The Greater Dallas Pest Control Association every year has a project to help the community, but this year, due in large part to David Fincannon s, of A-All Pest, involvement, the association was able to provide service to 58 home owners who were over 65 years old, all suffering from some form of ailment and not able to afford pest control service. The response from the association membership was fantastic, as well as the support given by the suppliers. Foam insulation in contact with the ground makes termite inspection, treatment and prevention virtually impossible. A termite infestation inside foam insulation is often not visible to a homeowner or a pest control operator during a pest control inspection, until swarming and severe damage to the wood of a structure have occurred. Foam insulation installed behind stucco makes termite infestations even more difficult to detect.
Foam insulation has excellent thermal qualities, making it a good choice for energy conservation.
Problems with termite infestations arise when the foam insulation is placed as a continuous sheet with portions of it resting below grade. Termites can use the below-grade foam insulation as a superhighway into the structure by tunneling through the foam, or between the foam and masonry. Because insulation is hidden from view by aluminum, vinyl siding, wood, paint, stucco, etc. For this reason, any energy savings that foam insulation helps to achieve can be negated by the cost of termite damage to the structure. Waterproofing or coating the foam insulation will not keep termites out.