In recent years, concerns with the use of foam sheathing and termite infestation risk have seen heightened interest. To properly quantify the impact of foam sheathing products in above-grade or below-grade applications relative to the common risk of termite infestation for all homes, Applied Building Technology Group has published a Research Report, “Protection of Wood-Frame Homes from Subterranean Termites: Evaluation of Building Code Provisions and Recommended Improvements,” that evaluates data on termite hazard, infestation risk, inspection effectiveness, presence of hidden pathways in various types of construction, and building code provisions intended to mitigate risk of termite infestation. 

Based on the findings, the report concludes that some key general improvements to building code provisions for protection against termite infestation risk are needed, especially in regions with very heavy termite infestation probability (see map below):