Open Cell Insulation Problems

The role of open cell spray foam.

Open cell insulation problems.

Contributing editor michael maines takes a detailed look at closed cell spray foam which is growing in popularity as an insulation material. Open cell spray foam may absorb moisture if subjected to hydrostatic pressure but will allow moisture to drain through open cell spray foam will not wick water or contribute to capillary action when applied to the interior cavity open cell can also be supplemented with closed cell spray foam to create a continuous insulation layer on the exterior. Oh and when you put it in your attic spray foam. Both icynene open cell and closed cell spray insulation are effective insulators with both working as barriers for air leakage.

It s just a pathway. It has a relatively high vapor permeance 3 perms at a thickness of 6 allowing water vapor to migrate to the roof decking at night and back into the attic air in the daytime. Closed cell products are better than open cell ones for this advantage but both provide better options than organic insulation products. When it comes to insulating a home whether that s a roof insulation or floor insulation it is ideal to use icynene open cell spray foam.

Compared to traditional insulation whether fiberglass or cellulose spray foam has the potential to provide better performance via its air sealing properties high r values per inch of thickness and in the case of closed cell spray foam ability to repel moisture. It s the wood decking that stores the moisture though. It rots roofs people have told me. Both low density open cell and medium density closed cell spray foam can be used in an unvented attic to provide the needed thermal resistance and airtightness.

The spray foam insulation chemicals weren t mixed properly. The evaluation service report esr for spray foam insulation products provides a valuable resource based on a third party review of testing information useful for utilizing these. Not long ago someone even told me that in florida roofing companies won t let their workers go up on roofs with open cell spray foam because the roofs are so spongy the guys fall right through. However open cell and closed cell have their different uses.

Murmurs and hearsay about open cell spray foam insulation have been gaining traction for a while. Open cell spray foam insulation doesn t store the moisture. There are even fewer issues with pest infestation in this insulation product compared to the other options that are available on the market today. For example icynene open cell spray foam must be installed at 3 inches before an air barrier is created.