Borate Treatment for Crawl Space Framing
A mineral based treatment that protects exposed wood from termites and rot after the crawl space is dried out.
What Borate Wood Treatment Is and When It Is the Right Call
Borates work by being present in the wood. Termites feeding on treated wood ingest the borate, which disrupts their digestion, and they stop feeding on it. Decay fungi cannot grow in wood that carries enough borate. Because borate does not break down or evaporate, treated wood stays protected as long as it stays reasonably dry. Water is the exception, since borate dissolves and repeated soaking can carry it out.
That is why the order of work matters. The inspection first finds what is wetting the crawl space: ground water, a plumbing leak, condensation from humid summer air on cool framing, or vents that pull damp air in. That gets corrected, whether with a drain and sump pump, a dehumidifier, or full encapsulation. Wood that has already lost its strength is sistered or replaced. Then the borate goes on the framing that remains.
Application is straightforward. Exposed wood is brushed clean of loose debris and old mud tubes. The borate solution is sprayed onto the bare surfaces until the wood is wetted, with a second pass on end grain and on the joints where framing members meet, because those are the spots that take up moisture and where termites usually enter. The wood dries over a day or two and the treatment is finished. Nothing needs to be reapplied on a schedule.
Borate treatment is the right call for exposed framing in a crawl space that is being dried out or has just been dried out, especially where the inspection found old galleries or early surface decay. It pairs well with encapsulation, since the wood is treated before the poly goes down and then stays dry behind it. It is not the right call for painted, sealed or finished wood, since borate cannot soak through a coating, and it does not reach wood that is not exposed, such as framing inside a finished wall. It also does not restore wood that has already decayed. A rotted joist treated with borate is still a rotted joist. We tell you which members need repair before treatment is scheduled.
How We Apply Borate to Wood
Correct the moisture first
The inspection identifies why the crawl space framing is wet, and that condition is addressed before any treatment. Borate is carried out of wood by water, so treating wet wood does not hold.
Check how much sound wood is left
Joists, sill plates, band boards and girders are checked for wood that termites have hollowed or rot has softened. Treatment protects sound wood. It does not rebuild damaged wood.
Prepare the surfaces
Loose debris, old mud tubes and soil are brushed off the framing so the solution reaches bare wood. Old insulation covering the framing may need to come down first.
Apply the borate solution
The solution is sprayed onto all exposed framing until the surface is wet, with extra attention to end grain and to the joints where members meet. It soaks into the wood and dries in a day or two.
Keep the wood dry
A dehumidifier, a drain system or encapsulation keeps the framing in a condition where the borate stays put. We look at the framing again at the annual termite inspection along with everything else under the house.
A Local, Family Owned Team in South Hill
Rozier is a family owned, faith-driven company based in South Hill. Because moisture is what invites termites and rodents in the first place, real prevention starts below the surface.
We treat the infestation and correct the moisture conditions that caused it, instead of handing you to a second contractor.
Each home we visit is assessed through a pest lens and a moisture lens, because underneath a house they are the same problem.
We do not arrive with a predetermined treatment and a timer running. What we propose follows from what we find.
Children, pets and sensitive family members are part of the decision about what gets used and how it is applied.
Answers to Common Questions About Borate Wood Treatment
Don't see your question here? Our team is happy to help. Reach out anytime.
Signs That May Point to Termite Activity
These are some of the warning signs that can lead to a termite inspection. The treatment depends on where the activity is found and the condition of the wood.
Mud Tubes on Foundation Walls
A thin line of dried soil running up a block wall is a road, built by termites, between the ground and your house.
Learn more
Discarded Swarmer Wings
A pile of small, clear, identical wings on a windowsill is the trace a termite swarm leaves behind.
Learn more
Hollow Sounding Wood
Wood that sounds papery under a knuckle has lost something inside, and the question is what took it.
Learn moreOther Termite Control Solutions We Use
Each method is matched to what the inspection finds at your property. These are the others we use for the same kind of problem.
Proudly Serving Southern Virginia and Northern North Carolina
Rooted in South Hill, we work across both states with the responsiveness of a local team. If your town is not listed, call us. There is a good chance we are already there.
Protection in Three Straightforward Steps
No confusing plans and no pressure. Here is exactly how we get your home protected.
Call for a free estimate.
One quick call and we schedule a visit at a time that suits you, at no cost and with no obligation to go ahead.
Get a plan built for your home.
We inspect above and below the surface, explain plainly what we found, and recommend only what your property actually needs.
We handle the work.
Our team carries out the treatment or the repair, and tells you what to expect afterwards and when we will be back.
Free Guide
Get the Free Termite Guide by Email
Seven short chapters on subterranean termites in southern Virginia and northern North Carolina: where they get in, what the warning signs look like, and what an inspection involves.
- A room by room checklist of warning signs
- What each sign can mean for your home
- How termite protection and inspections work
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