Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Rubber News
Subscribe
  • Sign Up Free
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • Digital Edition
    • End Markets
    • Special Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Videos
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • K Show
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • Processor of the Year
    • Best Places to Work
      • 2023 winners
    • Women Breaking the Mold
    • Rising Stars
    • Diversity
    • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • One Good Resin
    • Pellets and Politics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • From Pillar to Post
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Fake Plastic Trees
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
  • Events
    • K Show Livestream
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Editorial Livestreams
    • Ask the Expert
    • Plastics News Events Library
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Injection Molding & Design Expo
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • Bioplastics Live
    • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Numbers that Matter Live
    • Plastics in Politics Live
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
  • Rankings & Data
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Directory
  • Resin Prices
    • Resin Prices Overview
    • Commodity Thermoplastics
    • High Temperature Thermoplastics
    • Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Thermosets
  • Custom
    • Sponsored Content
    • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
    • Conair Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Classifieds
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
January 11, 2017 01:00 AM

Plastics help keep termites out of the New American Home

Catherine Kavanaugh
Senior Reporter
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Reprints Print
    National Association of Home Builders
    The New American Home, which showcases new building products, includes a polyethylene and polypropylene material beneath the flooring that keeps pesky insects such as termites at bay.

    Orlando, Fla. — Walk inside the New American Home (TNAH) 2017 and a couple steps beyond the entry area you find yourself outside again.

    There's a courtyard with a putting green and palm trees inside this 8,753-square-foot, single-story dwelling built on the same street as the homes of pro golfers Henrik Stensons, Sergio Garcias and Ian Poulters in the gated community of the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club.

    Three of the five bedrooms line one side of the artificial turf. Directly across, a great room opens into the back yard with a pool, summer kitchen, game room and a spa and steam room. The master bedroom is by the spa and there's a guest suite with its own family room.

    Built by the Phil Kean Design Group, TNAH takes full advantage of its location by the lake with large windows and sliding glass doors. Breezeways and hallways connect the different parts of the house, where unused rooms can be closed off, for a layout style called “pod living.”

    The design team also takes advantage of the Florida sun with solar panels on the roof meeting all electrical needs while a system of nine propane-fueled tankless water heaters satisfy all hot water needs.

    Polyguard Products Inc.

    Polyguard's anti-insect barrier at the New American Home near Orlando, Fla.

    The 34th annual showcase of the National Association of Home Builders' opened to the public for tours on Jan. 10, coinciding with the start of the International Builders' Show. TNAH is a yearly project to use the latest design trends and construction techniques to inspire builders.

    While not among the obvious amenities, plastic building materials play important roles in creating an exterior envelope that is so tight, energy use is minimized and pest control is maximized. The builders used a new open-cell spray foam by Icynene Inc. that is low in volatile organic compounds, which improves indoor air quality while boosting energy efficiency, as well as a tough new insect barrier wrap by Polyguard Products Inc. called Term.

    Polyguard CEO John Muncaster said the wrap, which was developed with entomologists at Texas A&M University, has a thick polyethylene backing to keep bugs, particularly termites, at bay. The top layer is made of a polypropylene fabric so concrete can bond with the fibers if it's used as a barrier for the underslab, which is a common entry point for subterranean termites. A proprietary sealant is used to hold the plastic fiber and film together.

    “This has been tested long term in the lab and in the field and it resists termites,” Muncaster said. “We don't why. We don't know everything about what makes them tick.”

    The combination of the sealant and two plastics simply can't be penetrated by voracious-eating termites. The three materials seem to have sound-deadening qualities for the insects, and that could be factor, Muncaster said, or it could be related to the barrier's odor and moisture control.

    “We're putting the house in a sealant bag, really,” he said. “Not only the bottom, where so many insects come in, but up the walls at the seams there can be openings. Our goal is to seal all gaps wherever possible. You can almost keep all insects out.”

    In new construction, if incorporated into the design stage, the Term system can seal plumbing openings, bath traps, base flashing, window flashing, vent holes, flooring underlayment and joints in addition to foundation and underslab barriers. No system can keep out every bug, but this one comes close, Muncaster said.

    In remodeled houses, the Term system can protect sill plates, seam and window flashing, underlayments for replaced floors, and more if it's a major renovation.

    “We think it has the potential to take sustainable construction up another level and help people live better and more comfortably,” Muncaster said, noting that water and energy conservation have long been goals of green builders. “We've got something new. I don't think anybody in America has ever taken a systems look at construction to exclude insects and other pests. That's what we're doing.”

    Polyguard's barrier system also was used at the 4,631-square-foot the New American Remodeled Home (TNARH), which NAHB did this year for the first time since 2007. It's in the same gated community.

    Another innovation at the TNARH: Boral Roofing's elevated batten system, which is made of wood with plastic pads made of recycled polyethylene. Boral's concrete tiles are mounted on the elevated battens to allow for the free flow of water underneath. If water dams above standard battens because of broken tiles or failed flashing, it could cause a roof leak.

    The elevated battens also let air flow from the eaves to roof ridges and hips. This ventilation cools the roof during hot weather.

    In addition, TNARH has high-end drywall by Certainteed, including SilentFX in the bedrooms and bathrooms, which is a viscoelastic polymer material that is sandwiched between two layers of drywall for noise reduction.

    Both homes are projected to achieve Emerald status, which is the highest of the four levels of green building recognized by the ICC 700 National Green Building Standard. Other anticipated certifications for both homes include the Department of Energy's Energy Star, Builders Challenge qualified/Build America Program, EPA Indoor airPLUS qualified and the private Wellness Within Your Walls designation.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Numbers That Matter Live — sign up for the next live
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Most Popular
    1
    PVC, PS resin prices take opposite paths in May
    2
    Target, Walmart cut from bag drop-off site directory following report
    3
    Shell Chemical fined $10M, restarting production
    4
    Plastics industry social media accounts worth following
    5
    Recycling makes plastic toxic, Greenpeace claims
    SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber News
    • Tire Business
    • Urethanes Technology
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • K Show
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Numbers that Matter
      • Digital Edition
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • Special Reports
        • Processor of the Year
        • Best Places to Work
          • 2023 winners
        • Women Breaking the Mold
        • Rising Stars
        • Diversity
        • Most Interesting Social Media Accounts in Plastics
      • Newsletters
      • Videos
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • One Good Resin
      • Pellets and Politics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • From Pillar to Post
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
      • Fake Plastic Trees
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • K Show Livestream
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Injection Molding & Design Expo
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
      • Industry Events
      • Injection Molding & Design Expo
      • Livestreams/Webinars
        • Bioplastics Live
        • PN Live: Mergers and Acquisitions
      • Editorial Livestreams
        • Polymer Points Live
        • Numbers that Matter Live
        • Plastics in Politics Live
        • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Ask the Expert
      • Plastics News Events Library
        • Plastics Caps & Closures Library
        • Plastics in Healthcare Library
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
      • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Rankings & Data
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Directory
    • Resin Prices
      • Resin Prices Overview
      • Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temperature Thermoplastics
      • Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Recycled Plastics
      • Thermosets
    • Custom
      • Sponsored Content
      • LS Mtron Sponsored Content
      • Conair Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified