Hi, anybody knows something about what a trouble can mouses be when you build with SIPs ?
I was spoken mouses very like to eat and live at SIPs.

Alex;

I have heard of that happening, if you built with steel SIPs it would not likely occur

I already responded but it looks like the response got removed.
Must not be popular to concur with your observation.  Mice LOVE to burrow into the EPS if it is left unexposed for very long.
They cannot get through the concrete--unless you have honecombs which you will hardly ever know about--the other thing ICF people do not want to talk about.
ICF is always better than stick built but still there are issues that need to be admitted to and dealt with like an adult--not like an ostrich by not looking at it.

ICFs are also prone to termite and carpenter ant infestation

Can you back this up, where is the food source in the ICF's. Do you not think mice live in hollow wall framing??????????????????????????/

A food source is not necessary.  Foam makes a nice home for critters.  It is true of ICF foam as well as SIP foam.  Of course, ICF foam is on the outside.  Easier for the critters to get to.  Nobody is talking about hollow wall framing here.  (Well, actually, cmkavala does like to fur out the interior walls of his steel SIPs, last I heard.)

When I posted about mouses (and rats also) I wanted to here anybody owning SIPs houses not hearin but dealing with the problem. I can suppose MANUFACTURES add something at foam against those ones. For other hand may be exist some good methods of fighting against it ? I live at Russia and SIPs are new for us. Men wanting to buy hoses with SIPs put answes about this trouble.
I think that mouses and rats inhabit anywhere. I think also that the more at South the more these animals getting in all. Therefore you must have answes about this subject. Thank you !

If you send me a private e mail I'll give you the name, address and phone # of an ICF homeowner with termite infestation.
The reason he decided to build with steel SIPs/perform-guard foam on his current construction
Yes mice do live in hollow wall framing,but whats the point?     termites and ants use the foam as nesting, then travel into the house for any wood based food source

The answer is steel

Yes, we do fur-out the sip wall, but at least a mouse cannot get in to eat the foam core, its encased by two steel skins and the foam is borate treated to prevent insect infestation and nesting.

Many ICFs go right below grade allowing a perfect runway for critters

Having lived in a steel sip home for some time, I can tell you that the occurance of any insect is much less.
And there is no organic material to promote mold growth on the structural members.

Chris, I'm curious about the connection between the slab and the steel track that the SIPS panels rest in. If the track is just screwed down it seems like a perfect place for cockroaches to slip in. But I don't know - maybe there is a layer of construction adhesive or silicone caulk or something? How do you manage that detail?

When in doubt, squirt some goop in there.  It fixes everything.  Better than duct tape even!

More seriously, be careful what adhesives you use, especially when touching masonry below, on, or near grade.  Some of them are like mold candy.  (Some of the early OSB resins were perfect food for mold when combined with the wood cellulose.  It's a little better these days, especially with exterior grade OSB.)  None of them resist hardening and cracking forever, though if protected from UV and freeze/thaw many will last longer than the materials they're holding together.

Jelly;

I thought I sent you the whole set of details, but anyway here is the base track detail

I prefer expanding foam on the slab as it compensates for irregularities in the slab

Forgive me, I actually do have all the details, somewhere with all the rest of my belongings in a 40 foot shipping container which I should receive on Monday, along with 4 large German tilt-turn windows I ordered special with 70/40 glass!

So what are the best elastomeric sealants? Opinions? rnortman?

Don't make the mistake of thinking I'm an expert.  I've got book learnin' but not a lot of experience under my belt.

Anything that bills itself as a sealant should not be mold candy; it's adhesives (specifically glues) that can be a food source.  Latex, silicone, and polyurethane are all good.  I am particularly intrigued by the flexible expanding foams; there are latex expanding foams now that remain spongy even after curing, which allows for thermal expansion and some structural settling without creating cracks.  The latex foams are open-celled, meaning they will only slow water vapor down slightly, not stop it.  They can even wick moisture.  The "window and door" version of DOW Great Stuff is a closed-cell polyurethane that remains flexible after curing.  That sounds great to me on paper.  But I haven't tested it myself in the field.  (The normal Great Stuff cures rigid.  It clings tenaciously, but it will only give so much before it tears.)

The silicone and latex/silicone hybrids have come a long way in terms of remaining flexible for a long time, I guess, but they don't expand like foams do.

Maybe somebody with more experience can speak up with some recommendations.

Solar Seal # 900 works well

http://www.npcsealants.com/products.htm

Chris,

What about using 3/8" polyethylene sill sealer under metal tracks?  It is compressible and recommended for use under wood sill plates.  I believe the cost should be less.  Do you see any problems with sill sealer under metal tracks?

Alton;

I have  never done it, but certainly it would be OK. I look for the easiest way and so far a bead of expanding foam has worked for us, if it was on a deck , then would use a sealant in a tube.

Hi, fellows ! It is wery ineresting all you are speaking about . But you deviate from the subject lightly, aren't you ? Let us will speaking about SIPs made with OSB-3 sheets and EPS core only such as here for example
http://www.iaosb.com/assets/images/SIPA_20Detail.jpg ore here http://www.ferrierbuilders.com/SIPhouse2Com.jpg

I want repeat my question.

HAVE SOMEBODY ANY EXPRIENSE OF LIVING FOR A LONG TIME AT HOME MADE WITH THE SIPs ?
DO THEY RESIST WELL FROM MICE AND RATS ?
IF I SHALL WANT acquire a pair of hens or rabbits or some other green building's friends shouldn't mice or rats made my home
like a sieve ?
Every automn I see AS mice run towards my home ( I live at residental home) because home meanse warm and refuge for them. WILL they do eat all my SIP( made with OSB-3 and EPS) house inside after some period of time?
Does anybody know about some kind of additives for EPS against critters ?
Thank you

The answer was stated previously ....steel skin with EPS foam core treated with borate (not Borat) is the solution
OSB is good for critter food