A pest control technician checking the base of a concrete wall with a torch

Termite control in Al Balad Jeddah

Al Balad is the historic commercial heart of Jeddah, its coral limestone tower houses and wooden rawashin latticework listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, surrounded by daily souqs and narrow lanes where buildings touch. Termites here attack the old timber from inside the walls, and moisture from broken sewer pipes beneath the alleys keeps large colonies thriving. Treatment must balance complete protection with preservation of the architectural heritage.

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Targeted, not broadcast

Product goes into cracks and runways, never sprayed across open surfaces.
Told before we start

What we will use, where it goes, and what to cover or move before we arrive.
A follow-up visit

We return after the first treatment, because what survives it does not show on the day.
Homes and businesses

Apartments and villas, and kitchens and stores that need a record of each visit.

Why they keep coming back in Al Balad

Historic houses here may hold deep infestations that only show when walls are pressed or rawashin covers are opened. The method is set out in full on how we approach Termite control.

The first reason

Old wooden rawashin offer perfect food and shelter

The ancient timber in the rawashin and original doors is rich in starch and cellulose, and termites attack it from inside the walls. Removing the rawashin destroys heritage, so we use targeted injections and precise spot treatments rather than full soil treatment.

The second reason

Deep stone footings hide large colonies

Old houses have stone footings that may extend a metre and a half below ground. Natural cracks in the stone provide termite passages, and we cannot reach them without deep excavation.

The third reason

Old sewer networks below the alleys feed the colonies

Narrow alleys sit above damaged antique pipes, and water and moisture seep into the soil. This creates damp passages that termites use to travel the length of the old quarter.

Al Balad on the map

Al Balad sits about 1 km from Al Sahifah and about 1 km from Al Ammariyah.

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Before treatment

The evidence that decides the treatment

Narrow streets, touching buildings and deep stone footings create a complex environment to track infestation.

Mud tubes

Mud tubes may not appear on surfaces here because termites work inside old walls and rawashin out of sight.

Discarded transparent wings on a window ledge

Shed wings

Flying termites are rarely seen because the narrow alleys offer complete shelter to the colonies.

A damaged timber frame showing internal galleries

Hollow timber

Hollow timber extends deep in the rawashin and original doors, and damage may be serious before it shows.

A dark damp patch below a pipe at a wall base

The water source

Water sources are from broken sewers beneath the alleys and leaks from pipes embedded in the old walls.

Cardboard boxes and timber stacked on a store floor

Cellulose on the floor

Cellulose on the floor in the old timber house floors faces direct and deep attack.

A concrete joint and a pipe passing through a floor slab

Joints and pipe entries

Joints and pipe entries through stone footings are numerous, old and may not be visible from outside.

How we work

1
Inspect and trace

We sound the timber and the skirting, take moisture readings, and follow the tubes to the point where they leave the soil. We also settle the species, because one that lives inside dry wood is not treated like one that lives in the ground.
2
Treat the soil around the building

A narrow trench at the footing and injection at regular spacing, so the treated band runs continuous with no gap to walk around.
3
Drill the joints, inject the timber

Small holes at spacing along the slab joints, the wall bases and the pipe entries, direct injection into the galleries inside the affected timber, then the holes are closed and made good.
4
Bait stations and monitoring

Stations in the soil carrying a slow-acting material the workers pass through the colony by mouth-to-mouth feeding, and we come back to read them, because an empty tube on a wall proves nothing on its own.

What termite control includes

A traced, recorded inspection

Sounding, moisture readings, tubes traced back to the soil, and the species settled before anything is applied.
A treated band at the perimeter

Trenching and injection at the footing, spaced so the band is continuous rather than a set of patches.
Joints and service penetrations

Slab joints, pipe entries and floor drains, which are the ways up through the concrete.
Bait stations in the soil

A slow material carried back through the colony by feeding exchange, rather than stopping the workers at the wall.
Aftercare instructions

What not to dig or water near the treated band, what to keep off the walls, and the ventilation time we set for your case.
Scheduled monitoring visits

Reading the stations, sounding the same timber again, and treating any new activity.

Landmarks of Al Balad

Work in Al Balad is organised through the network of souqs and alleys near Bab Makkah and Bab Sharif, and visits to Nassif House and Al Shafi'i Mosque guide us to the main infestation zones.

Nassif House
Al Shafi'i Mosque
Souq Al Alawi
Souq Al Badu
Bab Makkah
Bab Sharif

Questions about this district

Is treatment different for historic houses than for ordinary buildings?

Yes, we cannot drill or excavate deep into heritage walls. We use targeted injections, bait and constant monitoring rather than full treatment.

Can old wooden rawashin be treated without removal or alteration?

Yes, we inject treatment around the rawashin and into the wood at precise entry points, and the architectural heritage is untouched.

Are the old sewer networks below Al Balad documented or lost from memory?

Most are damaged and old maps may not be accurate. We rely on ground inspection and evidence of leaks around the houses.

How long has infestation been active if we see deep damage in stone or timber?

Deep damage suggests years of silent infestation. The depth helps predict the size of the active colony.

Do stone footings offer natural protection against termites?

Solid stone does, but natural cracks existing for centuries provide complete passages for termites.

Are Nassif House, Souq Al Alawi and other historic buildings also infested with termites?

Historic houses in Al Balad likely carry some infestation at varying levels. Inspection determines the actual extent.

How much does termite control in Al Balad cost?

It is set after the inspection, because the price follows the type of infestation, the size of the space, how far it has spread and the number of visits it needs. Send a photo and a description on WhatsApp and we will give you an estimate before we reach Al Balad.