We are doing about a 1000 SF addition that will need to be insulated. I am leaning towards removing the current attic insulation and spraying the entire thing (~1900SF) along with the new exterior walls. Does anyone have any recommendations and/or idea on ballpark cost? I know there were a couple posters that used to be in the business. TIA

I got a quote from Williams Insulation to do the underside of the roof (about 2000 sq ft) and two gables for $11,500.

They also do standard batt + fiberglass blown in (which is what I'll be doing).

I'm going to be giving this DIY kit a spin this week:

https://sprayfoamkit.com/

RTT I would be interested in how you feel that kit works. I would like to do my attic. Could you either update this thread or start a new one once you finish your work?

If you retrofit an existing house with spray foam at the underside of the roof deck, remember you have to seal soffit vents and any other vents. Also, to meet code you should construct a separation wall between the attic over a garage and the attic over the house. This is to prevent carbon monoxide buildup in the living space. If separation wall has a door, the door should be an exterior type door with weatherstripping and threshold.

Looking forward to seeing how the DIY kit works.

I posted the following to Ryan in one of his previous threads regarding insulation and think it's appropriate here as well:

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Ryan, currently in the process of insulating my exterior 2"x4" walls with Foam It Green (FIG) closed cell spray insulation. At 1"= an R-Value of R-7, I'm able to get an R-Value of about R-21 to R-24 in the walls based on approximately 3-3.5" of FIG insulation. It costs $628 plus shipping for a kit to do approximately 200 sf at 3" or 172 sf at 3.5".

Check it out at:

http://www.sprayfoamkit.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjwru6oBRDDp4jRj4bL_xASJADJ2oby4L5V4WCd-is3NXD3d3mycGG59u8o1aC58Myu1sEGmxoCcYDw_wcB

It's easy to do!!!

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I've used FIG for insulating my exterior walls in our current house renovation and couldn't be more pleased. I even PM'ed him the following information regarding FIG based on my experience with the product:

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BTW, the stuff is awesome and simple to use. I was concerned as my son-in-law had someone insulate their renovated home with open cell spray insulation. It was extremely messy mainly due to the high pressure used, but FIG is nowhere near as messy. I was initially concerned and bought plastic to prevent it from going everywhere which I learned was not necessary. I don't even put on the tyveck suit. I just wear old clothes, shoes and wear the respirator and goggles or an old pair of glasses. Call or text me if you have any questions.

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Let me know if anyone has any questions and I'll be more than happy to discuss.

You want to look at the type of foam used and make sure you have the right selected for your application - there is a difference between closed cell and open cell.

I used a couple of DIY kits on the gables in my attic - easy to use, worked exactly as they said they would. Getting the right coverage per spray took a little getting used to, but overall it was not much of a problem. The biggest headache for me was getting the tanks up in the attic - they are not light and it was a pain for me to get them to each side of the attic without falling through while balancing on joists.

The gables in my house were uninsulated - during the summer you could feel heat radiating from them (especially on the west side) from as far as 10 feet away. I used an open cell DIY kit (1200 board feet at 1" IIRC) on each gable. Made a huge difference in the amount of heat that gets radiated into my attic.

I'd love to do the underside of my roof deck, but that's more than I'm willing to spend.

One thing about doing a roof deck - you need to make sure your AC gets evaluated after the fact. What generally happens is that the insulation is significantly more efficient than standard batt insulation (which I wouldn't remove BTW) that your AC becomes inefficient - mostly because it suddenly becomes oversized and does not run long enough to pull moisture out of the air like it is designed to do.

Edit - Bought my kit at Roofing Insulation & Supply on the north side of town. Website

I did 1200 square feet of my house with the FIG kit. Probably one of the easiest home projects I have done in a while. Well worth it to do yourself, IMO.

Thanks for the responses....I had seen the DIY spray foam just wasn't sure how good it was. I'll do a little more research on it this weekend

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Thanks for the responses....I had seen the DIY spray foam just wasn't sure how good it was. I'll do a little more research on it this weekend

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Let me know if you have any questions, as I'd be happy to try to help with responses. I can also provide you with a POC at FIG to possibly assist in getting a better deal based on quantity you're needing as I was able to get a better deal than ordering online based on my total needs.

Ok, for those with experience with the Foam It Green (i.e. sprayfoamkit.com) stuff, I have some questions. I have some side walls and above ceiling areas in my attic where the builder-installed insulation has sagged (walls) or otherwise disappeared (ceilings). The ceiling areas were originally blow-in for insulation and the walls are your basic kraft paper on one side (R-13 I believe, maybe R-19) rolled insulation. I want to rip-out what's left of the walled insulation, pull any kraft paper, and spray foam all the way to the edge of the 2.5 (R-24ish if I understand the website correctly). As for above the ceilings, I also want to remove the blown-in insulation and spray-foam this area to a depth of approximately 6 inches. Here are my questions:

1. How long does it take to apply this to an 8' x 8' wall? You just go up and down between the studs adding 1" layers at a time until you get 3-4 inches in depth?

2. Any special preparation I need to do to the back of the sheetrock before I apply? It's the paper side of the sheetrock that's exposed in the attic...just spray and go?

