I recently had spray foam insulation installed during a major renovation, but they completely missed insulating one wall that backs up to a crawl space. After noticing the wall was hot to the touch, I called them back, but they made a mess of my closet in the process. Now that I'm checking on things in the crawl space, I've found another missed spot! I'm really not keen on having them come back again. Can I patch up these spots myself? It's not a large area, maybe the size of a can of Great Stuff. And should I be worried about other missed spots hiding behind drywall? How can I check for those?
4 Answers
Great Stuff is decent for small patches. I've even seen a new wide spray applicator tip that makes it easier to cover bigger areas. If it’s larger than a small patch, consider using a Froth Pak—basically, it’s two tanks that work well for bigger spaces. It might be more than you need, but it works great for sealing up crawl spaces!
If you're patching it yourself, Great Stuff is fine, but remember it’s not technically an insulator. You might want to get some rigid foam insulation sheets from Home Depot instead, cut them to fit, and use Great Stuff to seal the edges. You can find some decent videos on how to do this online that could help you out!
To check for missed insulation, consider using a thermal camera. I use a Flir One that easily attaches to my phone. Just scan your walls and look out for any cold spots if you're inside or hot spots if you're on the outside. It'll give you a pretty good idea of where your insulation might be lacking.
When using expanding foam like Great Stuff, start by applying it in small amounts because it expands quite a bit. I saw someone use a similar foam filler in a window frame, and it pushed the frame out due to the pressure. Just be cautious and it should work out!
Sounds like a plan! I'll check with my library if they have a thermal camera, thanks for the tip!