Can a building owner rent the equipment and apply polyurethane spray foam insulation themselves?
This is an excellent question, and one that we hear often from prospective clients. Unfortunately, for you, DIY experts, spray polyurethane foam (SPF) equipment is not for rent. Installation of SPF requires the specialization of a trained installer. While there are some small kits available on the market from locations such as Home Depot, or Lowes, but they are typically for very small projects such as the sealing of joints and cracks.
Will re-roofing damage foam under the roof
This is a great question. Both open-cell and closed-cell spray foam insulation adhere extremely well to the underside of roof decks and the rafters surrounding them when installing correctly. I have not heard of any evidence to support this theory. This should not be a concern when applying foam to the underside of a roof deck.
I have a house built on a slab in a floodplain. From time to time, I get water in the house. To remediate after a flood, I must open up the walls about 24 inches and dry out the walls, and then replace the insulation and the sheetrock. If I could use an insulation which would not hold water and install wonder board on the first two feet of the walls it would be a big improvement. Can closed-cell foam be used in this application?
Closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (SPF) is an excellent option for you. Closed-cell SPF is listed as a Class 5 Flood Damage-Resistant Material per FEMA. This means it is “Highly resistant to floodwater damage, including damage caused by moving water. These materials can survive wetting and drying and may be successfully cleaned after a flood to render them free of most harmful pollutants.” It is the only insulation material that meets this classification. You can read all about it in the FEMA Technical Bulletin 2. It would be an excellent idea to install closed-cell SPF into your walls the next time you have to open them up.
I was thinking about utilizing closed cell spray foam insulation on the ceiling of a crawlspace. At times the crawlspace floods, but only with a couple of inches of water. With such a tight space, as there is only 24
You can use closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (SPF) for your crawlspace in flood-prone areas. FEMA has classified closed-cell SPF as a Class 5 Flood Damage-Resistant material. This is the most stringent classification from FEMA’s Flood Damage-Resistant Materials Technical Bulletin 2.
Can a building owner rent the equipment and apply polyurethane spray foam insulation themselves?
This is an excellent question and one that we hear often from prospective clients. Unfortunately, for you, DIY experts, spray polyurethane foam (SPF) equipment is not for rent. Installation of SPF requires the specialization of a trained installer. While there are some small kits available on the market from locations such as Home Depot, or Lowes, but they are typically for very small projects such as the sealing of joints and cracks.
At what point in the construction should spray polyurethane insulation be applied?
Answer: Normally, spray polyurethane insulation is installed at the same point in the construction cycle as other types of insulation. That is, it should be installed after the rough plumbing, electrical wiring, and heating and air conditioning ducts have been installed. If you decide to seal the entire exterior shell with spray polyurethane, spray insulation may need to be applied in some areas before the ductwork is installed.
If I install a wood stove in a foam insulated home, will it rob all the oxygen out of the air, or what steps do I need to take to ensure my fire gets the proper air it needs? Also, does my attic need to be vented like if I install spray foam? Or does it need to be sealed where no air can enter?
Realizing the need to consider proper ventilation is a very important first step when you install spray polyurethane foam in your house. Now that you’re installing a wood stove, it is even more critical. Not being a ventilation expert, I would recommend first contacting the stove manufacturer to determine how to provide proper ventilation. They may be able to help to ensure it works properly and doesn’t cause any issues. I’d like to point you to this document and advise you consult with a ventilation expert that I can recommend. See section 6.4 in this document.
I don’t quite understand your second question. The choice to provide a conditioned or vented attic typically depends on if you have HVAC equipment or ducts in your attic. If your attic is void of air ducts or HVAC equipment, the most energy efficient option would be to provide a good air seal on your attic floor, seal up any penetrations and create a vented attic. You would put the insulation on the attic floor. If there are HVAC ducts in your attic, creating a conditioned attic where the insulation is under the roof deck is a good option. This puts the HVAC equipment inside the thermal envelope.
How does spray foam work?
A two-part mixture is applied by trained professionals to the surface to be insulated. The spray mixture expands rapidly to fill all cracks and voids, completely and permanently adhering to wood, masonry, metal, concrete, and most other construction materials.
For a more in-depth article regarding “How does spray foam work” you should take a moment to read our informative article Spray Foam Insulation. It should answer quite a bit of your questions regarding spray foam insulation.
I have purchased a double wide in Godley Texas, and would like to know if this is a good product to spray on the underside of the double wide? Will it insulate the home better and pipes, or should this not be used?
Insulating the underside of a trailer with spray polyurethane foam is much like insulating the underside of a home in the crawlspace. It is a good idea and should help with your utility costs particularly if there is no insulation there presently.
If we have our new home insulated with the spray foam do we need a special hood vent for our cooktop?
Excellent question. I believe your question has less to do directly with installing spray foam, but more to do with creating a house that is very air tight. However, it’s excellent that you’ve recognized that spray foam helps create an airtight home. For range hoods in a very airtight home, you basically want to uncouple the hood from the rest of the house by providing its own dedicated makeup air system. Check out this article from the fantastic people at Building Science Corp that can air it all out for you.
When can spray foam be installed?
Spray foam insulation is professionally installed at the same point in the construction cycle as other types of insulation. That is, using traditional building techniques, spray foam should be installed after the rough plumbing, electrical wiring, and heating and air conditioning ducts have been installed (or as it is known in the construction industry: “Being dried in,” but before the interior walls are completed in new construction. In some instances, spray foam also can be applied in older buildings or structures, to the inside of roofs and under floors after construction has been completed.
SVB Conglomerate, Inc. would like to thank Sprayfoam.com for providing such an excellent resource of common residential questions.
