4 Pitfalls Of Spray Foam Insulation To Avoid 

Thank you So Much for the straight fact, void of heavy metal background music or attempts at stand-up comedy. Thanks.

Well... I don't know, what I don't know... but your video seemed really good, INCREDIBLY straight forward. Thanks for sharing!!

Love the content.... A simple tip foamer to foamer. When spraying under a slab on gravel substrate it always helps to flash coat a light layer 1/4 to 1/2 inch on a large area, Then let set up to walk on and then apply second coat to complete final thickness. Helps stop foam from seeping into gravel and helps keep More consistent thickness. Patients is key while applying spray foam. 👌

I have never seen such an interesting and informative tutorial on what to look for when you have property spray foam insulated and sealed. The invaluable advice contained in this video informs and empowers customers whom otherwise would be completely in the dark about this subject. Thank you for your care, consideration and professionalism in helping both the contractors and customers. Subscribed.

We in the spray foam industry LOVE your very informative videos. Thank you for your continued support of this vital industry.

Yes, I enjoyed learning about the different types. Thanks.

Beautiful, to the point with no wasted words.

We have been in contact with a local installer, and we are going to do our attic space since our house has almost no insulation up there. We were going to go with the open cell, but after seeing this video, I need to call the guy and get a new quote with the closed cell. Thanks for providing this great video.

as a new sub .. it's been great to see how utube has been sending earlier vids into the feed. Super job on all of these man. Incredible.

Hey mike! Just wanted to stay thanks for all these amazing videos. Getting ready to have my house done and I’m so glad I’ve learned all the pitfalls before hand! I sure wish you guys were here in central va…. We could use hood pros like you around here! I found one guy who sounds like he was a professional, but he was 3 months out, so I had to move on. Thankfully I found your channel and now I know what to look for!

Thanks for the great information. I've got a detached, concrete block RV garage and have to do some insulation and needed this info.

Well explained my man. I wish I was able to work with someone like yourself, when I was younger. But boy, where these old timers cranky in there professional way back then. I was taught the hard right way though. I'm glad I was because now I show good and professional work and that matters because that's more money in your pocket. All because of these good cranky old fellas. Good job and God bless.

Thank You for such a courteous help, I can proceed with confidence, product knowledge & Prep.... That is Huge .... Seriously Thank You

Explained very well. Thanks.

Great educational video, Thanks for taking the time to enlighten.

Thanks for the video. Learn something new every day

thanks for making the video. I am about to foam in a 100 square foot room, and this was the first video that recommended starting in the corners

Thank you for sharing your expertise. I learned something from you.

I'm been doing spray foam for 16 years I'm going to tell you what the problem is. A lot of times is lack of training,lazy people,pushy bosses. And the biggest problem is that a lot of companies don't care about quality they just want you to go to the job and get it done. Also a lot of them like to pay guys by square footage so the guys don't really care if is being sprayed correctly or if the foam is good or anything else they just want to spray a lot of foam so they can get paid a lot. Plain and Simple. #facts

WOW! Thanks a lot! That was very informative. Great video!

This is a very good and useful video. I’m in the U.S. and I just had a crawlspace done with closed cell. I think they did a decent job but I wish i’d seen this first, so I was more informed when they did it. Thank you for making and posting it. If I was in Saskatchewan, I’d have called you for SURE. 😊👍👍

Great info and no BS presentation. Anyone considering spray foam should watch this.

Thank you for putting out this information. It's difficult to know who to listen to.

Excellent information. Thanks!

Great video. Love that spray caulk!

Thanks a lot for the great info. It was very helpful. I have an 8x8 shed that we are converting into a small workshop and have been researching an insulation solution. I like the idea of foam over something like Rockwool bats. The problem for me is that the job is probably too small for a contractor and will have to DIY it.

Excellant skills laying out the do's and don'ts. I've never heard such detailed info on spray foam. What about oder? I've heard of foam having to be ripped out due to off gasing.

