Thank-you for confirming my refusal to use spray foam. In recent months I have been moving towards capitulating on my spray foam exclusion from use. - I will continue to not use spray foam. Your comments on ICF basements are exactly as I have built. Both above and below grade the capillary action of water in the seams between blocks can be significant. Especially as the blocks meet window bucks and other openings. Careful bulk water membranes need to be detailed at all openings on the exterior.
Sharif, great video! Appreciate all of your content, the Q & A, pros, cons, good better and best explanations are really good. Thanks for sharing... 😁👍
I like spray foam around windows and doors along with stud bays next to them. Along with thermal breaks around windows and doors. Because of lower r value windows and doors sometimes cause condensation. Masonry loves to wick moisture. Great video.
Glad to hear you are going to continue the q&a, i find it really interesting and helpful. Have you ever used Superior Walls concrete system? What else needs to be done for waterproofing and air sealing once they are in place for both underground and if used above grade. Thanks!
We have used spray foam in Northern California mostly successfully, and primarily on roof undersides. It is often used in modern designs where it is difficult to get a high level of insulation otherwise. However a system where we have used with rigid above the deck and batt insulation before seems better all around. For the spray foam, there was one case where a porch metal roof developed a condensation problem where the spray foam had a void (either because it was not carefully applied around an electrical box or didn't adhere). This is even though this was a completely exterior space and a dry climate.
Love the videos! Sharif has learned from the "best" of the best. Q&A question for you. I have a project in climate zone 6A. As I agree with you on spray foam, it is not recommended. I use Rockwool insulation almost exclusively. My current project has a complete exterior insulation blanket of 6” including the foundation on the outside. The roof will also receive exterior tapered insulation. The west elevation sees the lake breeze every day as it is very near the shoreline. Flat roof modern design with an 8’ overhang on the west and north sides. The roof has two other elevations and flat roofs. As this space will have access from the second level, it will also need railings. My question is about detailing the overhangs and how to setup the drainage and maintain all the control layers. Do you suggest draining to an external gutter on the facia or to put up a short parapet wall and direct to scupper? Will need structure to locate the railing that will not interfere with the thermal layers. What would be the best approach in this situation?
Great question I would like to hear the answer to! As an amateur I think the parapet wall and scupper are a cosmetic decision that add extra complexity and failures compared to a simple gutter if that is possible.
Q A yes must have full products and location weather lasso also it's at times of production and sometimes it's a bad instalator so more then one show of proof
Question. Double 2x4 wall system. I have decided that this is the most cost-effective route for me to go. With that, can the vapr retarder go on the back side of the inside frame. And still insulate the inside frame. That way it minimizes any air penetrations. Note, I am in Alaska. Side question. Any recommendations for a cost-effective ceiling assembly to minimize air penetrations like that as well. BTW. I really appreciate you guys. Just simple, great information.
I think you're going to have to do a thermal analysis of the wall to know for certain. AK has a pretty wide range of temperatures, depending on where you live, so it's not really possible to give a blanket answer. Having the air seal on the exterior of the inner wall is a good idea to avoid outlet boxes, etc. However, it puts that barrier at pretty exactly the midpoint of the temperature gradient in the wall. (Slightly to the inside, since the siding and exterior cladding will add a small amount of extra R-val to the outer wall.) That could mean that if the exterior temperature gets low enough, you could hit the dew point at that barrier and get condensation. Without knowing the exact minimum temperatures you're likely to see as well as the typical humidity levels where you live, I can't comment other than my gut feeling is that this is worth worrying about. You could reduce the inner wall insulation or add some cheap exterior insulation to move that vapor barrier inside the typical dew point location for, say 98% of the year. I'm guessing that would be fine as long as the inner side of the inner wall isn't too well sealed.
@danheidel That is kind of what I was thinking. If I went this route, I feel like I would need a pretty big space in between the two walls. I think I remember something about 2/3. If that has anything to do with anything, I guess I would need a 4" space between the walls. I imagine the outside 8" with blown in, then the inside with mineral wool. Of course, using a smart vapor retarder and having a proper air system inside the house. I wish I knew some way to test this. It seems like it could be a good idea if done right.
