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BORATE”...... WHAT IS IT ?   &   HOW DOES IT WORK?

 

For many, the word "borate" evokes fond memories of 20 mule teams and 1950's TV nostalgia. But borates have been around much longer than that.Part of nature since earth's formation, borates have been useful for thousands of years, valued as natural fertilizers and for their preservative, desiccant and pesticidal properties.

 

BACKGROUND ON BORATES

Although the first verifiable use of borates dates back to the 8th century A.D., mankind has relied on them unknowingly since the advent of agriculture, nearly 10,000 years ago. Borates were used by the Egyptians during the mummification process, and later were utilized by artisans such as gold workers, glassmakers, potters and ceramic makers.

 

The key component in borates is boron, an element found all around us. Present naturally in the soil, boron serves as an essential micronutrient for the healthy growth of many plants and crops. It doesn't exist by itself in nature but occurs in combination with oxygen and other elements, thus resulting in borates.

 

Before the 19th century, concentrated borates were a rare treasure, transported from mines in the Far East into Europe. The first major U.S. deposit of borate minerals was discovered around 1872 in California by Francis Marion Smith, a.k.a. "Borax" Smith, one of the earliest producers of borates.

 

Today, industries worldwide use boron compounds to manufacture countless household items. Found naturally in fruits and vegetables, borates are a key ingredient in such products as construction materials, soaps, fertilizers and detergents, among many other things.

 

CONTROLLING PESTS

 

For decades borates have also been a powerful tool for controlling pests, although there's no record of who discovered their pesticidal properties. It could have been that those who worked around the borax mines noticed that there weren't many bugs present nearby, unusual at a time when fleas and body lice were constant companions. By the late 19th century, borate producers were promoting its use for preventing and eliminating roaches and moths.

 

Borates are unique among pesticides in that they were used by consumers for many years before pest management professionals picked up on them. One of the first borate- based baits was P.P. Harris Roach Tablets, developed in 1922 in Baltimore, Md. The product is the oldest continually registered pesticide in the U.S.

 

By the 1930s and '40s, powdered boric acid was commonly used for cockroach control. Its use diminished when the faster-acting chlorinated hydrocarbons (i.e., DDT, chlordane) and organophosphates came along, but experienced a resurgence years later when entomologists found that insects did not build up resistance to them, as they did to many of the "newer" pesticides.

 

BORATES TODAY

 

Based on their excellent track record in research and in the field, borates are being used more than ever as dusts and as the active ingredient in an assortment of formulations for controlling many insect species, including termites, cockroaches ants and beetles.

 

Borates are a natural solution to pest control, making them particularly appealing to PMPs and homeowners alike, especially at a time when more and more people are concerned about the use of pesticides in and around their home. Matt Baillargeon, builder sales representative of Centex HomeTeam Services in Ocala, Fla., says he especially values the natural aspects of borates. "I like the fact that we're using something that's been around for a long time," said Baillargeon. "Boron has been available to us for hundreds of years and is in just about everything we use," he observed.

 

What's more, borate-based insecticides are virtually odorless and don't contain harsh chemicals, and they can be applied directly to specific areas where insects nest, rather than being pumped into the ground around a home. As such, there's no concern about the product leaching into nearby water sources.

 

Unlike many modern products, borates have withstood the test of time, proving to be one of the most effective, convenient and cost-efficient solutions ever developed for the pest control industry. Best of all, borates are a natural solution, a benefit recognized by homeowners for decades. Today, more and more professionals are realizing there's never been a better time for borates.

 

      TRADITIONAL LIQUID

           SOIL PRE -TREATS

 

WHILE ON THE WANE, TREATING THE FILL PRIOR TO POURING OF CONCRETE IS STILL BEING DONE

   

SOME IN THE INDUSTRY SAY, IT FILLS A NEED. WE SAY ; WELL.... PERHAPS.   TRADITIONALLY THE MATERIAL USED FOR CONVENTIONAL LIQUID PRETREATS WAS......  THE CHEAPEST. IT WAS ALSO A COMMON PRACTICE TO UNDER-DOSE EITHER BY REDUCING VOLUME , STRENGTH OR BOTH MAINLY DUE TO THE PEST CONTROL OPERATOR SUCCUMBING TO THE PRESSURE OF  THE CONTRACTOR FOR A CHEAP PRICE.   WE ARE A BIG FAN OF SAVING MONEY.... BUT ITS NO SAVINGS WHEN YOU GET A SUB-STANDARD JOB...ITS FRAUD.

 

AS WITH MOST THINGS IN LIFE THERE ARE PRO’S AND CON’S ITS NO DIFFERENT WITH PRETREATS

 

LIQUIDS COULD BE  A VERY POWERFULL APPLICATION PROVIDING PROTECTION IN A WAY THAT BORATE JOBS CAN NOT, AND THAT IS BY ELIMINATING THE COLONY...... IF YOU USED ONE OF THE NEW NON-REPELLANT CHEMICALS.....either ;   PREMISE®     OR     TERMIDOR®   THE DOWN SIDE TO THIS IS COST, THE UP SIDE IS YOU WOULD HAVE THE “ULTIMATE” PROTECTION FROM  TERMITE INFILTRATION

         FROM UNDER YOUR SLABS

( and elsewhere the material is applied.)

