The Cost of Preconstruction Liquid Termiticide Treatment

1. The Cost of Preconstruction Liquid Termiticide Treatment Presented by Dini Miller, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Department of Entomology

2. Factors that Influence Cost • Size and complexity of the treatment site • Size of the spray tank • Flow rate • Amount of product needed • Product Cost • Application time

3. Pre-treat Preparation • Fill the spray tank • ~15 min for 100 gallon • Calibrate the spray rig • Drive to the site • Determine the area to be treated • Measure the slab area and foundation • Formulate the product

4. Equipment Calibration • Add clean water to spray tank, start pump and set to normal working pressure. • Mark 5 gallon bucket at half gallon increments • Spray 1 gallon of water into the bucket using a stopwatch • Record the time it takes to fill the bucket to the 1 gallon increment • Flow rate = 4 gallons/minute

5. 40 feet 60 feet Complexity of Work Site • Single family home • Floating slab • Concrete foundation • Must treat the fill under the slab and the interior and exterior of the foundation walls

6. Calculate the Area to be Treated • To treat the fill under the slab: • Label requires 1 gallon of termiticide be applied for every 10 square feet of fill. • 60 x 40 = 2400 sq ft • 2400 sq ft /10 = • 240 gallons to treat the fill 40 feet 60 feet

7. Interior Foundation Walls • Label required that foundation wall be treated using 4 gallons of termiticide per 10 linear feet per foot of depth to the footer. • 60 + 60 + 40 + 40 = 200 ft • 200 linear ft / 10 = 20 ft • 20 x 4 gallons = 80 gallons • 80 gallon x 2 (footers 2 ft) • 160 gallons to treat interior of foundation 40 feet 60 feet

8. Exterior Foundation Walls • Second tripto treat the exterior of foundation walls after final grade. • Label: 4 gallons of termiticide per 10 linear feet per foot of depth to the footer. • 63 + 63 + 42 + 42 = 210 ft • 210 linear ft / 10 = 21 ft • 21 x 4 gallons = 84 gallons • 84 gallon x 2 (footers 2 ft) • 168 gallons to treat exterior of foundation 63 feet 42 feet

9. Total Area Treated • Under slab • 240 gallons • Foundation interior • 160 gallons • Foundation exterior • 168 gallons • 560 gallons total 63 feet 42 feet

10. Application Time (water on-site) • Rig flow rate is 4 gallons/minute • Interior treatment requires 400 gallons • 100 gallon tank • Application time will be 1 hour and 40 minutes • 15 minute tank refills (3) • 2 hours 25 minutes total • Price ~$90/hour = $225

11. Application Time cont. • Second trip to site • Exterior treatment requires 168 gallons • 100 gallon tank • Application time will be 42 minutes • 10 minute tank refill (1) • ~1 hour at ~90.00/hour • Total for both trips 3.5 hours • Price $225 + $90 = $315

12. Costs: Time + Product • Technician Time = $315 • Does not include travel • Product Price • Product costs can vary • Cost of a finished gallon (fully diluted) is $0.50 • Apply 560 gallons total • Product cost is $280.00 • Time + Product = $595.00

13. Additional Costs • Water located off-site • More expensive product is used • Use of gravel or aggregate fill • Lower footer depth • Additional trips made to the site to treat expansion joints, stoops, etc.

14. Potential Results of an Incomplete Treatment Any Questions?