Say Goodbye to Termites With Bora-Care: The Green Solution

Termites come in over 3,000 types worldwide. Not all are equally destructive, but some can be pretty nasty. Formosan subterranean termites are among the most aggressive species we know today, found in countries like China, Japan, Sri Lanka, and the United States. 

What most people need to learn about termites is their general benefit to the environment. As they decompose dead plant matter, these wood-destroying insects return nutrients to the ecosystem and help maintain its balance. However, when they start inhabiting homes and buildings, they become pests that should be exterminated.  

Bora-Care has been an outstanding termite control product for decades, impressing pest management professionals (PMP) and property owners alike. Not only is it effective in resolving termites and other infestations, but it’s also environmentally safe. To know how Bora-Care can be tough on termites yet gentle on Mother Earth, start by understanding the ancient bugs’ history and science.

Termites and Why They Are a Serious Problem

Termites are insects that descended from wood-feeding cockroaches of the early Cretaceous period. Today, they are known as some of the most destructive insects around. Termites feed on anything plant, from bare wood to grass to leaves to excrements of herbivorous animals. They will even eat products with vegetative components like paper or cotton.  

Termites’ ability to attack undetected makes them particularly dangerous to homes and buildings. In many cases, infestation only becomes apparent when severe damage has occurred, such as the following:  

Electrical failure  

While termites are primarily wood feeders, they can also destructively chew on electrical wires, causing short circuits, electrical failure, and fire.  

Health problems

Termites do not carry any diseases to humans, but they can cause allergic reactions, including asthma. Poorly maintained HVAC systems can exacerbate the problem by spreading irritating termite dust and other particles. 

Structural issues

A termite infestation can be so severe it can collapse an entire structure quickly. Imagine a single mature subterranean termite colony with a population of 50,000 to many hundreds of thousands. Formosan termites can even number more than a million, although their colonies are much smaller. 

Regardless, these creepy crawlies can cause thousands of dollars in damages. Worse, basic homeowners’ insurance doesn’t cover them. The cost of termite damage repair in America ranged from $600 to $3,000 in 2022. With these silent destroyers, the only defense is to remain a step ahead.  

Being Proactive Is the Way To Go

Taking a proactive stance against termites boils down to three steps: avoiding what attracts them, watching the early signs, and taking prompt action. 

Since termites are wood feeders, removing any unnecessary wood around the property makes sense. This may include dead trees, stumps, leaves, twigs, and other debris buildup in gutters. 

Wood piles, especially when there is wood decay, should also be kept at a considerable distance from the home and elevated off the ground. Even mulch, made of wood chips, should be kept reasonably away from subfloors, structural wood, wood studs, and joists.

Aside from eating wood, subterranean termites, one of the most common species in the U.S., also gravitate toward moisture. Thus, anything contributing to moisture issues, such as poor drainage, inadequate airflow, or crawl spaces, must be addressed.  

Depending on existing vulnerabilities, every property may display unique indications of termite infestation. However, there are common signs to watch out for, including:   

• Damaged drywall
• Moldy scent
• Squeaky, hard-to-open doors and windows
• Loosened tiles
• Buckling flooring, support beams, or floorboards
• Buckling or blistering wood flooring
• Hollowed wood  
• Mud tubes
• Small entry holes into the drywall
• Termite excrement
• Bubbling under wallpaper or paint
• Maze-like designs on affected wood
• Termite sightings

One thing about termites is their resilience. These creepy crawlies are much harder to kill than common household bugs, surviving even the harshest conditions most insects or mammals can’t. Hence, the fight against termites must involve a solution strong enough to quash them unforgivingly and gentle enough not to harm the environment. 

Bora-Care is that solution. 

Bora-Care: The Proven Solution to Termite Problems 

Bora-Care is a termiticide that combines borate, a naturally occurring mineral, and a patented formula of glycol-based components that absorb quickly into the wood with the borate. It is a low-toxicity product that can be used safely in homes, hospitals, restaurants, and other establishments.  

Bora-Care kills various target pests, including termites. However, it may work better on certain species than others. Formosan and drywood termites, for example, are two unique types of termites requiring a different treatment approach.  

Aside from termites, Bora-Care treatment is also effective against carpenter ants, anobiid powderpost beetles or wood-destroying beetles, and old-house borers. It can even act as a fungicide, algicide, and mold-care product. More information about Bora-Care is available on its product label and Material Safety Data Sheet (SDS).

