Foam
GBA Editor
| Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on
In GBA’s current article regarding the safety of foam insulation I see no mention of Icynene. Is this a unique (waterborne) product or just a trade name for a particular type of ureathane? Also, to someone without a chemistry degree, what are the real life risks of any of these products – especially to people highly sensitive to airborne chemicals. Too often I think we rely on the very indusatries that produce and install these products for our information regarding health and safety. Any independent input would be appreciated.
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Replies
Brad,
Icynene is a brand name. Icynene foam is a low-density (1/2 pound per cubic foot) open-cell spray polyurethane foam.
Concerning your question about spray foam safety, the IAQ considerations surrounding spray foam, and chemical sensitivity, these issues have been discussed at length on these Web pages:
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/green-building-blog/does-spray-foam-insulation-out-gas-poisonous-fumes
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/community/forum/green-products-and-materials/14537/out-gassing-bad-stuff-spray-foam-insulation
In case you haven't seen them, you should probably read the comments posted on these two pages.
Brad,
The best advice for anyone with chemical sensitivity is to avoid all petrochemical products, particularly those which are site applied with foaming agents under adverse and variable conditions. You'll notice that even the installers of "green" foam are required by OSHA to wear full-body protection and charcoal filtered respirators.
The problem with product safety is not just that we are forced to rely on manufacturer's and retailer's claims, but the the government regulatory "watchdogs" often follow the revolving door to take lucrative jobs promoting the very industries they had been publicly paid to regulate, resulting in regulation that serves industry more than consumers. In fact, it's been argued by historians that industry often welcomed and encouraged government regulation in order to protect their own interests and prevent consumer lawsuits or boycotts.