3. Can I apply it early in the morning (say 4-6 AM) and it will be OK as it sets-up as the attic heats during the day? (Or, should I apply this in the fall when the attic doesn't get to 140+?)

I will, of course, take tons of pics and reflect on my experiences in a thread on TexAgs. The above comments have me sold, and I've watched some of the company's YouTube videos, seems pretty straight forward. Anything I'm missing?

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Ok, for those with experience with the Foam It Green (i.e. sprayfoamkit.com) stuff, I have some questions. I have some side walls and above ceiling areas in my attic where the builder-installed insulation has sagged (walls) or otherwise disappeared (ceilings). The ceiling areas were originally blow-in for insulation and the walls are your basic kraft paper on one side (R-13 I believe, maybe R-19) rolled insulation. I want to rip-out what's left of the walled insulation, pull any kraft paper, and spray foam all the way to the edge of the 2.5 (R-24ish if I understand the website correctly). As for above the ceilings, I also want to remove the blown-in insulation and spray-foam this area to a depth of approximately 6 inches. Here are my questions:

1. How long does it take to apply this to an 8' x 8' wall? You just go up and down between the studs adding 1" layers at a time until you get 3-4 inches in depth? It should only take about 20-30 minutes to do that and yes, you just go up and down between the studs adding 1" layers at a time until you get 3-4 inches in depth, The foam sets up quickly so by the time you make one 1" pass over the entire area, you can start the next pass, etc, until you get to the thickness you so desire. I had areas where it expanded beyond the 2x4's so I just used a hand saw to cut off the excess material.

2. Any special preparation I need to do to the back of the sheetrock before I apply? It's the paper side of the sheetrock that's exposed in the attic...just spray and go? Not really as I just sprayed it directly onto the sheetrock backing as mine was in good shape. I just used a broom to clean off dust particles and cobwebs. From FIG website - Make sure the surface is clean and dry. If you're doing a crawlpace, basement or attic especially, take a wire brush to the surface to knock off any dust, cobwebs or dirt. Like any adhesive, spray foam needs a clean dry surface for best bonding.

3. Can I apply it early in the morning (say 4-6 AM) and it will be OK as it sets-up as the attic heats during the day? (Or, should I apply this in the fall when the attic doesn't get to 140+?) As long as the surface is between the recommended temp range of 60-80 degrees at time of application, you should be good to go. Once it's cured, the excess temps should not be an issue. From FIG website - Make sure you store the kit indoors for at least 24 hrs before using to make sure the temperature is in the right range for maximum yield. With Foam it Green, you get a temperature gauge strip right on the tank! (Note, if you are heating a tank, the tank will get warmer before all the chemical inside will.) - Make sure the surface temperature of where you're spraying is between 60 and 80 degrees F. If it isn't, you won't get a good bond to the surface, and you'll have reduced yield.

I will, of course, take tons of pics and reflect on my experiences in a thread on TexAgs. The above comments have me sold, and I've watched some of the company's YouTube videos, seems pretty straight forward. Anything I'm missing?

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Aggiemike96,

FYI, I also sent a copy of your inquiry to my POC at FIG and will respond with any additional info he provides once I receive his response to my e-mail.

Thanks for the super fast reply and comments!

One more question...if I order it on Wednesday, when should I expect it to arrive (Houston)? I have some time early next week, but the 4th if a bad weekend for me.

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One more question...if I order it on Wednesday, when should I expect it to arrive (Houston)? I have some time early next week, but the 4th if a bad weekend for me.

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I think it took 5 days for me to get mine.

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3. Can I apply it early in the morning (say 4-6 AM) and it will be OK as it sets-up as the attic heats during the day? (Or, should I apply this in the fall when the attic doesn't get to 140+?) As long as the surface is between the recommended temp range of 60-80 degrees at time of application, you should be good to go. Once it's cured, the excess temps should not be an issue. From FIG website - Make sure you store the kit indoors for at least 24 hrs before using to make sure the temperature is in the right range for maximum yield. With Foam it Green, you get a temperature gauge strip right on the tank! (Note, if you are heating a tank, the tank will get warmer before all the chemical inside will.) - Make sure the surface temperature of where you're spraying is between 60 and 80 degrees F. If it isn't, you won't get a good bond to the surface, and you'll have reduced yield.

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I'm glad this got posted because I am installing it under a hot roof. These days, I'm lucky if the surface is the same temperature as the outside ambient temperature. I will probably end up installing it very late at night after hosing the roof down to get it around 80 degrees.

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One more question...if I order it on Wednesday, when should I expect it to arrive (Houston)? I have some time early next week, but the 4th if a bad weekend for me.

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I ordered mine via phone call to FIG's customer support number 800-516-0949 on 3/16/15 at about noonish and received it on 3/19/15 about 4ish.

Have you decided how much you plan to order? Reason I ask is I'm trying to see if there is a possibility of getting a shipping break on your order. I was able to get a break as I ordered 6 kits with a break on the future order as I'll need another 6-9 to finish my job. They offered me a break with the understanding that I will be placing another order in the future when I'm ready for it.