 

YOU CAN USE A TRADITIONAL MATERIAL SUCH AS    ;   TALSTAR®  or  DEMON® OR OTHER FINE PRODUCT AND GET VERY GOOD PROTECTION FOR MANY YEARS , BUT YOU WON’T ELIMINATE THE COLONY.... BUT THE COST IS LESS, SO THAT CHOICE IS ONE  DECIDED BY  BUDGET

 

WITH A   PROPERLY DONE   LIQUID PRE-TREAT APPLICATION THERE ARE THE USUAL TYPES OF UNDESIRABLE’S SUCH AS... POSSIBLE CONTRACTOR DELAYS   /     MULTIPLE TRIPS   /   ADDED COST  KEY WORDS HERE...”PROPERLY DONE” THE DRAWBACK TO DO A LIQUID STYLE PRE-

TREAT PROPERLY IT CALLS FOR MORE THAN ONE VISIT AS THE TREATMENT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, MAINLY - POURING OF CONCRETE... DAY BEFORE OR EVEN DAY OF THE POUR, MAKING SURE NO RAIN IS ALLOWED TO MIX WITH TREATMENT .

 

ALSO ON THE EXTERIOR, THE BACK FILL NEEDS TO BE TREATED AT DIFFERING DEGREES OF DEPTH FOR OPTIMUM RESULTS, ALL THIS CAN HAMPER THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE

 

THEN THE QUESTION COMES UP....WHY NOT DO   BOTH  ? A TRADITIONAL LIQUID     & BORA CARE?

FOR SOME THIS WOULD...AND WE WOULD  HAVE TO AGREE... THE TRULY  / TOTALLY  BEST PRO-

TECTION POSSIBLE,  ALBEIT ONE OF A LITTLE MORE INVESTMENT

 

IN SUMMARY, LIQUID TREATS  ARE FINE , EVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE,  AND  DO A GREAT JOB.   BORA CARE IS FINE ALSO, AND DOES HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL BENEFITS.

 

ONE THING TO REMEMBER ABOUT BOTH APPLICATIONS IS..... ONCE THE CONCRETE TRUCK IS GONE OR THE WALLS ARE ALL UP......IT’S TOO LATE    AND THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING YOUR NEW HOME LEFT UN-DONE WHILE IN SUCH A    ACCESSIBLE     STATE..... IS ONE TO THINK ABOUT. 

 

I CAN TELL YOU THIS , THE TREND IS TOWARDS      BORA CARE  NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, AND UNLESS YOU SEEK SOMETHING OUT OF THE NORM, OR THE CONCRETE TRUCK HAS JUST LEFT.. OR YOU WOULD JUST FEEL BETTER   HAVING A “DOUBLE TREATMENT” ( and  if cost is not a problem then yes, a “double treat” would be by far more  protection Although this is seldom done usually due to the added cost.

 

MORE AND MORE HOME BUILDERS ARE USING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY

BORA CARE ®

THE  LEADER IN BORATE BASED PROTECTION

 

APPLIED DIRECTLY TO WOOD NOT THE SOIL !

MORE THAN JUST TERMITE  PROTECTION

NO ODOR ♦ NO CONTRACTOR DELAYS

LAST INDEFINENTLY  ♦  SAFE & EFFECTIVE

NOW is the time to apply BORA CARE wood protection, during the framing part of your homes construction, while all the wood is open and accessible.... as once it is finished - you will no longer be able to apply such valuable & important protection to your home.

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STATE of OHIO

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Over 25 Years

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heads up on contractor pre-treat practices

 

how much of the wood will be treated

 

SCROLL DOWN for MORE INFORMATION

What is Bora-Care?
Bora-Care is a patented liquid formulation to protect structural wood from attacking wood destroying organisms. It contains disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (also called DOT, a borate compound) as the active ingredient and also contains glycol penetrants to help the active ingredient diffuse into the wood.

What is a borate compound?
A borate compound contains the basic elements of boron and oxygen. Borate ores are mined from mineral deposits found in the earth. These mines can be found in western North America, South America and Asia. Borate compounds help create products such as ceramic tiles, fertilizers, glass, detergents, soaps, cosmetics, medicines and pest control products.

What are glycol penetrants?
Glycols are members of the class of compounds called alcohols. They are used in paints, dyes, inks, cosmetics and coolants. The glycols in Bora-Care allow more active ingredient to be dissolved into a true liquid solution. These glycols also aid in the diffusion of Bora-Care by drawing the borate active ingredient into the wood.

How do borates affect insect and fungus species?
Borates are toxic to both insects and fungus species. One mode of action is that borates disrupts the enzyme system of the insect and destroys the microflora (bacteria and protozoa) in the stomach of the insect, thus disallowing food digestion. Borates also affect the enzyme system of fungi and the active ingredient is a contact toxicant to fungus.

What wood destroying organisms will Bora-Care control?
Termites: Subterranean, Formosan, Drywood, Dampwood, Powder and Post
Beetles: Lyctidae and Bostrichidae species, Anobiid Beetles and Old House Borers
Carpenter Ants, Brown Rot, White Rot and Wood Decay Fungi

Is Bora-Care better than soil treatments when controlling termites?
Soil treatments try to block termites from coming up from the soil. Even under the best circumstances, termites can still enter through a break in the soil barrier and cause major damage to the wood in the structure. Bora-Care controls infestations in another manner. Wood is eliminated as a food source for termites with a Bora-Care application. If termites can't eat the wood, the probability of damage in a structure is minimized.

How long will Bora-Care stay in the wood?
Since Bora-Care is derived from minerals, once the active ingredient diffuses into the wood it will remain indefinitely. There are no natural forces that will degrade or break down the product inside the wood. Only high levels of water saturated in the wood will enable the active ingredient to be forced out. This saturated state is not normally found with interior structural wood. It is generally recommended to seal exposed exterior structural wood after application with Bora-Care to prevent the occurrence of excessive moisture.

How toxic is Bora-Care to humans or pets?
The active ingredient in Bora-Care, disodium octaborate tetrahydrate, is a borate salt compound that is formed from a union of boric acid and borax. It has a very low toxic level to humans and pets, but is very effective against insects and fungus. Read and follow all label instructions before use.

 

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