AU709314B2 - Ant/termite proofing method - Google Patents

Description

ANT/TERMITE PROOFING METHOD Technical Field The present invention relates to the control of ants/termites, and in particular to a method of ant/termite proofing buildings and structures.

Background of the Invention A common method of providing protection for buildings and other ground supported structures against ants, and in particular termites, is to soak the ground under and/or around the building with chemicals which destroy existing termites and leave a residue to destroy termites for several years. The chemicals used, however, poison the ground and are typically hazardous to humans, animals and vegetation. The effectiveness of the chemicals also deteriorates over time.

It is also known to protect structures supported on piers by a sheet metal barrier between the piers and building. Use of a similar sheet, for protection of buildings formed on concrete slabs, which underlays or is embedded throughout the S 15 entire slab would not protect the building from termites for any period of time due to .oo..i corrosion of the product within a short time frame.

A method of protecting buildings by forming an ant proof barrier between adjacent structures which comprise the building has been proposed. The barrier is formed from stainless steel mesh strips secured to the adjacent structures, thereby 20 preventing passage of ants therebetween. Use of a mesh structure, however may allow passage of small ants through pores thereof, and thin ligaments forming and surrounding the pores may be susceptible to damage and/or degradation, thereby forming larger pores through which larger ants may pass. Use of a mesh structure also precludes use of the barrier strip as a damp course in a wall structure to prevent moisture from rising within the wall structure. It has further been found that the method of adhering the mesh strip to the concrete slab has allowed the ingress of termites, the adhesive material not being hard enough to resist the passage of termites.

The use of a mesh structure also precludes use of the barrier as a flashing to direct any water that enters a cavity area adjacent the external wall of a building away to the outside of the building.

A further barrier which has been proposed utilises a strip of aluminium or stainless steel which is provided with a band of perforations along its length adjacent one edge. Whilst it is intended that these perforations are to be filled with parging material when adhering the barrier to a structure, incomplete or inaccurate application of the parging material and/or incorrect alignment of the barrier will result in at least N some of the perforations remaining open, providing for the entry of termites.

[N:\LIBHHIO0638:GJG:TCW Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to provide an improves ant/termite barrier which, in particular configurations, may also perform the functions of a damp course and flashing.

Summary of the Invention There is disclosed herein a method of simultaneously ant/termite proofing, dampcoursing and flashing a structure which includes two adjacent substantially ant/termite impervious sections, said method comprising securing respective opposing edge portions of a strip of entirely continuous membranous ant/termite resistant dampcourse flashing material to the respective adjacent sections such that an integral barrier is formed therebetween, at least one of said opposing edge portions being secured to its respective adjacent section by means of an ant/termite impervious adhesive, wherein said material is electrolytically insulated from said structure.

Preferably said material is at least 0.5 mm thick.

o 15 Preferably said material comprises bitumen coated aluminium.

Preferably one of said adjacent sections is a concrete slab.

Preferably one of said adjacent sections is an upstanding wall.

.Alternatively one of said adjacent sections is a conduit passing through the other said adjacent section.

Preferably at least one of said edge portions is bonded by adhesive to a face of the respective adjacent section.

Alternatively at least one of said edge portions is embedded in its respective adjacent section.

Preferably a longitudinally extending fold is incorporated in said strip between 25 said opposing edge portions.

Typically said adhesive is a two part poxy adhesive.

Generally said adhesive is a room temperature cure adhesive.

Typically said adhesive will cure in wet or moist conditions.

Preferably said adhesive has a Shore D hardness of greater than 70 when cured.

Preferably said adhesive is resistant to pH levels of greater than 11.

Preferably said adhesive is resistant to pH levels of less than 4.

Preferably said adhesive will be "Alterm parging adhesive" B. Fuller Co.).

[N:\LIBHH100638:GJG:TCW Alternatively said adhesive will be "Master Builders Technologies Concressive 1446".

Alternatively said adhesive will be "Ciba Geigy Araldite Alternatively said adhesive will be "Fosroc Nitomortar HB".

Alternatively said adhesive will be "Ciba Geigy Araldite K125".

Alternatively said adhesive will be "Epires 8242".

Alternatively said adhesive will be "Epires 8641".

Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a sectional elevational view of a termite barrier installation between a base slab and external wall.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view of a termite barrier installation between adjacent base slab sections.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view of a termite barrier installed externally to an existing structure.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevational view of another termite barrier installation between a base slab and external wall.

20 Figure 5 is a sectional elevational view of a termite barrier installation between a floor slab and conduit.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the termite barrier installation of Figure Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments In the embodiment according to Figure 1 the base slab 1 and external brick °"wall 2 of a building are provided with a barrier strip 3 extending across a gap 6 therebetween. The strip 3 provides a barrier for any termites attempting to pass up through the gap 6 which extends between the external wall 2 and an internal wall 4.

During construction of the external wall 2 a first edge portion 5 of the barrier strip 3 is positioned on top of a layer of bricks in the external wall 2 along its length, with mortar or cement being applied to both faces of the first edge portion 5. The next layer of bricks is then laid on to the first edge portion 5 of the barrier strip 3 such that it becomes an integral part of the external wall 2, and acts as a damp course and flashing, preventing moisture from rising through the brick work. A second edge portion 7 of the barrier strip 3 is bonded along its length with ant/termite resistant parging adhesive material (not depicted in the drawings) to the side face of the concrete slab 1 to provide the barrier traversing the gap 6, preventing the passage of termites. The edge portion 7 may alternately be bonded to the top face of the slab 1 [N:\LIBHH]00638:GJG a a.