@@tibbified If you had a couple inches of insulation mounted to the inside of the outer wall, that could move the outside of the inner wall to a higher temperature. I suppose you could do some testing by replacing a window with a test wall and putting temperature probes in it. However, it would probably be a lot easier to just hire a passive house expert to run thermal simulations.
@@tinepick6175 Thank you for watching, if you insulate form the exterior you can use any insulation of your choosing, the key is to provide a thermal break between the conductive metal and the exterior.
@@ASIRIDesigns Thanks for the response. The structure is the square steel tube skinned with steel cladding. I'm too old to disassemble, add exterior insulation and re assemble. Still appreciate your reply.
@@tinepick6175 You can use 3M 8067 or Zip Tape, Quad Max sealant, and canned spray foam around the garage interior to seal gaps and holes. It won't be pretty, but it will help with the moist air coming inside. Anything more will basically be building another wall! If you have the money to spray foam the whole thing instead, then call around and consider it! It's not ideal, but it's enough to retire with. Just note that exposed spray foam or foam board are super flammable and are supposed to be covered up, thus why must walls are wood framed even if they don't need to be, just to hold up the drywall!
What would you do for air sealing the ceiling of the top floor of a build. I'm talking about a roof system that is vented and I'm thinking of the insulation on the floor of that attic. Is blown in insulation between the rafters enough for air sealing with the sheetrock of the top floor, or should a mini roof be built that seals the inside from the outside there? Superior walls, thoughts on that precast concrete product with higher PSI poured walls. Also staggered studs: is keeping 16" on center critical to keeping the sheathing tight or can you space your studs out to 24"? Load bearing sstr should be fine but does the sheathing need the extra studs to attach properly?
Disclaimer: I'm a do-it-yourselfer like you! The key thing is that you don't want multiple vapor barriers strewn around without ventilation between them, because when something fails, water can collect and cause further failure. Spray foam further exacerbates this problem because it is impossible to inspect and modify once installed. Your attic floor should be air sealed, which a drywall ceiling does mostly do, but you still need to seal all the penetrations like electrical etc, and the tops of the exterior walls shouldn't be open to the attic either. Small gaps can be filled with polyurethane sealant like Quad Max, acrylic flashing tape like 3M 8067 or Zip Tape, or canned spray foam. Large gaps can be filled with a block of solid foam insulation, cut loose with 0.5-1" around the sides, and then canned spray foam around it to fill in the gap. Don't try to cut joints tight; in modern construction, joints are left large enough on purpose so sealant can function properly. Small sealant joints fail easier. Large fixtures like a light can be covered with fancy caps that are sold these days to keep blown in insulation separate from the light assembly.
Another great video, thank you. I would love to have exterior mineral wool insulation for my basement, but that's probably not in the budget. So if we use interior insulation for the basement, what happens at the transition to the above grade exterior insulation? If the insulation isn't continuous, wouldn't that be a big gap?
Is it possible to have a basement/crawl space air/vapor sealed and insulated while also maintaining an area clear for termite inspection, especially in a retrofit application? Some local codes forbid encapsulating a space and having all your access to inspect hidden behind insulation/foam/etc.
I have an old house with 5” rafters, and the third floor is an attic conversion. The slanted roof gets hot to the touch in summer. Zero insulation, no soffit vents, blocking at the top of pony walls preventing air flow to the ridge. I’d been leaning towards spray foam to get the air seal and R value without having to vent. I’d also like a condition the top attic space to add AC. Any recommendations? I’m hoping to add insulation exterior eventually but not immediately. I’m in Seattle, which is climate zone 4.
