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| Hi, I am in the middle of building a home right in the center of CT. We were planning on using spray foam for insulation. But last night on the local news they had a story saying the spray foam can cause health issues etc. http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=91060&sitesecti on=WTIC_hom_non_fro&VID=23903508 I also read online that there is a class action lawsuit being formed in Florida for such health issues in families who used spray foam. http://www.sprayfoamproblems.com/post-detail.php?id=5643 I have a 9 month old daughter that will be living in the house. I will never be able to live with myself if something were to happen to her due to using spray foam in the house from the potential of off gassing. Do any of you have spray foam in your house and do you have headaches, nausea, or any other side effects that you think could be caused by it? The EPA is also looking into the spray foam safety. http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/green-building-news/wai ting-epa-action-spray-foam-insulation I need to make my decision in the next month of what kind of insulation we will be using. The house is already framed and is getting plumbed next week. If you know of any studies that have been conducted on the safety of it please let me know where I can read them. Please help we are soooo confused!!!! Thank you!!! |
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| I think that the GBA web site sums it up pretty well. Are you looking for a simple answer to a complicated question? |
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| As with so many things, the answer is far from clear. Opinions differ. To my knowledge, neither the pro nor the con argument has a convincing and scientifically documented story to tell. Your decision is irreversible. There are alternatives to spray foam. If you want to be SURE to not have a problem with your family, go with one of the several alternatives and avoid the controversy AND the potential risks.
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- Posted by energy_rater_la (My Page) on Sat, Dec 1, 12 at 15:05
| lawsuits come from mix of spray foam not being correct. this causes strong offgasing of the product. other problems it causes is less adhesion of the product & excessive shrinkage. shop for foam companies before hiring one if best of luck. |
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| Thanks for your comments !! |
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- Posted by hamconsulting (My Page) on Mon, Dec 3, 12 at 23:53
| Mike Holmes of Holmes Inspection TV Show makes the spray foam look so good and so easy to install, but that guy can fix anything. |
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| "Mike Holmes of Holmes Inspection TV Show makes the spray foam look so good and so easy to install, but that guy can fix anything." And he gets as many takes as needed for the show. |
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| I think Mike Holmes gets a little carried away with his spray foam insulation. |
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- Posted by countryboymo (My Page) on Sat, Dec 8, 12 at 1:00
| Even a thin 1/2"-3/4" layer of rigid foam board on the outside before the sheeting and siding with a tyvek housewrap or equiv. makes a huge difference. I would even say the housewrap and sheeting/ siding combo is waay better than just the siding. So minimum one layer of housewrap, one layer of plywood and outer layer of hardyboard or siding and I am not talking vinyl siding. I think the latter would be the minimum if you was going for efficiency. Caulk and lots of it will be your best friend and when applied as the house is being built saves a ton of time compared to doing it after insulation is in and the house is being lived in. |
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- Posted by countryboymo (My Page) on Sat, Dec 8, 12 at 2:31
| Even a thin 1/2"-3/4" layer of rigid foam board on the outside before the sheeting and siding with a tyvek housewrap or equiv. makes a huge difference. I would even say the housewrap and sheeting/ siding combo is waay better than just the siding. So minimum one layer of housewrap, one layer of plywood and outer layer of hardyboard or siding and I am not talking vinyl siding. I think the latter would be the minimum if you are going for efficiency. Caulk and lots of it will be your best friend and when applied as the house is being built saves a ton of time compared to doing it after insulation is in and the house is being lived in. |
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| My personal preference is that I don't want foam anything in my house. One thing not previously mentioned is that many types of foam are highly flammable and produce dangerous fumes and high temperatures when they burn. Wood is flammable enough, I wouldn't want to feed a fire any more than is necessary. There are reasonable alternatives to foam that avoid the fire and health risks that can be faced. |
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| snidely, You said, "One thing not previously mentioned is that many types of foam are highly flammable..." There are foam products that are approved for use in residences that are "highly flammable?" ???? |
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- Posted by circuspeanut (My Page) on Thu, Dec 13, 12 at 13:28
| Most residential building codes require that there be a fire-rated barrier between the foam and the living space: drywall or an intumnescent coating. |
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| The link has some good points about the small % of jobs that go south and why. The bad ones seem to be a combo of unsuitable (cold) weather, poor supervision, don't care workers who spray too fast and too thick with material that isn't hot enough to meet the spec, etc. A good honest company with well maintained equipment and skilled operators is a must. It will be expensive. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Spray foam short comings
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