Search
- Home
- Topics
- Family & Home
- Home
- Rebuilding & Restoration
- Safer, Stronger, Smarter
- Durability & Hazards
- Termites
- Termite Resistance Checklist
__ No untreated wood left in soil
__ Moisture-managed construction (See Moisture Control section)
__ Professional soil treatment under foundation
__ Termite barriers at hidden pathways
__ Best: no untreated structural wood or vulnerable insulation
__ Borate-treated wall/roof framing, cellulose insulation, foams
__ Pressure-treated (not borate) or composite wood decking
__ Masonry, concrete or steel construction
Slab foundation:
__ Monolithic poured slab
__ Slab specifications to minimize cracking
__ Steel mesh epoxied pipe collars within slab
__ Consider treatment of control joints and cracks
__ No wood forms, stakes, etc. left in ground
Raised foundations:
__ No hollow concrete blocks below grade
__ Hollow block foundation walls capped with concrete
__ Piers are solid, resistant material
__ Termite shields between foundation and framing to force termite exposure
__ Floor joists >18 inches above ground
All foundations:
__ No vulnerable foam insulation under ground (below grade)
__ Minimum 8 inches clearance between siding and finished grade
__ Minimum 6 inches clearance between wooden steps and soil
__ Foundations detailed for ease of inspection and detection
__ Porches, terraces not filled with soil
__ Porch supports separated from house minimum 2 inches
Other:
__ Downspouts, sprinklers, drain lines discharge >2 feet from house
__ Plantings placed min. 3 feet from foundation
__ Termite-resistant mulch near house
__ Plumbing and conduit off the ground; no wood supports
The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture