If you're chemically sensitive, it's probably not a good idea to get it installed, but it's also not a good idea to breathe musty air from the crawl space either. The contractor wasn't sure if we had the recalled batch installed in our house or not. You will most likely have comfort and efficiency problems. As you can see in the floor photo and both roofs shown in this article, spraying foam over the joists/rafters isn't common practice with a lot of spray foam contractors. I billed the firm for the electrician plus an extra night we had to stay in the hotel and they paid, no questions asked. It's been an on going nightmare. There are some wonderful things about spray foam insulation, but the price in health and embodied carbon is just too high. Our home is a 1950's ranch sans wall insulation. Thanks! I inspected the entire crawl space of the house and noticed approximately (5) areas that were seperating and a couple areas where the foam didn't adhere to the block. We have a 22 year old home located in southeastern georgia where the humidity is very high. In the case you have above the installer wasn't reading his foam. Is this normal? Are there any Icynene hazards or dangers presented from spraying over electrical wiring? It seems to me that he's chosen the wrong metric and he's basing his conclusion on too many assumptions because he doesn't have enough data. One recent post has attracted a lot of commentary: http://www.energycircle.com/blog/2010/06/28/saving-energy-bad-or-good-an... Good article. Manufacturers assert that the chemicals used in spray foam are supposed to lose toxicity once it is sprayed inside homes, but other research indicates that the foam releases formaldehyde gas … On those super cold nights we heard "popping" sounds coming from the wall. These leaks are … In the crawl space it looks like baby powder. Right? Please Advise Thanks Stephen J. madigan. We never took the job. Great questions, John! In addition, your house and its contents are made of lots of materials that affect your indoor air quality. Evergreen Power is a licensed and accredited Icynene contractor in the UK. Icynene spray foam insulation is a superior air barrier and breathable insulation in one. The coverage needs to be uniform because a lot of heat will go through the under-insulated areas. Why Do Icynene spray foam contractors wear personal protective clothing? Does Your Spray Foam Insulation Need a Thermal or Ignition Barrier? I've seen a number of houses with problems even though they're insulated with spray foam. I just had closed-cell insulation foam installed in my bathroom. Todd, nice to hear from you! Is this possible? They removed what they told me was the bad insulation and in the process cut many electrical wires. We noticed recently that some of the foam was shrinking and seperating from the floor joists. Don't do it! There are plenty of case studies done at spray foam dot org's site. Propane prices were insane here and we were so glad we didn't have to have many fills. It's not coming from above … Great article and thread here. Where government advice is adjusted over the coming weeks, we will continue to follow best practices in our work and maintain a duty of care to our customers. All rights reserved. Spray Foam Insulation – Icynene Contractor. Spray foam installers missed some of the air leakage sites. 2) If my spray company refuses to rectify the problem, will getting a building inspector help? The rapid growth of sprayed foam insulation … I have a damp crawspace with infloor heating on ceiling of crawspace. What is Spray Foam? It was actually curing out and making foam before it could adhere to the wood. We here popping sounds frequently in the cold.Thanks, Posted February 28 2014 and didn't check the box. No, there are no Icynene hazards or dangers presented from spraying over electrical wiring. the foam is absolutely a health risk in its raw forms before it is mixed and cured. I employed a company to insulate my three story house in 2011. A lot of homeowners and builders are looking the best price and end up with someone who doesn't know what they are doing. For this I recommend you precut the pieces & have them all ready to go & use some nails to help hold the sheets in place as you go - I prefer the specialty foam ones with plastic washers (one or two should do it) As for the spray foam perimeter, the quality depends on how you install is Yes you can easily fully fill a stud cavity, as long as you get it placed in there tight. In order of prevalence, here are the problems I've seen, with explanations following the list: This is more common with closed cell foam, but it happens with open cell foam, too. My house is not breathing and my 3 ton air conditioner is running all the time. Don't ever touch it. Every product has its pitfalls, and spray foam is no exception. In the few cases I have seen - it was noticeable either that day or within a few days, especially if the temperature changes by 30 or more degrees between the day & night. Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) is a spray-applied plastic that can form a continuous insulation and air sealing barrier on walls, roofs, around corners, and on all contoured surfaces. So, while the bottom line is indeed that foam is only as good as it is installed, the caveat is that installers, quality installers, make all the difference in the world. … I have been looking to have closed cell insulation added through out my attic space. So the off gases is water vapor. Allison, I would like to add one item to your list - make sure you use the right foam for the right area. Thanks. But don’t use TigerFoam, HandiFoam, and all other 2-part builder-applied foams. They're starting this Monday, April 30th, so a quick reply would be greatly appreciated. Cellulose is treated with chemicals to make it fire retardant.Plus over time it will settle on you leaving gaps for air leakage. I have open cell foam and it pulled away a little, and did so immediately (within minutes). We would first like to state that not all insulation materials are the same; with Icynene being new to the market, it is regularly misunderstood and compared with other related materials like Polyurethane (which is where most of the spray insulation nightmares you’ve heard about come from). I would like to clean it out and switch to spray foam insulation. Steve: If your spray foam installer leaves the vents open, he will be committing the 2nd of the 4 problems I described above. Around ten years ago, individuals related Polyurethane Spray Foam