Insulate exterior ofconcrete block walls- walkout basement
cic317
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
Bought a ski home in southern vermont a few years back & slowly getting around to fixing up. I’ll be digging & installing a exterior drainage system & would like to add insulation to the Concrete block on the exterior. I know there is no termite problems there but what about carpenter ants etc. How do you keep them from boring into the foam & then up into the framing? I’ve asked around about treated ridged insulation& no one has any idea if it exists.
Is a site bent aluminum cap enough to?
Replies
Ask around your area before you assume that carpenter ants are a problem. We've got them here, but they don't bother houses at all. The ones around here like wood when it's green, but once it's dried out they leave it alone. I've never heard of them bothering foam either.
I've seen carpenter ants@ the home already, I believe due to some trees that were to close to the house & a few windows that are in need of replacing- from apperance they need to be ripped out & new installed properly.
From past experience I know what a pain they are to get rid of, so I'm not looking to give them a invite back
Carpenter Ants and Moisture
They love it.
Eliminate the source of moisture in wood and you find them gone.
Here in NW Oh I have seen them make homes behind bluebd. They like the warmth I'd guess and do like the moisture between if allowed.
I would insulate the block from the inside, but if not possible there are borate treated foam bds.
Take a look at this: http://www.performguard.com/
Now, as far as carpenter ants? don't know that one-they don't really eat, chew on or damage the blue board here, they go behind. Read up on the performguard and see if contact is enough to repel them. I'm supposing so if it's geared towards termites.
>>Is a site bent aluminum cap
>>Is a site bent aluminum cap enough to?
A cap won't stop them. It just forces them out into the open, so you can see them.
Sometimes called termite shield when installed under the sill plate, it was used to force termites or other infesting beasties ouut of a direct path to the wood framing above grade. With termites it pretty much stopped them because they can not survive in the open air (except when swarming). Ants will just go around the shield, but at least you will be able to see them and treat appropriately.
Carpenter ants l-o-v-e foam
There's a dryvit house nearby that became an ant farm. All EPS had to be removed.