Doing a DIY build in North Carolina and will be contracting the spray foam out. Perfect video for me! What can I do as the builder to help out my spray foam contractor? I want to set them and myself up for success. Thanks!
Hey Mike, I think you and Matt Risinger, from The Build Show, should collaborate together on some videos. He’s big into building science, I think the videos would be very informative!
Have you ever seen a contractor install 2" rigid foam board and then 2" of closed cell over the top of the foam board in a ceiling? Is this OK to do and get the same r value?
Open celled my roof. Installer ignored my breifing before they started. Walled in a ventilated area incorrectly. Left a soffit vent unsprayed, shorted the depth. Overfilled a spot i asked to be shallow. Called out the manager and walked around with him. He took pictures and found some other stuff. Being 10 feet from the spray zone its not to bad. But still nasty fumes. A one shot.. You will live. But repeated exposure.. Not good. Wear your ppe.
As you showed how efficient 2-3" foam is why would people spray 5'? Sure would like to see foaming on that metal framed house and how to do those types of buildings.
I had a company sprayed under the floor in the crawl space a few years ago. We agreed to 2" and these guys sprayed it thinking I would not crawl underneath there and check. Well, it looked awful! Not anywhere smooth like the way you guys do it here. It looked lumpy with lumps the size of 1"-3" with some elongation drip like structures without any smooth section in sight. There were even entire lengths of sections with no foam at all and sections with 1/2" foam. I complained and they said it was normal and that was to be expected. They said they would come back to fixed it then they changed their mind and demanded money. And this was a referral from a friend of mind which was a home builder. Your video explaining temperature and expired foam may explained why they did such an awful looking job.
As always don't tell the boss what to do but in 50 years of general contracting I have seldom met someone in your line or type of sub-work that has your level of expertise as to the trade you practice. As blower door tests and all kinds of regualtions get put on the building industry, we will see lots of need for someone who has thought out the science and then tested the conclusions in the real world. You hav changed how I see insulation and the whole environmental envelope matter. Dr. Joe has written that the perfect wall may have closed cell spray foam on the outside of the sheeting with the right finish/rain screen and just let the interior breath. I have owned boats with spaced wood slats on the inside walls/hull surfaces, you had to promote drying to the inside as the outside was in water 24/7!! I hope you can summon the energy and time to keep posting. I really look forward to watching every TH-cam. Thanks so much. Bob Jarrard
Wow! Thank you for the most kind words Bob, I appreciate that. I will continue for as long as I have something to say, the people want to listen and I sense the anointing to do it. We do live what I present on the channel. Nothing is theory.
Mike, this was an excellent post, I want to thank you again for your thoughtful and in-depth presentations. I also want the thank you for your timely response to my questions a few weeks ago. It is truly amazing your knowledge regarding your business and products that you use. I just wish that you were able to provide your services in my area. ??? Is there an association / certification / or any overseeing of installers in the United States that you are aware of?? Thank you and keep the videos coming.
Thank you for watching and those kind words of feedback. There is no association to help, they have no teeth of enforcement to the installer. So you building up your SPF IQ is the best thing. Fools prey on ignorance.
Good video but I’m confused as to why you can’t gauge thickness by measuring off of the side of the studs. Wouldn’t measuring the sides or putting a straight edge across two studs and measuring from the straight edge to the foam be an acceptable method?
Good information, but I like to be paid right away because I have way more leverage to collect while I’m still on the job site. Once your rig leaves the job site you loose that. Plus who doesn’t like to get paid when you complete the job instead of whenever the customer gets around to snail mail you a check. It’s all about reducing liability. The only guys I don’t require immediate payment from is people I’ve done a lot of work for over the years and I know they are good for it, but most of them have the check book in their hand while we are doing the final walkthrough anyway. With foam almost to $4000 a set now days, no one wants to sit on that bill.
Hey Mike, question for you, my spray foam does not smell or give off an odor, however, when I cut into it for whatever reason, it gives off a fishy odor for about a minute or so before it dissipates. Is this normal? Is this a sign of bad spray foam?
Yes normal. You are breaking the cells open and the internal gasses are being released. Some are more smell than others with this. BASF and Walltite it is very faint.
