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Re: Rotted subfloor in upstairs bathroom

From: info@builderswebsource.com
Category: Flooring
Remote Name: 63.165.31.7
Date: 13 Apr 2002
Time: 01:21 PM

Comments

Although carpenter ants do not eat wood, they do nest in damp or moist wood, often infecting nearby dry wood. Therefore, we recommend removing all the subloor in the bathroom and perform a full inspection of joists and studs to ensure there is not further damage. Since it will be impossible to remove the sublfoor portions underneath the wall sill plates, you'll need to trim the subfloor as close to the wall as possible. You will also need to add nailers in key places to provide a clean, ample surface to attach the new subfloor to. Watch out for any electrical wires or pipes. We recommend gluing and screwing the new subfloor in place. As to treatment and prevention of the carpenter ants, the University of Nebraska offers the following advice:

"The secret to controlling carpenter ants is direct treatment of the colony. Look for the piles of sawdust to locate the entrance. Because worker ants move from the nest to forage for food, their movements may lead to your discovery of the nest opening. Inspect the entire structure and surrounding grounds, because the nest or nests may be outdoors as well as in the structure. Once you find the colony, you can completely eliminate the infestation by removing all the infested wood. But, if there is a contributing moisture problem, be sure to fix it first. If you cannot remove the infested wood, you can inject a dust formulation of an appropriate insecticide into the wall void. A dust formulation is best, because the ants walk through the dust and contaminate the colony. Introduce the dust into the nest through the entrance hole using a hand duster with a tube with a tip that fits snugly in the entrance. It may be necessary to enlarge the hole to fit the duster. You can make a duster from a flexible plastic bottle equipped with a tube tip. Fill the bottle no more than one-third full, insert the tip in the entrance hole, and inject the dust by alternately squeezing and releasing the pressure on the bottle. A dust containing 5 percent carbaryl (Sevin®) is recommended for this treatment. Only use carbaryl (Sevin®) dust in wall voids or other areas where the dust won't come into contact with humans or pets. Be sure to store any leftover insecticide in its original container with the label intact."

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