Application Techniques
We believe the Mr. Mister provide the best and safest means possible to rid a structure of drywood termites and to provide lasting protection. To do this use the application of Disodium Octaborate to as much of the wood in the structure as possible. There is no one tool that can effectively apply borates in all situations, therefore we have developed a variety of equipment that will give you a choice of treatments tailored to fit each situation.
Mr. Mister - Is the primary
tool when the application of liquid borate is required.
Designed to develop high pressure. With high pressure the treatment of
areas such as hollow wall voids is more thorough and can be accomplished
in a short time. Calibration of the tip will allow you to know how much
liquid you are applying in the void so you can avoid damage due to over
application.
The uses vary with the addition of application
tools:
Misting Cone Spray - To coat the surface of exposed wood members.
Pin Stream - To treat cracks behind wood members.
Misting needle - To treat inside void areas using a mist to avoid
runoff problems.
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The Mr. Mister is designed to give the safest most effective and most convenient service available for the treatment of wood destroying organisms. The object is to get borate products into the areas where insects live and breed and to eliminate any existing infestation while providing a residual to prevent future infestation. The challenge is that unlike the gaseous materials used in fumigation, the borates need to be applied directly to the areas to be protected. This application requires a better understanding of the habits of the insect as well as construction techniques that would hinder treatment.
The Mr. Mister system is a tool for the alternative termite treatment with non-repellant, non-contact kill product that has minimal mammalian toxicity (borate). All done with minimal cosmetic damage to the structure by one technician. This process takes advantage of the drywood termite’s habits and needs.
We call them drywood termites, but this does not mean they do not need moisture. Most buildings barely have adequate moisture for the termites. By adding about 30 gallons of solution to an average home, we spike the humidity and temperature in the structure which helps speed up the borate absorption into the wood. This also stimulates the termites into becoming active and to come to the surface and interact with the freshly applied material.
For termites to live they need shelter, moisture, food, and “nutritional elements” (like Vitamins for termites).
- We can not eliminate their shelter (your customer’s home).
- We can not permanently and completely eliminate the moisture.
- But, the termites are living inside their food, therefore, we can treat the wood to make it toxic to their protozoa and them.
- Also, Borates do a great job of controlling mold. Let me explain, it is believed that the reason termites tunnel heavily just below the surface of the wood is to create a termite’s version of a “green house” for growing micro-flora (mold). This mold uses the thermo energy that comes through the wood surface to break down the wood into “nutritional elements” (proteins and starches). Borates are a great and permanent fungicide. Preventing the mold will prevent the termites from being healthy.
Borate is not metabolized (not broken down) by the termite when eaten. The habit of tropholasic feeding by the termites assures the borate will be distributed throughout the colony. Therefore, a contact kill is not needed.
How much treatment is enough? We interpret the label to recommend about 20 gallons of solution in the attic and 10 gallons in the walls for an average home. With this volume of material one can be assured of a “moisture spike.” With out the “moisture spike” the termites will not quickly interact with the material. The more wood area that is treated, the more exposure the colonies have to the product (we always assume there are more than one colony). If one agrees with this, one would see that “spot treatments” may kill the localized termites with a contact kill, but “whole house” treatments get all the termites, even if there are multiple colonies, permanently!
By using the termite’s habits of continuously foraging, social nature, combined with giving them toxic moisture, making their food toxic, and killing off their mold farms we can control them. There are fast but temporary treatments like gas, heat, microwave, etc. (Yes, they have there place) or there is a slower but permanent treatment that is non-repellant, with low mammalian toxicity, minimal cosmetic damage, and one technician can do the whole treatment with the right equipment like the Mr. Mister and borates or non-repellant termiticides.
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