Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/212883
9 Newsline 10 ICC Realigns EPS TECH TALK Below Grade Insulation Codes At the recent ICC Final Action Code Hearings in Atlantic City, EPS was accepted and approved by code officials as suitable for both horizontal and vertical application in frost protected shallow foundations (FPSF). Under this amended building code, EPS is now permitted for use in the entire FPSF system as well as beneath foundation slab and in any other below grade applications. Earlier this year, EPS-IA submitted a code change proposal to correct a footnote that allowed EPS to be used in vertical orientation in below grade applications but did not allow its use in horizontal applications. EPS-IA's Executive Director, Betsy Steiner, with the support of the EPS-IA Technical Committee, successfully testified at the Preliminary ICC Code Change Hearings last spring, convincing the panel that eliminating the horizontal limitation was technically sound and warranted. That first round win paved the way for uncontested passage that occurred at the Final Action Code Hearings. Unlike the U.S., Canada approved EPS for horizontal installation more than a decade ago. Field research performed by the National Research Council Canada proved that EPS used as exterior basement insulation is extremely durable, even in wet soils that freeze and thaw. In frost protected shallow foundations, insulation in both horizontal and vertical orientation is exposed to moisture. Independent, third party testing confirms the freeze thaw and moisture resistance properties of EPS insulation. Test results prove no loss in R value or change in compressive strength for EPS. Additionally, the results clearly demonstrate that EPS insulation does not absorb excessive amounts of moisture. The FPSF system is a practical alternative for building with slab-on-grade, stem wall or floating slab foundations as well as for an unvented (heated) crawl space and the ongrade side of a walk out basement. Frost protected shallow foundations are most suitable for slab-on-grade homes on sites with moderate to low sloping grades, however, FPSFs design can be used effectively with walk-out basements by insulating the foundation on the downhill side of the house, eliminating the need for a stepped footing. A FPSF is also useful for remodeling projects, in part because they minimize site disturbance. In addition to residential, commercial and agricultural buildings, the technology has been applied to highways, dams, underground utilities, railroads and earth embankments. Foundations are a surprisingly large source of heat loss in residential construction. An un-insulated, conditioned basement may represent up to 50 percent of the heat loss in a house that is tightly sealed and well insulated above grade. Surrounding the foundation with EPS foam insulation is an effective method to dramatically reduce the heat loss from the foundation and ultimately increases the efficiency of the entire structure. Because FPSF technology relies on the thermal interaction of a building's foundation with the ground, the frost line near a foundation rises if the building is heated. This effect is magnified when foam insulation is strategically placed around the foundation. For heated buildings, this insulation–along with the earth's geothermal energy–keeps the soil temperature under the building above freezing, preventing frost heave. EPS products have over 30 years of proven performance as sub-slab insulation in residential, commercial and industrial floor systems. ICC's approval of EPS for horizontal installation below grade realigns the U.S. market access for EPS insulation, allowing builders to select EPS for an entire below grade project with confidence. n