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Dave Revelle Posted: Jun 25, 2007 05:48 PM	Local Code Issues with CC Foam I'm a builder who is about to build my own house here in North Carolina. My local SPF contractor will be spraying CC foam in the wall cavities, and I'd like him to spray CC in the rafter cavities as well (it will be a sealed and conditioned attic). The problem according to my foam contractor: our local building inspector has deemed CC unsuitable for application to the underside of the roof decking and will allow only OC foam (seems the Icynene folks have bamboozled him). I want to persuade him to allow me to use CC, so here are my questions: How unusual is it for a city/county to ban the use of CC foam for the underside of roof decking (obviously if our locality is in the extreme minority it would help my case)? Does anyone know of any documents based on research/studies, or other evidence of any kind, that I might use in my arguments for using CC on the underside of the roof deck? I greatly appreciate whatever advice you can share...
Luke Kujacznski Posted: Jun 25, 2007 06:59 PM	I have newver heard of inspectors allowing one and not the other. Are the requiring vent chutes? That would a good indication of how much of this "ban" is knowledge or bs. I know that Mason has talkd about this a few times. One point is that with cc it will keep the leak localized, yet soft foam will let you know that you have a leak somewhere and in the process you will or could sustain water damage. If it is a new house, the point a which you would be concerned with leak detection you will be able to see that from outside the structure. I have never heard of a case where cc in a roof asembly caused the roof deck to rot or prevented leak detection. This is an example of where a certain company "big I" is trying to scare inspectors away from cc foam. If you can get your contractor to get his supplier rep involved that would be best. Depending on what company he uses he should be able to get the needed support to get around this. Call me on my cell if you would like more info. Luke 269.217.1612
Gerry Wagoner Posted: Jun 25, 2007 10:20 PM	Incredible. No matter how many distortions we have worked through and resolved, there is always another one looming over the horizon. This inspector is acting out of ignorance, bless his heart. The I-spy company is helping to spread confusion & dissention where none is warranted. They will reap their rewards soon enough. Lot of chickens coming home to roost.
Dave Revelle Posted: Jun 26, 2007 11:05 AM	Thanks Luke and Olger... to answer your question, Luke, I don't believe the inspector is requiring vent chutes. As I understand it, he's been convinced (by someone... I wonder who?) that a leaking roof with CC foam is a recipe for disaster. In my mind, as a builder, a wet sponge on the underside of the roof decking is worse. But getting back to my initial questions, is mine the only jurisdiction in the country that won't allow CC to be applied directly to the roof decking? Thanks for any help!!!
Luke Kujacznski Posted: Jun 26, 2007 12:18 PM	I have never heard of a ban, as far as I know you are the first.
Dave Strnad Posted: Jun 26, 2007 02:41 PM	I would talk directly with your local code office. I have been told many things by people who claim to know. If they have there own code it has to be written down, so ask for a copy and specifically which part applies to the cc foam. My guess is that there is no specific code regarding that topic. Local inspectors have to follow some sort of code, they can not just make up their own. Some try and it can be a pain to get around if they are bull headed. The best is to just be polite ask to see everything, provide documentation in your defense, etc. If you believe that you are right and are not getting anywhere you can always go over their heads. It is a pain but the squeaky wheel gets greased eventually. It may take awhile though. We had a local inspector that basically made up his own rules, would not pass products that where approved for a specific use, etc. He would say he dosen't care if it is approved or not your not doing it that way in my county. He eventually got fired. Anyway if the reasoning is that you can't detect a leak, I doubt that it is a ligit code. The problem that you may have though is that maybe based on the local code no spray foam is allowed for use in a ventless attic assembly, however the local inspectors let you use open cell because they believe it is ok. This may be harder to get around.

Author

Comments

Dave Revelle

Posted: Jun 25, 2007 05:48 PM

Local Code Issues with CC Foam

I'm a builder who is about to build my own house here in North Carolina. My local SPF contractor will be spraying CC foam in the wall cavities, and I'd like him to spray CC in the rafter cavities as well (it will be a sealed and conditioned attic). The problem according to my foam contractor: our local building inspector has deemed CC unsuitable for application to the underside of the roof decking and will allow only OC foam (seems the Icynene folks have bamboozled him). I want to persuade him to allow me to use CC, so here are my questions: How unusual is it for a city/county to ban the use of CC foam for the underside of roof decking (obviously if our locality is in the extreme minority it would help my case)? Does anyone know of any documents based on research/studies, or other evidence of any kind, that I might use in my arguments for using CC on the underside of the roof deck? I greatly appreciate whatever advice you can share...

Luke Kujacznski

Posted: Jun 25, 2007 06:59 PM

I have newver heard of inspectors allowing one and not the other. Are the requiring vent chutes? That would a good indication of how much of this "ban" is knowledge or bs. I know that Mason has talkd about this a few times. One point is that with cc it will keep the leak localized, yet soft foam will let you know that you have a leak somewhere and in the process you will or could sustain water damage. If it is a new house, the point a which you would be concerned with leak detection you will be able to see that from outside the structure. I have never heard of a case where cc in a roof asembly caused the roof deck to rot or prevented leak detection. This is an example of where a certain company "big I" is trying to scare inspectors away from cc foam. If you can get your contractor to get his supplier rep involved that would be best. Depending on what company he uses he should be able to get the needed support to get around this. Call me on my cell if you would like more info.

Luke
269.217.1612

Gerry Wagoner

Posted: Jun 25, 2007 10:20 PM

Incredible. No matter how many distortions we have worked through and resolved, there is always another one looming over the horizon.

This inspector is acting out of ignorance, bless his heart.

The I-spy company is helping to spread confusion & dissention where none is warranted. They will reap their rewards soon enough. Lot of chickens coming home to roost.

Dave Revelle

Posted: Jun 26, 2007 11:05 AM

Thanks Luke and Olger... to answer your question, Luke, I don't believe the inspector is requiring vent chutes. As I understand it, he's been convinced (by someone... I wonder who?) that a leaking roof with CC foam is a recipe for disaster. In my mind, as a builder, a wet sponge on the underside of the roof decking is worse.

But getting back to my initial questions, is mine the only jurisdiction in the country that won't allow CC to be applied directly to the roof decking?

Thanks for any help!!!

Luke Kujacznski

Posted: Jun 26, 2007 12:18 PM

I have never heard of a ban, as far as I know you are the first.

Dave Strnad

Posted: Jun 26, 2007 02:41 PM

I would talk directly with your local code office. I have been told many things by people who claim to know. If they have there own code it has to be written down, so ask for a copy and specifically which part applies to the cc foam. My guess is that there is no specific code regarding that topic. Local inspectors have to follow some sort of code, they can not just make up their own. Some try and it can be a pain to get around if they are bull headed. The best is to just be polite ask to see everything, provide documentation in your defense, etc. If you believe that you are right and are not getting anywhere you can always go over their heads. It is a pain but the squeaky wheel gets greased eventually. It may take awhile though. We had a local inspector that basically made up his own rules, would not pass products that where approved for a specific use, etc. He would say he dosen't care if it is approved or not your not doing it that way in my county. He eventually got fired.

Anyway if the reasoning is that you can't detect a leak, I doubt that it is a ligit code. The problem that you may have though is that maybe based on the local code no spray foam is allowed for use in a ventless attic assembly, however the local inspectors let you use open cell because they believe it is ok. This may be harder to get around.

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