The traditional method of controlling subterranean termites was to apply a liquid pesticide, known as a termiticide, to the soil. This chemical treatment relied on the application of a chemical barrier around and beneath the structure designed to block all possible routes of termite entry. Any termites attempting to penetrate through the treated soil were either killed or repelled.

However, there are many obstacles to forming such a barrier. Many possible termite entry points are hidden behind walls, floor coverings, and other obstructions.

Even where access for termite treatment is possible, it is difficult to uniformly wet soil and achieve thorough coverage. A typical "barrier" treatment may involve hundreds of gallons of solution injected into the ground along the foundation, beneath concrete slabs, and within foundation walls. Considering that termites can tunnel through small untreated gaps in the soil as thin as a pencil lead, it is understandable why the chemical liquid termite treatments have failed to correct termite problems at times.