Pros and cons of having a spray foam insulation attic

·34 min·2 clips

If you have no duct work and no air conditioning equipment in your attic, why do you want to go spray foam?

1. The Home Improvement Show answers listener calls and texts on topics including the pros and cons of spray foam in an attic, with a call-in line at 504-260-1870. 2. Host Paul takes calls from Rob, Sylvia, and Joe and texts from Richard and others, and recommends Chris Jenkins of Jenkins Windows and Doors, whom he has known for over 30 years. 3. Paul says a vented-to-unvented attic retrofit needs a continuous air and thermal barrier across the whole roof assembly, which rules out slanted roof-ceiling rooms, segmented attics, and low-pitched roofs. 4. He argues the main benefit is putting AC equipment and ductwork inside the roofline, and that without equipment in the attic, "you don't need to be paying premium costs for a premium product." 5. A retrofit also requires removing existing ceiling insulation, resizing the AC tonnage downward, and changing gas furnaces and water heaters to sealed-combustion direct-vent units under the new Louisiana code. 6. Cons include voided warranties from most asphalt shingle manufacturers and a loss of about 2-3 years of shingle life, the same loss as black shingles or radiant barrier decking. 7. For Richard in Mount Hermon, Paul says polyisocyanate rigid foam board is code-permitted in attics, while extruded polystyrene (blue or pink board) is not because of smoke development and flame spread. 8. Paul says the only reason to convert a newer home is a moisture problem, since a well-sealed 15-year-old house will not see big savings, while an older, poorly sealed one will. 9. Sylvia's call yields window advice: a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.35 or lower and a U-value of 0.40 or lower, plus a warning that caulk-only installs skip the flashings the building code requires. 10. Suited to Gulf South homeowners weighing attic insulation, windows, or roofing upgrades.

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