Our data for the termite resistance the ICCF block has over other building materials is largely anecdotal, meaning, that in the 20 plus years of building ICCF homes we have never seen or heard of damage to ICCF (gray block) by termites in the gray block industry.
Termites are no match for The Perfect Block!
Gray Block ICCF Do Not Have The Termite Problem That White Block ICF Does
White block ICF, on the other hand, has had some severe problems with termite infestations. I have seen white block ICF homes nearly destroyed by burrowing termites and ants in search for food or nesting in the white foam panels. The reason white block is vulnerable to boring insects is that solid white foam, without cement, is soft and easy to bore through. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is not a food source for termites or ants, but it provides very little resistance to boring insects. So white block provides ideal places to bore and nest. We do have a severe termite problem here in the Southwest. The biggest threat comes from the mud tubers. They mud tube on the foundation surface to get to the walls, then burrow in search of food.
The Perfect Block is not a white block ICF. Our block is a gray block ICF or ICCF (insulated composite concrete form) and is made from ground-up 100% recycled EPS, coated with our proprietary cement mixture. Our block is permeable, but the cement throughout the block mix hardens the block and makes burrowing more difficult for the insect or rodent and the cement that is dislodged while burrowing is an irritant to an exoskeleton insect, and if it is ingested by the insect or rodent, even when it is spent, can solidify again in a moist environment and kill the animal. That does not prevent termites from searching for food (wood).
For that reason, there are important steps to take to not facilitate termites damaging your home. The first step would be to minimize or eliminate wood from the materials to build your house. Termites first target would most likely be the sole plate and studs of a wood framed partition wall that butts up against an ICCF wall. The solution to that would be to use metal stud framing in lieu of wood or our 6 inch ICCF block.
The Perfect Block Is Not White Block ICF - And That's A Good Thing!
The Perfect Block is not a white block ICF. Our block is a gray block ICF or ICCF (insulated composite concrete form) and is made from ground-up 100% recycled EPS, coated with our proprietary cement mixture. Our block is permeable, but the cement throughout the block mix hardens the block and makes burrowing more difficult for the insect or rodent and the cement that is dislodged while burrowing is an irritant to an exoskeleton insect, and if it is ingested by the insect or rodent, even when it is spent, can solidify again in a moist environment and kill the animal. That does not prevent termites from searching for food (wood). For that reason, there are important steps to take to not facilitate termites damaging your home. The first step would be to minimize or eliminate wood from the materials to build your house. Termites first target would most likely be the sole plate and studs of a wood framed partition wall that butts up against an ICCF wall. The solution to that would be to use metal stud framing in lieu of wood.
Gray Block ICCF Deters The Termite Threat
Here in AZ, to fight termites, we make great efforts to keep the soil around the foundation as free from moisture as possible. Termites live in the wet ground to survive until seeking food and they bring moisture with them to tube and survive until they find wood (with moisture in it) to eat and drink. To minimize the threat of termite infestation, we use gutters to reroute water far from the foundation. For a slab on grade house, keep soil grade level a minimum of 6” from your finished floor height. Ensure the grade has negative slope away from the foundation, use termite flashing (like a drip edge) at the foundation and wall line, minimize or eliminate altogether the use of wood in the house construction, termite treat the foundation and under slab, and inspect the foundation between grade and wall often. For basement walls of ICCF, exposed block, above grade, should be clad in stucco or other protective materials. Below grade protection: waterproofing, French drain, and dimple board.
These "no brainer" steps require very little extra labor or materials, but they are essential to deterring the threat posed by termites. What's the alternative? Lose your house to an ever-present pest.