SB: Re: Borax foam?

[John Salmen <terrain@shaw.ca>]

I know we have probably had this conversation before but why are carpenter
ants getting established in your roof?  If the roof assembly is dry its not
a carpenter ant habitat. They generally only nest in an area that is in
excess of 20% moisture in which case the ants are not the only problem. I
say this sounding authoritative but then I too have had the experience of
carpenter ants nesting in a roof assembly and I could not find a direct
source of moisture. My suspicion is that the ability of eps to hold residual
moisture can make it a good habitat - and roofs leak under the oddest
circumstances, but still I have to repeat the carpenter ants are not a
problem they are only an innocent messenger that you have a moisture problem
which means worse things than a few nice bugs (meanwhile all those hot
little bodies are not detracting from the insulation value). Other materials
will only mask that problem.

As for other materials I'm sure you have gone down the rockwool road
(rockwool high density board - awful stuff but could work).

The manufacturer I use for eps is plastifab but in new england you could
contact polar industries http://www.polarcentral.com/eps_frame.htm they
should have a borated product.

have not written to you for a while, hope your well
John

----- Original Message -----
From: "Speireag Alden" <Joshua.M.Alden.91@alum.dartmouth.org>
To: <strawbale@crest.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2002 9:03 PM
Subject: SB: Borax foam?


> Hello, all.
>
>      When I re-do my earthen roof, I want to do it in such a way that
> carpenter ants can't get established in it.  Several times in the
> past, people on this list have mentioned expanded polystyrene (EPS)
> and extruded polystyrene (XPS) which has borax in it for insect
> resistance.  I've spent several hours looking around on the web, and
> I can't find a maker, or where I might order it.  I've even tried
> Dow's site.
>
>      Can anyone steer me to a brand name, or a source, or a
> manufacturer, or any lead at all, for sheets of EPS or XPS with borax
> additive?  I'll take it from there.  Thanks.
>
> -Speireag.
> --
> You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it
> will be too late. -Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher
> (1803-1882)
>
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