Snap-on baseboards Homeowners who suspect a termite infestation must often rip open their walls to find out. Removable baseboards allow access to wall voids and could save on repairs and allow for regular inspections. They were invented by Hawaii businessman Zane Watson, above. He said the idea for the product came to him in a dream that night. Watson does most of his business in Hawaii, but is looking for a distributor in the New Orleans area.
Termites do their worst damage inside the structural supports of a house.
If those elements are not made of wood, the problem is eliminated. Steel gives termites a toothache,' reads a poster for the Hawaii Steel Alliance, a consortium of construction firms. Material costs are comparable to wood, but labor costs can run higher because it is harder to work with steel. This stainless steel screen is too fine for termites to move through and too tough to chew. Edges must be carefully sealed with a cement compound, or the termites will crawl around it.