This video series is like a master class you would pay for a 6 week course. Absolutely invaluable information presented in a masterful way. I feel empowered to speak intelligently to my contractor and see his perspective.
I seriously wish you guys were in Illinois! Every video you post your installation looks great. I had the upstairs of our house sprayed and the quality was totally sub par. I had the whole thing open for them with nothing in their way and the end product was terribly uneven and looked like I had done it. They were over an inch short all over the place and later I found voids behind the foam that they came to "fix" but only used great stuff which didn't even fill the whole void. Luckily we still had our retainer so they never got paid for the entire job which I discussed with their regional manager. Wish more people cared about their jobs like you do!
I appreciate ALL your videos, but a log for spray foam? As a Commercial truck driver, I get it- but a log for more regulations doesn't help unless they're to be licensed by state. Again, appreciate your knowledge and hard work.
Great video as usual. I definitely agree with the PPE issue. If the guys aren't protecting themselves it sometimes talks about what other things fo they do that cuts corners. Fresh is definitely a must, especially in attics in summer time foof lol.
Good video but I’m confused as to why you can’t gauge thickness by measuring off of the side of the studs. Wouldn’t measuring the sides or putting a straight edge across two studs and measuring from any point along the straight edge to the foam be an acceptable method?
The same reason that a swimming pool measures depth of water from the bottom of the pool to the surface vs from the ceiling. Substrates vary in profile and depth.
Concrete, tile floors, electrical, underground piping: there is the ability to do sub standard work in all those field. The best remedy is knowledge. Fool prey on the ignorant.
Doing a DIY build in North Carolina and will be contracting the spray foam out. Perfect video for me! What can I do as the builder to help out my spray foam contractor? I want to set them and myself up for success. Thanks!
Watch the playlist on metal buildings and then "how not to be cheated" and that should answer 99% of your questions.
Hey Mike, I think you and Matt Risinger, from The Build Show, should collaborate together on some videos. He’s big into building science, I think the videos would be very informative!
Maybe one day!
Have you ever seen a contractor install 2" rigid foam board and then 2" of closed cell over the top of the foam board in a ceiling? Is this OK to do and get the same r value?
Open celled my roof.
Installer ignored my breifing before they started. Walled in a ventilated area incorrectly. Left a soffit vent unsprayed, shorted the depth. Overfilled a spot i asked to be shallow.
Called out the manager and walked around with him. He took pictures and found some other stuff.
Being 10 feet from the spray zone its not to bad. But still nasty fumes. A one shot.. You will live. But repeated exposure.. Not good. Wear your ppe.
As you showed how efficient 2-3" foam is why would people spray 5'? Sure would like to see foaming on that metal framed house and how to do those types of buildings.
For 5 inch: Code, or just stupidity
I had a company sprayed under the floor in the crawl space a few years ago. We agreed to 2" and these guys sprayed it thinking I would not crawl underneath there and check. Well, it looked awful! Not anywhere smooth like the way you guys do it here. It looked lumpy with lumps the size of 1"-3" with some elongation drip like structures without any smooth section in sight. There were even entire lengths of sections with no foam at all and sections with 1/2" foam. I complained and they said it was normal and that was to be expected. They said they would come back to fixed it then they changed their mind and demanded money. And this was a referral from a friend of mind which was a home builder. Your video explaining temperature and expired foam may explained why they did such an awful looking job.
Yikes! Sorry to hear that. I keep shedding the light on those charlatans.
1:57 how in the hell did you turn off gravity here!?
"I don't want you to become little hitlers out there." Hahaha spray Jones is the man!
As always don't tell the boss what to do but in 50 years of general contracting I have seldom met someone in your line or type of sub-work that has your level of expertise as to the trade you practice. As blower door tests and all kinds of regualtions get put on the building industry, we will see lots of need for someone who has thought out the science and then tested the conclusions in the real world. You hav changed how I see insulation and the whole environmental envelope matter. Dr. Joe has written that the perfect wall may have closed cell spray foam on the outside of the sheeting with the right finish/rain screen and just let the interior breath. I have owned boats with spaced wood slats on the inside walls/hull surfaces, you had to promote drying to the inside as the outside was in water 24/7!! I hope you can summon the energy and time to keep posting. I really look forward to watching every TH-cam. Thanks so much. Bob Jarrard
Wow! Thank you for the most kind words Bob, I appreciate that.