What would you recommend for a bedroom over a garage? Floor joists are 10in i-joists. This is in Canada... Southern Ontario. The garage is set into the house so only the door wall and one other wall is truly exterior
Unrelated to video, but good place to ask. I have a roof that consists of engineered truss(2x4) - 3.5” Rockwool - 1/2”OSB - synthetic self adhered underlayment (not vapor permeable) - 2 layers of 2” ISO. (GRF) Question is do I need a deck on top of that or will a underlayment and wood purlins only be satisfactory for 24ga standing metal seam roof? Vapor permeable roof membranes appear to be very pricey, any particular brands or substitutes? I’m in central Florida Thanks
What would be a good way to insulate a shed with no sheating, just framing and painted siding, in hot humid South. Will be running a mini split for air conditioning inside, plus a dehumidifier. Would rigid foam board cut to fit inside each stud bay and soray foamed around the edges be good?
Foam board with canned foam around the joints works great! Cut the foam nice and loose around the sides, like a solid 0.5-1". It's easier that way, and less prone to installation error, because you'll have enough room to guarantee that you got foam into the joint. This is called a butt joint, rather than just putting spray foam in the corner, which is a weaker fillet joint. Just note that foam board is incredibly flammable; that's why the building code requires it to be covered up with something that's not flammable. For an improvised shed, your life is in your hands.
Question: I would like to build a house that could be expected to last centuries. What type of wall system is the most durable? Does insulation come at the cost of durability?
@@weiss27md Unless there's a consistent water leak that can slowly erode away the rammed earth. You can make pretty much any type of wall last for centuries if it is designed correctly and there is no wall system that will last that long if the details are done wrong. I once knew a woman from Germany that grew up in a wood framed house that was over 1000 years old and apparently, that's not very unusual over there. As long as you can control water, fire and insects and the structure has enough strength to survive local seismic conditions, it's going to last a very, very long time. I'm in the final design phases for an ICF house with steel suspended, concrete floor membranes. I'm going well above the prescribed rebar recommendations and being extra careful to make sure that there's multiple layers of waterproofing. I fully expect this house to outlive me several times over.
@@danheidel I'm just not sure about all these experimental products. I remodel houses from the last century, and there's all sorts of products that fail in ways that surely the manufacturer at that time wouldn't expect. I also have a general rule to not use products titled 'smart' because they rarely are smart to use.
@@JoelWeyrick No disagreement here. Although the newer products are very nice, I worry about their long term durability. They are all thin membranes and those will slowly oxidize and react with air pollutants over decades. That smart product might be fine for 30 years but start breaking down from low levels of ozone or NOx in the air. I advocate for belt and suspenders. My ICF build will have foam sealant applied to every block joint when assembling the wall to create a fairly air/water tight seal on both sides of the wall. Then a couple layers of external polyiso or EPS with foam sealant at every joint, a water barrier membrane, a thin layer of external rockwool to repel fire and insects, a rainscreen and shingled cementboard. That will provide at least 4 layers of water protection behind the rainscreen. I can't see that failing in less than a century even if the membrane layer starts to degrade over time.
So I was just getting ready to dig up my foundation to add waterproofing, weeping tile, and insulation. I was planning on using eps foam. Two layers of 1.5 inches staggered seams. With dimple membrane over top. Is there anything I can do too avoid bug burrowing into the foam? I’m in Alberta Canada so bugs are only an issue for half of the year but still something I would like to avoid.
The dimpled plastic will prevent most burrowing! And there will be almost no burrowing to begin with, because Canada is too far north to have a lot of pests. Termites and rats are a warm climate thing. Your foundation will do GREAT with foam and dimple mat, just don't cheap out on the footing drain.
How do I seal my basement from bugs and small rodents. I live in a condo situation and have unfriendly neighbors along with mice droppings in the basement.i was thinking spray foam but agree with your opinion that it’s not the best solution. Thnx
Rodents can get through very small holes (their bodies are mostly fur), so shove steel wool deep into every hole you see with a stick, then fill the rest of the hole with canned spray foam.
In the short term, spray foam sounds great. But in the long term, I've seen a few buildings destroyed by it trapping moisture around the frame members.