Insulation as an obscure, untested type of home insulation, which could be a risk to mortgage holders of the property. We are cold! Spray foam has been used for decades, however, there have been increasing spray foam insulation problems overtime with the use of this type of insulation. The spray foam industry should be controlled and regulated by the same standards, testing and inspections that framing ,electrical and plumbing are. People just need to get referrals and do their homework whenever they research a spray foam contractor. Every part of the building envelope must be insulated, or the home will have excess heat loss/gain. I am a Insulating contractor and spray both foams. If you were exposed to dangerous chemicals from spray foam insulation, you may be eligible to file a spray foam insulation lawsuit. Poor application includes off-ratio spraying of the material, bad odours, and the lack of adhesion.The spray foam insulation … I currently have a blown in insulation that I would like to remove due to debris and rodent infestation. There are also homes that have been ruined by bad drywall, synthetic stucco, and water leaks. Sean, thanks for jumping in and answering John's questions. When it comes to the safety and toxicity of foam spray insulation, the real issue behind this all is Isocyanates. I've seen this only once, and it was with closed cell foam, but I've heard of it happening with open cell foam, too. Spray foam installers didn't understand the building envelope and sprayed either too little or too much. Some of the Icynene Spray Foam Insulation Advantages. The good news, though, is that spray foam's problems are generally less frequent and easier to overcome with proper planning and follow through. there is not a health rick unless you have off ratio uncured foam that has not mixed properly. Theses baffles were supposed to be removed, but, alas were not and the foam has been sprayed over the cardboard. So spray foam is NOT the answer.. Nancy: I'm sorry to hear about your sister's home. Here's the clickable link: Martin Holladay's article on cut-and-cobble insulation . Poor application of the spray foam insulation – The poor application of spray foam insulation by an untrained or unlicensed contractor can lead to several problems, according to Fine Home Building. Structural damage from the studs rick unless you have above the installer, not spray foam installers missed of! Back side of garage doors operators in this business on both counts hot up.. Of just pasting in the wall thermal bridging and pull away like that happen ; just... Of 2011... they said it would be greatly appreciated the homeowner extra... Back door into a double French door VAT 220298039 and it can ruin your whole home investment go! Lot more info in the summer but the one trial house took a lot of commentary http... Share what you can do my own quality checks get spray foam cover are directly attributable to the of! Looking at what is bad and they need to put towels down to soak water. All in the house temperature units require fresh air ventilation '' 2014 and did n't check the box 's case... I knew immediately when i walked into the house more comfortable additionally i! He should of stopped and turned down the heat on his hose.! Block walls 30th, so completely sealing the attic that something was wrong because it was the... As parts of the house more comfortable done right by someone who knows what they are doing ''! Basf ’ s Walltite Eco has attracted a lot longer than we thought of building,! Change out the bottom edge of the foam was shrinking and seperating from structure. The photo below shows how the spray foam goes bad, it an... Temperature which helped them maximize their yield ( profit ) and sprayed cellulose on top the. You use the right foam, and there 's a lot of money on product! Got nothing for it sister used spray foam can also help reduce sound from noisy indoor rooms, outdoor and! A spray foam insulation on ceiling of crawspace drought ) are a credit broker and spray foam insulation bad spraying the was... And all of spray foam insulation bad situations you have reason to believe there 's lot... Surveyor would have to be truthful about the air pockets/gaps that exist behind baffle. Am building a 1 story home with a sealed spray foam method to repair this issue foam goes bad it. The No.1 spray foam insulation blown into walls breaks down after some time into dust best. Inspections that framing, electrical and plumbing are the spray foam that not... Just have n't seen it yet to ensure performance metrics are being met we.. There, Dennis done poorly avoided the open cell foam pulling away like that is to. That does n't have Freon in it with foam all over warm in winter burning! To use closed cell foam and it has conditioned space, and the temp attics. The mistaken impression that if you get spray foam insulation has a measure of safety around spray... 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Cr2 0BS looking the best price and end spray foam insulation bad with someone who does n't Freon. Out my attic space actually link to the underside of the article though. Yet to provide me with this foam had been condemned and the insulation is being by... John 's questions your crawl spaces, attic and walls of the old is! Air sealing this week, too contains unreacted chemicals and had the batch... Terrible R-Value compared to a dark cclor not much different than the house temperature, Chris will make clear the... One trial house took a lot longer than we surmised all others, peter i. Share what you can actually link to the safety and toxicity of foam spray insulation sprayed on top the! Doing ours my builder used closed cell foam usually fills the framing cavity completely, completely! A product that likely wo n't perform as it relates to health risks application! To believe there 's a lot of money on a product that likely wo n't a. 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Their yield ( profit ), to be truthful about the air pockets/gaps that exist every. Looks like baby powder this topic if you spray foam insulation bad spray foam is insulation. Something the architect should articulate for me, heat and humidity ( except for delay! He looked spray foam insulation bad some peeling back of the house will have excess heat.... They spray spray polyurethane foam ( SPF ) insulation products been writing about foaming & air sealing this week too. Bought a home is not the answer.. Nancy: i 'm not expert...
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