Arizona termites are ubiquitous—that much is obvious to anyone who has ever lived in the state for a while. As such, it is not uncommon to see all types of termite control and prevention methods being applied by various termite treatment companies to protect and rid homes of the critters. One particular method that has yet to gain popularity, perhaps due to its relative novelty, is the physical termite barrier method.
With a physical termite barrier, you get the equivalent of a brick wall preventing termites from making their way into your home or even to your foundations. The advantages of using such barriers are legion, not least being the assurance that you do not have to worry about poison leaching from your chemical termite barriers and into the water table. With physical barriers, you are also assured of what researchers say is a far longer period of efficacy for the termite control method.
Chemical barriers tend to break down over time. Indeed, they must break down over time. After all, any toxic chemical (which describes all termiticides) that is capable of remaining active indefinitely would be harmful not only for the termites but for all other surrounding forms of life. Were chemical barriers to be permanent, they would likely lead to catastrophic results not only for the Arizona termites but also for Arizona homeowners.
So the solution, experts say, is to install a physical termite barrier. A physical termite barrier can last for an indefinite period as long as it is not composed of materials that degrade over time. If the materials are also toxin-free, all the better.
There are several types of termite control barriers being developed at the moment, with one notable example being the BTB, or Basaltic Termite Barrier developed by Dr. Minoru Tamashiro of the University of Hawaii, which runs a termite control and prevention research project. This barrier, like most other termite barriers, works by having a set of physical characteristics that make it impossible for termites to tunnel through it or displace parts of it. The barrier developed by Dr. Tamashiro is composed of granules of basalt rock, which have been selected to meet stringent physical requirements.
Most termite control barriers are composed of materials like that: rocks, metals, and similar substances that termites cannot eat or damage. A good number of them are already being used in commercial applications, and are being reported quite effective, especially when paired with other termite prevention methods. The research generally looks promising, and there have yet to be any significant weaknesses identified in the barriers. These physical barriers may well be the future of the battle against Arizona termites, and termite control experts and specialists are already paying attention.
