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

Termite control in Harat Al Sham Jeddah

Harat Al Sham is a historic quarter of close set coral stone buildings with very narrow alleys, and deep stone footings below the houses mean the water table is very close. Tall buildings with wooden rawashin and alleys so tight they hide very old drainage networks buried deep. Treatment here needs care for heritage, monuments and buildings jammed shoulder to shoulder.

Call now Message us on WhatsApp

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 Harat Al Sham

Ground level in the quarter sits close to the water table because it was the old shore of Jeddah cove, stone footings pierce this water, and termites live in damp conditions from the foundation up. The method is set out in full on what Termite control involves.

The first reason

Deep stone footings and the water table

Coral rock reaches deep and may hit groundwater directly. Termites do not search far from the footing: water sits beside them always, and coral rock is easy to mine.

The second reason

Original wooden rawashin and ancient timber

Stone houses carry original old wooden rawashin screens, and wooden posts inside support floors and ceilings. This timber is centuries old, and termites find in it food that is mature and easy.

The third reason

Very narrow alleys hide forgotten networks

Alleys are extremely tight and dark, and networks below may never be inspected. Pipes may be ancient or missing entirely, and moisture seeps from everywhere unseen.

Harat Al Sham on the map

Harat Al Sham sits about 0.5 km from Harat Al Mazloum and about 0.5 km from Harat Al Bahr.

Open in Google Maps

Before treatment

The evidence that decides the treatment

The northern section inside the old wall by Bab Al Madinah, with very old coral stone buildings and extremely narrow lanes, deep footings in soil close to the water table.

Mud tubes

Mud tubes in coral rock may run inside the stone itself, not on surfaces, so inspection needs careful study of hairline cracks and faint staining.

Discarded transparent wings on a window ledge

Shed wings

Shed wings may appear in alleys or by doorways, but they are hard to spot because alleys are dark and wings may be eaten by other insects.

A damaged timber frame showing internal galleries

Hollow timber

Hollow timber in rawashin and internal posts may be far advanced without showing, and the insect eats from inside while the outer shell stays sound.

A dark damp patch below a pipe at a wall base

The water source

The water source is groundwater directly below the quarter, with stone footings piercing through it, and any old network leak pumps more water in.

Cardboard boxes and timber stacked on a store floor

Cellulose on the floor

Cellulose on the floor in historic quarters is abundant: original wood in floors, load bearing posts, old rawashin and ancient doors.

A concrete joint and a pipe passing through a floor slab

Joints and pipe entries

Joints and pipe entries in heritage buildings may be damaged or undocumented, and drilling or inspection may harm the original fabric, so great care is essential.

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 Harat Al Sham

The quarter lies at Bab Jadid to the north and runs south toward Dar Al Zahid and Banaja House. Treatment can be coordinated from Bab Jadid if infestation lies near the gate, or through interior alleys if the problem runs deeper.

Bab Jadid
Dar Al Zahid
Banaja House
Ribat Al Khunji Al Kabeer
The Qishla

Questions about this district

Do historic buildings need different treatment than ordinary construction?

Very much so. Wooden rawashin and original stone must stay protected, and we may not drill floors the same way. Treatment needs special planning and heritage-approved products.

Why is termite infestation so common in historic quarters?

Conditions are ideal: very old timber, moisture from nearby groundwater, and neglected drainage networks. Historic quarters are perfect termite environments.

Do water sources easily penetrate old stone footings or does the rock block it?

Coral rock is very porous and water breaches it easily. Some footings may be constantly saturated, and termites colonise inside and build their nests within.

Can we treat the buildings without removing the rawashin or changing anything?

Yes, treatment can be external or internal without touching the screens. But if damage is advanced, we may need to remove a small section to inspect or repair.

Are the networks below the alleys documented or lost from memory?

Most alleys have not been inspected from inside in decades, and networks may be very old or damaged. We may need to explore them during treatment.

How many years has infestation been active if we see deep damage in stone or wood?

It may be several years, possibly two or more. Deep damage means the colony settled the place long ago undetected.

How much does termite control in Harat Al Sham 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 Harat Al Sham.