Insulation/Spray Foam

[timmymac24]

I did what strousek did here in zone 5 after a lightning strike and attic fire in April 2024. We did spray and batt combo in exterior walls. The best improvement was having sill areas in basement sprayed that made a huge improvement. 2/3 of my Morton building has spray on the interior roof along with radiant floor heat. I keep it set at 55 in there and it's pretty efficient for the space that gets heated.

 

[Roofer1]

In the process of working this same issue out. The foam guy I got a price from said for our area the minimum he'd spray on walls was 3". Said that get it past the minimum R value for code and past any point he's seen with condensation within walls. Believe I'll do that and have the roof blown in.

 

[WeiserBucks]

What kind of pricing have you guys seen?

 

[Roofer1]

What kind of pricing have you guys seen?

I was told $1.35/SF per inch of thickness for closed cell

side note: apparently 300 is the magic # to become a WKR!!! nice...

 

[CMF]

This is for roughly 1850sq/ft living, 12' ceilings living/kitchen, 9ft ceilings everywhere else. Floor because it's a raised house on pilings.
I just asked for a spray foam quote and didn't specify any thickness or type and this is what they quoted.

 

[woods89]

I think a shop is one of the best uses of foam. I'm quite partial to closed cell over open.

If the space being insulated is being conditioned, make sure your HVAC guys know exactly what you are doing, as in some cases ventilation equipment may need to be added.

In southern MO where I live, we have quite a few local foam installers spraying open cell on roof decks. This makes me a little nervous, as there are some situations where open cell can load up with moisture against the roof deck and rot roof sheathing from the bottom side. If I were doing an insulated roof deck I'd prefer to see closed cell, and keep a close eye on attic humidity.

Buildings are a system. Whatever merit individual products have can be totally undermined by them being incompatible with other parts of the system.

 

[milunchbox]

DO IT!!! I sprayed my barn 44' x 64' in mid michigan, runs about 400 gallons of propane to keep it around 60* all winter. Made the structure more solid as well. I did the tyvek on the foam first. Haven't had any problems it been about 5 years. They sprayed anywhere from 4-6 inches.

 

[Weldor]

The only reason I see personally for me is fire danger. Mines a weld and carpenter shop, I would be worried plasma cutting and grinding unless I installed sheet steel over it and that's pretty pricey these days. Our climate is not that bad at 6000 ft. cold and hot just like everywhere except a rare super cold front or heat wave. Average yearly temp according to the weather service is 58.

 

[Rich M]

I got a price last year and the recommended guy uses open cell spray in. There is no-one else in the area. Says no odors and cures inside a day.

We have 500 SF metal camp -shed bld - guy is going to spray 2x4 thickness on walls and ceilings and clean up for $2k. I can't buy insulation of any type for that cost.

Like the spray in for the metal building to eliminate any possibility of sweating between metal and insulation.

 

[weekender7]

My wife and I built our own home and used sprayed close cell for the walls. We have been moved in two years and utilities are crazy low. We are very happy with the results.

 

[Cedarsavage]

The only reason I see personally for me is fire danger. Mines a weld and carpenter shop, I would be worried plasma cutting and grinding unless I installed sheet steel over it and that's pretty pricey these days. Our climate is not that bad at 6000 ft. cold and hot just like everywhere except a rare super cold front or heat wave. Average yearly temp according to the weather service is 58.

That’s what I’m using the shop for looks like drywall or intumescent paint over the top for fire proof

 

[Jpsmith1]

Western Pennsylvania. We had our 1950s home foam insulated in early 2009 and it was, HANDS DOWN the best money I've ever spent.

The reduction in heating/cooling costs have been paying me back for years, now. Plus the vapor sealing and sound deadening effects are just great.

offgassing doesn't worry my much, I'mma die of something.

 

[yfarm]

Getting quotes for a metal building, contractor wraps the structure before metal goes on, says replacing damaged metal when no wrap with foam is difficult, wondered about condensation with this process. The recommendation was closed cell 2-3”foam with batts on the walls, blown in above the ceiling. Will have radiant floor and HVAC system, concrete floor with vapor barrier and insulation Zone 5A Comments?