Excellent tips... I feel foam smarter already!

concise and articulate thankyou .. informative also

Excellent info. Thank you!!!

nice video , lots of important info for the home owner

Very informative video. Thank you

Good job man I enjoyed that and learned from it

Hello and thank you for your very informative videos. I found after looking for information about why my spray foam installs like it does. So I'm hoping it OK to ask a questions? I had spray foam sprayed under my house wooden floor boards. That looks like its to thick and was a rushed job. Sprayed everywhere all over my wires buried now. It has lots of holes, cracking and looks like a term a read pork crackle. My house barts before and not cold but now I have this icy refrigeration breeze come through my house when temperature drops in winter temperature. Also since install I'm having asthma triggers in my house?? Was spray in a colder temp than recommended I hope you can share thing to help thank you again for your time Al

What is the blue stuff being sprayed on the bottom plates and headers?

very informative. well done.

We are just now getting quotes from foam spray installers for under our attic roof. I have taken note of your comments and will definitely be asking them...btw, it is a 105 year old home in FL and with the heat, we need more than the blown in cellulose that is on the attic floor. Also learned that all that previous insulation is removed to make it a much cleaner attic

Thank you for making this video. I have heard that smell is sometimes a problem and if it's too bad it can destroy a new house, is that still an issue these days that we need to watch for?

What was the product used at the 8:35 mark fill gaps around the windows and around the sill plate?

Thank you for educating the masses....very informative, and actually I want to by some to to spray it and watch it morf

What are the health concerns long term with having this in your home with off gassing? Also, if sprayed under your roof, how would you ever know if your roof is leaking? I'm deciding between foam and wool blocking for insulation.

Great content!

what are you product are you spraying for seal the bottom plate and the top plates

This was extremely enlightening. Though I would have liked more information on the different material make ups of spray foam. Pros and Cons of different material bases..example soy, etc.

great info very informative thanks a lot

What is the blue stuff you sprayed in between seams of window headers etc

Great video!

Informative video. thanks.

i don't know why i'm watching this but it's a good video. well done.

Spray foam was the best decision that we made during renovating of our house. The basement was the biggest difference. The attic was great as well but it was more of an upgrade from the 60 year old insulation. The toughest part was to find the right company. Research. Research. Research.

Certain open cell polyurethane foam brands are considered vapor barriers when sprayed to a certain thickness typically 3.5”

I have a question and you seem like the most knowledgeable guy. Can you completely encase the studs in spray foam? I am looking into staggered stud construction and I want a complete thermal break using closed cell. But I also plan on using zip R sheathing outside. Do you know if this is doable? Or do I have to leave some stud exposed to allow for drying.

Well done; well said. Thanks!

So I shouldn't use 1/2" for my crawl space under my addition?

A really great video you did. I have a pole barn in Northern Tennessee with metal siding, wood studs and beams. What would you recommend for the walls and the ceiling. It is a 50x30 with 12 ft walls what is an approximate cost I should be looking at? Thanks!

I wish this spray foam was available in Australia, particularly Brisbane. We're looking at building some timein the next 5 years and I hope, by then, that Australia has become smart enough to adopt this kind of insulation. Im guessing its as good for keeping the hot out as it is in....🤣

Does spray foam void the warranty on tin? I found this in a building supplier video last night and was going to start watching yours tonight.

ThankYou sooo Much! very good info! it would work very well with Solar Hot Water!

Thanks for the education.

Great advice!

Thank you for sharing

good video very informative

Not sure if this has been answered after scanning the comments, but I just saw the foam in the areas of our attic between the conditioned and unconditioned spaces is free standing between the studs.. There is no OSB backing as they used cardboard which then falls off exposing the foam on both sides between the studs. Is this considered an acceptable practice (for a Florida home) to build a "wall between the conditioned space and the unconditioned spaces over the back porch and garage?

What was that purple single component that was being sprayed on the cracks. I would rather put that through my sprayer than run through a couple dozen caulking tubes. For checking foam depth I made what I call a pokey thingy. Arrow shaft with an adapter pressed in so a sharpened piano wire from a hobby shop could be set it. There was a set screw so the depth of the foam would be at the adapter(piano wire would plunge full depth). Great for an installer to keep in the other hand while spraying. What foam was that purple foam? I love NCFI antimicrobial foam. It lays down like a 3 lb foam and you still get 4k+ bf out of a 1k lb kit.

