HomeGuard: the bifenthrin treated-sheet termite barrier

HomeGuard is a bifenthrin-impregnated embossed polymer sheet used as a termite management system under AS 3660. Made by FMC, it is a physical-plus-chemical barrier: the sheet is a physical layer termites cannot penetrate, and the bifenthrin it carries repels and kills termites that try. It is one of the membrane-style barriers, alongside Kordon, used to satisfy the NCC’s termite-management requirement on a new build.

The two variants

HomeGuard comes in two sheets, and getting the right one specified matters:

HomeGuard PB: a high-impact, 300 micron embossed polymer sheet impregnated with bifenthrin. The straight physical-barrier product, used at penetrations and as a perimeter barrier.
HomeGuard DPC: a tougher 500 micron embossed polymer sheet, also bifenthrin-impregnated, that doubles as a damp-proof course. It is, on the manufacturer’s claim, the only sheet termite barrier that also affords damp-proofing compliance to AS 2904 (verified 2026-05-25).

The DPC variant is the one builders reach for around the perimeter and at construction joints, because it does two jobs (termite barrier and DPC) in one membrane.

How it works

A treated-sheet system like HomeGuard sits at the points termites would use to get from the soil into the structure: the slab perimeter, service penetrations, and construction joints. Termites build mud tubes to bridge into a building; the continuous sheet denies them a concealed path, and the bifenthrin in the sheet is a chemical deterrent at the barrier. The protection is only as good as its continuity: a gap, a tear, or an un-collared penetration is a bridge straight past it.

Standards and certification

AS 3660.1 (termite management for new building work) is the deemed-to-satisfy path the NCC names; HomeGuard is installed as a component of a system that meets it.
AS 3660.3 classifies HomeGuard as a chemically treated sheet (it is assessed against the criteria for termite management systems).
It is APVMA-registered (it contains a pesticide, bifenthrin).
It carries CodeMark certification, the product-certification scheme that gives a clear route to NCC deemed-to-satisfy acceptance.

That stack (AS 3660.1 + AS 3660.3 + CodeMark + APVMA) is what lets a certifier accept it without a one-off assessment.

Why a barrier is required at all

HomeGuard is not optional dress-up; it is one way to meet a code requirement. The NCC requires a termite management system to protect the primary building elements of a Class 1 building in areas where termites are a known risk, and it names AS 3660.1 as the deemed-to-satisfy path (ABCB NCC 2022 Housing Provisions, verified 2026-05-25). A treated-sheet system such as HomeGuard is one acceptable way to satisfy that obligation; a chemical soil treatment or a stainless mesh such as Termimesh are others. The choice of system is the builder’s and designer’s, but having a compliant system, installed and documented, is not.

The requirement is triggered by the site being in a termite-prone area (most of mainland Australia), so on the bulk of new residential work, a system like HomeGuard is part of the slab sequence whether the client asked for it or not.

Where it goes

HomeGuard is installed at the slab perimeter, around service penetrations (pipe and conduit collars), at construction joints, and at retaining walls abutting the structure. It is laid as a continuous barrier and lapped and sealed per the manufacturer’s manual. Like all treated-sheet systems, if it is disturbed or damaged during construction it must be reinstated, because a breached barrier is no barrier.

HomeGuard vs Kordon

Both are treated-sheet termite barriers installed at the same points; the difference is the chemistry and the dual function:

HomeGuard: bifenthrin-impregnated; the DPC variant also serves as a damp-proof course (AS 2904).
Kordon: deltamethrin-impregnated treated sheet.

Both are AS 3660-compliant treated sheets; the choice is usually installer preference, the DPC dual-function, and price.

For a builder

Spec the right variant. PB for a straight physical barrier; DPC where you also want the damp-proof course in one membrane.
Continuity is everything. Lap, seal, and collar every penetration per the manual; a single bridged gap defeats the system.
Reinstate if disturbed. Damaged sheet during construction has to be repaired before cover-up; flag it at the pre-pour stage.
Record it on the durable notice. The system, install date, and inspection regime go on the durable notice fixed in the building.
Installed by an accredited installer. Treated-sheet systems are installed by the manufacturer’s accredited installers, and the warranty depends on it.

Also known as: HomeGuard DPC, HomeGuard PB, HomeGuard termite barrier.