Spray Foam Attic Insulation Problems

The poor application of spray foam insulation by an untrained or unlicensed contractor can lead to several problems according to fine home building.

Spray foam attic insulation problems.

Poor application includes off ratio spraying of the material bad odors and the lack of adhesion. A better long term solution many homeowners have found to fix their attic insulation problems has been to remove the old attic insulation and replace it with spray foam insulation. The coverage needs to be uniform because a lot of heat will go through the under insulated areas. In an unvented attic scenario to limit air leakage as well as any associated condensation at the roof line a continuous air barrier is required.

Placement errors during installation attics are the main spots in a home that are filled with unusual shapes gaps and spaces where air bubbles have the potential to form when you spray foam insulation. The answers to your attic insulation problems can be as easy as understanding how different types of insulation work and what you need to look out for. Earlier this year i got a question about a home that had spray foam insulation in the attic. Below we are going to list the most common problems with using spray foam insulation in your home s attic or in any area inside of your home.

Unfortunately good average thickness doesn t cut it. The use of spray foam attic can present many potential problems especially when it comes to the improper installation of this material within this area of your home. In fact spray foam insulation can help avoid problems like these. Incorrectly installed spray foam insulation can trap moisture in the home encouraging rot and mold problems.

Poor application of the spray foam insulation. Nothing unusual about that. Problems with spray foam insulation in attics. Spray foam installers may miss some of the air leakage sites in the attic which can lead to problems in the insulation of the attic.

The problem was that the installer was doing his first spray foam job ever and the thickness of the insulation varied from zero visible roof deck to about 9. Spray polyurethane foam insulation of any kind uses isocyanates in 50 of the formulation even those claimed to be made with soy or other natural oils. The real issue is the improper formulation and installation of large amounts of spray foam in homes and buildings by poorly trained unknowledgeable or even unreputable commercial installers. Applying an even sheet of foam to the underside of a roof or other space can eliminate the routes that water vapor uses to leave the house.

This is not just a diyers issue. The answer to fixing your attic insulation problems.