Question from nukuspot
We have just done an energy audit on our house using the local Green Building company. We have a lot of air coming in from our crawlspace through our floors, and that is the main place we need to seal up to healthier indoor air as well as energy savings. Currently we just have Eco Batt fiberglass batts as insulation under there.
Our choices to seal the area (as per our builder) are to take down the current fiberglass and tape and caulk the gaps in the floor from the crawlspace side, then either 1.) Just put the Eco Batt back up (which would not totally seal the area but would help) 2.) Tape and caulk then apply rigid polystyrene foam boards (EPS) then put the Eco Batt back up. 3.) Take down the fiberglass and use a PU (polyurethane spray foam) product called Spraytite by BASF. The builder would like to do this option since it would totally seal the area and make it air tight. He firmly believes that after a 24 hour period of ‘curing” in which we would have to vacate the home, it is totally non-toxic and safe for chemically sensitive individuals. The BASF folks also tout this product as being safe for chemically sensitive people.
http://www.spf.basf.com/DOCS/ResidentialBrochures/363-3136BSPRAYTITEFAQsforHomeowners.pdf
Even with all this reassurance it will be safe for me (I don’t have MCS but am extremely sensitive to chemicals) I have severe reservations about using the PU spray foam. I hope someone might have some information that might help me in my decision making process. Thank you!
Debra’s Answer
Well, it looks to be nontoxic from the description at the given URL.
Anyone have any experience with this product?
has anyone found a non-toxic whole house spray foam product?
You are wise to be cautious. Your builder’s opinion (bravado?) about polyurethane is not accurate. Polyurethane hypersensitivity is neither uncommon, nor easy to resolve.
I’m facing a similar issue right now. I’m very leary of anything sprayed-in or blown-in. If there are problems with it, it will be impossible to remove. Because a product has low or even no VOCs does not mean it does not have an odor that could negatively affect you. Debra’s rule is to always do a sniff test first. It’s a good rule. On a green building website I found a comment by a buidler who says “break some closed cell [which is what your product is] and smell it…chemical stink” Maybe, though, if it’s not broken, it will be okay.
A product by Knauff called Ecoseal has been recommended to me – I need to do research on it before I decide to use it – not sure if it’s another type of spray foam. I can sympathize – I’m in the same boat, but for me, I feel that I’d rather have less energy efficiency and healthier indoor air – wish we didn’t have to make such compromises.