What is Bora-Care and Why Do We Use It?
We use Bora-Care, a non-invasive application to eliminate drywood termites without the need for tenting/fumigation. Bora-Care is natural and safe for pets and the environment. Unlike soil treatments, Bora-Care is not a threat to the plant life or water supply of a home. With its mineral salt, borate-based formula, Bora-Care is made with natural elements that are already present in the ecosystems outside our homes.
How Does Bora-Care Work?
Bora-Care is used for the interior and exterior control of subterranean termites, drywood termites, Formosan termites, wood destroying beetles and decay fungi. Perfect for wood pretreatments, Bora-Care eliminates the wood as a food source for pests.
Over ten years of efficacy studies prove that wood destroying organisms cannot develop resistance against Bora-Care. It’s specifically listed by the International Building Codes as a suitable alternative to soil treatments.
Bora-Care is a borate-based termiticide, insecticide and fungicide concentrate applied directly to the wood by your pest management professional. Its patented glycol formula penetrates deep into the wood, providing long lasting protection. Bora-Care protects the wood as long as it is in service.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bora-Care Treatment
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.
Why 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. 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. Read and follow all label instructions before use.
Request a Termite Control Services Price Estimate For Your Home or Building
If you live in the Santa Barbara area and want to learn more about termite protection for your home or building, then contact us now or call (805) 965-9185 to request a price estimate for any of our termite control services.