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Tim S Posted: Feb 01, 2018 10:22 PM	Sprayfoam shrinking behind sheetrock Icynene closed cell spray foam installed Nov. 2016 in my new construction custom home in Minnesota. Temperature was below freezing, the contractor was pumping in heat. Experienced guy started the job, then trained in and passed it off to a new guy. Another crew sheet rocked the main floor of the house a couple weeks later. I put sheetrock in the master bath shower about 6 weeks later and noticed the spray foam not adhered to the studs. I filled it with Great Stuff not realizing I had a problem that was growing bigger. Spring of 2017, I could see in areas that had not been sheetrocked, the foam was pulling away from the framing. The main area of concern is the bonus room above the garage. Air chutes were installed under the roof deck and then 5" of foam sprayed against the air chutes. Foam has shrunk pulling the air chute as well, allowing heat from the house to reach the underside of the roof deck causing moisture and mold issues on the roof deck. September of 2017, I had the Icynene rep out to take a look. He and the contractor were willing to patch over the areas that were visible. I said I wanted to have a thermal imaging test done first when it got colder out to see if we could tell what was behind the sheetrock. I didn't want to fix the easy stuff, and leave harder problems behind the sheetrock. Since his visit, the foam has shrunk even more. January 2018, I had thermal imaging person out. They looked at the issue, and said no sense in testing now if the foam is still shrinking. He suggested waiting till next winter to test. I agreed, but now reconsidering that decision. I purchased an endoscope to examine behind the sheetrock. I pulled two outlet receptacles out and drilled through the boxes, then stuck the scope through. I captured video from both of those showing the foam had shrunk behind the sheetrock. Earlier this week I sent a link to the pictures and the video I took to the Icynene rep. I said I wanted him and the contractor to come out and evaluate the extent of the problem, and start discussing solutions. He was going to take a look at the pictures, have a discussion with his manager, and decide best way to handle this. Here is the link to the pictures and videos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/itrtDHxP37bDWfQm2 What can I expect for a resolution? Do we need to tear the walls back down to the studs? We've been living in the house for 1 year, its 100% finished on the main level. Should I bring my attorney up to speed now? This home was built as our forever home, we didn't cheap out on anything, but now it seems like a disaster.
barry Posted: Feb 06, 2018 02:08 PM	The rep will tell you it's not icynene's fault it's contractor's fault. 90% of the time he is right but you need to keep both in check and make sure he doesn't put it off. As someone who has been in this industry for way too long noone takes responsibility for anything anymore. I do highly recommend trying to get ahold of Mason maybe he can pull a few chains all I know is the r&d and engineering depts. The first couple pictures look like batts, from where you took the picture are they blocking the eaves? Did they spray over your garage? Or just block it off from the house?
Tim S Posted: Feb 07, 2018 03:01 PM	Thanks for the reply. Since posting, the rep has scheduled a thermal imaging scan of the house to be done on this coming Monday. This should help show the extent of the issues we hope. The first couple pictures are of batts. We put a room in the attic of our garage. The underside of the roof, made out of 2x8s, contains an air chute and then 5" of spray foam under that. The batts seen in the pictures were used in the walls of the garage and of that room in the attic of the garage. Due to the spray foam shrinking and allowing heat to the bottom side of the roof deck, moisture is forming and freezing under the roof, and when it warms up, it melts and gets the batts wet and is causing the mold.
kelley clark Posted: Aug 30, 2020 07:39 PM	TIm, whatever happened with your foam and getting this fixed? We are having the same issue and they are saying the foam is fine....thank you!!

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Comments

Tim S

Posted: Feb 01, 2018 10:22 PM

Sprayfoam shrinking behind sheetrock

Icynene closed cell spray foam installed Nov. 2016 in my new construction custom home in Minnesota. Temperature was below freezing, the contractor was pumping in heat. Experienced guy started the job, then trained in and passed it off to a new guy.

Another crew sheet rocked the main floor of the house a couple weeks later. I put sheetrock in the master bath shower about 6 weeks later and noticed the spray foam not adhered to the studs. I filled it with Great Stuff not realizing I had a problem that was growing bigger.

Spring of 2017, I could see in areas that had not been sheetrocked, the foam was pulling away from the framing. The main area of concern is the bonus room above the garage. Air chutes were installed under the roof deck and then 5" of foam sprayed against the air chutes. Foam has shrunk pulling the air chute as well, allowing heat from the house to reach the underside of the roof deck causing moisture and mold issues on the roof deck.

September of 2017, I had the Icynene rep out to take a look. He and the contractor were willing to patch over the areas that were visible. I said I wanted to have a thermal imaging test done first when it got colder out to see if we could tell what was behind the sheetrock. I didn't want to fix the easy stuff, and leave harder problems behind the sheetrock. Since his visit, the foam has shrunk even more.

January 2018, I had thermal imaging person out. They looked at the issue, and said no sense in testing now if the foam is still shrinking. He suggested waiting till next winter to test. I agreed, but now reconsidering that decision.

I purchased an endoscope to examine behind the sheetrock. I pulled two outlet receptacles out and drilled through the boxes, then stuck the scope through. I captured video from both of those showing the foam had shrunk behind the sheetrock.

Earlier this week I sent a link to the pictures and the video I took to the Icynene rep. I said I wanted him and the contractor to come out and evaluate the extent of the problem, and start discussing solutions. He was going to take a look at the pictures, have a discussion with his manager, and decide best way to handle this.

Here is the link to the pictures and videos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/itrtDHxP37bDWfQm2

What can I expect for a resolution? Do we need to tear the walls back down to the studs? We've been living in the house for 1 year, its 100% finished on the main level. Should I bring my attorney up to speed now?

This home was built as our forever home, we didn't cheap out on anything, but now it seems like a disaster.

barry

Posted: Feb 06, 2018 02:08 PM

The rep will tell you it's not icynene's fault it's contractor's fault. 90% of the time he is right but you need to keep both in check and make sure he doesn't put it off. As someone who has been in this industry for way too long noone takes responsibility for anything anymore. I do highly recommend trying to get ahold of Mason maybe he can pull a few chains all I know is the r&d and engineering depts.

The first couple pictures look like batts, from where you took the picture are they blocking the eaves? Did they spray over your garage? Or just block it off from the house?

Tim S

Posted: Feb 07, 2018 03:01 PM

Thanks for the reply. Since posting, the rep has scheduled a thermal imaging scan of the house to be done on this coming Monday. This should help show the extent of the issues we hope.

The first couple pictures are of batts. We put a room in the attic of our garage. The underside of the roof, made out of 2x8s, contains an air chute and then 5" of spray foam under that. The batts seen in the pictures were used in the walls of the garage and of that room in the attic of the garage. Due to the spray foam shrinking and allowing heat to the bottom side of the roof deck, moisture is forming and freezing under the roof, and when it warms up, it melts and gets the batts wet and is causing the mold.

kelley clark

Posted: Aug 30, 2020 07:39 PM

TIm, whatever happened with your foam and getting this fixed? We are having the same issue and they are saying the foam is fine....thank you!!

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