Hi,

Check out Logix TX series. They are treated for termites. Thanks

A number of icf manufacturers offer a borate additive to the eps as an option

As for stucco or concrete protecting the foam- either one can crack, and a termite can get through a tiny crack. In our current house in FL, they got in through the seam between the garage slab and the main house. There was a shelving unit there that concealed the mud tube. Despite being a concrete home, they attacked the interior wood framed walls. Luckily, we spotted them before much damage was done. I'm currently undecided about whether to go ICF basement on our new house for this very reason.

I'm curious - termites build a mud tube for the one trip they need to get in or do they "commute to work" on an ongoing basis?

In some tropical areas, the rule is pretty much "no wood anywhere".

Jonr,

I have been told that termites have to access water at least once a day.  That implies that the termites will travel back to water.  This also reinforces the rule about not allowing leaks to continue in a house.  Leaks provide water for the termites near their food.  I stand corrected by better evidence if I my info is incorrect.

as a distributor/sales rep for icf's, living and working in florida since 1995 (since 2002 in an all concrete icf house), i have been recommending the following to my builders/customers in the south-east and caribbean:

1. when building slab on grade use stucco instead of siding, and parge/cover all foam plus the elevated (by code) slab edge.
2. with a stem wall, pour the slab over it and fill the wall with concrete. start the icf's above that. in florida, by code the soil has to be termite sprayed for both methods, and this barrier must/should be maintaned by the home owner. this includes filling cracks between exterior slabs, a/c pads and walkways with stucco or caulking as they appear or grow.
3. spray and seal all interior floor penetrations and maintain the barrier inside and around the structure. this must include penetration for hose bibs, electric and a/c tubing, and all surface mounted service boxes. keep landscaping away from exterior walls so you can inspect for tunnels and cracks behind it.
4. stucco the inside of your garage walls, no drywall here. seal the transition and spray frequently.
5. eliminate white wood in interior walls and roof structures. remember, some species can go airborne to migrate.
6. fix window leaks and/or cracks/shrunken sealants around frames immediatly. proper maintanance is a good defense.
7. when moving from another house, inspect and treat all wood furniture if needed.

alton

as you know i WAS a polysteel distributor/owner, but never was comfortable with eps below grade, despite the corporate line and performguard borates in our forms. i dont have a lot of experience with icf's below grade, but here is what i would do if i build a house with an icf basement, code permitting.

apply real cementicuos stucco 1" thick minimum, below grade, seamless from the icf wall to foundation, under the drain. water proof same, tar or membrane. stop all of that above ground and remove eps 4" wide to form a solid concrete barrier, or just pour a concrete cap over the icf wall, inside and out. then start the icfs again, above grade. spray soil, maintain barrier and dont use mulch or plants near walls. i could live with the heat loss of that in the south, up north you may have to insulate the inside of that concrete band.

your comments are welcome.

I heard somewhere several years ago that in Hawaii they use a metal mesh screen between the foundation and floor deck, presumably under the sill plate. I wonder if such a screen would work if placed between two courses of ICF blocks, extending to both inner and outer surfaces, maybe folded over a few inches? It would complicate the interlocking of the blocks and pouring the concrete in that area, but might provide an impenetrable barrier against termites climbing up through the foam.

Termites have not been an issue for me, I've seen them, but never on an ICF.

I always wondered if you bent up some galvanized metal in a shape similar to a drip flashing for a window but wide enough to fit in the block, then cut the outside of the form (run it through the table saw) just above grade, slid this piece in and kept stacking. It would impede the path through the foam and abut the concrete on the inside and extend a couple inches past the outside.

Termimesh is used to stop termites from entering around pipes through the concrete.  This mesh also may work at other locations.  I understand that this stainless steel mesh has a sieve with holes less the 1/32".

StuccoMax is termite resistant also as well as designed for hurricaine resistant, fire resistant and much more.

There are metal termite shields that are commonly used (I have seen copper and galvanized). Putting this in between layers of block would be an added security as well

Wouldn't putting these meshes in between the block interfere with the concrete bonding, or am I not understanding the application of the mesh correctly?

Foam insulation materials have excellent thermal properties as well as good resistance to moisture. These characteristics make both open- and closed-cell foam materials particularly well-suited for use below grade as a foundation insulation system.