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A further example is depicted in Figure 2 which shows two adjacent base slabs 11,12 at a control joint. After pouring of the slabs 11,12 a barrier strip 13 is placed along the length of the joint between the slabs 11,12 with opposing longitudinally extending edges 14,15 being bent bonded to the top of the respective slabs 11,12. A longitudinally extending fold 16 is preferably provided in the barrier strip 13 adjacent to the joint to allow for expansion and contraction of the slabs 11,12.

In a further embodiment, as illustrated in Figure 3, a termite barrier strip 31 is applied to the exterior of an existing building. The structure depicted shows a footing 32 on which has been constructed an external wall 33 and a concrete slab 34, with an internal wall 35 further constructed on the slab 34. As the structure is complete, and there is no access to the gap between the slab 34 and external wall 33, the barrier strip 31 is applied to the outside of the building.

First the ground 35 surrounding the building is excavated to expose the area around the junction of the external wall 33 and footing 32. A lower edge 36 of the barrier strip 31 is then bonded to the footing 32, with the opposing upper edge 37 being bonded to the external wall 33 above ground level 35. The barrier strip 31 should extend approximately 100 to 200 mm above ground level 35 to prevent termites, which can not survive in the external environment, from entering the building.

An alternative embodiment to that depicted in Figure 1 is provided in Figure 4.

Here the second edge portion 46 of the barrier strip 41 is placed and bonded between the base slab 44 and the internal wall 45. The first edge portion 47 is again placed between successive layers of brickwork in the external wall 43, thereby providing a damp course and flashing in addition to a termite barrier.

Figures 5 and 6 depict a concrete slab 61 through which a conduit 62 passes.

25 Any small gaps between the slab 61 and conduit 62 can provide a passage for the ingress of termites into a building. To eliminate this passage, during construction of the structure a barrier piece 63 including a flanged hole 64 is fitted to the conduit 62, such that there is an interference fit between the flange 64 and conduit 62. Following pouring of the slab 61 the flange 64 is bonded to the conduit 62 and the circumferential portion of the barrier piece 63 is bonded to the top of the slab 61.

All of the barrier strips 3, 14, 31, 41, 51 and the barrier piece 63 as used in the preferred embodiments are constructed of a continuous membrane of ant resistant material with a thickness of at least 0.5 mm. The most preferred materials for use are bitumen coated aluminium galvanised steel, zincanneal, or copper, however other similar materials may successfully be used. The barrier strips are all preferably bonded into position as described utilising an epoxy which is synthetic polymer based. Other forms of securing the barrier strips to structure sections, such as by mechanical

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[N:\LIBHH]OO638:GJG:TCW fastening may also be employed in conjunction with an ant/termite resistant adhesive however care must be exercised to ensure no paths are provided for passage of termites between successive fasteners. Fasteners are best utilised in association with the adhesive to ensure the positioning of the strip during adhesive cure.

The adhesive should most preferably be an ant/termite impervious two part epoxy adhesive, having a room temperature cure possible in wet or moist conditions.

The adhesive should have a Shore D hardness of greater than 70 and be resistant to pH levels of less than 4 and greater than 11. Suitable adhesives include "Alterm parging adhesive", "Master Builders Technologies Concressive 1446", "Ciba Geigy Araldite K80", "Fosroc Nitomortar HB", "Ciba Geigy Araldite K125", "Epires 8242" and "Epires 8641".

i IN:\LIBHH]00638:GJG The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. A method of simultaneously ant/termite proofing, dampcoursing and flashing a structure which includes two adjacent substantially ant/termite impervious sections, said method comprising securing respective opposing edge portions of a strip of entirely continuous membranous ant/termite resistant dampcourse flashing material to the respective adjacent sections such that an integral barrier is formed therebetween, at least one of said opposing edge portions being secured to its respective adjacent section by means of an ant/termite impervious adhesive, wherein said material is electrolytically insulated from said structure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said material is at least 0.5 mm thick.

3. The method of either of claims 1 and 2 wherein said material comprises bitumen coated aluminium.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein one of said adjacent sections is a concrete slab.

15 5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein one of said adjacent sections is an upstanding wall.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein one of said adjacent sections is a conduit passing through the other said adjacent section.

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein one of said edge 20 portions is embedded in its respective adjacent section.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said adhesive is a two part poxy adhesive.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said adhesive is a room temperature cure adhesive.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said adhesive will cure in wet or moist S conditions.

11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said adhesive has a Shore D hardness of greater than 70 when cured.

12. The method of any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein said adhesive is resistant to pH levels of greater than 11.

13. The method of any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein said adhesive is resistant to pH levels of less than 4.

[N:\LIBHH0638:GJG:TCW IN:\LIBHH00638:GJG:TCW

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Claims (1)

14. A method of simultaneously ant/termite proofing dampcoursing and flashing a structure which includes two ant/termite impervious sections, said method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings. DATED this Eighth Day of June 1999 P W Saddington and Sons Pty Ltd Thomas Thors Pty Ltd Vespol Pty Ltd Patent Attorneys for the Applicants/Nominated Persons SPRUSON FERGUSON *e *o* 2= [N:\LIBHH]00638:GJG:TCW ANT/TERMITE PROOFING METHOD Abstract The invention provides a method of ant/termite proofing a structure which includes two adjacent substantially ant/termite impervious sections The method comprises securing respective opposing edge portions 7) of a strip of substantially continuous membranous ant/termite resistant material to the respective adjacent sections 2) such that an integral barrier is formed therebetween. At least one of the opposing edge portions 7) is secured to its respective adjacent section 2) by means of an ant/termite impervious adhesive. F* Fig. 1 C e* C C [N:\LIBHHOO638:GJG