Questions tagged [spray-foam]

66 questions
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Why don't people use rigid or spray foam insulation in attics?

I'm looking to upgrade the insulation in my attic bumping it from an R-6 to R-30 or better, and while looking into things I realized I've never seen anyone use rigid or spray foam insulation in an attic. Is there a particular caveat to these, or is…
anthonyryan1
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How can I store canned spray foam insulation for reuse weeks or months later?

The nozzle of the spray bottle hardens quickly which makes it impossible to use after a few days and even hours.
JinSnow
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Why would you ever choose open-cell spray foam?

I've been researching spray foam for the attic in my Maryland house built in 1901. Currently it's a vented attic, and we've decided to spray foam the bottom of the roof deck, turning the attic into un-vented conditioned space. The insulation…
TCK
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How can I remove cured expanding foam from floorboards?

The girlfriend and I bought an old house and the floorboards are in brilliant condition so we've decided to sand them, stain them, and varnish them. As soon as we took up the carpets we noticed expanding foam everywhere. The problem we now have is…
mickburkejnr
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How do I insulate the ceiling in my crawlspace?

I'm desperately looking for some advice on how to properly insulate the crawl space. I live in eastern Massachusetts where it has recently been in the teens and 20s for low temps in winter. I have a large crawl space under my kitchen and 3 season…
MrsPowerTool
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Why don't conduit fill rules apply to cables encased in closed-cell foam?

I have a question that is more theoretical in nature. I know that when you have 14/2 cable and put it in a 1/2 conduit you are above fill (or just at max fill). The NEC cites that this is in part due to heat dissipation. 300.17 Number and Size of…
Alex
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Would sprayed insulation under the roof deck cool down a hot attic?

Typical 4-br type 80s-ish build suburban house in the south: downstairs ac is super-powerful; upstairs ac is fair. Hard/impossible to keep the upstairs below about 75 say in summer. The problem is the attic gets INCREDIBLY hot. I installed a…
Fattie
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How do I raise my garage ceiling after spray foaming?

I'm starting to add central vac to my house, which mostly involves pipes in the garage. I cut a hole in the garage ceiling (drywalled) to check things out, and found there's an 18" up to the bottom of the joists on the second floor (There is a room…
gregmac
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Does 2" of spray foam mean 2", or are measurements like with finished lumber?

I just had (and paid for) 2" of spray foam on my crawl space walls. I checked the thickness today and it is rarely 2" thick, usually just under 1.5", and sometimes just 1" thick. Is this normal? Or should I be requesting a 25-ish% refund?
mankoff
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Is a thick, unvented hot roof a good candidate for spray foam?

Upon removing some drywall from an unvented hot roof I noticed two serious issues: 1) The roof sheathing is not a taped or sealed ply but a 2x8 T&G 2) There is no vapor barrier and the cavity is discolored and moist This particular hot roof is…
Matthew
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Basement insulation w/ existing tar paper and studs

I recently pulled off old wood paneling in my basement, and would like to insulate it using rigid foam (silverboard or durofoam). Behind the panelling, there is tar paper, and 1x2" studs approximately every 1.5 feet. I see the tar paper as extra…
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Covering sprayed attic insulation with plywood rather than drywall

I have new spray foam insulation between 2x6" rafters, and I would like to cover it directly with plywood (for aesthetic reasons) rather than drywall. Is that an issue with fire barrier code?
Slobvrflw
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Sheathing with Foam Board and OSB

I have read a number of other articles related to sheathing and the use of rigid foam panels for insulation and was wondering; is it possible to place a 1" to 2" rigid foam panel against the wall studs and then use OSB on top of that as the exterior…
Greg
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Repair cracks in molded foam in sofa

The structure of my 1960s italian sofa has a medium density foam molded around it. (In the pictures, it's the orange stuff, it's called Bayfit foam). The foam has developed significant cracks (or tears). How best to repair or reinforce the foam? I'm…
Ken
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Will insulating rim joist without sill plate lead to moister issues?

The house was built in 1930 and besides some bays stuffed with fiberglass the basement is uninsulated and unfinished. After two MN winters in the house I've managed to fill the larger holes but have found that a lot of air still comes in between the…
DoughBoy
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