Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the product. Each foam has a minimum surface and air temperature on its data sheet, and many standard formulas want warmer conditions than that. In an unheated garage or pole building in late fall, we may warm the space first or use a cold-weather formula. We check temperatures on the day of the job.

Most complaints trace back to bad installs: foam sprayed too thick in one pass, wrong mix, poor ventilation while it cures, or foam that covered roof leaks or rot. Some home inspectors also dislike foam on roof decks because it hides the sheathing. We install in the passes the maker specifies, ventilate during curing and fix moisture problems first.

National guides list $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot installed, with closed cell at the higher end. HomeGuide puts a whole house at $8,000 to $20,000 and a set of rim joists at $2,000 to $2,500. We give you a written price after we measure.

Iowa's adopted 2012 IECC lists R-49 for ceilings in Climate Zone 5, which covers Johnson County. That applies to new construction. For existing attics, the Department of Energy suggests R-60 if the attic is bare, or about R-49 added on top of 3 to 4 inches.

Closed cell. It resists moisture and adds more R-value per inch, and the Department of Energy advises against open-cell foam below ground. Open cell is better suited to dry walls and rooflines above grade.

Plan on staying out of the work area while foam is applied and for the time the manufacturer lists after that, often about a day. Blown-in insulation and rim joist jobs are usually less disruptive. We tell you the timing for your job before we schedule.

In some places, yes. Foam pays off where air leakage is the problem: rim joists, odd cavities, cathedral ceilings and steel. On a wide-open attic floor, sealing the leaks and then blowing in fiberglass or cellulose usually gets similar comfort for less money.

Not usually. Foam needs to stick to clean framing or sheathing to seal. Old batts in the way come out first. In an attic, we can often leave clean loose fill in place, seal the gaps around it and add more on top.

It resists water and vapor, but it is not a fix for a leak. If a basement wall seeps or a roof leaks, that needs to be repaired first, or the foam will just hide the problem.

Installed correctly and kept dry, foam does not settle or sag the way loose fill and batts can. It stays in place for the life of the framing it is attached to.

If the basement holds the furnace, water heater or ductwork, insulating the walls usually makes more sense, since it keeps that equipment inside the warm part of the house. Insulating the ceiling only makes sense for a space you want to keep cold.

You can, if every piece is cut tight and sealed at the edges with canned foam or caulk. It is slow work on a full perimeter, and gaps are common. Sprayed closed-cell foam seals the whole surface in one pass.

Foam left exposed in living space generally needs a thermal barrier like drywall. Rim joists and some unfinished areas have different rules. We go over what applies to your basement and your local building office's requirements before we start.

No. It keeps humid indoor air off cold surfaces, which cuts condensation, but it does not stop water coming through the wall. Grading, gutters or drainage come first.

For new homes, Iowa's code lists R-49 in Zone 5. For an existing attic, the Department of Energy suggests R-60 if it is empty, or adding about R-49 over 3 to 4 inches of old insulation. With blown cellulose or fiberglass, that usually means well over a foot of depth.

It helps, but air sealing matters more. Ice dams form when heat leaks into the attic and melts snow on the roof. Sealing the attic floor and adding depth keeps the roof deck colder.

Only when it needs to go: wet, moldy, full of droppings, or vermiculite. Clean loose fill can usually stay, and we seal around it and add more.

Most attic sealing and blow-in jobs take a day. Roofline foam or a removal job can take longer. We give you a time estimate with the quote.

Both work in an attic. Cellulose packs denser and slows air movement better. Fiberglass is lighter and shrugs off moisture. We usually suggest one based on your attic and budget, and price the other if you ask.

Often yes. We drill small holes, fill each cavity with dense-pack cellulose and plug the holes. We check first for fire blocking and for old wiring that should not be covered.

A little. We install to the manufacturer's settled depth for the R-value on your quote, so the number holds after settling.

Per square foot, yes, usually by a wide margin. That is why we use foam to seal and blown-in to add depth in most attics.

Yes. Closed-cell foam bonds to clean steel. We check for oil or rust and make sure the surface is dry and warm enough first.

That depends on the building and the county or city. Agricultural buildings and homes are treated differently. Check with your county or city building office, and we will tell you what the work involves.

In a wood-framed, heated shop it can work in walls. On steel or in a building that gets damp, we use closed cell because open cell lets moisture through to the cold metal.

No insulation can do that. It will help the building recover heat faster after the door closes and keep it from dripping.

Not always. If it is dry and clean, we usually leave it, seal around it and add more on top. Removal makes sense when it is wet, contaminated or in the way of sealing.

It looks like small gray, brown or gold pebbles, lighter than gravel. If you think you have it, do not disturb it. We will tell you if we see it and recommend testing.

A typical attic vacuum-out and reinsulation takes one to two days. Larger or contaminated jobs take longer.

Yes, but it is slow, hand work. Fixr lists foam removal at about $1.50 to $3 per square foot, up to about $5 when it has to be chipped off by hand.