How to Clear the Ground to Prevent Termite Damage

prepared by Lumber Yards and Producefs sub-committee

Termite Investigations Committeer 2lS Market St', San Francisco

The food of the termites is cellulose. Cellulose is found in paper, various wallboards, wood and wood substitutes' Some'teimites attack these articles in a dry state' If you have a yard in the vicinity of termite infestation the follorving suggestions maY aid Yott:

The subterranean or ground termites must have moisture to carry on their work' If the ground termites have easy access io cellulose an<l moisture they rvill thrive and multiply.

^Therefore it is necessary to clear the ground o{ loose boards, sawdust, shavings, chips, paper and other cellulosecontaining objects, if rve wish to control termite damage' Special cire sirould be taken to remove chips- and other objects at and near foundation walls, piers and chimneys' -. '

After the ground inside and outside the foundation walls of dwellings"and within the space bouncled by the founda-

In a house already erected it will not be possible-to. obtain " Gu.hlttg or drying of the soil by direct rays of,the sun' It is possi-ble, howev-er, to do this in the case of lumber ptles' If ihe ground has been recently cleared of trees it is well t" pf""Sn'the land after clearing-it of.debris. This will dry the soii. In a house already erected--it.may be necessary to lorver the ground level to obtain sufficient sp-a-ce trom the ittto- of flo"or joists and tl-re ground level' Many homes "* U"itt on aclobe soil in this region and drainage. is.th.erefore very poor. Many times foundation walls of butlcltngs ;;;;"4 d";p enough - ttign enough on- such soils' The soil should be 'hauled-away t6 pet*il at least eighteen inches and preferably trventy-fottr inches between the bottom ot Roor'1olrt. "rid th. giound' It is necessary..that this.feature be carefully ollserved' It is equally applicable to lum- ber piles. tion piers of lumber piles and the vicinity of the piles has been thoroughly cleared of debris it is essential that the eiou"d be lJveied. Mounds of earth should be removed' th" etou.td may be level except in one spot, which may be 11,"-pi".. selected by the termites from which to start their tube upward. A mound gives the termites an added start in tt'tU.'-lrlltding. Too mtrch emphasis cannot be laid on the need for levelirig the ground under lumber piles and houses' groun oor

Under and around lumber piles all vegetation should be destroyed. Vegetation is a hazard around piles in summer' "ny*".u.

To plrmit grasses and rveeds to continue thetr growth while preparing the ground against termite damige is half doing the job.

Vegetation should be destroyed un-der building,s- already erectid and within a couple of feet of the outer side of the i"u"a"tio" *"1t. In new house construction weeds and gr"rr", should be pulled inside and close to the outer side of the foundation rvall.

When the ground has been cleared of .plants.and loose chips. paDer -and other cellulose-containing objects it is wel^l io^let it dry for a few days. If the soil is naturally d-ry it is a point in vour favor. Horvever, a good drying under the sun in this iection will do a lot of good.

In the Termite Damage Prevention booklet of the Natio""t I-u-ber Manufact-urers' Association, Dr' T' E'-Snyder, Et totnologist of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, ir quoted as stiting that there should be a space of at least "irii""" inches frJm the ground level to the bottom of floor i;?;i;.- T;;,'ty-fou' incfres i' To'", 9":i11-b-t':-.i{, n::f*' 1r, n.rt construction the cost of making the wall twrc1tyio.ri i.t.tt.. instead of a lesser height will be negligible *hen consi.lered in terms of insurance against termite damage.

Manv valuable helps in termite damage preventlon ln n"rr und old buildings are given in the Termite Damage Fievention booklet olthe National Lumber Manufacturers' Association. The book may be obtained without charge on request to any of the association's offices'

(This is the first of a series of articles by the .Iaumber Yaids and Producers Sub-Committee on Termite Damage Prevention which will appear in the California Lumber Msrchant. These articles ire inten'ded for retailers, mill*ort nt*t, and distri,butors primarily. Jt is hoped that information contained in the articles rvill al'so prove val""Uf" r"a rvorth passing on to their customers in time of need.)