Spray Foam Insulation

Mike Finley

The more I read about exspanding spray foam insulation the more I like it. Fiberglass bats seem to have a lot of weak points, espcially over time and with efficiencies being effected by real world temperatures instead of lab testing conditions.

With foam being so expensive how much is it actually being used in reality in building?

Chris Johnson

I like spray foam for roof structures (I do ICF walls; no need for it there), When I bid a project, whether I do the roof or not I always recommend sprayfoam and usually tell people to spray the underside of the deck making the attic conditioned space. With this the only penetration in the roof is plumbing vents and less chance of leaks.

I worked as a super in a townhouse subdivision and all the walls were sprayfoam with Demilac and the job it did sealing the units was unbelieveable, it filled all little areas you can't see. One area to be cautious of is the outside corners, the foam expands pretty quick and if the applicator is not careful he can get voids.

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Mr. D

I've been seeing it more recently here. Pros: when installed correctly it is very energy efficient. Cons: retro work could be a pain. identifying leaks could take years.

wolffhomerepair

I had it done on a couple remodel jobs so far. In fact I have it in my house as well. The pluses are far out weighing the price IMO. No worry about vapor barrier leaks is high on that list.

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ApgarNJ

i've used it on a few jobs but it's still a hard sell for most homeowners.
We did it in the 2x6 walls on the job i have posted in the picture forum, but the roof got R-38 batt, which the architect wanted so the house wasn't too tight. even though we were tied into an older house that wasn't as tight as our addition.
the only thing i've heard is where spray foam is used everywhere, it could make the structure too tight and then a fresh air exchanger needs to be installed. which isn't the end of the world either. i don't mind it for walls but for a roof, that would really suck to try and find a leak someday. could cause very costly repairs to exterior walls over time if the leak runs down that far. if i can remember correctly it was 3 times the cost of doing it with batt. maybe it's come down in price in the last two years or so.

Mike Finley

Interesting about the leaks, never considered that.

troubleseeker

Occassionally a customer requests about foam, but when they get the price, it usually changes their mind. It may be justified in severe northern climates, but in my moderate (south LA) climate, I cannot justify the difference above high performance batts; proper installation is key to their decent performance though.

Along the same line as the leak problem, I fear years of damage before a termite problem would be detected with four to six inches of foam for them to hide through out.

Chris Johnson

Material and labor it's not quite double the price, look at your energy savings (both heat and cool, doesn't matter where in the country you live) the payback is a few years, you've given the client a better product, the home is quieter to outside noise. If you are building raised floor houses I would rather have sprayfoam for the floor than batts which can soak up moisture and be rendered useless at that point. It is a premium product and not everyone wants it though, I understand that, but there are key places I would insist on it.

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kubie

another?
we installed a ton of ext doors in an apt complex and we shimmed and screwed the hinges and strikeplate, even put a screw on the top and bottom behind the weather stripping on the knob side.
the guy who ins the cavity around the doors puts way to much foam in and then most of the doors will not work. then we have to go and fix them, like its our fault.
i think the door companies should have an L bracket that is like 1/8" thick and slides into a pocket connected to the door jamb and then we can screw the bracket into the studs so the door jambs cant be forced against the door.
maybe some have this already or another way of doing it. i dont know

genecarp

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neolitic

Sucked in.

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KentWhitten

dang it

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KentWhitten

There's also a hybrid type where you skim an inch or so of spray foam to get the sealing capabilities, then put fiberglass over that.

High wind areas, I would definitely recommend it. Oceanside and tops of hillsides/mountains where wind really whips seems to be more noticeable for air infiltration.

Prices have been coming down with more and more companies starting this business. It's getting more prevalent. Slowly.

I prefer the closed cell type.

Oh BTW, never get the DIY kit. Just hire someone who's a professional that knows what they're doing. You screw this stuff up....what a mess.

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Salmon Falls Cabinetry

Leo G

Use of non expanding foam is required for use around doors and windows. This will fix the problem. Use of an expanding foam in those areas is just asking for rework.

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rustyjames

Hilti makes some really good non-expanding foam. If you use the regular stuff you're definitely going to have problems, unless you temporarily braced the jams.

davitk

I like foam on my root beer, I wait for it to quit expanding before consumption but that's just me.

Static Design

I have used it on a lake home, the only part I used it was on the 2x6 exterior walls facing the lake. There was so much wind and water coming from that side during hash weather I had to have something to stop the wind coming through the walls. I used the closed cell poly by foam it green and was very happy with the results, only down side the stuff is expensive. I wish there was a big demand for it in my area I wouldn't mind doing it more.

Crappy pic, but you get the idea.

JohnS

Spray foam insulation is a great choice for insulation as its insulating characteristics are better than any other type of insulation available. It is more diverse, environmentally and energy efficient, and will keep its performance throughout the life of the structure. E:zero is a great brand of spray foam and at their website a large wealth of information and articles can be seen that talk over many aspects of spray foam insulation.