Mechanism of action  

The active ingredient in Bora-Care is borate salt, which removes termites’ ability to absorb nutrients from their food. Hence, even if they munch on pretreated wood, they can only starve to death with zero opportunity to develop resistance. The entire colony is alerted when termites die, and survivors eventually abandon the wood. 

The time it takes for Bora-Care to work depends on the treated wood type, moisture level, and other factors. Hardwoods like oak and cherry tend to absorb the termiticide slower than softer species like pine. Generally, it will take about 30 days for Bora-Care to penetrate wood thoroughly. However, the product is immediately effective once fully absorbed.  

The Bora-Care Difference

Bora-Care stands out in many ways among other termiticides and general borate products. For one, it works as a repellent and bait. Since the borate does not disintegrate or break down over time, it can provide long-term protection.  

Most importantly, Bora-Care is applied directly to the wood, not the soil, sparing the environment from significant damage. Also, since the product seals the wood virtually forever, there is no need for costly retreatment. Compared to products that treat the soil, Bora-Care is easier to apply and compatible with all plumbing pipes and does not corrode fittings, nails, and other metals.  

30-year warranty  

Home and building owners enjoy an industry-first, 30-year limited warranty for termite protection through a PMP that uses Bora-Care. However, the offer is only available to homes or buildings registered under the program and inspected annually by their PMPs. Bora-Care can pay as much as $2,500.00 to repair termite damage under the terms of the warranty agreement.  

Why Bora-Care Is the Green Choice  

Many things have kept Bora-Care top of mind for PMPs and property owners through the years. However, no benefit of this product could be more universal than its low toxicity and environment-friendliness. Bora-Care is, indeed, the green choice for those seeking an end to their termite woes without making humans or the planet pay the price.  

Low-toxicity active ingredient  

A more specific name for Bora-Care’s active ingredient is disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT). As a natural form of elemental boron, DOT is crucial to plant growth and human calcium metabolism. It is even found in different types of nutritious food, such as vegetables. 

DOT is easily excreted from the human body through the kidney, has low acute toxicity, and is only half as toxic as sodium chloride or table salt. But when it comes to termites, other insects, and fungi, DOT can be lethal. 

Approved by EPA and HUD

According to Nisus, the company that makes Bora-Care, no other borate material is registered with the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) as a primary termite wood treatment or pretreatment product for new construction. 

Its use is also allowed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as stated in the 2006 International Residential Code, Section R320 Protection Against Subterranean Termites. It also meets all the sill plate end-cut requirements per building codes and the American Wood Preservers’ Association.   

Method of application

The most significant advantage of Bora-Care as a green termiticide lies in its application method. Most products that prevent or exterminate termites are mixed in water and added to the soil. 

With Bora-Care, there is no such dilution pumped into the soil. Instead, the product itself is applied directly to the wood using a sprayer, impacting the wood and almost nothing else. Hence, the best way to understand the product’s green contribution is simply by analyzing the environmental damage it prevents. 

As mentioned, most termiticides are mixed with the soil, harming the environment through various processes such as: 

• Adsorption. As a termiticide is applied to soil, it can bind to soil particles at strengths that depend on the soil’s pH, texture, and moisture level. Pesticides usually stick better to clay soil and soil with high amounts of organic matter than sandy soil.   
• Runoff. Runoff occurs when pesticides are dissolved in water or bound to eroding soil drip with the water down a sloped surface. It also depends on soil properties like texture, moisture level, and irrigation. Runoff can pollute lakes, ponds, or wells. Meanwhile, pesticide residues in surface water can poison plants and animals and contaminate groundwater.  
• Leaching. In leaching, pesticides in water move through the soil in a specific direction. Again, the properties of the soil dictate whether pesticides will end up in the groundwater. 
• Absorption. Absorption is the opposite of adsorption. It refers to the uptake of pesticides into the plants or microorganisms within the soil. Pesticide residues can disintegrate or stay within the affected plants or animals and then return to the environment once the plants or animals die. In many cases, pesticides or insecticides can remain in the soil long enough to impact even future crops.  

By design, Bora-Care avoids these processes while providing superior termite treatment benefits for homes and buildings. Hence, it is the go-to solution for wood pretreatments for those who want to protect their properties without harming the environment. 

Again, the only requirement is to apply Bora-Care straight to the wood. There is no need to involve the soil and the rest of nature. According to Nisus, since the product was introduced in 1987, it has replaced over 45 million gallons of toxic pesticides that would have ended up in the soil.