The ICF information is very timely. “Fully adhered waterproof membrane” - can you give some examples of what products? We will have to excavate to correct this oversight by the contractor. This will probably somewhat damage this fragile material and no doubt it will be dirty. (Sharif, this is for a second building - and the second time I will have to redo a foundation. This one is already seeping water into the basement.)
In my experience, spray foam sticks to surfaces very well, may be different based on manufacturers or application. I agree with the off gassing comments, definitely will off gas for months at least.
How long does under slab insulation last... I can't image it lasting more than 20-25 years, then what??? I don't get it, the insulation is going to degrade well before the concrete so your concrete slab is now floating or collapsing, no?
@@tableshaper4076 Great question! Depends on so many factors, from the type of insulation specified to the amount of moisture it is exposed to, and whether bugs get to it or not. Mineral wool lasts the longest by far without too many performance issues, rigid foams not so much.
Spray foam simply performs better than fiber insulation because it eliminates heat transfer through convection. R value assumes no convection and this is not the case in real life with fiber and wool insulation. Therefore R valve overestimates the resistance to heat transfer with those products. Ridgid also performs well.
Why is there so little love for ICF, especially for basements and crawlspaces? So many advantages. Even more when you use it from footer to rafters. Makes for air tight building envelope with very little extra effort.
Yes, good question! I'm a home designer and the 2 biggest reasons homeowners don't use them: #1 - They THINK it's too expensive, or in other words, they don't want to make an investment on their home, which is in itself an investment!!! #2 Their builder doesn't want or know how to install them. In my area (Wisonsin/Upper MI) there's too many old school builders that have a concrete guy that just pours walls with wall forms and that's the end of the story. We are very short on contractors around here so there's no leverage for the homeowner!
I think done properly, 2 lb commercial spray foam becomes inert from 2 hours to 24 based on resin used. Beyond that, and it simply wasn't mixed properly.
@@dosoffbeats I've got some test results that show otherwise, but I can't talk about the specifics just yet. Use caution with this stuff if it's located within the interior pressure boundary.
*ICF comments:* IMO it's a waste of time and money to tape the seams, because EPB absorbs and passes water. Forget the tape and go straight to membranes, dimple mats, etc.
@@buyallmeansnowh7493 In most cases it moves from warm to cold, but in all cases it moves from higher concentrations to lower concentrations. Warm air can hold more moisture than cold air, and will accelerate evaporation because of the added heat flow. Just look up the psychrometric chart...
I've never had a problem with spray foam. This sounds like more hate on Hydrocarbons. get over it. Nothing else is going to seal the weather out like spray foam. No maytter which side of the exterior wall you put it on. co2 is plant food.
@@TheWhale45 I don't have any issue with hydrocarbons, it's the other stuff in there that emits from the foam when it's heated. I'll do a full video on our findings. Either way, you can get a superior air seal with adhered membranes and liquid applied products if you know what you're doing.
@@ASIRIDesigns Yeah yeah yeah I can smell woke nonsense from a mile away. Whatever they are emitting its minor and not harmful. It dires the emission stops.
Your comments are excellent. So kill the music.
I like the music...
@@PSNDonutDude😂makes me feel like I’m at a hotel bar during a work trip. I don’t mind it
Turn the music down it's distracting.
I always enjoy your videos! I appreciate that you have both new construction and retrofit tips!
@@xokissmekatexo Thank you so much!
Thank-you for confirming my refusal to use spray foam. In recent months I have been moving towards capitulating on my spray foam exclusion from use. - I will continue to not use spray foam.
Your comments on ICF basements are exactly as I have built. Both above and below grade the capillary action of water in the seams between blocks can be significant.
Especially as the blocks meet window bucks and other openings. Careful bulk water membranes need to be detailed at all openings on the exterior.
Closed cell but I think using exterior best adhesive usage I believe
Only thing I struggle with is how to get the needed r value for cathedral ceilings without spray foam.
