I've made the switch to Boracare because it provides resistance to mold and mildew growth in addition to termite resistance. If there is a future infestation of termites, then soil poisoning agents can be used.

Thanks for starting this thread. Has anyone else used this? It seems better to prevent infestations, if possible, and cheaper and less toxic than tenting later. Does this product really work? FWIW, my local termite company can apply it. So it’s not as cheap as DYI, but I figure they know what they are doing, vs. me learning on the job (and possibly missing spots, etc). Thanks in advance for your help!

I am also interested to know more about the toxic part. Tenting involves using a gas, which I think is easier to disperse after treatment before the inhabitants move back in. A product like Boracare on the other hand can have longer term exposure since it stays in the structure long-term. There are several sources that point out that Borax based products are non-toxic to humans, but I wanted to point out that exposure duration is different between the two products.

@Joe Macker yes that’s what I‘ve read: the borax is absorbed into the wood and stays there .....permanently. (Really? Sounds good but who knows exactly?. Maybe only 10 or 20 years?) Regardless, it’s better than tenting or any treatment that can only get the current infestation. I’d watched the DIY video and they recommended Boracare on the bottom 2-3 feet of the studs. But my termite inspector is recommending treating all exposed wood because sometimes the flying ones come in through the other ways. I’ve had termite damage in the attic, and it hasn’t come up from the ground.

Thanks for starting this treat back in Sept. It put this product on my radar!

@Joe,

I'm not sure about your reference to "tenting" as that is a fumigation technique used to eliminate live infestation of certain pests. The gases used are regulated and the fumigation would need to be performed by certified professionals. To my knowledge fumigation is not used to kill termites. By contrast, a variety of borate-based liquid chemical termite treatments are available to consumers for purchase which they can apply themselves.

I'm sure the toxicity studies make great bedtime reading. Here's a link to get you started:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10050929

Better living through chemistry as they used to say....

That does it! I'm limiting my daily dose of borate and boric acid.

@worthy,

It's less toxic to humans than table salt is, so you better limit that, too. And I hear bourbon isn't good for you, which is why my wife says she won't buy any for me. However, this thread has inspired me to do some toxicity studies of my own. I wonder what level of bourbon might be toxic to termites and if there's a difference from one distillery's product to another. I might even apply for a government grant to study it. If you want to do a parallel study up there in the frozen north, I'd suggest Canadian whisky so you might qualify for a grant, too.

@Charles Ross Homes yes tenting/fumation is a popular (the primary?) way that people here treat whole house Infestations. It’s often done when a home is sold, by pros, (during the time the house is vacant). But the critters can move back in any time. FWIW, when they ripped open my walls we found 4 spots of active infestation, so I’m planning to do the Electrogun (+an injection of the least toxic chemical) on those active areas, and am considering doing boracare on all the open walls and the new construction. I hope to never tent again. (A girl can dream). Hey, let me now how your bourbon study turns out. If you don‘t get the results you want, at least you have ready access to something to drown your sorrows... ;)

@worthy Thanks for mentioning that. I didn’t make the connection. On the boracare, I read that it impacts the exoskeleton. Not sure what it does to our endoskeleton. This random article said the borax isn’t the same as boric acid, so I may have mistyped. I haven’t done my research at all and have no idea who this blogger is or where she gets her facts. But hey, it’s on the internet, it has to be true, lol!

https://crunchybetty.com/getting-to-the-bottom-of-borax-is-it-safe-or-not/

BTW, shouldn’t Boracare also treat subterrain termites? I had some of those 2-3 years ago and got that treated. (the least toxic pesticide shot into the ground to create a chemical barrier. I bought stakes at HD and put in the backyard where the swarm came from). Since this project has two rooms of new construction, the termite guy suggested treating again for subterraneans, but should the Boracare do that? The front of the house should still have the barrier (assuming it’s valid 2-3 years later) Thanks for being my pest control support group, lol!

Chlordane treated slabs are still treated, 60 years later.

The borate-based termite treatments are water soluble. They're great for protecting wood that doesn't subsequently get wet. Because they're water soluble, they wouldn't make good soil poisoning agents. Check the manufacturer's instructions on the label for their recommended applications.

