permaculture

[Jack Rowe <jackrowe@compuserve.com>]

Hi, Dan,

One way of discouraging termites, used in southern US construction, is
placing sheet metal between the foundation and the rest of the house. An
overhang is used, so that the sheet metal hangs out and down at an angle
from the foundation/house interface. With pier-and-beam construction,
pie-plate-like pieces are all that're needed, with a footing the sheet
metal follows the footing the whole way. The termites can -- and sometimes
will -- still build around this defense, but then their mud-constructed
tunnels are obvious to regular inspection (yearly at least) and can be
destroyed and the termite colony spot-treated. 

Ignorant of good non-toxic control methods myself, I'd look in
"Common-Sense Pest Control: Least Toxic Solutions for Your Home, Garden,
Pets and Community", William Olkowski, Sheila Daar, and Helga Olkowski.
Sometimes it has great suggestions, sometimes not.

Somebody knowledgeable about termite damage should check the house for
structural problems, often the termites are in corner posts or 'cripple'
posts at sides of windows/doors (both structural areas), for instance,
because these areas sometimes aren't sealed against water intrusion as well
as plain flat walls. 

Good luck!

Jack