Sharif, great video! Appreciate all of your content, the Q & A, pros, cons, good better and best explanations are really good. Thanks for sharing... 😁👍
@@danielstover3029 Thank you! So glad to hear that you are enjoying the content. I appreciate it!
I like spray foam around windows and doors along with stud bays next to them. Along with thermal breaks around windows and doors. Because of lower r value windows and doors sometimes cause condensation. Masonry loves to wick moisture. Great video.
Glad to hear you are going to continue the q&a, i find it really interesting and helpful. Have you ever used Superior Walls concrete system? What else needs to be done for waterproofing and air sealing once they are in place for both underground and if used above grade. Thanks!
We have used spray foam in Northern California mostly successfully, and primarily on roof undersides. It is often used in modern designs where it is difficult to get a high level of insulation otherwise. However a system where we have used with rigid above the deck and batt insulation before seems better all around. For the spray foam, there was one case where a porch metal roof developed a condensation problem where the spray foam had a void (either because it was not carefully applied around an electrical box or didn't adhere). This is even though this was a completely exterior space and a dry climate.
Love the videos! Sharif has learned from the "best" of the best. Q&A question for you.
I have a project in climate zone 6A. As I agree with you on spray foam, it is not recommended. I use Rockwool insulation almost exclusively. My current project has a complete exterior insulation blanket of 6” including the foundation on the outside. The roof will also receive exterior tapered insulation. The west elevation sees the lake breeze every day as it is very near the shoreline. Flat roof modern design with an 8’ overhang on the west and north sides. The roof has two other elevations and flat roofs. As this space will have access from the second level, it will also need railings. My question is about detailing the overhangs and how to setup the drainage and maintain all the control layers. Do you suggest draining to an external gutter on the facia or to put up a short parapet wall and direct to scupper? Will need structure to locate the railing that will not interfere with the thermal layers. What would be the best approach in this situation?
Great question I would like to hear the answer to! As an amateur I think the parapet wall and scupper are a cosmetic decision that add extra complexity and failures compared to a simple gutter if that is possible.
Thanks for doing these QAs
Awesome content! Thanks for the reply!
Q A yes must have full products and location weather lasso also it's at times of production and sometimes it's a bad instalator so more then one show of proof
Question. Double 2x4 wall system. I have decided that this is the most cost-effective route for me to go. With that, can the vapr retarder go on the back side of the inside frame. And still insulate the inside frame. That way it minimizes any air penetrations. Note, I am in Alaska.
Side question. Any recommendations for a cost-effective ceiling assembly to minimize air penetrations like that as well.
BTW. I really appreciate you guys. Just simple, great information.
I think you're going to have to do a thermal analysis of the wall to know for certain. AK has a pretty wide range of temperatures, depending on where you live, so it's not really possible to give a blanket answer.
Having the air seal on the exterior of the inner wall is a good idea to avoid outlet boxes, etc. However, it puts that barrier at pretty exactly the midpoint of the temperature gradient in the wall. (Slightly to the inside, since the siding and exterior cladding will add a small amount of extra R-val to the outer wall.) That could mean that if the exterior temperature gets low enough, you could hit the dew point at that barrier and get condensation. Without knowing the exact minimum temperatures you're likely to see as well as the typical humidity levels where you live, I can't comment other than my gut feeling is that this is worth worrying about.
You could reduce the inner wall insulation or add some cheap exterior insulation to move that vapor barrier inside the typical dew point location for, say 98% of the year. I'm guessing that would be fine as long as the inner side of the inner wall isn't too well sealed.
@danheidel That is kind of what I was thinking. If I went this route, I feel like I would need a pretty big space in between the two walls. I think I remember something about 2/3. If that has anything to do with anything, I guess I would need a 4" space between the walls. I imagine the outside 8" with blown in, then the inside with mineral wool. Of course, using a smart vapor retarder and having a proper air system inside the house. I wish I knew some way to test this. It seems like it could be a good idea if done right.
