The HTRC

The Homeowners & Trades Resource Center

Brought to you by:

You are here: Home / Common Sense Building / Common Sense Building: Stop termites & critters in their tracks

Common Sense Building: Stop termites & critters in their tracks

irc termite probablity sheetWith all the damage that termites are known for, it is amazing how silent many of the green / energy efficient programs are on them. Granted both LEED (points for use of non-toxic pest control) and NGBS (use a shield in conjunction with a low-toxicity spray) mention them, but finding detailed drawings, best practices…. yeah, it isn’t happening. Shoot, even GBA which has hundreds of design details for almost every conceivable item, doesn’t have one & all they state is…

Termites are a serious threat, so make it easy to see them;  Termites build tubes of mud and wood fiber across exposed surfaces they can’t tunnel through. These tubes will be easier to see if they are exposed. Rigid foam insulation that completely covers foundation walls gives termites a place to hide. An alternative construction detail (such as interior foundation insulation) should be used in areas where termites are a recognized problem…

Unfortunately while this sounds good in writing & the detail looks nice… as mentioned before codes & reality don’t make it that simple. Code require a 6” band above grade on the inside and if one wants a termite bond, well they may require a 3” wide inspection band resulting in this…
typical-detail-interior

Defense in Depth:

When one starts talking about controlling moisture, air, heat, etc… we end up discussing control layers & how they integrate together. If you are looking at stopping termites, carpenter ants & other critters from making your house, their home; you may need to start thinking about an additional layer or two & how they integrate into the other layers.

Tips, tricks, and things to rememberBuilding a new house & don’t want termites around??? It is really simple, don’t be stupid & invite them in. Big stumps, wood cutoffs, paper wrapping, drywall, etc… should not be buried in the ground around the house – get them off your site or place them in a compost pile located away from your house. Along those lines, watch your other control layers & keep water away from the house – no saturated wood, mud, damp mildewy areas will generally keep them at bay – remember only a few see, but they all go off of smells & vibrations.

The best layer to start with is a chemical barrier, but as pointed out before, one is lucky if they will last 15 years. Does that mean that one should just do away with it – not necessarily but it is important that it is applied properly & any work that might disturb the treatment has already been completed. This brings us to using additional protections that forces them to make their activity more visible.

Slab on Grade:

Termites can’t get through a slab… can they? No not really but as concrete is a natural product and will crack, the termites can get into your house that way, or by simply following the plumbing penetrations.  Here are a few options to consider:

  • Stainless steel mesh is often used around penetrations, to protect foam, etc…
  • You may consider using plastic sheathing with a repellant built in
  • Termiticide sprayed before plastic &/or foam placed

lg3-termite-detail
This one comes to us courtesy of Chris Laumer-Giddens of LG Squared in Atlanta which needless to say is located in a “very active” TIP zone. This shows how he was able to still use foam even though he could have had a pass on it per the “codes.” If I had to nit-pick just a little the plastic & foam should be tied together instead of just butting together as is shown (which was probably done.) With that said, if you want to see what a highly detailed plan looks like, you ought to see the full article linked above.

Tips, tricks, and things to rememberDetails count, especially when you consider that termites only need a 1/32 of an inch to get in. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s directions for installing mesh, plastic & other shields as the bonding cement or epoxy is what makes them tunnel out instead of slipping by.

As for other options, I would rather see a spray being applied directly to the ground instead of using plastic with a repellant built in unless it was a very heavy-duty version. The biggest catch with most plastics is they are torn to shreds when the concrete is installed which does nothing for moisture, termites, or especially radon control.

Crawl Spaces & Unfinished Basements:

Whether you have a crawlspace or a full basement, the only real difference when it comes to termites is the height of the wall until one reaches the framing. Beyond using sprays & other materials it is well worth looking into termite shields. A typical metal shields extends out 2 to 3 inches on both sides of the wall with at least the outside portion having a 45 degree lip on them to not only allow water to drip off but prevent other insects from getting past.
termite-shield
Using an integrated or custom shield can definitely be worth looking into even more when you consider how many of today’s finishes & wall systems require drip edges, termination bars & other items. Creating a one piece integrated system isn’t to hard when planned out up front & in some cases can save you from a major headache later on when you are trying to fit 2 or 3 separate systems together.
termite-shield-interior-exterior-wall-foam

Post & Beam / Pier systems:

pier-termite-shieldThis is an example of a cap for a pier. For decks & other locations a Post Base Anchor located above grade is a good shield, but like other areas they need to be checked every so often. For anyone that thinks that pressure treated wood is impervious, just bury a post or two in the ground & check back on them later.

.

Tips, tricks, and things to rememberThe biggest issue with most termite control measures is time. As listed most sprays last 15 years or less, impregnated materials maybe 20 years. Galvanized metal – ooh that can be crapshoot but unless they are in extreme conditions – 30 years? They actually make copper termite shields that should easily give you 50 years or more. Hmmm, so why not use plastic for termite shields? My guess is they are worried about UV degradation & weed eaters damaging them for the exterior side though there are plenty of types for pipe penetrations. With that, using shields especially when combined with sound moisture control & routine maintenance can pretty much guarantee you that the shields & house will be there and last a very long time.

Related posts:

Getting the details right: More than 1 way to skin a cat
BS4D: The Fire Sprinklers & Air Barrier conundrum
Common Sense Building: Dryer Venting
Common Sense Building: A new series for On the Grid & Off-Grid houses
Common Sense Building: Exterior Wall Sheathing 101
Green Building Principles & Common Sense
BS4D: Breathing & Drying Out- two most overused terms
4 New Advanced Framing Options?
  •  Tweet
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Filed Under: Common Sense Building January 9, 2014 By SLS 14 Comments

Featured Posts

Getting ready for Spring: Your deck & grill

Hopefully, this last snow storm was it for spring (really?) meaning most of us can start getting ready to grill and get back to enjoying the great outdoors. Needless to say for ...

Read More

March – Early Spring Maintenance Checklist

March and the start of spring, is a great time, as it seems to bring out a new life in everything. The trees start to bloom, the animals that were ...

Read More

Preventing or fixing frozen water pipes

Updated: This article was originally posted in early 2010 after the Alabama Department of Health issued the following warning via press release: Prolonged period of cold weather ahead prompts warnings to ...

Read More

BS4D: Saving on Heating Related Energy Costs

For the bulk of the year, energy costs are not a big concern to many and instead most calls relate to comfort, safety or health issues. We are now starting ...

Read More

Common Sense Building: Build Radon Out

Common Sense Building: Build Radon Out

As many of you probably already know, January is National Radon Month. Just like CO, it is an odorless & tasteless gas; however, unlike CO there are no warning signs ...

Read More

FAQ: Ceiling fan direction - summer & winter

One of the biggest questions out there is which direction should my fan be running and how can I tell. You look at the switch and realize it isn't any ...

Read More

FAQ on Duct Cleaning: All Hype or Worthy Expense?

It must be spring time... I got the following in the mail just the other day: 5 different ads all for duct cleaning. With allergy season starting along with my ...

Read More

Random Glossary term

  • ACHn

    With all the damage that termites are known for, it is amazing how silent many of the green / energy efficient programs are on them. Granted both LEED (points for use of non-toxic pest control) and NGBS (use a shield in conjunction with a low-toxicity spray) mention them, but finding detailed drawings, best practices…. yeah, […]

The HTRC - Copyright © 2006–2021 by TheHTRC.com & SLS Construction & Building Solutions LLC http://SLS-Construction.com