FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BORASOL-WP®

The BoraSol-WP® has a very low toxicity to humans. Boron containing chemicals have about the same oral acute toxicity as table salt. Borates have been used in laundry detergents. Borates have been used in eye wash and cosmetic products. Borates are essential micronutrients for many types of commercial food crops. The EPA carefully evaluates the usage of pesticides. The AWPA (American Wood Protection Association ) regulates the qualification of wood treatment processes and sets standards for the borate treated lumber. Third party testing companies are used to confirm that borate treated wood conforms to the AWPA standards.

Borates have been used for 60 years in the USA. There is no remedial treatment of wood industry in the country of New Zealand because the standard practice in construction of houses (since the 1950’s) is to use only lumber treated with borates.

Wood Rots are fungi. They are primitive life forms which have a complex biochemistry system. The borates disrupt the cell metabolism and cause the fungi to die. The borates can react with sugars in wood and when ingested, disrupts the energy cycle in the cell. No energy, no life.

When termites feed on borate treated wood, they ingest the borates. Borates will interfere with the energy metabolism cycle (digestion) in the inset’s gut and cause the insect’s death by starvation.

Applying BoraSol-WP® is not a high tech job. After the solution is prepared, the solution is sprayed on the wood to the point of runoff. The solution diffuses into the wood where it remains for decades.

To make a gallon of 15% BoraSol-WP® fill a clean mixing container with 3 quarts of warm water. A bag of 1.5 lbs of BoraSol-WP® is added slowly with mixing to full dissolution. The container is “topped off” with water to the one gallon capacity. Transfer the solution to a pressure sprayer and begin to apply the solution to the wood surface.

To protect the wood from general insects (ants, silverfish, etc.), one coat is required. One coat is applied at a coverage rate of 1 gallon/200 sq.ft. This will give a loading of 0.15 lbs of BoraSol-WP®/ cu.ft. of wood. To guarantee protection against Subterranean Termites, two coats are required. The AWPA requires 0.28 lbs/cu.ft. loading of BoraSol-WP®(Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate) in order to be above the lethal dosage for Subterranean Termites. For protection from Formosan termites, three coats are required. Once the material is applied and absorbed into the wood, protection will be permanent.

The BoraSol-WP® has not been totally absorbed into the wood because the wood was too dry. The wood sucked the water from the sprayed solution and left the active ingredient, BoraSol-WP®, on the surface. Two items: To get the BoraSol-WP® all into the wood, simply spray clean water on the areas of crystals. The extra water will transport the active ingredient into the wood and thus protect the wood against the termites where they usually live. If you suspect that the wood is very dry (< 17-20% moisture content), spray a coat of water on the wood before applying the 15% BoraSol-WP®.

An example is a sponge. When the sponge is dry and hard, it cannot absorb spilled water. When the sponge has absorbed enough water, it becomes soft, dam p and pliable. It can then absorb volumes of water because the interior is wetted. Wood behaves in much the same way.

Termites are relentless. A colony does not travel very fast – maybe 300 feet/year. Even though they are blind, they have huge populations that have one purpose – find food for the colony. This would be a good time to apply a supplemental layer of protection to your house. Applying the BoraSol-WP® at this point in time will cost far less than if you wait and have to perform remedial work on the damage caused by the termites.

See BoraSol-WP® Warranty.