@@tibbified If you had a couple inches of insulation mounted to the inside of the outer wall, that could move the outside of the inner wall to a higher temperature. I suppose you could do some testing by replacing a window with a test wall and putting temperature probes in it. However, it would probably be a lot easier to just hire a passive house expert to run thermal simulations.
Question: what would you recommend on a metal garage for insulation and prevent condensation if not foam? Great videos, thank you.
@@tinepick6175 Thank you for watching, if you insulate form the exterior you can use any insulation of your choosing, the key is to provide a thermal break between the conductive metal and the exterior.
@@ASIRIDesigns Thanks for the response. The structure is the square steel tube skinned with steel cladding. I'm too old to disassemble, add exterior insulation and re assemble. Still appreciate your reply.
@@tinepick6175 You can use 3M 8067 or Zip Tape, Quad Max sealant, and canned spray foam around the garage interior to seal gaps and holes. It won't be pretty, but it will help with the moist air coming inside. Anything more will basically be building another wall! If you have the money to spray foam the whole thing instead, then call around and consider it! It's not ideal, but it's enough to retire with. Just note that exposed spray foam or foam board are super flammable and are supposed to be covered up, thus why must walls are wood framed even if they don't need to be, just to hold up the drywall!
What would you do for air sealing the ceiling of the top floor of a build. I'm talking about a roof system that is vented and I'm thinking of the insulation on the floor of that attic. Is blown in insulation between the rafters enough for air sealing with the sheetrock of the top floor, or should a mini roof be built that seals the inside from the outside there?
Superior walls, thoughts on that precast concrete product with higher PSI poured walls.
Also staggered studs: is keeping 16" on center critical to keeping the sheathing tight or can you space your studs out to 24"? Load bearing sstr should be fine but does the sheathing need the extra studs to attach properly?
Disclaimer: I'm a do-it-yourselfer like you! The key thing is that you don't want multiple vapor barriers strewn around without ventilation between them, because when something fails, water can collect and cause further failure. Spray foam further exacerbates this problem because it is impossible to inspect and modify once installed. Your attic floor should be air sealed, which a drywall ceiling does mostly do, but you still need to seal all the penetrations like electrical etc, and the tops of the exterior walls shouldn't be open to the attic either. Small gaps can be filled with polyurethane sealant like Quad Max, acrylic flashing tape like 3M 8067 or Zip Tape, or canned spray foam. Large gaps can be filled with a block of solid foam insulation, cut loose with 0.5-1" around the sides, and then canned spray foam around it to fill in the gap. Don't try to cut joints tight; in modern construction, joints are left large enough on purpose so sealant can function properly. Small sealant joints fail easier. Large fixtures like a light can be covered with fancy caps that are sold these days to keep blown in insulation separate from the light assembly.
Another great video, thank you. I would love to have exterior mineral wool insulation for my basement, but that's probably not in the budget. So if we use interior insulation for the basement, what happens at the transition to the above grade exterior insulation? If the insulation isn't continuous, wouldn't that be a big gap?
Is it possible to have a basement/crawl space air/vapor sealed and insulated while also maintaining an area clear for termite inspection, especially in a retrofit application? Some local codes forbid encapsulating a space and having all your access to inspect hidden behind insulation/foam/etc.
I have an old house with 5” rafters, and the third floor is an attic conversion. The slanted roof gets hot to the touch in summer. Zero insulation, no soffit vents, blocking at the top of pony walls preventing air flow to the ridge. I’d been leaning towards spray foam to get the air seal and R value without having to vent. I’d also like a condition the top attic space to add AC. Any recommendations? I’m hoping to add insulation exterior eventually but not immediately. I’m in Seattle, which is climate zone 4.
Any feedback on SIP construction in the Gulf South?
What would you recommend for a bedroom over a garage? Floor joists are 10in i-joists. This is in Canada... Southern Ontario. The garage is set into the house so only the door wall and one other wall is truly exterior
Unrelated to video, but good place to ask.