Nathan Donner Can anyone explain the e84 rating and what iS difference between class A? Also Mr. Jones if you read this would you think a 2x4 exterior walls wills 1 inch of foam on outside (zipr system) then spray cc foam 1 inches then fill with wet spray cellulose. Also using cc fosm to underside of roof sheeting. My big concern is fire and spreading quickly. Is E 84 rated cc foam a good choice concerning fire? Also (for under roof sheathing) would it be cost effective and more fire resistant to spray 2 to 3 inches off cc foam and then oc foam to get the required r value. Thanks for any help.

Wow! This is a great video. I have never seen the purple product used before. And, they sprayed it onto the gravel base. I would love to see a section diagram showing the dimensions of the foam, rebar, and concrete. Great explanation and video. Thanks.

I'm highly considering having my garage speay foamed. The only question I have would be one regarding prep work. If I'm having the inside of the roof done with closed foam would I need to put an extra decking on the inside? My concern is if I ever need to replace the plywood.

Is there any issues spraying with closed cell in a crawl space on the cinderblock foundation wall up and over the sill plate and in your attic floor as far as codes or reselling the house?

Can you help on the interior of a van? My concern is condensation. Thank you for the info.

Hi guys I live in Ireland and there is a problem with using spray foam insulation ,insurance and mortgage companies will not provide any service if it is used, because they say that the structure cannot be inspected, plumbing & electrical is obscured and difficult to check. We don't have termites but we do have woodworm they are tiny but love to eat everything for the roofing to the legs on your bed! So we're using the rolls of fiberglass or cutting the preformed sheets and then fitting them by hand. Ironically I can use it for my garden shed and on my freestanding garage because they are non-residential.

Is that mold he is spraying over at 2:45 ?

what is that blue foam or caulking that was being sprayed with the paint machine??? Please!!!

What about rodents, mice especiall? I’m planning to redo the isolation in the attick. Initially was done quite poorely with glass fiber without any vapor barrier. And I’m comsidering a hybrid setup, 10 cm of close cell with 5 cm of open cell. Would the close cell be able to withstand the rodents getting in the attick, or I better fill first all the tight spaces between the vertical walls and the wood roof structure with cement, concrete or tile adhesive? I know the the foam will be filling all the holes easily, but don’t know if the mice will be still chew the foam and get through. Thanks

Can you respray an area if your short on depth and seal cracks after an install that need some cut out?

And maybe not get it done late on Friday, or any day that a holiday is the next day! Because if it’s not the owner, the worker just might slack off, which I’ve had happen on a project. Thankfully they were coming back to do another part of the house and they were able to correct all the mistakes. Plus I think you should go through and clean up all the debris yourself (nails, screws, drywall dust,sawdust, cellulose etc.) yourself, prior to them get into the house. That way you know you’re getting a good bond, because I’ve seen it being sprayed on brick dust, and cellulose and it just doesn’t stick.

What about cleaning chipping paint off a concrete floor prior to spraying (we are installing floor joists over an existing screened porch room that has a concrete slab and converting it to a master bedroom). Does the surface of the concrete need to be very clean?

I have a tip for you spary Jones If you ever have a customer that wants a van done .. Remember the foam temps when first applied Will warp thin metal And expanding foam will make the van wall warped ...I applied about a inch of rubber guard undercoating on my SUV/camper conversion And let it sit a day to dry Best would be a weekend before hand in warm sunny temps Then had 2 inchs of walltite sprayed in at a early morning job site as the men were setting up for a house (this saved me a few dollars) This was done in 2 layers due to heat The results was it was perfect The foam meshed with the rubber And the rubber is on the metal very well ..No warpage The truck is quicky very warm in the winter with little heat And cool in the summer I have to open a window to drive Otherwise I can't heard roadnoise lol Hope it helps if you come across the use

You do really nice work. Thank you for the video. One quick question. Is there any benefit (say if you're building a tiny house and you want some structural support), in using the two-pound foam first, and then using the open-cell foam over it for the sound and r-value? I know the expense would be doubled but in a small space, I might want both properties. Just thought I'd ask. Sorry, if it's a dumb question or has been answered already.