I will continue for as long as I have something to say, the people want to listen and I sense the anointing to do it.
We do live what I present on the channel. Nothing is theory.
Mike, this was an excellent post, I want to thank you again for your thoughtful and in-depth presentations. I also want the thank you for your timely response to my questions a few weeks ago. It is truly amazing your knowledge regarding your business and products that you use. I just wish that you were able to provide your services in my area. ??? Is there an association / certification / or any overseeing of installers in the United States that you are aware of?? Thank you and keep the videos coming.
Thank you for watching and those kind words of feedback. There is no association to help, they have no teeth of enforcement to the installer. So you building up your SPF IQ is the best thing. Fools prey on ignorance.
Getting ready find a spray foam contractor! As always on point with the information!
Thank you for watching.
Good video but I’m confused as to why you can’t gauge thickness by measuring off of the side of the studs. Wouldn’t measuring the sides or putting a straight edge across two studs and measuring from the straight edge to the foam be an acceptable method?
Good information, but I like to be paid right away because I have way more leverage to collect while I’m still on the job site. Once your rig leaves the job site you loose that. Plus who doesn’t like to get paid when you complete the job instead of whenever the customer gets around to snail mail you a check. It’s all about reducing liability. The only guys I don’t require immediate payment from is people I’ve done a lot of work for over the years and I know they are good for it, but most of them have the check book in their hand while we are doing the final walkthrough anyway. With foam almost to $4000 a set now days, no one wants to sit on that bill.
Hey Mike, question for you, my spray foam does not smell or give off an odor, however, when I cut into it for whatever reason, it gives off a fishy odor for about a minute or so before it dissipates. Is this normal? Is this a sign of bad spray foam?
Yes normal.
You are breaking the cells open and the internal gasses are being released. Some are more smell than others with this. BASF and Walltite it is very faint.
Beautiful! Thank you!
This video series is like a master class you would pay for a 6 week course. Absolutely invaluable information presented in a masterful way. I feel empowered to speak intelligently to my contractor and see his perspective.
Thank you.
That is the idea. Make everyone a little smarter...
I seriously wish you guys were in Illinois! Every video you post your installation looks great. I had the upstairs of our house sprayed and the quality was totally sub par. I had the whole thing open for them with nothing in their way and the end product was terribly uneven and looked like I had done it. They were over an inch short all over the place and later I found voids behind the foam that they came to "fix" but only used great stuff which didn't even fill the whole void. Luckily we still had our retainer so they never got paid for the entire job which I discussed with their regional manager. Wish more people cared about their jobs like you do!
Thanks for the feedback. Sorry to hear that, this is why I keep publishing these videos so people can learn.
I appreciate ALL your videos, but a log for spray foam? As a Commercial truck driver, I get it- but a log for more regulations doesn't help unless they're to be licensed by state. Again, appreciate your knowledge and hard work.
Beautiful work 👌👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Great video as usual. I definitely agree with the PPE issue. If the guys aren't protecting themselves it sometimes talks about what other things fo they do that cuts corners. Fresh is definitely a must, especially in attics in summer time foof lol.
Absolutely!
People still not doing it. Most the contractors here don’t speak English and have reused 3m cartridges
Amazing videos!
I’m in Ontario...are there any SF Contractors you recommend?
No.
Talk with BASF in TO and the will direct you to Walltite installers in your area.
Good video but I’m confused as to why you can’t gauge thickness by measuring off of the side of the studs. Wouldn’t measuring the sides or putting a straight edge across two studs and measuring from any point along the straight edge to the foam be an acceptable method?
The same reason that a swimming pool measures depth of water from the bottom of the pool to the surface vs from the ceiling.
Substrates vary in profile and depth.
It makes me sick to have to worry about this
Concrete, tile floors, electrical, underground piping: there is the ability to do sub standard work in all those field.
The best remedy is knowledge. Fool prey on the ignorant.
Hell ya!
Thanks for watching.
When you stab the foam with the probe.. Do you seal that hole? I realize its a verrrey tiny hole
I believe that is discussed in the video.
8:25
Rewatching. Heard it this time. Sorry.