Spray Foam Crawl Space Mistakes & 5 Steps to Avoid Disaster
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- Опубліковано 10 вер 2024
- Ready to tackle crawl space insulation with spray foam? 🌿🛠️ Before you dive in, watch our essential guide, "Spray Foam Crawl Space Mistakes & 5 Steps to Avoid Disaster," and ensure a successful insulation project! 🔍🔧 Learn about the most common mistakes homeowners make when using spray foam in crawl spaces, from improper application techniques to inadequate preparation. ❌🚫 Discover five crucial steps to avoid disaster and achieve optimal results with your crawl space insulation, including proper moisture management and ventilation considerations. 💧🌬️ Whether you're a seasoned DIYer or new to home improvement projects, our video provides invaluable insights to help you navigate the challenges of spray foam insulation and create a healthier, more energy-efficient crawl space. 🛡️😌 Don't let spray foam mistakes lead to costly repairs and indoor air quality issues - watch now to learn how to avoid disaster and achieve success with your crawl space insulation project! 🎥✨ Remember to share your thoughts and questions in the comments below - let's work together to make our homes healthier and more comfortable! 💬🏠 #CrawlSpaceInsulation #SprayFoamInsulation #DIYHomeImprovement #HomeEnergyEfficiency 🌿🔧
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AMEN!!!
My Forensic Structural Engineer husband was called in to inspect spray foam issues exactly like you mentioned (on subfloor & in attics) b/c IF a leak happens you won’t know it until it’s too late!! 🙌
Thank you for sharing
This is the video i was looking for for about an hour now. thank you for this information! taking notes to take on this project on my own home! thanks again!
Thank you
Spraying the foundation walls is cost effective and still improves efficiency
Spray foam insulation can be great in certain conditions
Buddy, as in friend, you help me so much with quality information and video content, I can’t thank you enough. I appreciate you sharing your comprehensive knowledge with me! Have a super day!! Continued success and all the very best to you, Michael!
I had the crawl space rim joists spray foamed. When I enquired about doing this to block odor from entering the living space, the insulation contractor would not do it. I think spray foaming the subfloor is considered an extreme measure unlike the rim joists that appears to be more of an accepted practice
We agree, although we prefer to use foam board with a small spray foam seal around the edges for rim joists in case you ever need to remove the insulation for repairs. Thanks for watching!
very good video! Question; my wooden floor is sagging when I step between supporting beams that are laid approximately 3 feet apart on the concrete floor
apparently, there are not enough of support beams between the concrete floor and wood floor.
I think they should have laid those supports every foot or so to give it more stability, then put the wooden floor on it and that should made it really solid floor. This is a cottage so previous owner did not invest lots of money in quality work.
because sub-floor is poorly constructed and there is a quite of a sag when you step between sub-floor beams, my question is - can I inject the spray foam between existing floorboards and concrete surface by drilling through the floor boards in order to help stiffen the floor?
I am thinking that maybe drilling the holes in the floor on every couple of feet between the supporting beams and injecting the foam will stiffen the floor, then I would lay over this a new hardwood floor.
any pros or cons?
Hey! Lets discuss more in-depth - crawlspaceninja.com/crawl-space-help-faq/
Been looking for a video like this forever.
Thanks for watching. I hope it helped.
Trickier scenario -- what do you recommend for an old (40+yr) masonry foundation? There's moisture present, and some mold on the masonry as well, and no history of a vapor barrier in the crawlspace (ever.. it's a 100+ yr old home). The floors are being completely rebuilt (including joists and new piers/footers), so everything is accessible from above.
Most humidity in a crawl space comes in via air infiltration, very little by diffusion. That's why simply closing up the perimeter wall will mostly eliminate the problem. Bleed a little bit of conditioned air into your closed crawl space, to eliminate the differential that turns your floor into a condensation plane.
Thank you
You're welcome
Thank you for another informative video.
Thank you
For a Florida house that has piers and no walls around crawl space what is best way to insulate the subfloor ?
There is a lot to go into this. Feel Free to submit a Ask a Ninja form so we may go in-depth - crawlspaceninja.com/crawl-space-help-faq/
I have a house in western n.c., and had a contractor from big name company come out and give me a price to remove all old bat insulation and spray foam my floors.. I have not been under the entire house, but does seem to be dry for the most part, but mice have been having a little party under there. vapor barrier is in place not sure how old, looks good. But the contractor that came out only looked through the door, and never set foot under house. Thats why i had them come out to go under the house with me to look around. So much for them doing a little inspection work before hand. Now I don t know what i should do
Set mouse traps and check them a few times each week.
