Nothing really, but to describe a chemical treatment as a barrier is misleading.

There is no “physical” impairment to stop termites from gaining concealed entry into a house. The action is entirely chemical in nature. A chemical treatment is usually achieved by applying liquid termiticide to the soil by trenching and continuously drilling and injecting around a structure.

So when a Termite Technician says to you, they are going to install a “Barrier”. Ask them how does it physically stop termites?

To get a bit Nerdy about it, the correct language should be, “I recommend installing a Termite Management System. The one I want to recommend for your home is a chemical treatment using a non-repellent transfer product”.

A good company should be able to recommend an option that best suits the construction and conditions of your house.

Termite Management Systems:

CHEMICAL

1. Chemical treatment - liquid termiticide
2. Baiting & monitoring system
3. Sheeting material integrated with a concrete slab at the time of construction - chemical in a non-soil matrix

PHYSICAL

1. Concrete slab to AS 2870 - an actual physical barrier
2. Stainless steel meshing - integrated with a concrete slab at the time of construction - an actual physical barrier
3. Hard packing compound - typically applied in brick-cavity

Visual Inspection Zone

Some Builders rely only on a “Visual Inspection Zone” to gain certification for new constructions. To achieve certification, there should be a continuous vertical zone of 75mm from the top of the footing (slab) to the ground or landscaping (path or driveway). This zone allows the homeowner to detect termite leads coming up the slab edge.

Ant capping

It’s interesting to note that tin ant-capping is not a Termite Management System. It is just a point of detection to force termites to bridge, so they do not gain concealed entry, and you can detect them visually.

Read more ….

I hope this concise outline has made the terminology in our industry easier to understand.

If you have a question, don’t hesitate to call us on 1300 417 007