Phil Hannay, CEO and Technical Director
When building a new home, choosing the correct termite management system is vital to achieve lasting protection from termites. Termite sheet materials are often a key component of many termite management systems, but with several products on the market, what factors should be considered before making your choice?
Performance will always be the most important factor. With sheet materials it is important to understand whether the protection from termites is physical, chemical or both. Clearly a product that delivers both physical and chemical protection, such as TERM-seal Ura-Fen Shield TWB (termite and waterproof barrier), ensures the best of both worlds.
For those materials incorporating chemical protection, it is important that the insecticide remains bound within the matrix. Not only is this important for ensuring performance is maintained over time, but it also prevents the leaching of active, which is good from an environmental point of view.
TERM-seal Ura-Fen TWB consists of a patented triple layer structure, which locks the active (bifenthrin) within the plastic foam material – a key attribute that ensures long-lasting performance.
Trusting that your sheet materials deliver long-lasting performance is vital for builders and homeowners alike; it needs to last the lifetime of a building. Ura-Fen Shield TWB is CodeMark certified and comes with a 50-year warranty.
With the changing codes and standards, it is important that the sheeting material you choose has all the necessary approvals. Not only is Ura-Fen Shield TWB CodeMark certified and APVMA registered, it complies with Australian Standards and the Building Codes of Australia (including Queensland amendment), making it readily accepted by builders and easy to gain approvals.
Approvals are important supporting documentation, but knowing the product works under Australian conditions gives installers real confidence. Ura-Fen Shield TWB has been field tested against Mastotermes and Coptotermes and is approved for use north and south of the Tropic of Capricorn. With over 100,000 installations over 13 years, with no failures, pest managers can trust in the performance of TERM-seal Ura-Fen Shield TWB.
Any product with flexibility in application is always appreciated by pest managers. So it is with Ura-Fen Shield TWB. Not only can it be used as a cavity perimeter protection and for protection of joints, but it can be used as a full under-slab termite/dampcourse barrier. Supported by CSIRO trials as a cavity dampcourse and under-slab vapour barrier, pest managers again have the confidence Ura-Fen TWB performs under Australian conditions.
It is important for any product to integrate seamlessly with the construction elements and Ura-Fen TWB also incorporates a special treatment to the top sheet that allows the brick mortar to readily adhere – much appreciated by builders.
With sheeting materials, one of the other considerations is irritation during handling, which depends on the type of pyrethroid used and its availability. Ura-Fen TWB uses bifenthrin and with it being locked in the central layer of the triple layer construction, irritation is avoided and pest managers can install in comfort.
Current TERM-seal installers also appreciate that TERM-seal is an Australian company manufacturing products in Australia. With a range of TERM-seal products to meet a wide range building types and local support on the end of the phone, installers feel confident in tackling any pre-construction situation.
Installers can take advantage of the autumn special offer on Ura-Fen TWB, available until the end of May. For those pest managers wanting to try Ura-Fen shield TWB as an alternative to their current sheeting, please contact TERM-seal for training.
