Termite-Resistant Building Products Can Bring Added Value to Your Business

With termites spreading to Northern states, termite-resistant products are as important as ever. While many search for termite protection on the web, few homeowners realize builders and remodelers may have the answer to protecting their home from these pests.

So, what is the best type of termite treatment? Most conversations about termites and pests are held after a house is built and involve chemicals and sprays. What if you built houses with termite-resistant construction methods to prevent long-term damage? Innovating in this space could help you carve out a profitable niche and reputation in the industry for building termite-resistant homes.

Taking advantage of competitive whitespace

Be one of the first builders in your market who are clearly promoting the fact that they can build a house to protect from termites. “Termite resistance is a powerful value add. All homeowners are concerned about it,” says housing expert Sam Rashkin, founder of Retooling the Housing Industry. “It’s especially threatening on the Gulf Coast when homes are vaporized by termites.”

Rashkin is a leading authority on resilient construction. Before spending 20 years as a licensed architect specializing in energy-efficient designs he founded the EPA's ENERGY STAR program, helping Americans save $4 billion in energy costs. Today, he's an acclaimed speaker and author on the housing industry.

"Disaster-resistant homes are designed to withstand these unfortunate events while making that building operational-or able to occupy-after the fact. Since insurance doesn't cover termite damage, I add that to the disaster component," says Rashkin. "It's a peace of mind issue."

Rashkin supports builders specializing in termite-resistant building and offers this advice: "The key is to guarantee performance, and that means doing an inspection and covering the damage. It's one thing to make it an issue, but it's another to build commitment."

Constructing with termite-resistant building materials 

Builders can integrate termite-resistant building methods into their next build by using treated engineered wood products from the LP Building Solutions portfolio of Structural Solutions. Instead of using ordinary treated wood for the sill plate, pick up LP^® SolidGuard^® LSL. The manufacturing process adds zinc borate, an inorganic compound of naturally occurring substances proven to resist termites. Plus, you’ll find LP SolidGuard LSL is built to be straight, reducing the likelihood of warping and twisting away from the flat concrete. LP SolidGuard LSL is backed by a 25-year limited warranty against termite damage, which is longer than traditional treated wood products.

Extending termite resistance to siding products

Other than real wood siding, most siding options are resistant to termite damage. However, few offer advanced durability or longer lasting beauty quite like LP^® SmartSide^® siding products. All LP SmartSide siding products are treated to the core with an advanced formula of binders, waxes and zinc borate before being bonded with a water-resistant, resin-saturated overlay. This process helps offer multiple components of protection to effectively resist damage from termites for extreme durability. Plus, provide your customers with added peace of mind that LP SmartSide Trim & Siding offers a 5/50-year limited warranty.

Have you made the switch to LP yet? Read what these contractors have to say about working with the product.