I'm going to crawl up in the attic tonight and take some precise measurements. However, I think I may want to start with just one kit. If it's a disaster (which doesn't look like it will be judging by the comments below), then I'll need to go a different route. I'd like to redo my entire attic insulation (it's a 25 year old home, and in some places there is only a few inches of blown-in). Just not sure on what I want to do or how much I want to spend.

Just be aware that if you use a closed cell product (R 7) on the bottom of your roof deck, it's waterproof. That means if you have a roof leak, your 2x6 rafters and plywood decking might rot before you realize there is a roof leak. Good building science is to use an open cell product on the roof deck.

Also, if you do a closed attic assembly (ie, spray foam the gables and underside of the roof deck ) good building science is to remove the insulation on the ceiling.

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Just be aware that if you use a closed cell product (R 7) on the bottom of your roof deck, it's waterproof. That means if you have a roof leak, your 2x6 rafters and plywood decking might rot before you realize there is a roof leak. Good building science is to use an open cell product on the roof deck.

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Spray foam manufacturers say otherwise.

BTW - I have my review of the Foam it Green DIY system now.

I did find the system to be a bit more difficult to work with than the instructional videos make it seem. The setup is quick and easy, but the fan spray tips clog and sputter pretty quickly, but they give you enough to change them out pretty regularly. This stuff is much more of a mess than I imagined it would be. Expect to get foam on everything in the room, so tape it, tarp it, etc. It was somewhat difficult to determine how much it was going to expand, so I ended up with some thin spots.

The biggest problem I had was the fact that I was insulating a ceiling. Applying this stuff upside down is difficult, and it ends up very uneven. It also tends to drop straight down if you apply more than a light coat at a time, which means pass after pass after pass over the same areas to build it up.

Wear the Tyvek suit and booties. Tape the gloves to the suit. If you have facial hair, wear a full face mask unless you want to be picking foam out of your beard. Wear a respirator because a dust mask isn't going to cut it.

All said, I would probably buy this again, but if I had to insulate a ceiling I would hire someone. I will strongly consider buying another kit to do the inside of my roof.

Oh crap RTT, didn't realize you were going to be spraying overhead and evidently you didn't watch the video specifically for overhead spraying.

For overhead spraying, you do not use the a fan spray tips, just the mixing tips, or they clod up quickly as you appear to have experienced. Plus when ever you are using the fan spray tips, be sure to squeeze the handle fully engaged as you're spraying and if you stop spraying for more than 30 seconds, you're supposed to replace the fan spray tip for proper operation. Mind you, I've exceeded he 30 seconds a few times with no problem.

It's times like this when you are having issues, you should call the 800 number they provide to answer any questions or concerns you may have. See the video below:

https://www.sprayfoamkit.com/videos-a-how-tos/overhead-project

Too late now.

RTT
Help me out with something. If you have a waterproof barrier on the bottom of your roof deck, how will water intrusion, over an extended period, NOT cause rot to rafters and decking?

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I got a quote from Williams Insulation to do the underside of the roof (about 2000 sq ft) and two gables for $11,500.

They also do standard batt + fiberglass blown in (which is what I'll be doing).

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Thats a crazy high price for your project. Should be around $5000.

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Just be aware that if you use a closed cell product (R 7) on the bottom of your roof deck, it's waterproof. That means if you have a roof leak, your 2x6 rafters and plywood decking might rot before you realize there is a roof leak. Good building science is to use an open cell product on the roof deck.

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Spray foam manufacturers say otherwise.

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Ovalo is right and there's no justifiable reason to use closed cell in a residential application except for crawl spaces.

Question, I'm building a walk in cold room that'll be kept at 36F and has to be air tight. 2x4 construction is ideal to save space as this is going in my garage. I just found this thread, thanks RTT, and I'd want to go with closed cell. Correct? There will be a vapor barrier under the unit and on top of the garage slab and the exterior will be wrapped in tyvrek. Minimum of R25 is what code calls for. Can FIG be used for my needs? Roughly 290 Sq ft of walls, floor and roof.

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Question, I'm building a walk in cold room that'll be kept at 36F and has to be air tight. 2x4 construction is ideal to save space as this is going in my garage. I just found this thread, thanks RTT, and I'd want to go with closed cell. Correct? There will be a vapor barrier under the unit and on top of the garage slab and the exterior will be wrapped in tyvrek. Minimum of R25 is what code calls for. Can FIG be used for my needs? Roughly 290 Sq ft of walls, floor and roof.

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Yes, AlaskanAg, closed cell would be the way to go as open cell would absorb moisture. I just sent your inquiry to my FIG rep and will provide you with his response as soon as I receive it. However, if yoiu want to talk to a FIG costumer support rep directly, call the following number:

24x7 Customer Support: 800-516-0949

Their website is as follows:

Foam It Green Website

I emailed them. My concern using wooden studs is at 34F any contraction of the wood will result in cracks. Or I put a thin layer inside of rigid insulation.

I used Thermseal about 3 years ago. No issues and good pricing. I think the guys name was Troy

http://www.thermsealinsulation.com/