What are your thoughts on concrobium fogger as mold preventative before spray foam?
Hi! I have an addition that is the only part of house not on slab or over basement. It is VERY cold and drafty. Theres flooring, then 3/4 mdf, 3/4 plywood, then joists, then fill. Theres no insulation. Oil is $5/gallon I got to do something. If I can even get a small guy in there, whats my best move? I was going to spray foam.
I have the same on my addition, I was thinking filling it with the closed cell marine foam?
For expert advice feel free to submit a Ask a Ninja Form - crawlspaceninja.com/ask-a-ninja/
I have an 80 year old cabin I sprayed from the subfloor I glued that thing together the walls and the ceiling everything
Wow!
is spray foam insulation toxic? can there be off gasing?
Some off gas a long time and some off gas a few hours but they all off gas as far as I know.
Awesome video! I wish there was a Ninja franchise near me.
Maybe one day!
I just bought a newly rennovated home, strong musty earthy smell in the house and mostly if you put your nose in the cracks between floor and baseboards, its so strong. We had encapsulated to "fix" the issue as we had very high humidity below. Its been 2 months, still smells, not as bad in house but still strong ubder baseboards. Subfloor was spray foamed by owner that rennovated. He said there was a moldy vapor barrier when he purchased so he removed and spray foamed.
Unable to see mold but sure smells like it. Is there really nothing else i can do????
You can attempt to remove all the spray foam. Unfortunately we don't do that nor have we found anyone that would pay us to do it because it will be extremely labor intensive. Has anyone had to remove spray foam from subfloors and joists that can offer advice?
I have a 600ft frothpak kit and a high quality vapor barrier kit. My house is 32x56’. Setting on concrete block piers. It’s on a steep grade- 8” to 84” in 56’. I built a water diversion wall out in front of my house to stop water from running under. I’ll have a small amount but very little now. I just want to use spray foam around the area my joists set on the piers. And batt insulation back up on the rest. And foam board around my bathrooms, kitchen and utility room. I have one whole long side open and deck goes out along that open side and 4 - 24” vent holes on the opposite Long side. Would it be better to get my vapor barrier down and taped up before i spray my foam? Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And my area is very high in humidity- the MS coast.
Great Question, JackofallDave: In order to determine whether spray foam insulation requires a vapor barrier, you must fully understand what a vapor barrier is. In essence, a vapor barrier is a material that prevents moisture from diffusing. It is common to install moisture barriers around a home, such as in the floor, ceiling, walls, or roof, using plastic or foil sheets. In order to prevent mold growth or premature rotting, these barriers prevent water vapor from infiltrating an area where it could condense and cause moisture to condense. Is a vapor barrier required for spray foam insulation? It depends on whether you use open-cell or closed-cell spray foam. Water can pass through open-cell spray foam insulation because it is not completely water-proof. Due to this, it will not be sufficient for a vapor barrier, and depending on your area and the insulation's location, you may need to install one. In contrast, closed-cell spray foam insulation is completely moisture-resistant. If sufficient insulation is installed-typically 1.5 inches thick-it creates a moisture barrier on its own, so there is no need to install a separate vapor barrier. Basements and crawl spaces, which are typically damp or humid, are often ideal locations to use closed-cell spray foam insulation. We appreciate you watching. Hope you have a happy and blessed weekend.
Eric, I'm about to soda blast some floor joices in my crawl space. I'm curious to know what type of respirators and tyvex suits y'all use??
We use 3M Full Face Masks and DuPont Tyvek suits.
What about putting rockwool in between the floor joists? I was debating on doing it under the bedrooms which are the north half of the space. Plumbing, etc are on the south end and due to possible leak detection.
Hey Ambil Aevus, We recommend spray foam insulation and foam board insulation.
Thanks for watching and have a blessed day
Rock wool is far superior to fiberglass bat insulation.
We are looking at a mobile home for sale and the person selling it said that the previous owners used spray foam to replace the belly board insulation and the subfloor was now uneven because it expanded. Could this be an easy fix?
My apologies, that is out of my area of knowledge. May want to consult a flooring company. My way of thinking to fix it would be to remove the floor, subfloor and cut back the insulation.
