I have a piece of untreated plywood covering a vent inside my crawlspace. My termite inspector recommended treating it with borate to protect against mold and rot.
My research into borate indicates that it might be toxic to breathe. My crawlspace is a tight fit, so it would be hard not to breathe the vapors. So I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good product to use.
Thanks.
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Replies
Tens of millions of homes have been insulated with cellulose dusted with Borate to prevent fire and stop bugs. Its been in use for 60 years in this application. Millions of people have been living in those homes. People aren't dropping dead from exposure........everything is known to the State of Cancer to cause California...100% pure H2O with Zero Chemicals/Minerals is toxic when overconsumed...Yes You Actually Can Drink Too Much Water and it can and will kill you if you do it
Can you remove it to a better ventilated area? Soak it, let it dry and then replace?
Thanks for the reply. Not sure I can take it out.
I have been thinking that replacing it might be the best option. Not sure about the best material to use.
If replacing, I would go with 1/2" sheet pvc.
I buy it by the sheet and sell to customers by the square inch.
Perhaps you can find someone local to cut out a section.
I do not believe that the Borate treatments that I am familiar with outgas vapors. They are typically powders or liquid, diluted with water, and then applied with a pump sprayer. As I understand the typical application, the liquid solution caries the Borate salts to the wood and then evaporates, leaving a residue that is partially absorbed by the wood fibers. Two products that you might investigate, are: Tim-bor by Nisus Corporation and Bora-Care by Nisus Corporation. I would recommend contacting Nisus tech support and asking them directly about your concerns.
Thanks for info. I've never used this material before, so I'm being overly cautious.
Borates are likely to be a lot less toxic than most alternatives. I wouldn't hesitate to soak the wood in Boracare. Or, I'd just replace it with PT plywood.
Andy's correct. Borates are a salt. Their toxicity might be less than the chemicals in PT plywood, can't say for certain.
Thank you for the help
Thank you for the help
I've used borate product (Penetreat) on non-pressure treated wood, and the results are excellent. It sounds like you're in a region where termites are a significant concern, so borates do a great job at eliminating termite damage to wood.
Also, the exposure to borate vapors would be negligible. You can spray the plywood in place without an issue. Wear a mask for extra protection if you desire...
Alternatively, as others have suggested, replace the panel with a material that is not subject to termite damage, which might be the least expensive option.