Are Skyscrapers hostile to ingress by Termites?

The shocking revelation of termite infestation in High Rise Buildings has raised the question,

How do Termites travel to higher Floors?

The general norm is that, higher the floor - lower the risk of termites reaching the top. The notion of termites living only beneath the floor has been proven wrong, with the increased damage, termites have caused to apartments and other high rise buildings in Sri Lanka.

The rapid urbanization in the last 10 to 15 years in and around the city of Colombo and the numerous client complaints of termite destruction in apartments and offices in higher floors have lead us to review and update our findings on how termites enter and travel to reach higher floors in high rise buildings.

Despite high rise buildings being constructed with seemingly large and impenetrable concrete and steel structures, termites have found their way in. Termites have adapted well and survived amidst Sri Lanka’s urbanization.

Compared to a single story or two storey building structure, high rise buildings are complex in design leaving sufficient leave way for termites to enter.

In our numerous camera and detailed inspection of many high rise apartment blocks and offices, we were able to conclude by identifying common entry points for termites to ingress and forage, causing damage to property and furniture.

• A) Provisions are made for sanitary and plumbing pipes, electrical and power supply conduits and storm water discharge pipes. These leave adequate space for termites to forage to higher floors.
• B) Substations ,Bin Chutes, Lift Wells, Pump rooms are common areas that are susceptible to termites to enter the buildings.
• C) In effective waterproofing which creates excessive moisture and in turn conducive for termites
• D) In coming water supply, floor traps and waste discharge systems in toilets are potential points of termite entry.

The above items are not completed during the initial construction phase, but provision is made to complete installation of electrical cables, water pipes etc which is progressively carried out until the completion of the project.

The complexity of the construction and the provision for the installation of the above cables, pipes etc have made it extremely easy for termite to enter the building and forage to higher floors.

So once termites enter your building they travel via electrical cables/conduits, pipes to reach the top and forage for cellulose material , which could be your expensive wooden floor or pantry cupboard.

This raises the next question, how do you eradicate termites effectively in High Rise Buildings?

This will be addressed in my next article which will explain the most effective method.