SIP Home Being Eaten by Rodents - GreenBuildingTalk - GreenBuildingTalk - Green Building Forums on Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF), Structural Insulated Panels (SIP), Radiant Heating, Geothermal Heat Pumps, Solar Power, Green Construction Projects - Green Building Technologies

Forums

Unanswered Active Topics

Forums Search Members

Forums > Green Building Technologies > Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)

SIP Home Being Eaten by Rodents

Last Post 27 Jan 2012 07:02 PM by Lbear. 8 Replies.

Sort:

	Prev Next
You are not authorized to post a reply.

Author

Messages

Lbear

Veteran Member

Posts:2740
Avatar

21 Jan 2012 11:54 PM
I read about someone who had a SIP roof and walls and somehow rodents and squirrels are gnawing through the EPS and nesting inside of it. They have made tunnels inside his SIP roof and tunnels within his SIP walls. I wonder how common this is with SIP? I can see this happening because all it takes is for the rodent to gnaw through the OSB or find a gap somewhere and then just gnaw through the EPS. While it has no "nutritional" value, it provides them with warm shelter from the cold. That has been a big sticking point with me and SIPs. While excellent in R value and air tightness, it is easily destroyed.

Alton

Veteran Member

Posts:2164

22 Jan 2012 07:01 AM
I think that is another reason that I like metal skinned SIPs.

Residential Designer & Construction Technology Consultant -- E-mail: Alton at Auburn dot Edu Use email format with @ and period . 334 826-3979

lzerarc

Basic Member

Posts:423

24 Jan 2012 11:29 AM
rodents will get into any wood skinned building. The osb on sips is no different then the osb on a typical framed house. The insulation is also a similar concept, especially if it is dense packed cellulose. The difference however is the skin and foam are working together for the structure unlike a framed house where the studs are still in place. I would think periodical inspection would the foundation/lower walls/roof eves, etc would prevent this issue.

Lbear

Veteran Member

Posts:2740
Avatar

24 Jan 2012 10:22 PM
Posted By lzerarc on 24 Jan 2012 11:29 AM rodents will get into any wood skinned building. The osb on sips is no different then the osb on a typical framed house. The insulation is also a similar concept, especially if it is dense packed cellulose. The difference however is the skin and foam are working together for the structure unlike a framed house where the studs are still in place. I would think periodical inspection would the foundation/lower walls/roof eves, etc would prevent this issue. I agree. With a OSB skinned SIP construction, if the EPS gets gnawed away, the homes strength starts to deteriorate. Rodents can gnaw through OSB pretty easily, it's just wood and larger rodents like pack rats gnaw through wood all day long. From what I read, rodents were in his SIP roof and there were tunnels everywhere. It eventually would cause structural failure of the SIP if the foam can be separated from the OSB skins. Even though ICF has EPS, the rodents can't go anywhere as the concrete stops them, plus the 2.5" of EPS does not give them that much room to go anywhere. The plastic webbing in ICF every 8" also puts a stop to it.

cmkavala

Veteran Member

Posts:4327
Avatar

27 Jan 2012 07:39 AM
br /> Even though ICF has EPS, the rodents can't go anywhere as the concrete stops them, plus the 2.5" of EPS does not give them that much room to go anywhere. The plastic webbing in ICF every 8" also puts a stop to it. ICFs are seceptable to termite infestation

Chris Kavala<br>[email protected]<br>1-877-321-SIPS<br />

Lbear

Veteran Member

Posts:2740
Avatar

27 Jan 2012 04:03 PM
Posted By cmkavala on 27 Jan 2012 07:39 AM ICFs are seceptable to termite infestation Yes, termites can eat the EPS but there is not nutritional content to it, as they are looking for wood, that is the only reason they would tunnel through EPS. But the big picture here is that even if they did eat the EPS, the structures strength remains intact, as ICF gets its strength from the 6" of concrete, not the EPS. With SIPs, the termites would eat the wood OSB panels and eat the EPS, this will cause the SIP to lose strength over time and will cause structural failure of the SIP if not caught in time. If the SIP is wood, termites will eat OSB panels and tunnel through the EPS sandwhich, which will cause the SIP to fail. This is not possible with ICF. Now, with a steel SIP, the termites can still tunnel through the EPS inside but the steel panels will remain intact. In regards to the problem the one homeowner was having, rodents ate through the OSB skin and started to tunnel through the EPS in the SIP. Once the EPS is gone, the SIP will fail structurally.

cmkavala

Veteran Member

Posts:4327
Avatar

27 Jan 2012 04:37 PM
Lbear; The ICF home that I saw had damage to the stucco because the EPS ws undermined. The steel SIPs we use has borate in the foam that will deter both termites and carpenter ants

Chris Kavala<br>[email protected]<br>1-877-321-SIPS<br />

bld999

New Member

Posts:1

27 Jan 2012 06:02 PM
Rodents eat all kinds of things. I had squirrels chew some insulation off the wiring under my truck hood. Not enough to hurt, but I noticed it. The key to using products that have pest issues is to detail the systems to prevent infestation. If you think about the anecdote you mentioned, the squirrels had to find an exposed section of sip panel to get a start on with the mining. Decently detailed and built homes don't have exposures like that. I have had more trouble with flickers than squirrels on houses, but some hardware cloth placed over the areas they like [coupled with an accurate slingshot wrist] usually solves the problem. Don't make material decisions based on rumor or conjecture, go look at buildings and talk to people who live in them; sips rock, not for absolutely everything, but don't let the squirrel crew scare you.

Lbear

Veteran Member

Posts:2740
Avatar

27 Jan 2012 07:02 PM
Posted By bld999 on 27 Jan 2012 06:02 PM Rodents eat all kinds of things. I had squirrels chew some insulation off the wiring under my truck hood. Not enough to hurt, but I noticed it. The key to using products that have pest issues is to detail the systems to prevent infestation. If you think about the anecdote you mentioned, the squirrels had to find an exposed section of sip panel to get a start on with the mining. Decently detailed and built homes don't have exposures like that. I have had more trouble with flickers than squirrels on houses, but some hardware cloth placed over the areas they like [coupled with an accurate slingshot wrist] usually solves the problem. Don't make material decisions based on rumor or conjecture, go look at buildings and talk to people who live in them; sips rock, not for absolutely everything, but don't let the squirrel crew scare you. I agree, detailing the home will prevent a lot of problems. The problem with wood SIPS is just that, wood. In termite & rodent areas anything with "wood" will pose a problem. Steel SIPs are a lot better and if I ever used SIPs, it would be the steel SIP. An important detailing factor is to make sure that at least 6" of grade/slab to stucco finish is showing. That 6" will prevent rodents from climbing up and trying to get into the weep screed and it leaves enough visual to see if there are any termite tubes forming. I've seen builders bring the finished grade up to the weep screed, that is NOT good.