I have a roof that consists of engineered truss(2x4) - 3.5” Rockwool - 1/2”OSB - synthetic self adhered underlayment (not vapor permeable) - 2 layers of 2” ISO. (GRF)
Question is do I need a deck on top of that or will
a underlayment and wood purlins only be satisfactory for 24ga standing metal seam roof? Vapor permeable roof membranes appear to be very pricey, any particular brands or substitutes?
I’m in central Florida
Thanks
What would be a good way to insulate a shed with no sheating, just framing and painted siding, in hot humid South. Will be running a mini split for air conditioning inside, plus a dehumidifier. Would rigid foam board cut to fit inside each stud bay and soray foamed around the edges be good?
Foam board with canned foam around the joints works great! Cut the foam nice and loose around the sides, like a solid 0.5-1". It's easier that way, and less prone to installation error, because you'll have enough room to guarantee that you got foam into the joint. This is called a butt joint, rather than just putting spray foam in the corner, which is a weaker fillet joint. Just note that foam board is incredibly flammable; that's why the building code requires it to be covered up with something that's not flammable. For an improvised shed, your life is in your hands.
Question: I would like to build a house that could be expected to last centuries. What type of wall system is the most durable? Does insulation come at the cost of durability?
Centuries? Rammed earth.
@@weiss27md Unless there's a consistent water leak that can slowly erode away the rammed earth.
You can make pretty much any type of wall last for centuries if it is designed correctly and there is no wall system that will last that long if the details are done wrong. I once knew a woman from Germany that grew up in a wood framed house that was over 1000 years old and apparently, that's not very unusual over there. As long as you can control water, fire and insects and the structure has enough strength to survive local seismic conditions, it's going to last a very, very long time.
I'm in the final design phases for an ICF house with steel suspended, concrete floor membranes. I'm going well above the prescribed rebar recommendations and being extra careful to make sure that there's multiple layers of waterproofing. I fully expect this house to outlive me several times over.
@@danheidel I'm just not sure about all these experimental products. I remodel houses from the last century, and there's all sorts of products that fail in ways that surely the manufacturer at that time wouldn't expect.
I also have a general rule to not use products titled 'smart' because they rarely are smart to use.
@@JoelWeyrick No disagreement here. Although the newer products are very nice, I worry about their long term durability. They are all thin membranes and those will slowly oxidize and react with air pollutants over decades. That smart product might be fine for 30 years but start breaking down from low levels of ozone or NOx in the air. I advocate for belt and suspenders. My ICF build will have foam sealant applied to every block joint when assembling the wall to create a fairly air/water tight seal on both sides of the wall. Then a couple layers of external polyiso or EPS with foam sealant at every joint, a water barrier membrane, a thin layer of external rockwool to repel fire and insects, a rainscreen and shingled cementboard. That will provide at least 4 layers of water protection behind the rainscreen. I can't see that failing in less than a century even if the membrane layer starts to degrade over time.
Would you do anything on the inside of the ICF basement in terms of vapor?
So I was just getting ready to dig up my foundation to add waterproofing, weeping tile, and insulation. I was planning on using eps foam. Two layers of 1.5 inches staggered seams. With dimple membrane over top. Is there anything I can do too avoid bug burrowing into the foam? I’m in Alberta Canada so bugs are only an issue for half of the year but still something I would like to avoid.
The dimpled plastic will prevent most burrowing! And there will be almost no burrowing to begin with, because Canada is too far north to have a lot of pests. Termites and rats are a warm climate thing. Your foundation will do GREAT with foam and dimple mat, just don't cheap out on the footing drain.
How do I seal my basement from bugs and small rodents. I live in a condo situation and have unfriendly neighbors along with mice droppings in the basement.i was thinking spray foam but agree with your opinion that it’s not the best solution. Thnx
Rodents can get through very small holes (their bodies are mostly fur), so shove steel wool deep into every hole you see with a stick, then fill the rest of the hole with canned spray foam.
In the short term, spray foam sounds great. But in the long term, I've seen a few buildings destroyed by it trapping moisture around the frame members.
What rigid foam do you recommend?
