Exposed Spray Foam Insulation In Basement

For attics and crawl spaces being used for storage the above applies.

Exposed spray foam insulation in basement.

My worry is that in some areas of my basement i get condensation during the summer months against the builder s poly. Most ceilings are made of 1 2 drywall. Therefore your basement will stop the outside air from accessing the interiors of the building. However most building codes allow the installation of unprotected rigid foam in a crawlspace that has no open connection to a basement as long as the foam has passed alternative testing procedures.

Open cell spray foam has a higher expansion ratio of 100 1 than closed cell and is a great thermal and sound insulator. Currently leaning towards closed cell spray foam to r20 same in the joist bays. I am in the beginning stages of planning out my to be finished basement which is currently unfinished with builder blanket insulation on the wall. In addition foam in place insulation is blown into walls or other cavities where it then hardens.

Dow styrofoam and owens corning foamular are two products that pass the burn test and can be left unprotected in an isolated crawlspace. But the spray foam is still exposed to the attic and needs an ignition barrier. Spray foam insulation essentially functions by starting as a liquid before hardening into a solid mass after drying. Many spray foam manufacturers test their spray foam systems with an intumescent coating in place of the ignition barrier.

For indoor applications per building code requirements foam left exposed is required to be covered by a 15 minute thermal barrier in habitable spaces of a structure. Indeed the foam can fit crevices gaps and wall cavities. Also its primary role is to fill crannies and nooks as well as your basement. Instead it can be injected poured or sprayed.

In some cases explanation. Spray foam is applied by a high pressure applicator gun directly to the area being insulated. Since the spray foam is energy efficient you can correctly use it as an air sealing solution. Instead it is.

Despite the name spray foam insulation isn t exclusively sprayed. Open cell foam has an r value of roughly 3 9 per inch. Existing concrete block wall cellulose or spray foam insulation why basement insulation is the most 0 5 pcf open cell spray foam basement ceiling with exposed joists. When the coating foam combination passes the screening test the combination is approved for use in the attics and crawl spaces but the coating is not recognized in the building codes as an ignition barrier.