Question - Mold is a concern but if you use spray foam in the underside of a house and there happens to be a little mold with it not be starved out since the foam will keep moisture and air from reaching it anymore? I live in a Texas Coastal town. I live in a house built in 1940 with a pier and beam foundation. Also my house is wood with siding. No brick. My crawl space is at best 12-24" at best in height. Its a belly or back crawler. No room to walk on all four. My house has siding that stops at the ground and there are no air vents. It is very humid here and batting would not last long. I feel spray foam would be the only logical solution in my case? The house gets very cold on the first floor from the cold weather and I feel it get a lot of humidity coming up there the floor also. By having spray foam on the underside seems like a good solution to keep the elements out of my house. Either way I am looking at a good size investment but I dont want to waste money making the wrong choice either.
We have seen mold grow after spray foam is applied and punch through. If the foam is applied to wet moldy subfloor it could cause issues according to what we have seen.
@@CrawlSpaceNinja What solution do you have for someone with my setup? I have watched a ton of your videos and none of them seem to be in a crawl space like mine. The ones in your video have crawl spaces that are a lot larger than mine. I basically have dirt/ground on the bottom. About 12-15" of space until you get to the sub floor and as far as walls there really are none. Siding would be my walls basically.
Really like your tribute music in the intro....well done.
Thank you!
I had my patio which at one time was a deck. The rest of the house is encapsulated and dehumidifier. I just had the patio checked and had a company to spray foam under the floor. This was done in May and I went under there this morning and water beads and puddles are everywhere on top of the moisture barrier. What can I do?
Lol what! You spray foamed a deck where water will almost 100% hit it? Why?
I am looking at a home that has spray foam on the crawlspace walls along with a good vapor barrier and they left the floor fiberglass insulation in. Should the floor insulation be removed, it is fiberglass with a vapor barrier on both sides.
As long as the crawl space is dry and the fiberglass in the subfloor is not holding moisture or hiding any leaks or mold it should be okay to stay.
Hi, what do you recommend as an alternative to spray foaming the subfloor? I have a crawl where the paper-backed insulation is hanging down from the subfloor. Should I just replace the damaged insulation?
I just had my 180 sq ft crawl space encapsulated and they simply removed the fiberglass insulation. You really won’t need it as the temperature is a steady 70 degrees while my humidity is 55%. I guess it depends where your home is.
@@thomast8553 thanks for both of your replies. I'm in central IN- so temps are not terribly extreme, but do fluctuate a lot with the seasons. I forgot to mention, my crawlspace is currently vented w 2 vents- and the vents are old and therefore do not truly close well for the colder seasons. Eventually I do want to encapsulate, but cost is a barrier. I'd like to DIY because of that, but it may take a long time. This channel has been immensely helpful!
Sam Lopez I had one vent that was closed up. So all together, I had rim joists sprayed and then paperless fiberglass insulation put on top of the foam. So they were moderate with the spray foam really using it for air sealing with the fiberglass as an insulation. The vent was closed and a vapor barrier put down. The three actions all reduced source of humidity.
Hi Sam, if you plan to encapsulate and seal your vents, you can insulate the foundation wall with foam board. If you do not intend to close your crawl space, you will need to replace the fiberglass. Crawl space insulation is required by building code.
@@CrawlSpaceNinja thanks so much for the reply, that makes sense. Have a happy and blessed day 👍
Hey guys, love the videos. I'm in a bit of a jam and hoping you can help. O live in NH and removed old onsulunder mobile home that has dirt basement. When I replace the Batts, can I put poly 6mil over it and on the dirt floor? Plan spray foaming sides due to cost. Any help would be greatly appreciated 🙏
We do not recommend putting vapor barrier over subfloor insulation as it can trap moisture and cause damage to the subfloor over time. Everything else sounds like it should work for you!
Pier and beam house....se texas...added fiberglass ...and got mold forming between plywood subfloor and fiberglass. Going to remove this winter(2 years after applied) no substantial skirting on home so basically open air....do you agree since 2 different homes both started growing mold....it's prolly best to just pull all the subfloor insulation?
Could never ever control my humidity is prolly the problem
Mold can cause respiratory issues and other illnesses, so moldy insulation should be removed as soon as possible. Dispose of moldy products properly after removing the insulation to prevent the spread of spores.
Hurricane Mathew made the bat insulation under my subfloor a mess. The replacement closed cell foam trapped moisture, and now I face rotting joists and subfloor in what has been a bone dry crawl space for 50 years. What a mess. Anyway to remove it, Ninja Guru, without spending a fortune? I would recommend to your viewer use foam of any sort in a crawl space only with great reluctance.
