Reproduced with permission from Clemson University

DATE: 6/19/96

CONTACT: Neill Ogg, (864) 646-2150

WRITER: Tom Lollis, (803) 284-3343

Foam Insulation Can Lead To Big Termite Problems

CLEMSON -- A word of warning to anyone building a home in South Carolina. Don't use foam to insulate the foundation below ground. That only invites termites to dine on your house, according to Neil Ogg, assistant head of Clemson University's Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). "You can't see the insulation since it's hidden by a foundation coating, and termites can remain undetected until they have caused severe damage," said Ogg. Foam insulation installed behind stucco makes termite infestations even harder to detect. Ogg said about half the time pest control operators in the state won't treat structures that have foam insulation. The most common reasons are that the PCOs can't guarantee the job or that the problem is uncorrectable. Tom Fortson of Columbia, president of Terminix Service, Inc., with 35 branch offices in the Carolinas and Georgia, said his company treated more than 100 homes in the three states before learning about problems with foam board. "Normally termite damage radiates from a central point, but with foam they jump 30 or 40 feet from one spot to the other. They can go right up to the second floor," he said. "Now we won't guarantee protection unless the foam is cut off at six inches above ground," said Fortson. Wrapping the foundation in foam is an energy saving idea developed in Canada, according to Fred Cliff, executive secretary of the S.C. Pest Control Association and president of Cliff Consulting of Columbia. "It works well in Canada, but they don't have a lot of termite problems there," he said. "About 10-12 years ago the manufacturers of this material convinced the Department of Energy that this was the best thing since pockets on a shirt for energy conservation." "Unfortunately about the same time the pest control industry was faced with the loss of organochlorine pesticides -- such as chlordane and heptachlor. The replacements have far less staying power in the ground, and they are less potent," said Cliff. Foam board is waterproof, so it can't be sprayed with pesticides. Clemson University researchers tried lacing foam board with boric acid, which kills termites if they eat it, in an attempt to find a fix for foam's problems. "We found it wouldn't keep termites from building mud tunnels between the foam and the foundation," said Pat Zungoli, Clemson University research entomologist. In the late 80s and early 90s builders in this state followed the federal Model Energy Code, which recommended taking the insulation around slab foundations as much as 4 feet below ground. Cliff said about eight years ago pest controllers finally convinced utilities in the state to allow homes built without the foundation foam to qualify for their energy-efficient Good Cents rating. "Unfortunately some builders still build with foam below grade, and the only way they will change is if they are sued," according to Cliff. He said moisture problems with early foam board construction began showing up 2-3 years ago. Moisture can seep in around window and door openings and cause rotting behind the stucco-like finish. The problem is more prominent near the coast, where blowing rain is common. "One manufacturer now supplies a system of round, hard rubber backer rods for use around these openings. They should be caulked over," he said. Ogg said several PCOs who treated foundation-wrapped homes, the contractors who built them, and materials manufacturers have since been sued because of termite and moisture damage. Cliff said he knows of at least three class action suits involving homeowners at Hilton Head, Savannah and Wilmington, N.C. DPR, the Department of Entomology, members of the pest control industry and the State Association of Code Enforcement Officials have filed for a request for change of code in South Carolina so that no foam board insulation will be installed within six inches of the ground. Cliff says the change could come next year. Ogg is also alerting consumers to solutions to potential problems in homes already built using foam. For a free publication on corrective treatments for specific problems call DPR at (864) 646-2150. For more information contact Ogg's office at (864) 646-2150 or the closest Department of Pesticide Regulation field office in your area: Charleston, (803) 792-0536; Columbia, (803) 772-0766; Florence, (803) 667-1393; Greenville, (864) 233-3301 or (864) 232-4276; or Ninety Six, (864) 543-3574. END