| If wood destroying organisms are found in the | | | | might have heard of it. It is low toxicity |
| crawl space of the home you are purchasing, | | | | and similar to 20 Mule Team Borax, the hand |
| what can be done about it? Many insect | | | | soap that was the show sponsor back when |
| pests, given time and free reign, can | | | | Ronald Reagan was the television host of |
| literally destroy the substructure of a home. | | | | Death Valley Days. This product has been |
| Some of the worst in this regard include | | | | found to be effective in controlling rot and |
| termites, wood boring beetles and carpenter | | | | wood destroying insect pests, including the |
| ants. Home inspectors have to deal with this | | | | anobiid beetle, which works deep inside the |
| problem on a couple fronts. One, is the | | | | wood. The chemical is applied by a licensed |
| existing damage so extensive that the wood is | | | | pest control applicator and one treatment |
| already weak? Two, how can the pest be | | | | should be enough to last forever, unless the |
| eradicated? | | | | area floods at some point and that could wash |
| | | | away the treatment. Eliminating conducive |
| As for the first issue, that comes down to a | | | | conditions, such as leaks, bad caulking, poor |
| judgment call that has to be made by the | | | | ventilation or downspouts that empty next to |
| inspector or a contractor after visually | | | | the crawl space, will also help keep pests at |
| checking and sounding the lumber. Sometimes | | | | bay. |
| the lumber is just plain shot. A frequent | | | | |
| problem, or area of contention, is that most | | | | Sodium borate is very popular today, not only |
| sellers merely want to hire a pest control | | | | because it is effective but, also, because it |
| operator to apply a spray, even when the wood | | | | is safe. After years of using DDT, chlordane |
| is too far gone to ever offer any structural | | | | and some of the other highly toxic solutions, |
| integrity. In those cases, a contractor needs | | | | it is a welcome addition to the pest control |
| to replace wood that is soft and weak. | | | | industry. While the product is considered to |
| | | | be relatively new, as far as popularity here |
| As for the second issue, there is good news | | | | in the USA, it has been used in New Zealand |
| regarding chemical treatment. A common | | | | since 1953. |
| control used today is sodium borate. You | | | | |