Dry ice blasting spray foam
vikihymer60
| Posted in GBA Pro Help on
Will dry ice blasting take spray foam out of attic? Is it a good answer to problem? Or do I need to replace all of ceiling as that is where most of foam is?
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Replies
Backing up a moment here, what is your goal in removing the spray foam?
Charlie,
See comment #24. https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/spray-foam-insulation-is-not-a-magic-bullet#comment-220807
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Spray foam insulation is proven to be off gassing above legal limit for house. Most has been scrapped out but there is still quite a bit on the tongue and groove wood behind Sheetrock. I am having health issues from the off gassing. Soffits are also stopped up shutting down workings of house. So when air pressure in attic is high it shuts down sewer vents, propane hot water heater does not work, duct work is compromised, fresh air machine does not work. I have spent close to $100,000.00 trying to fix house. About out of money and no place to live. I’ve been told house can’t be fixed. I came across the dry ice blasting idea and wonder if it will work for me. Surely there is something to neutralize bad spray foam.
Viki, you're describing a pretty horrible situation, and you've put a lot into fixing it so far. But you mentioned a number of things that we'll need more information about. Maybe start at the beginning. What's your approximate location and style of house? What was the initial problem? What has been done so far? What have contractors told you?
You mentioned some ongoing problems when "air pressure in attic is high." Sewer vents, ductwork, even mechanical things shouldn't be affected by air pressure up there. A primary concern for every house with a vented attic is to ensure that the ceiling is airtight and the attic venting is functional--sounds like your soffit vents were covered up so that may have to be part of a fix, although other strategies may work too. You may need a competent home inspector with a knowledge of building science to come on site to help you figure the best way forward.
I also see that you've posted on this site about extreme sensitivity to fiberglass (https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/can-blown-in-fiberglass-insulation-escape-through-vents-of-metal-roofs)
Maybe your best strategy would be to cut and run, although if you're that sensitive to both kinds of insulation it will be tough to find a safe home in North America, unless you build it yourself.