form boards left in place

wes owens · 01-10-2008, 10:00 PM

If any of you guys are in a crawlspace and find form boards around piers or the foundation, do you mention them, and if so, do you recommend they be removed?

Or do you not worry about them attracting termites since anything under the ground will still be there after the exposed boards are removed?

The reason I ask is that I found some and recommended they be removed.
The house was several years old, but the contractor said it wouldn't make any difference if you removed the exposed boards because the ones you can't see will still be there.

His theory was if the boards are going to attract termites, it doesn't matter if they are above or below ground, because no ones going to go around looking for hidden form boards to make sure there all removed.

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**Alton Darty** · 01-11-2008, 05:45 AM

I recommend removal if I see them. These are a couple of boilerplate comments that I use. The second one usually gets people, and I never even mention termites, just mice, spiders things such as that...

The foundation/pier/walls are not visible due to form boards left in place. Since a visual inspection of the foundation/pier/wall could not be accomplished, no representation of the condition of the foundation/pier/wall can be made. Recommend removal of form boards and any unused/discarded material.

Construction debris left in place in any void or normally concealed/enclosed area can and will attract insect/vermin activity. Recommend removal of all construction debris and related material as a deterrent to insect/vermin activity.

**Jerry Peck** · 01-11-2008, 07:04 AM

Absolutely write them up.

ALL forms must be removed (unless the form is earth or designed as a permanent part of the structure).

Wood forms are calling out 'Here termite, here termite, nice termite, here termite.'

From the 2006 IRC.
- R408.5 Removal of debris. The under-floor grade shall be cleaned of all vegetation and organic material. All wood forms used for placing concrete shall be removed before a building is occupied or used for any purpose. All construction materials shall be removed before a building is occupied or used for any purpose.

**Scott Patterson** · 01-11-2008, 07:50 AM

Yep, like others have said you need to write them up. Don't worry about what the contractor says, you have done your job.

Report what you found and go on with life. Now if you want to spar with the contractor ask him to get a letter from a reputable PC company saying it is OK for the form boards to be left and that they won't attract termites! It will never happen.

**Jerry McCarthy** · 01-11-2008, 09:27 AM

Wood left in soil contact below buildings is nothing more than horduerves for termites and other wood consuming insects. (BTW, I like Alton's disclaimer)

Barry Grubb · 01-11-2008, 12:31 PM

I have lost count of the number of buildings, with form boards still in place that were riddled with termites, I have come across doing termite inspections. Companys that depend on termite work for a large portion of their revenue love to see them left in place.

**Trent Tarter** · 01-11-2008, 07:32 PM

Conducive condition for Wood Destroying Insects: Form boards have been left in place on footings and should be removed to prevent attracting wood destroying insects.

**Erby Crofutt** · 01-13-2008, 07:38 AM

Don't use "and" when a period will do. Just make it two sentences.

wes owens · 01-13-2008, 12:29 PM

I guess what the contractor was saying was that since some of the form board will be left underground, it would be pointless to remove only part of it.
(the visible section)

In other words, he wasn't going to dig out what couldn't be seen and if your leaving whats buried, why remove any. The termites can still find the buried.

I still recommended removal.

**Jerry Peck** · 01-13-2008, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by wes owens

I guess what the contractor was saying was that since some of the form board will be left underground, it would be pointless to remove only part of it.
(the visible section)

In other words, he wasn't going to dig out what couldn't be seen

Wes,

Tell him that is his problem ... only doing work half arsed ... the code does not say he can leave the stuff which is hard to get to, it says he has to remove it ... PERIOD!