Method of protecting buildings from termite attack

• US 9,574,343 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2013
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prestige Film Technologies
• Original Assignee: Prestige Film Technologies
• Inventors: Nichols, Paul Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Ark, Darren W
• Application Number:
  US13/870,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20130305589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 431/321, 431/24, 431/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/24 Arrangements connected with buildings, doors, windows, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/245 for pesticide application or distribution, e.g. using a network of pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 13/00 Fumigators; Apparatus for distributing gases poisoning or narcotising insects by vaporising an insecticide A01M1/2022
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 17/00 Apparatus for the destruction of vermin in soil or in foodstuffs injecting fertilisers into the roots of trees A01G29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 17/002 Injection of toxic gases or fluids into the soil special arrangements for delivering fertilising liquids directly into the soil A01C23/02
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 29/12 using odoriferous substances, e.g. aromas, pheromones or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/72 Pest control by keeping dry E04B1/70; impregnation of wood or like materials B27K
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2011/0004 to create overpressure in a room
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/40 by ozonisation for sterilisation F24F8/26

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for protecting the lower regions of and structure of a building (10) from damage or degradation by termites. The method comprises the steps of creating a region in the ground below the building having properties hostile to termites whereby to discourage them from approaching the vicinity of the building. In one embodiment means for creating a hostile region in the ground below the building are provided by a pump (12) which creates a superatmoshpheric pressure field (40) in this region. Treatment agents (31) such as ozone may be delivered to the ground region in order to provide a hostile effect to the termites by affecting their pheromone chemistry and/or their reproductive or communicative behavior. A secondary function of the present invention relates to the creation of a forced ventilation (46) of the habitable region (18) within which the apparatus of the present invention resides.

Claims

1. A method of protecting a building from damage, by termites, comprising the steps of:

—

(a) detecting the presence of termites within the building or a close vicinity thereof;

(b) infusing a protected region of ground below the building with ozone by delivering ozone into said protected region to create a superatmospheric pressure field below the building, the delivery at a determined concentration which is less than that at which its presence would cause detrimental effects on humans occupying the building, and sufficient to cause the termites to vacate the protected region,

(c) discontinuing delivery of ozone upon departure of the termites, thereafter maintaining ozone delivery turned off and allowing termites to return to the protected region,

(d) recommencing delivery of ozone at said determined concentration after the termites have returned to the protected region and continuing delivery until the termites again vacate said protected region,

(e) repeating said discontinuing and delivering steps for as long as the termites return into said protected region wherein the ozone concentration is varied below said safety threshold level thereof whereby to avoid habituation of said termites to its presence.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ozone is delivered at a rate such as to create a superatmospheric pressure field in said protected ground region below the building.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ozone concentration is varied below the safe level thereof whereby the avoid habituation of said termites to its presence.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a termite residence time during which the termites remain in the building after the commencement of ozone delivery and before they vacate the building, is determined in advance by tests on said building or a comparable building.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a termite residence time during which the termites remain in the building after the commencement of ozone delivery and before they vacate the building, is determined in advance by tests in a controlled environment.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a termite vacation interval during which the termites remain away from the building before returning thereto is determined in advance by tests on said building or a comparable building.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a termite vacation interval during which termites remain away from the building before returning thereto is determined in advance by tests on a controlled environment.

8. A method of protecting a building from damage by termites as claimed in claim 1, including the steps of:

(e) monitoring the protected region to detect the return of termites thereto, and determining the time elapsed since delivery of ozone was discontinued;

(f) after said step of determining the time elapsed, recommencing delivery of ozone at said determined concentration until the termites again vacate said protected region, and;

(g) repeating the periodic delivery of ozone at intervals and for time periods determined by said detection of the presence and absence of the termites.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the steps of determining the vacation interval, being the elapsed time between departure of the termites and the return thereof, and the residence time, being the time between the commencement of ozone delivery and departure of the termites, are repeated for several iterations to determine an average value for said vacation interval and said residence time whereby to determine the points in time for commencement and cessation of ozone delivery to said protected region.

