Compromised insulation means that the home will not be properly heated or cooled and the shingle warranty after spray foam attic insulation will be voided. Believe it or not, with a few basic fixes, you can solve the most common problems with spray foam. For example: Climate considerations.
Insulating Your Attic with Spray Foam
While spray foam won't cause any damage to the roof shingles, some contractors will still void the warranty because they are stuck in that old way of thinking. If this is the case, it doesn't hurt to have a conversation with them to get on the same page.
It's a reasonable question to ask, considering that some homes with open-cell spray foam insulation installed on the underside of the OSB roof sheathing have reported moisture problems. There's also a pretty reasonable answer to will spray foam will rot your roof: No spray foam will not rot your roof.
Some people think that spray foam in your attic will damage the shingles, but that's not the case. It is this way of thinking that leads some manufacturers to add this clause in their shingles warranties. RetroFoam of Michigan has been insulating attics across the lower peninsula since 2002.
It's Too Airtight
Lack of proper ventilation can lead to superheating, carbon monoxide poisoning, and roof damage if spray foam insulation is used in the attic.
DON'T use expanding foam around outlets and recessed can lights. In the quest for a draft-free home, it's natural to want to add some insulation around electrical outlets, but expanding foam might not be the best type of insulation there.
Recent media and industry reports suggest some homeowners have found it difficult to remortgage or sell properties that have spray foam insultation. If installed incorrectly, spray foam insulation may lead to condensation which can affect a roof structure.
Yes, attic ventilation is necessary even when using spray foam insulation. Spray foam insulation forms a tight seal around gaps and cracks, preventing air and moisture from entering the attic.
Spray foam insulation is a better insulator than traditional insulation. One of the most significant advantages of spray foam insulation is that it is a better insulator than other types, meaning homeowners can save money on their heating and cooling bills.
Recoating is paramount for your foam roofing system. This should even be part of your regular upkeep to ensure that your foam roof will last for more than 50 years. Regarding the regularity of the recoating procedure for your foam roof, companies advise it to be done every five years.
Even if you do not become sensitized to isocyanates, they may still irritate your skin and lungs, and many years of exposure may lead to permanent lung damage and respiratory problems.
The inhalation of isocyanates is associated with severely adverse health effects such as asthma, inflammation in the respiratory tract and cancer. During thermal degradation of polyurethane materials such as within fires are known to produce very high heat release rates and extremely toxic fumes.
By spray foaming your whole house you are building a 100% energy efficient environment that has no problems when it comes to heat loss and air leakages. Spray foam is an excellent insulation material, and when properly installed, its benefits and features will be inherited for a lifetime.
Open-cell spray polyurethane foam or closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF) insulation can be sprayed along the underside of the roof sheathing to provide a conditioned and insulated attic space that can be durable and efficient in all climate zones (see Figure 1).
Spray foam can provide the thermal, air, and vapor control layers in both new and retrofit construction. Unvented roof strategies with open cell and closed cell SPF insulation sprayed to the underside of roof sheathing have been used since the mid-1990s to provide durable and efficient building enclosures.
For closed cell spray foam, you'll want to make sure that your foam is 2-3 inches thick on the walls and 4-5 inches thick on the roof deck. For open-cell foam, the same thickness is needed for the walls, but the roof deck should be sprayed to be 6-10 inches thick.
Spray foam roofs are generally expected to last around 20 years at installation. The roof will last much longer than 20 years, but this is the standard warranty period. This all depends on the thickness of the foam and the coating, and applying more of either of them will generally extend the warranty term.
There are some instances where spray foam insulation has led to moisture issues, but it comes from the material not being mixed correctly, so it doesn't cure properly. The dry RetroFoam product is mixed with water, which leads to the misconception that the injection foam insulation will leave moisture in the walls.
All of the time and work that your HVAC system puts into heating your home is wasted if you have roof insulation because the heat gets lost in the attic. You'll end up paying significantly more on your energy bills, and your HVAC's life span will be shorter.
Avoid using the foam near any ceiling lights or heating appliances. If you spray the foam near a ceiling light, for example, there is a chance that it could catch fire due to the flammable nature of the spray. Additionally, it could also cause damage to the light itself if it cures around any wiring.
Yes, you can sleep in your house after installing spray foam. However, the curing time for spray foam should be at least 24 hours after installation.
Some of the spray foam alternatives that you can find in your area include: Cellulose Insulation. Mineral wool insulation. Fiberglass batting or roll insulation.