Spray Foam Insulation

[virgil]

Anyone have experience with spray foam insulation and how much it should cost?  Just learned that code requires R49 for the ceiling at my camp in Otsego county and that spray foam is my only option.  And, it's shockingly expensive- at least the first quote I got was. 

[G-Man]

I did my whole house with it when I built in 2006, it's expensive but we'll worth it in savings, I use to heat a 1000 ft trailer and would go thru 3000 gal of propane just for the winter, I now heat a 3000 sq ft house and use 1000,for the year including all my hot water and cooking. It's 2 to 4x more in. Cost but doubles the insulation value vs regular fiberglass. I recommend it

[virgil]

Thanks GMan.  I know it's a much better product.  My issue is that this is a hunting camp, not meant to be a year-round residence.  But, I have to build to residential code.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Anyone have experience with spray foam insulation and how much it should cost?  Just learned that code requires R49 for the ceiling at my camp in Otsego county and that spray foam is my only option.  And, it's shockingly expensive- at least the first quote I got was. 

how much space is up there?

[steve863]

Is your camp a new structure?   

[virgil]

It's a new camp.  The ceiling is 2x10 rafters, and the ceiling space to be insulated is 840sf total.  The cabin is 600sf.

Edited August 6, 2015 by virgil

[Culvercreek hunt club]

It's a new camp.  The ceiling is 2x10 rafters, and the ceiling space to be insulated is 840sf total.  The cabin is 600sf.

is you inside ceiling in yet?

[virgil]

No ceiling covering yet.  Planning TnG after insulation.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Is code saying 46 for the entire ceiling/roof structure or you need that in insulation? I know you can get 8-1/4" for your rafters that is HD and has 30. some of the 2" rigid will get you 10, maybe more. Then nail the T&G on. but that is only 40.

[virgil]

It's R49 for the ceiling.  And the 10" rafters only allow enough space for maybe 38.  At least with the spray foam, I won't have condensation concerns.  But, wow it's expensive.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

It's R49 for the ceiling.  And the 10" rafters only allow enough space for maybe 38.  At least with the spray foam, I won't have condensation concerns.  But, wow it's expensive.

gotta have an air space about the insulation so usually they only go 8-1/2" in the 9-91/2" rafter space. If you can find 38 to fit that I would look at 2" rigid foam attached to the underside of the rafters and that would give you 48. It would be a price comparison to the spray foam anyway.

[virgil]

Hi Culver.  With the closed cell foam, no air space/ventilation is required.  So, I probably only need about 7" of foam- it's about R7 per inch.  Because it's closed cell, it's both the thermal break and air break.  So, don't have to worry about condensation or venting.

I guess I could go with bats and rigid foam.  But, probably a lot more time and labor intensive for modest cost savings, considering the rigid foam, taping/caulking, fasteners, strapping,etc.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Hi Culver.  With the closed cell foam, no air space/ventilation is required.  So, I probably only need about 7" of foam- it's about R7 per inch.  Because it's closed cell, it's both the thermal break and air break.  So, don't have to worry about condensation or venting.

I guess I could go with bats and rigid foam.  But, probably a lot more time and labor intensive for modest cost savings, considering the rigid foam, taping/caulking, fasteners, strapping,etc.

Yeah. knew you would be able to make it with closed cell. Just figured it was a cost option to negotiate with to go glass and rigid.

[G-Man]

The spray in is so effective my 2x12 rafters are the weak point, funny seeing little melted line in heavy frost on the roof, opposite of normal roof

[Dinsdale]

About 1/3 of projects I'm involved with get sprayed.......sometimes open,sometimes closed.

I'd ask around and see what you can do for a better quote.

One thing in common is the prices are all over the place and vary by 40% or more for the exact same project.

[G-Man]

You can buy tanks and do yourself fairly inexpensive though it is messy, but if going in attic no one will see if you over spray anyway.. for examplehttps://www.sprayfoamkit.com/spray-foam-insulation/kit-602-shop.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwi4yuBRDX_vq07YyF7l8SJAAhm0rp5JwOvBn4mOWKZFc6yaABmcYulgkc3enVAwLEKtEiTBoC3c3w_wcB

Edited August 7, 2015 by G-Man

[boo711]

My wife and I had spray foam insulation done on the house we built last year. Best decision we made for the home. Had our furnace set at 62 all winter and walked around in shorts and a tshirt. No cold drafts felt at all. Even with all the snow we got last winter we did not have 1 icicle on the house. Last week when it was in the upper 80's we didn't even turn the A/C on and it never got above 72 in the house. It is pricey to install but the savings on your fuel bill will be well worth it. With the big push on energy efficiency etc I think they should make it mandatory in all new home construction.

[WesternNY]

I had an addition done and a room remodel.  I believe it is between 34 -38 cents per linear foot, 1 foot x 1 foot x 1 inch thick for open cell.  Closed cell is around double I believe.  I went with open cell.

[virgil]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.  I'm going to go with it- don't really have a choice anyway.  But, I will try to get at least one other estimate.

[covert]

It's R49 for the ceiling.  And the 10" rafters only allow enough space for maybe 38.  At least with the spray foam, I won't have condensation concerns.  But, wow it's expensive.

Not necessarily so.  We did our house in '06/'07 and with the radiant floor heat we have had condensation/mildew issues every winter on the windows.  We need an air exchanger but haven't put one in yet so we try to crack a few windows open to let it breathe a little whenever it's not too cold.

[virgil]

Covert- I was referring to the condensation issues in the ceiling.

[mac]

whats the estimate for the 840sq ft of ceiling ? in a newer build like yours you it is the way to go plus you are following code so see what other prices you come with and make sure you are there when they are doing it 

[virgil]

Thanks Mac.  I will do that.  The estimate was just under 5K.

[sailinghudson25]

MY neighbor did spray foam to their trailer in the basement.  The stuff insulates so well, he froze his pipes that were in the foam.

 

One thing to get R-49 out of 2x10 is to put that R-38 stuff in the beams then lay R-13 over the top of it.  Spray foam is good, but your going to transfer heat through the beams.  The Cross cover of R-13 with a base of 38 might be superior.  You'll be glad you did if you want some new outlets, or want to put some HVAC or other stuff in there.  Over the the catskills, this is completely allowable with the building code officers.

 

Are you planning to use the crawl space for storage?   Are you planning on heating post big game season, or draining the pipes and leaving dormant.   

 

IF the house is not done yet,  I'd build bigger.  4 digit square feet.  Atleast it will make it easier to sell if you want to, and your doing the majority of the work for it anyways, a bit bigger pour and some more materials will be much cheaper than a later addition.

[landtracdeerhunter]

If you lived in it year round, I'd go with the best. For just seasonal hunting use, go with roll fiberglass to meet code. You most likely dropped a good dime on the rest of he structure. Why spend the extra cash for a few weeks of use out of the year?

Edited August 8, 2015 by landtracdeerhunter