Anti Termite Treatment

Anti termite treatment  is an important aspect of foundation construction. The termites enter to building through the timber burried in grounds or by means of mud tubes over unprotected foundation. They may cause considerable damage to wooden members of buildings and other households articles. The treatment shall be during construction. However existing building can also be treated. 

A chemical barrier is created between the ground and the foundation by treating the soil beneath the building and around the foundation with a suitable insecticide. Care should be taken that the barrier is without any break. 

The chemical specilied should be tested for its chemical property. Chemical of required concentration shall be procured in sealed original containers directly from reputed and authorised dealers. The quantity of chemical used for unit area should also be checked. 

Graduated contains shall be used for dilution of chemicals with water in the required proportions toaheve the desired percentage of concentration. It would be advisable to collect all the required quantity of material at site, mark the containers, and use them in day today work. Empty containers should be taken back. 

All chcniical used for antitermite treatment are poisons. These chemicals can have an adverse effect upon health when absorbed through the skin, in-haled as vapours or spray mists or swallowed. Children should not have access to the stored chemicals. Workers should be advised about the dangers of skin contact with chemicals. They should wash themselves with soap and water and change dresses after working with the chemicals. 

Care should be taken in the application of chemicals to see that they are not allowed to contaminate wells or springs which serve as source of drinking water. 

Treatment shall be got only from approved specialised agencies. Spraying of chemical should be done using hand operated pressure pump.

 Treatment for Masonry Foundations and Basements

The bottom surface and the sides upto a height of 300 mm of the excavations made for masonry foundations and basements shall be treated with the chemical fat the rate of 5 litres per sq. metre surface area. 

Section of Trench Bottom and Sides

After the masonry foundations and the retaining wall of the basements come up, the back fill in the immediate contact with the foundation structure shall be treated at the rate of 7.3 litres per sq. m. of the vertical surface of the substructure for each side. If water is used for ramming the earth fill, the chemical treatment shall be carried out after the ramming operation is done by rodding the earth at 150 min centres close to the wall surface and spraying the chemical with the above dosage. The earth is usually returned in layers and the treatment shall be carried out in similar stages. The chemical emulsion shall be directed towards the concrete or masonry surfaces of the columns and walls so that the earth in contact with these surfaces is well treated with the chemical. 

Load Bearing Wall Structure

Treatment of RCC Foundations and Basements

In case of RCC foundation the treatment should start at the depth of 500 mm below ground level. The soil in immediate contact with the vertical surface of RCC foundation shall be treated at the rate of 7.5 litres per square metre. The other details of treatment should be as mentioned earlier. 

Treatment of Surface of Plinth Filling 

The top surface of the filled earth within the plinth walls shall be treated with chemical emulsion at the rate of 5 litres per sq. m. of the surface before the sand/subgrade is laid. Holes upto 50 to 75mm deep at 150 mm centres both ways shall be made with crow bars on the surface to facilitate saturation of the soil with chemical emulsion. 

R.C. Framed Structure With Column & Plinth Beams 

Treatment at Junction of the Walls and the Floor 

To achieve continuity of the vertical chemical barrier on inner wall surfaces from the ground level, a small channel 30 x 30 mm should be made at all the junctions of the walls and columns with the floor before laying the subgrade and rod holes made in the channel upto ground level 150 mm apart and the chemical emulsion poured along the channel @ 7.5 litres per sq./m. of the vertical  wall or column surface so as to soak the soil upto bottom. The soil shall be tamped back into peace after this operation.

Treatment of Soil along External Perimeter of Building

After the building is complete 300 mm deep holes shall be provided in the soil with iron rods along the external perimeter of the building at the intervals of about 150 mm and these holes shall be filled with chemical emulsion at the rate of 7.5 litres per sq.m. of vertical surfaces. The holes shall extended upto the original ground level if the depth of filling is more than 300 mm. 

No treatment should be carried when the soil is wet due to rain or subsoil water. 

The treated soil barrier shall not be disturbed. In case of any disturbance the continuity and completeness of the barrier system shall be restored. 

Holes for chemicals shall be properly made. For proper penetrations of chemical into the surface to be treated, hand operated pressure pump shall be used. To have proper check for uniform penetration of chemical, graduated containers shall be used. Proper check should be kept so that the specified quantity of chemical is used for the required area during the operation.