10. A method of protecting a building from damage by termites comprising the steps of:

preparing an introduction pathway for delivering ozone to a region below the building;

determining, from physical parameters of the building;

(a) a maximum safe delivery rate at which ozone can be delivered through said introduction pathway while maintaining a concentration of ozone below a safety threshold level in habitable parts of the building such as to allow continuous uninterrupted occupation by humans;

(b) an infusion duration period for which infusion at said maximum safe delivery rate will achieve a substantially complete saturation of said region for a time sufficient to affect behavior of any termites present in said region;

(c) a deterrence period during which termites will be deterred from re-entry into said region by residual pheromones secreted by departing termites;

introducing ozone at a rate not greater than said determined maximum safe delivery rate into said introduction pathway to create a superatmospheric pressure field in the region below the building for said determined infusion duration period, thereafter discontinuing introduction of ozone for a discontinuance period not less than said deterrence period that has been determined;

recommencing introduction of ozone at a rate not greater than said determined maximum safe delivery rate for a further said infusion duration period, and

repeatedly cycling periods of infusion and discontinuance, wherein the ozone concentration is varied below said safety threshold level thereof whereby to avoid habituation of said termites to its presence.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, in which said determination of said maximum safe delivery rate, and/or said infusion duration period, and/or said deterrence period is or are made as estimates on the basis of experience.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein a termite residence time that is a period during which the termites remain in the building after a commencement of ozone delivery and before they vacate the building, and on the basis of which the infusion duration period is established is determined in advance by tests on said building or a comparable building.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein a termite residence time, during which the termites remain in the building after a commencement of ozone delivery and before they vacate the building, and on the basis of which the infusion duration period is established, is determined in advance by tests in a controlled environment.

14. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein a termite deterrence period during which termites remain away from the building before returning thereto is determined in advance by tests on said building or a comparable building.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein a termite deterrence period, during which termites remain away from the building before returning thereto is determined in advance by tests on a controlled environment.

16. A method as claimed in claim 10, in which said introduction pathway leads to or includes an interspace between a floor slab of the building and underlying ground.

17. A method as claimed in claim 10, in which said introduction pathway leads to or includes a void space beneath the building determined by the presence of a void former installed during constructions of the building.

18. A method as claimed in claim 10, in which said region below the building is a subterranean ground region.

19. A method of protecting a building from damage by termites, comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a presence of termites or termite activity within the building or within a vicinity thereof,

(b) preparing an introduction pathway for delivering ozone to a region below the building,

(c) infusing said region with ozone by delivering ozone through said introduction pathway into said region to create a superatmospheric pressure field below the building but at a rate and at a concentration which results in an ozone concentration in habitable parts of the building which is less than that at which its presence would cause harmful effects on humans occupying said habitable parts of the building and sufficient to cause the termites to vacate the building,

(d) continuing said ozone delivery for a period greater than that likely to result in substantially complete vacation of the building and said region by termites,

(e) thereafter discontinuing said ozone delivery for a time period greater than that likely to be taken by termites to reinfest said building, and

(f) recommencing said delivery of ozone into said introduction pathway and repeating said infusion and discontinuance steps wherein the ozone concentration is varied below a safety threshold level thereof whereby to avoid habituation of said termites to its presence.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, in which said infusion and discontinuance steps are repeated indefinitely.

21. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the ozone is delivered at a rate such as to create a superatmospheric pressure field in said region below the building.

22. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the ozone concentration is varied below said safety threshold level thereof whereby to avoid habituation of said termites to its presence.

23. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein a termite residence time during which the termites remain in the building after the commencement of ozone delivery and before they vacate the building and on the basis of which the infusion duration period is established, is determined in advance by tests on said building or a comparable building.

24. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein a termite residence time during which the termites remain in the building after the commencement of ozone delivery and before they vacate the building and on the basis of which the infusion duration period is established, is determined in advance by tests in a controlled environment.

25. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein a likely termite deterrence period, during which termites are likely to remain away from the building before returning thereto is determined in advance by tests on said building or a comparable building.

26. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein a likely termite deterrence period, during which termites are likely to remain away from the building before returning thereto is determined in advance by tests of a controlled environment.