gemini Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 I just had foam sprayed into my attic. It does not look right, but this BBB triple A+ foam insulator says it is. He covered a lot of the soffent vents and some of the ridge vents. I think I have been screwed 2800 $ worth. Who can I get to come out and inspect this to tell me the truth????? Seems everyone is out to screw the older people.[:-weepn] Since I am not rich, can I just put ventilators in and spray in cellulose where I need it. Do I need to worry about semi closed soffits and ridge vent if I do this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 I just had foam sprayed into my attic. It does not look right, but this BBB triple A+ foam insulator says it is. He covered a lot of the soffent vents and some of the ridge vents. I think I have been screwed 2800 $ worth. Who can I get to come out and inspect this to tell me the truth????? Seems everyone is out to screw the older people.[:-weepn] I think that the whole point of installing foam on the underside of the roof is to eliminate the stupid soffit & ridge vents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 You might try contacting this gentleman. He may be able to refer you to a competent spray foam inspector. Mason Knowles Consulting Mason Knowles masonknowles@aol.com 1 Diamond Causeway Ste. 21-305 Savannah, GA 31406 571-239-5221 Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 What Jim said is correct. If the foam installer was doing his job correctly, he should have sprayed over the (stupid) soffit and roof vents. With properly applied foam, ventilation is unnecessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caryseidner Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 With properly applied foam, ventilation is unnecessary. I thought that only applies to closed cell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Same with icynene. It has to be thick (6"+) so it will function as an air barrier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Fabry Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Same with icynene. It has to be thick (6"+) so it will function as an air barrier. vapor retarder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Air sealing is important to minimize convection losses and vapor drive across the envelope. Vapor barriers (closed cell foam and others) have no place in a home built in a hot/humid climate like Baytown, TX. Cousin Joe L. seems to suggest so. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Fabry Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Air sealing is important to minimize convection losses and vapor drive across the envelope. Vapor barriers (closed cell foam and others) have no place in a home built in a hot/humid climate like Baytown, TX. Cousin Joe L. seems to suggest so. Marc Even an inch of icynene provides a pretty darn good air barrier- to achieve a true vapor retarder status an arguable 6 inches is required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 I thought it was air barrier; keeps the moisture laden air from getting to cold sheathing. Either way, it's gotta be thick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caryseidner Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 I thought it was air barrier; keeps the moisture laden air from getting to cold sheathing. Either way, it's gotta be thick. The air barrier will stop/reduce the air from passing through. But without a vapor barrier, the moisture will still drive through it. Gemini - what kind of foam was installed in your attic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemini Posted June 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 It was closed cell foam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caryseidner Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 It was closed cell foam. The claims are that it is supposed to work, but I don't personally believe it...yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 The September, 2010 issue of JLC had a very informative article on spray foam. Proper spray foam installation requires much more discipline than I previously believed. Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caryseidner Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Proper spray foam installation requires much more discipline than I previously believed. Marc Yes, otherwise it won't adhere to the substrate. My Prediction: Installation will be less than perfect and voids will be left between the insulation and roof sheathing. Those voids will allow condensate to occur causing more of the closed cell to delaminate and rot the sheathing. This of course will not be observable until it is becomes widespread...maybe. Even if the installation is perfect, how are they going to stop the moisture content of the sheathing from elevating, when the exterior side of it doesn't have a vapor barrier on it? It could become the successor to EIFS if it becomes popular enough. Maybe it will perform better in a dry climate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Katen Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Theory aside, has anyone seen or heard of moisture problems in roof decks that have been foamed? I've seen a few roofs with foam on the underside. When I (discreetly) probed under the foam, I found the deck on each one to be in fine condition. I've read about a few that had moisture problems from roof leaks, but never from condensation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 That's the big flaw in the system; roofs leak. I wouldn't worry about condensation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 I agree with Jim, Look at SIPS roofs that have failed. They failed due to leaks in the roof membrane or due to poor sealing of gaps between panels where interior vapor was able to migrate close to the roof surface and condensation was able to form and soak into the top layer of OSB. In roofs where those gaps were fully closed, condensation issues and subsequent damage were not an issue. A fully and properly foamed roof should not develop condensation issues whether it's closed cell or open-celled foam. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 I've been involved in the construction of several. It works. Wonderfully. I don't know how one could screw up and get voids. You spray it on the sheathing, it flashes and foams up to thickness. If you've ever seen it applied, you see that voids would be darn near impossible to achieve. While some of the brethren will disagree, it's not hard to install a roof that doesn't leak. Saying a product is questionable or suspect because some other portion of the building might be screwed up could be applied to everything in the house. Or, almost everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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