According to Hawaii termite protection requirements, what is the minimum clearance required between untreated wood and soil?
Correct Answer
B) 8 inches
Hawaii requires a minimum 8-inch clearance between untreated wood structural members and soil to prevent termite access and moisture problems.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
8 inches is the minimum clearance required by Hawaii code between untreated wood structural members and soil. This distance creates a physical gap that subterranean termites — a severe problem in Hawaii's warm, moist climate — cannot easily bridge without building visible mud tubes that can be detected during inspections.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 12 inches
12 inches exceeds the minimum requirement. While more clearance is generally better for termite prevention, 12 inches is not the code-specified minimum.
Option C: 6 inches
6 inches is insufficient clearance per Hawaii code. The warm, humid conditions in Hawaii accelerate termite activity, so a mere 6-inch gap is considered inadequate protection.
Option D: 18 inches
18 inches greatly exceeds the minimum requirement. This value is sometimes confused with crawl space height requirements or other clearance standards, but it is not the wood-to-soil termite clearance minimum.
Memory Technique
Think '8 inches — the height of a standard brick.' In Hawaii, you need at least one brick's height of clearance between wood and soil to stop termites from climbing up.
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