I am not a carpenter, but rotting joists and subfloors need complete removal. Partial removal just delays the inevitable: mold mildew and rotting will continue because the bacteria, fungus, and molds are in the wood. You might not see their spawn, but its there. I am slowly remodeling a home that has an unaccessible crawlspace. It has tiny vents, but the only way into it is from above. So i understand how quickly this project becomes expensive. I am hoping to be able to encapsulate my crawlspace once the issue of water/humidity has been addressed. My biggest concerns are not just the rot, but the indoor air quality issues. Right now this house is a large dirty drafty mess. I know that as I redo each room, the draftiness goes down, so I figure I am on the right path.
1. You don’t spray subfloor with closed cell or open foam . One reason, if the moisture content in the board is over 6% in a short time the foam will shrink and lose adhesion causing gaps
2. It can trap moisture in the wood, which possibly over a long period of time could cause rot unless it’s a controlled Crawlspace with a dehumidifier, if so spraying subfloor was redundant and not necessary
3. Foundation walls and rim joists are where closed cell foam only goes! No open cell in Crawlspace period it acts as a sponge. Open cell is for attics and wall cavities only, will still allow you to find a leak .
But once again 99% of all of this is opinion based, if there’s mold, mmr first dehu the space dry encapsulate the space and keep it controlled you has less chance of mold or microbial growth in the future. Keep it clean keep it dry and it will last a lifetime
Thanks for sharing
What if you just get the perimeter and rim joists sprayed?
That should help.
Is it ever acceptable to have no insulation between the floor joists after crawlspace encapsulation?
Yes, if the vents are sealed and the foundation walls are insulated, you do not have to replace insulation between the floor joists. This video may be helpful to you: ua-cam.com/video/9OjjZwii0qw/v-deo.html
@@CrawlSpaceNinja Brilliant; thank you!
I have a stone foundation crawlspace can I use closed cell foam to spray the stone instead of the plastic
I think you want foam board behind the plastic on the walls
It's not a flat surface I have a stone foundation it not flat enough
ua-cam.com/video/Uz10CvcrkOc/v-deo.html this video might help, he's in the same situation and spray foams about 17 mins in. Good luck!
Great video thx for sharing.
I have a bunkie on piers and I'd like to insulate the floor so it won't loose heat as fast in our cold Canadian winter months. Being on piers (cement blocks), the crawlspace is completely open to cold air.
Previous owner put fiber glass insulation batts between the subfloor joists, and held up the insul with chicken wire.
Needless to say say it's a mess under there now as animals had a hay day nesting there during winter months.
So figure I'll spray foam the subfloor. Any concerns?
Also If I ever decide to enclose the crawlspace (via boards, bricks whatever), will the presence of spray foam in the subfloor be a problem, would I have to remove it first ?
Curious how you handled it? I’m in the same situation
@@danhenson6386 I ended up not doing spray foam: it is very expensive for that kind of job, compared to foam board; and once it's there, removal is near impossible (like I'm not aware of a chemical you can spray on the hard foam to separate it from the wood). So I'll cut up 4" thick foam board; 1 or 2 layers should make a huge difference next winter.
What's your plan?
@@Schollii68 just got my piers in the ground so I’m still in the planning phase, considering a combo of foil & ridged foam. Not quiet as cold here, more concerned with insects and mice.
Thanks for the answer and good luck 👍🏽
@@Schollii68 how do you keep th e foam board between the joists from falling.?
@@kYA00h I'm going to try a quarter round (the kind used for baseboards and other finishings). Given the tight space under the floor, I'll probably use a Brad nailer, and might add weather stripping to one side of the quarter round (the side that will be in contact with the foam board), I'll see how it goes.
Let me know if you try any of this.
can you pressure wash the mold off then dry it and run the dehumidifier until it is dry enough then paint it with that mold killing paint?
If you spray foam a house that we have a termite bond on, we will cancel your bond.
Do they have mold resistant spray foam?
Great question, Steven. Spray foam insulation does not attract mold as a product. The spray foam will not rot, rust, or deteriorate like wood or metal. Foam insulation prevents an area from becoming a food source or a hospitable environment for mold colonies. Thanks for watching and have a happy & blessed day.
Spray foam seems like a really bad idea to me.
Hey CMack Scott,
Check out this blog we did on Spray foam, it's got some great information.
crawlspaceninja.com/insulation/spray-foam-insulation/
Thanks for watching and have a blessed day.
Mold need moisture and oxygen and will starve under closed cell foam.
Please share scientific data for this statement. I am not familiar with this being the case.
@@CrawlSpaceNinja
this is what spray foam is used for some times, to hide mold and unsuspecting home buyers are screwed because hides termites too
@@veronicalong99 It seems some do use it for that purpose versus addressing the mold properly. Thanks for sharing.