 | | Slab prepared for concrete pour. |
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 | | Figure 1: Wood forms around bath trap can provide entryway for termites. |
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Bath traps are openings in the slab where the plumbing for the bathtub enters the house. They are one of the Formosan termites' favorite ways to infest a home.
Problems:
- Houses are often designed so that accessing the bath traps after construction is difficult or impossible.
- Soil subsidence under the slab can make treatment ineffective.
- Remaining form material can inhibit treatment and actually promote termite infestation.
Figure 1 shows a bath trap after the concrete has been poured. You will note that the bath trap was formed with wood. These boards should be removed but sometimes they are left behind. Besides wood, a variety of materials are used to form out the bath traps including: plastic buckets and cardboard boxes. If left in place, the wood and cardboard can actually attract termites while the plastic can block the treatment and provide a safe path for the termites to enter.
To treat a bath trap after a house is built, a hole must be cut in the wall to access the trap. The hole should be at least 6 x 8 inches. If the soil has subsided, then soil must be added to within 2 inches of the top of the slab before treatment. (See minimum specifications).
In the ideal situation, the bathtub backs up to a closet. This gives the inspector plenty of room to work in and the access panel is out of sight.
Filling the bath trap with cement or tar is not a good idea. Termites can still enter the house around the edges, and the material actually blocks inspection. These fillings can also hide soil subsidence and prevent the addition of new soil.
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