I want to get R-49+ under my roof (inside insulation)
The ICF information is very timely. “Fully adhered waterproof membrane” - can you give some examples of what products? We will have to excavate to correct this oversight by the contractor. This will probably somewhat damage this fragile material and no doubt it will be dirty.
(Sharif, this is for a second building - and the second time I will have to redo a foundation. This one is already seeping water into the basement.)
Very nice
I believe there`s a couple of spray foam brands with no off gassing. You have any experience with them?
In my experience, spray foam sticks to surfaces very well, may be different based on manufacturers or application. I agree with the off gassing comments, definitely will off gas for months at least.
How long does under slab insulation last... I can't image it lasting more than 20-25 years, then what??? I don't get it, the insulation is going to degrade well before the concrete so your concrete slab is now floating or collapsing, no?
@@tableshaper4076 Great question! Depends on so many factors, from the type of insulation specified to the amount of moisture it is exposed to, and whether bugs get to it or not. Mineral wool lasts the longest by far without too many performance issues, rigid foams not so much.
Spray foam simply performs better than fiber insulation because it eliminates heat transfer through convection. R value assumes no convection and this is not the case in real life with fiber and wool insulation. Therefore R valve overestimates the resistance to heat transfer with those products. Ridgid also performs well.
Why is there so little love for ICF, especially for basements and crawlspaces? So many advantages. Even more when you use it from footer to rafters. Makes for air tight building envelope with very little extra effort.
Yes, good question! I'm a home designer and the 2 biggest reasons homeowners don't use them: #1 - They THINK it's too expensive, or in other words, they don't want to make an investment on their home, which is in itself an investment!!! #2 Their builder doesn't want or know how to install them. In my area (Wisonsin/Upper MI) there's too many old school builders that have a concrete guy that just pours walls with wall forms and that's the end of the story. We are very short on contractors around here so there's no leverage for the homeowner!
How can you ensure the concrete is correctly poured?
@@multipotentialite The pouring of the concrete really is no different whether traditional forms or ICFs.
@@bwillan When you remove the forms you can inspect the concrete and repair as needed.
I think done properly, 2 lb commercial spray foam becomes inert from 2 hours to 24 based on resin used. Beyond that, and it simply wasn't mixed properly.
@@dosoffbeats I've got some test results that show otherwise, but I can't talk about the specifics just yet. Use caution with this stuff if it's located within the interior pressure boundary.
@@ASIRIDesignsok. 2 months have past. Please show the test results and who performed the tests. Thanks
Or weaker buildings to create a strength
*ICF comments:* IMO it's a waste of time and money to tape the seams, because EPB absorbs and passes water. Forget the tape and go straight to membranes, dimple mats, etc.
vapor moves from cold to warm. That's why dryers use warm air to dry clothes and not cold air.
@@buyallmeansnowh7493 In most cases it moves from warm to cold, but in all cases it moves from higher concentrations to lower concentrations. Warm air can hold more moisture than cold air, and will accelerate evaporation because of the added heat flow. Just look up the psychrometric chart...
@@ASIRIDesigns are you sure you're not talking about condition?
The biggest problem with every insulation is installation error. Most contractors just slap it up and don't care about the details
Wtf. The music. Annoying
Your anecdotal evidence influencing against massively popular and studied materials is hilarious. Do not listen to this guy.
Care to elaborate?
I've never had a problem with spray foam. This sounds like more hate on Hydrocarbons. get over it. Nothing else is going to seal the weather out like spray foam. No maytter which side of the exterior wall you put it on. co2 is plant food.
@@TheWhale45 I don't have any issue with hydrocarbons, it's the other stuff in there that emits from the foam when it's heated. I'll do a full video on our findings. Either way, you can get a superior air seal with adhered membranes and liquid applied products if you know what you're doing.
@@ASIRIDesigns Yeah yeah yeah I can smell woke nonsense from a mile away. Whatever they are emitting its minor and not harmful. It dires the emission stops.
I stopped watching after 1 minute. The Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood music was too good