Whats that bleu stuf you put on the voids for make them airtight ( 8.34) ?

That was pretty interesting. I do have a question, can you do a thin layer of closed cell and put open cell on top of it? Like if I wanted to do the outside wall of the house with a thin layer of an inch or so of closed cell for a vapor barrier but then wanted to fill in a thick wall or bedroom walls that connect to the outside wall can you spray Open cell over Closed cell?

ROCKWOOL! This is crazy, filling the god damn whole house with this is just crazy.... I understand the waterproofing part with heavy kind, but this is just crazy.

In other words: correctly applied, spray foam is the best dang insulation money can buy. Period.

What do you make of the situation over in the UK? Banks not issuing mortgages on foamed houses. Why they having such a hard time there?

great video

Thanks for the information.

very good video...

Hello from Toronto Ontario Canada known as zone one climate. How does a spray foam contractor spray the attic if there's no drywall or vapor barrier for it to be sprayed onto the second floor ceiling? What can the homeowner do to prep ?

Great video

Like the video but scared to do it because I hear of a lot of remarks about the smell and I don’t want to ruin my house does this stuff smell

@8:13 jack and header installed wrong?

I can add a 5th pitfall. With full depth, it is impossible to later snake a romex to install i.e. a sconce light, or expand a 2 gang switch box to a 3 gang box and add a ceiling fan. The same problems come up with plumbing & venting. For instance if you want to relocate the laundry connections from basement level to 1st floor or 2nd floor laundry.... you cannot do it without tearing out a huge amount of dry wall, insulation, etc. Someone might argue that they designed the home the way the want it. Well so what? 25 years from now when you’ve sold it, somebody else wants to make some changes such as added recessed lighting. What would have been a couple hundred dollars is now a thousand dollars or more.... and the worst of it is, they don’t figure that out until the walls are all torn apart, leaving them feeling held hostage by the issue. The stuff that is just a couple inches thick is fine. The full cavity foam is only going to cause problems down the road. I cannot advise anyone use it, and it should actually be prohibited in my opinion. It would be akin to suggesting people recess their electrical panel into a basement wall niche & cementing it in place... it does not allow for later modification, maintenance, etc. Once upon a time, CPVC plumbing was the recommended method too, don’t forget. FULL cavity is NOT the way to go. Don’t ever do it. Do the partial method only.

@Spray Jones - What's your best recommendation for covering the inside of a very old asbestos cement roof? (Old fashioned 3" corrugated stuff) Cheers, Tom.

Where can I purchase the saw to cut it back to the rafters in an attic that was OVER sprayed by the builder

I am a bit confused. You use the term open and closed cell foam. My assumption is that closed cell foam is an application in walls and ceilings where you are unable to open up the walls. In my case I have an old lath and plaster home and tearing down the walls would be a huge cost. However I cannot look to see if the surface inside is clean and dry. What do you mean by closed cell? Thanks

Can you spray close cell foam over radiat heat tubes? Like if you run radiat heat on a crawl space with metal transfer plates.

What product are you spraying

Does it make any sense to do a layer of closed cell for vapor/moisture barrier, then open cell for the sound dampening properties? Or am I overthinking this as a lay-person? Would this cause issues with the chemistry of one causing the other to degrade?

I’ve tried reading through the comments but there are so many. I’m running into a problem. I’m getting very mixed answers. I live in Louisiana, south US. You seem very knowledgeable and would like your expertise. I have people telling me to wrap my barndominium with something like tyvek then spray open cell insulation. Then I have some saying no wrap because it causing more sweating. Could you please give me your expert opinion on this? This is a wood frame barn style with metal sheet siding. Thanks.

Actually know exactly what you're talking about. Work at the theme parks and at one of them "NDAs" they sprayed foam on their beams back of the house. But they are crumbling off and are in wet spots. And I've seen the results your talking about. Didn't realize that was the reason. Was because they used the lighter foam. But happy I know now.

Great video, thank you for posting! I'm currently in Washington on the coast and need to seal a house on an extremely tight budget given this pandemic garbage. How can I get the closed cell up here on the cheap? I've never seen so much rain in my life, everything molds out.