the new metal beams. The roof material is super cheap nowadays but it is loud in the rain.

The worst decision had been the decision to construct a 2 storey building on property where there is plenty of land.

The roof has severe slopes making it very difficult to do roof work without specialist input.

Rebuilding would be a major cost.

Particularly where a lot of local operators are cowboys who aren't qualified and overcharge.

[stubuzz]

7 minutes ago, rockyysdt said:

It appears this product will only be supplied to licensed firms.

 

So now the goal is to:

1. Track down a local company which uses Fipronil products.

2. A company which is professional in the execution of their work and does not overcharge.

3. The need to deal with living in a farm house with poison which is highly toxic and known to cause tumors.

 

Any leads?

Fipronil is available from any farm/gardening shop. 100ml - 100bt

It is also available on https://shopee.co.th/search?keyword=fipronil

[digbeth]

spraying chemicals vs bait

 

I've had success with both, for old build house unless you are willing to drill through concrete floors to spray under the house bait would be better choice as spraying along the perimeter and along interior walls won't reach underground beneath the house 

[rockyysdt]

On 7/15/2024 at 4:30 PM, remobb said:

Taurus SC: Best Overall  

• Active Ingredient: Fipronil
• Lasts For: Up to 10 years
• Works As Fast As: Less than three months

I used a garden spray around the house and between the floorboards both upstairs and downstairs.

 

Is there an online supplier you can recommend?

I tried Lazada offerings but I can't read thai.

None of these products include ingredients in their description.

[rockyysdt]

On 7/15/2024 at 9:32 PM, ericbj said:

Where can one purchase Taurus SC in Thailand?
Preferably on-line, as not available locally.

 

thanks Eric.

Would your supplier offer shipping to Thabo?

[rockyysdt]

11 hours ago, stubuzz said:

Fipronil is available from any farm/gardening shop. 100ml - 100bt

It is also available on https://shopee.co.th/search?keyword=fipronil

The link doesn't work for me.

 

Do you have a product name?

I'll get the missus to ask for it by name.

[petermik]

5 minutes ago, rockyysdt said:

The link doesn't work for me.

 

Do you have a product name?

I'll get the missus to ask for it by name.

[rockyysdt]

13 hours ago, petermik said:

Thanks.

 

We'll probably need commercial strength & quantity.

 

I can't read the local language.

 

Are these OK?

 

Can't find your example on lazada.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/1-i4059577186-s15817189228.html?c=&channelLpJumpArgs=&clickTrackInfo=query%3AFipronil%3Bnid%3A4059577186%3Bsrc%3ALazadaMainSrp%3Brn%3A67bde79d62793660dfb07a7055abce4f%3Bregion%3Ath%3Bsku%3A4059577186_TH%3Bprice%3A245%3Bclient%3Adesktop%3Bsupplier_id%3A100191334%3Bbiz_source%3Ah5_internal%3Bslot%3A0%3Butlog_bucket_id%3A470687%3Basc_category_id%3A12150%3Bitem_id%3A4059577186%3Bsku_id%3A15817189228%3Bshop_id%3A217574&fastshipping=0&freeshipping=1&fs_ab=2&fuse_fs=&lang=en&location=Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya&price=245&priceCompare=skuId%3A15817189228%3Bsource%3Alazada-search-voucher%3Bsn%3A67bde79d62793660dfb07a7055abce4f%3BunionTrace%3A2ff62a9617211805964397316e%3BoriginPrice%3A24500%3BvoucherPrice%3A24500%3BdisplayPrice%3A24500%3BsinglePromotionId%3A-1%3BsingleToolCode%3A-1%3BvoucherPricePlugin%3A1%3BbuyerId%3A0%3Btimestamp%3A1721180596922&ratingscore=4.972663139329806&request_id=67bde79d62793660dfb07a7055abce4f&review=2268&sale=15138&search=1&source=search&spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.0&stock=1

 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/5-1-i5145362852-s21736438091.html?c=&channelLpJumpArgs=&clickTrackInfo=query%3Aascend%3Bnid%3A5145362852%3Bsrc%3ALazadaMainSrp%3Brn%3A9c96e61ed863be96a3142e92f5292bee%3Bregion%3Ath%3Bsku%3A5145362852_TH%3Bprice%3A226%3Bclient%3Adesktop%3Bsupplier_id%3A100189431081%3Bbiz_source%3Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.lazada.co.th%2F%3Bslot%3A31%3Butlog_bucket_id%3A470687%3Basc_category_id%3A12150%3Bitem_id%3A5145362852%3Bsku_id%3A21736438091%3Bshop_id%3A1983382&fastshipping=0&freeshipping=0&fs_ab=2&fuse_fs=&lang=en&location=Kamphaeng Phet&price=226&priceCompare=skuId%3A21736438091%3Bsource%3Alazada-search-voucher%3Bsn%3A9c96e61ed863be96a3142e92f5292bee%3BunionTrace%3A2ff62a9517211810173396470e%3BoriginPrice%3A22600%3BvoucherPrice%3A22600%3BdisplayPrice%3A22600%3BsinglePromotionId%3A-1%3BsingleToolCode%3A-1%3BvoucherPricePlugin%3A1%3BbuyerId%3A0%3Btimestamp%3A1721181017967&ratingscore=5.0&request_id=9c96e61ed863be96a3142e92f5292bee&review=2&sale=43&search=1&source=search&spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.31&stock=1

 

[petermik]

My example was from Shopee.........

 

I,ve ordered this from Lazada earlier

[rockyysdt]

5 hours ago, petermik said:

My example was from Shopee.........

 

I,ve ordered this from Lazada earlier

 

Your original example was 100ml and 5% strength.

 

I can't work out how many mls the Lazada example contains.

 

Is the price difference due to the volume?

What volume was your original Lazada purchase?

 

thanks

 

[petermik]

3 hours ago, rockyysdt said:

 

Your original example was 100ml and 5% strength.

 

I can't work out how many mls the Lazada example contains.

 

Is the price difference due to the volume?

What volume was your original Lazada purchase?

 

thanks

 

Shopee was 100 mls 69 baht......ordered 1 litre on Lazada 245 baht

[Robert Paulson]

This company makes the best insecticides in Thailand. If you are going to try chemicals just pay whatever they are asking for this stuff. It may be on lazada. I tried to kill cockroaches for about a year. I bought their cockroach stuff and woke up in the morning and I kid you not have not seen a cockroach since. 
https://www.syngentapmp.com/residential/termites

[remobb]

On 7/16/2024 at 6:41 PM, rockyysdt said:

Is there an online supplier you can recommend?

I tried Lazada offerings but I can't read thai.

None of these products include ingredients in their description.

Hi, sorry I haven't been on line the last few days. This is what I use and recommend (bought from Shoppee) 

[rockyysdt]

Thanks everyone.

 

Issue ended up being far too huge for DIY applications.

 

Had to get professionals in.

 

Infestation to house is  extensive.

Will not know if there is structural damage or where this all will end.

 

My recommendation, "never build with timber".

 

If you do use timber, don't let the local tradies place poles directly into the concrete slab.

Must always be clear of slab using stirrups, and use treated timber.

 

One example of a dodgy build, the builder used an old tree trunk as the main central stud and this was placed directly on the ground before the slab was poured.

A great access point for termites who will eat the pole from within.

Edited July 21 by rockyysdt