Spray foam insulation

L

Lt.Col.Vortex

Joined
Jul 22, 2012
Messages
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I'm getting frustrated looking up spray foam insulation for attics (and other general applications). For starters I'd like to know what is used and where I can get equipment/materials to do the job myself. But all I can find are write ups of the benefits and downfalls of using this product. I want to do my own work and actually start to do it for other people, I dont want to hire out someone to do it for me. Can anyone help me with this assumed simple task of learning about spray polyurethane foam insulation??
 
Spray foam is a 2 part chemical mixture thats expands after mixing as a bubbly foam and dries hard in under a minute, typically. The chemicals are isocyanates and therefore unhealthy to touch, but once mixed, creates a solid that off gases water vapor as it reacts. The applier needs full coverage tyvek suit plus gloves and respirator. Keep it off your skin.

Because it:

A. Reflects heat.
B. Burns once ignited (although a little difficult to ignite).

It needs to be coated after installation with a cementious coating, also usually sprayed.

The costs of the speacilized equipment necessary to spray it is high as well. So, unless you're going to do many houses, it is usually not cost effective to do it yourself and requires special training. And you need to keep the gun clean with a constant bath in solvent when not spraying.

So let us know how it goes. Find a distributor for Dupont.

Larry
Tinkerer
 
Well my dads a licensed general contractor who runs his won business, so we very may well start this up as just another job we do. I did find this little blurb though on the 2 part compound...

Two liquids combine during a chemical reaction to form spray polyurethane foam. The two liquids come in different drums or containers, and professionals generally refer to one container as the "A" side and the other container as the "B" side. The "A" side of a spray polyurethane system is commonly comprised of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI). The "B" side is typically a blend of polyols, catalysts, blowing agent, flame retardant, and surfactant. The polyols are part of the chemical reaction to make foam. The remaining ingredients in the "B" side serve different purposes to help control the creation of the foam bubbles (the "cells") in an optimal way, and of course to provide a flame retardant in the finished foam product.

Te one thing I'm trying to find is the 2 compound parts and the equipment. I'm trying to crunch some numbers and see if its worth it.
 
It is simple to do once you get the materials. My dad and I put spray insulation in my greenhouse by ourselves in about an hour. Spray it on, let it expand/ cure, then go back to fill in any holes. Easy, though not cheap.
 
tinkerer said:
The chemicals are isocyanates...
Click to expand...

The "cyan" part of that is chemical shorthand for cyanide... seriously poisonous. The poison gas that was accidentally released in Bhopal back in 1984 -- you remember, upwards of twenty thousand people killed -- that was an isocyanate. While the chemicals used for insulating foam aren't quite as nasty as that one, it does caution you about the seriousness with which such an enterprise must be undertaken.
 
Not a DIY mtl for 1 project... If this is something you are thinking of offering as a service you'd use for income, then I would REALLY suggest you seek out mfr training. There is a lot to learn as spray foam has progressed far beyond the classic "can of great stuff" material many people think of. Today there are open cell and closed cell varieties- each of which offers its own advantages. Variable perm ratings also make it possible to use as a vapor barrier and even facilitate the construction of "unvented" attics.

Most product manufacturers require their installers to complete their training program. "Go Foam" insulation brought in lunch and gave a presentation of their product to my office (architecture firm) - I really learned a great deal about the options and installation. They might be a good place to start looking?
 
My buddy just installed a soy insulation. A lot further on the green non-toxic side then the older spray
 
From what I understand these are a franchise type operation and you will not be able to easily find the products to do the installation yourself. I know a few guys that offer the service but they have the exclusive installation deal for my area from the main company that provides materials.
 
The isocyanates are harmful in a cumulative manner also so a bit of it in vapor or skin contact sensitizes your system to react stronger on each exposure so full skin cover PPE and ventilation or respirators are part of the deal. I was trained to do a three part polyurethane floor coating and part A had warnings for the diisocyanate content which included terms like organ damage, tissue necrosis and death until a point in the catalysis process of it being ready to apply. It was not a product we looked forward to working with and a year later it alligatored on the floor and we had to use a $90 a gallon solvent to remove it. PITA but as far as insulation use of it I know if you overfill a wall or space and there is not a release you can pop apart walls and ruin drywall. We hired out having it done around our rim joists from the basement open ceiling and it worked great to stop air leaks It would have been hard to do that one on our own.
 
We where think of taking this on as a income for the business, but after further reading and talking with the boss its a no go. Our plan was to buy the equipment to do our own house and then do a couple side jobs to pay off the equipment and then eventually add it to our business. But that was before we really read into it and now we've rethought it out and we're not going to pursue it anymore. But thanks guys for the input, I actually learned a lot about this stuff (relatively useful to me know, but it'll come in handy one day).
 
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