Tenting and fumigation might be effective for treating live infestation of many insect species, and could kill termites working the day shift above ground, but I would be concerned about the potential for termites in the ground to survive. Plus it's really hazardous and expensive. It would most likely need to be supplemented with soil poisoning to get 100% kill.

Soil poisoning alone is the typical termite treatment here in coastal Virginia both as preventative measure and for treating live infestation. After treatment, annual inspections are recommended to check for evidence of termite activity.

I'm an Entomologist ... whatetver you do, make sure you treat the perimeter of your house with Fipronil. A pest control professional will handle for you. Even better if they have a Termidor HP injection system as it will limit the amount of trenching necessary. The effiacy of Fipronil is far ahead of anything else that science has created IMO.

We are currently building and applied Borocare to all studs before SheetRock was installed. It’s not a simple DIY but if you buy all the protective gear and purchase it on Amazon, it can save about 50% than using a local pro. We are using it for the mold, mildew and termite repellant. Researched it as well due to small dogs and children. Every little bit helps in warding off the evils.(bugs and moisture)

@Jazz Lover how much did it cost per (per square-foot of wall ?) ?

Charles Ross Homes and HU-758189954 thanks for sharing your professional expertise. I have a couple of questions:

a) If I hire someone to treat all the wood using boracare, do I still need to treat the soil? i.e. if the critters dig through the dirt, won't they still get stopped by the wood? FWIW, I had the soil treated with Terimdor about 2 years ago. But we have added-on in the back and on one side. ( that's the area that will great treated with Boracare). Wouldn't the treatment in the front still be effective?

b) On the few spots of active infestation that we found during demo, they were recommending the electrogun along with injection of Termidor to those areas. They would also use the electrogun (w/o Termidor) to treat adjoining areas that are not directly accessible (haven't been demo'd) just in case. They claim their tool can detect how far the infestation goes and can penetrate 14" of wood. Is this true? Can it go through Hardiplant siding?

c) how toxic is Termidor? They will do the work on a Sat. Should I stay somewhere else that weekend? Is it safe for workers to be there all day the following Monday-Friday? (I researched this a couple years ago and it seemed like the safest option, but I'd love your opinion)

d) if I plan to treat the soil, I assume I should wait until I'm done disturbing the backyard. (I plan to install a new deck and patio in the spring). Any weather restrictions, like wait until the rainy season is done?

thanks for your help!

@joeMacker- the cost-We saturated the walls from three feet down and the house is almost 2900 sq ft(including the upstairs) One gallon (w mold care)cost $127 on Amazon and it makes 5 gallons. He still had a bit leftover in the sprayer when done. There’s a YouTube video as well!Good luck!

Your code inspector will require a certificate from a local exterminator that prophylactic treatment of the soil under the foundation and slab has occurred prior to the concrete being poured. Anything else isn’t required. But it’s a really good idea.

Termites can easily build 5’ mud tunnels. Plus, the flying ones have extended their reach far beyond their New Orleans port of entry into this country. Just like armadillos and fire ants have reached far beyond TX and crossed the Mississippi all the way up 40 north to Nashville. Treat all of the wood. And treat the soil. Both are needed in areas where its warm enough for either fire ants or armadillos.

FWIW, I’d also watched a DIY video (from a building show) who recommended spraying only the lower few feet. However, my termite guy suggested spraying everything that is open and exposed, so up the walls and into the ceiling joists. When we demo-ed, we found four spots of active infestation. Three were at the ceiling (one was under the siding).

@girl_wonder If you have active infestations it may be better to fumigate it. AFAIK spraying prevents future infestation but cannot kill infestations that are already deep into the wood.

@Joe Macker thanks. We’re planning to use the electrogun, which works, but it’s a local treatment, so you need to know the location of infestation. (Tenting gets everything, whether you’ve id’d the spots or not). In my case, the termite company is not recommending tenting.

@girl_wonder,

I don't consider application of chemicals other than paints, deck waterproofing, and beer to be DIY fun-with-chemistry projects. I'd defer to a local professional termite control specialist in your area who can tell you the best product for the problem at hand and provide whatever documentation may be required after application.

Charles Ross Homes agreed. I'm sorry my posts were confusing. When I said I "did" something or planned to do something, it means I hired out the work to someone who knows what they are doing! thanks for your feedback (and re-assurance that I'm not just being a lazybones ;)