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Steve Thomas is the host of Planet Green's Renovation Nation, a program that focuses on making green renovations to homes across the country. In his regular column on PlanetGreen.com, Steve goes behind the scenes of the show and offers additional tips and insight on green renovation.
In Alabama, we ran into a termite problem, and we were looking for an eco-friendly compound to remove them. Sodium borate is the compound. It's pretty benign. I wouldn’t eat it. It's mildly toxic. Sodium borate destroys the termite's ability to process food by killing the protozoa that assist the termites in digesting the wood. The surviving termites will actually avoid the wood after it has been treated.
One of the major benefits of sodium borate is that it is long lasting. You can dust the sills in the basement. You can take it up in the attic and dust the top of the plate and it will protect that wood for a long time. It also makes for good roach, beetle and carpenter ant control. Timbor is a product that lets you, basically, soak timbers and it keeps them from rotting while protecting them from insects.
Builders like Timbor because it protects wood and kills insects. Homeowners like it because it is non-toxic and effective. It's even safe if you have pets.
Don't miss the Eco Extermination Episode Steve writes about.
More on Green Home Renovation:
Renovation Nation Episode: Philadelphia, PA—Habitat Goes Green
A Child is Born During a Renovation Nation Shoot!
How to Downsize Your House
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