Unfaced insulation is a plain batt or roll of
Exposed Insulation Dangers
Health hazards of interacting with exposed insulation include: Risks of skin, eye and lung irritation. Potential for mold and mildew growth. Risk of increased health problems for kids, as uncovered insulation isn't child-proof.
Pink Fiberglass: One of the most common types of exposed insulation is pink fiberglass. It's easy to spot due to its distinct color and fluffy texture. Professional Assistance: If you're not sure whether you have exposed insulation or if you can't access certain areas, consider hiring a professional.
Unlike other insulation materials, ECOCELL does not have to be covered with gypsum board. Leaving ECOCELL exposed is another reason ECOCELL is the cost effective solution for insulating basements and crawlspaces.
Improper or insufficient insulation can cause higher energy bills and a less comfortable home. You can improve your home's energy efficiency through proper insulation. Fiberglass insulation needs to be covered in any occupied area of the home because it can enter the air and end up in your eyes, lungs and skin.
THE SUN: THE GREATEST ENEMY OF PIR INSULATION
Therefore, it is not recommended to leave PIR boards outside, especially in hot climates. However, it is perfectly fine to leave PIR boards outside, even in intense sunlight, as long as they are covered with a protective layer such as a Corex or general OSB board.
While the insulation isn't flammable, most fiberglass has foil or paper that can easily catch fire. Because of this, fiberglass shouldn't be left exposed without a special flame-resistant facing. Otherwise, it's best to protect your home by using a thermal barrier.
While there are no UV rays to destroy the foam board's insulative properties, interior exposure can create a fire hazard. Therefore, to qualify a building for an occupancy permit, most jurisdictions in North America demand that a thermal barrier, like drywall, cover the foam board.
If you can either shade it or paint/cover it with an appropriate material to take the brunt of the sun exposure it should be fine for as long as you like, but vendors typically recommend leaving uncovered and exposed to sunlight for no more than 3 months.
Skin irritation: Touching exposed insulation can send particles in the air, irritating your skin. Eye irritation: Fiberglass particles can also irritate your eyes. Lung irritation: Breathing in fiberglass insulation is dangerous because it can cause respiratory issues.
The Bottom Line About Covering Up Spray Foam Insulation
Regardless of whether or not spray foam is visible, it must be covered. In many applications, spray foam is covered through the thermal barrier of drywall. In other applications, spray foam receives a coating to protect it from UV rays or water damage.
Thermablok® Aerogel is a revolutionary advancement in thermal technology offering the thinnest insulation available to prevent thermal and cold bridging. Classed as a Super Insulation, Aerogel has the highest insulation value of any known material with the lowest thermal conductivity value of any solid (0.015W/mK).
Never place insulation close to water heaters, oil burners or anything hot. The backing is especially flammable and will be a major fire hazard for your home.
When exposed to clement weather conditions, ROCKWOOL unfaced exterior wall insulation products, when installed vertically, may remain exposed for up to 90 days without negatively affecting their properties. Faced insulation product Cavityrock® Black, may be exposed for up to 30 days without adverse effects.
You should always install a vapor barrier to protect exposed ceiling insulation even if it's temporary. Consult with a building or safety expert to confirm where else in the structure a vapor barrier may be required.
Kraft or foil facedFaced insulation is a batt or roll of fiberglass insulation with an attached kraft paper or foil facing. Kraft and standard foil facings can burn and must not be left exposed. If an exposed application is required, use FSK-25 flame-resistant faced insulation.
The EPS foam in BuildBlock® ICFs is not a food source for termites but they may burrow into unprotected foam surfaces in search of food (wood). While termites cannot compromise the strength or integrity of the BuildBlock wall. They could burrow through the foam to reach and damage untreated wood.
A roller- or spray-applied acrylic-based parge coat or Horizon Parge Coarse Coat can be used to cover the exposed ICF foam for the bottom 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) of the structure where the exterior finish ends down to the ground where the below-grade waterproofing begins.
Sheet panel siding provides one of the quickest and most affordable options for an exterior finish for ICF. Panel siding contains shiplap edges so that one sheet laps onto its neighbor.
Dow Styrofoam and Owens Corning Foamular are two products that pass the burn test and can be left unprotected in an isolated crawlspace. Building codes restrict the use of unprotected foam in habitable or accessible spaces.
NOTE: FOAMULAR® Boards in a conditioned space must be covered by a 15-minute thermal barrier, such as gypsum board.
Once installed, AP Foil-Faced Polyiso Continuous Insulation may be left exposed for up to 60 days. Consult your local building department for code requirements. Thermal Insulation: inch for inch, polyiso has one of the highest energy efficiencies.
OSHA treats fiberglass as a nuisance dust and has set the permissible exposure limit at 5.0 mg/m3 for respirable dust and 15.0 mg/m3. Manufacturers have been recommending an exposure limit of 1 fiber/cm3.
You wouldn't want to hover over the crew during the installation, but you can absolutely still hang out in another part of your home where the work isn't happening. The spray foam products we use contain a very low concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), so any odor you notice shouldn't be strong.
Fiberglass Insulation
In most climates, it needs a vapor barrier. Some builders rely on batts with attached kraft-paper facing to do that job, but Tom recommends unfaced batts, covered in plastic with all the seams taped shut.