Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation SPF Nusiance Odor Investigations #IAQS #IAQ

10/20/2013 www.FloridaIAQ.com Slide 1 OF 85

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1 Introduction
2 SPF Odor Investigations
3 Guidance on SPF Inspections
4 SPF Inspection Goal
5 SPF Inspection
6 Categories of Misapplied SPF
7 SPF Executive Summary
8 SPF Questions

Introduction
• With the rapid increase in the “Green”
movement and the push for more energy
efficient homes, the use of spray polyurethane
foam SPF insulation is growing substantially.
• As with most new building products, the
industry has had its own set of unique
challenges that include the recognized need for
training and certification for installers.

Introduction
• Along with the recognized need for training are
the direct results of inadequate applicator
training:
– nuisance odors and occupant sensitivity.
• These occupant related complaints have led to
a rise in SPF insulation investigations by many
who have little understanding of SPF insulation
and how it can alter the indoor environment
even when correctly installed.

SPF ODOR INVESTIGATIONS
When it comes to the investigation of occupant complaints associated
with SPF you’ll need more than air samples

SPF Odor Investigations
• When it comes to the investigation of occupant
complaint or the nuisance odors associated
with the application of SPF insulation, I’ve
found that most of the investigations typically
involve little more than varied attempts at
trying to chemically associate the occupant
complaint odor with the off-gassing of SPF.

• I’ve assessed a dozen or so product lines both
closed and open cell for manufactures,
builders, homeowners, and applicators.
• The properties ranged from universities,
community centers, offices, homes, both new
construction and retrofit applications.

• The investigation of SPF occupant complaints
must begin with the identification of the SPF
installed and then
• The physical inspection of the installed SPF
– The physical inspection of the applied SPF is to
establish if the applied SPF is installed correctly or
misapplied and the possible cause and origin of
the occupant complaint
• The investigation must begin with the physical
inspection of the SPF

THE SPF INSPECTION GOAL
Step 1 of a product failure report
Establish that the product is misapplied or failing

SPF Inspection Goal
• Has the applicator met the Project specifications
and
• The manufacturer’s installation requirements?
– Is the SPF Installed Correctly?
A potential case for product failure or defect that
may be impacting the occupants must begin with
the establishment of correct product installation
and performance.

GUIDANCE ON SPF INSPECTIONS
The Manufacture and SPF Industry have Guidance Documents
Use them

Guidance on SPF Inspections

• Guidance on Sampling Techniques for the
Inspection of Installed Spray Polyurethane
Foam
– This document is intended for inspectors that are
familiar with Spray Polyurethane Foam to provide
general guidance and present techniques that can
be used for the inspection and sampling of SPF
insulation projects, with an emphasis on
observation and physical sampling.
• SPFA Guidance Document

• Inspecting SPF Building Envelope Applications
– Per SPFA Inspection Criteria
– Three Inspection Steps:
1. Visual Inspection
2. Thickness testing
3. Physical Sampling
– Document each Step through:
• Observation
• Photography
• Commentary

THE SPF INSPECTION
The Manufacture and SPF Industry have Guidance Documents Use them
Project Specifications
SPFA Inspection Criteria
Manufactures Specifications

The SPF Inspection
Project specifications
• Manufacturer’s installation requirements
– Guide specifications
– Installation instructions
– Project specific recommendations or
specifications
• SPFA guideline documents
– To be referenced where above information is
lacking

The SPF Inspection
Project Information
– Contractor information
• Names of individual applicators who applied SPF on
Project
– Project location, scope, type
– SPF applied: Type(s), identification,
• Where applied
• Thickness and R-values
– Other materials applied by Contractor
• Primers, ignition barriers, thermal barriers

THE SPF VISUAL INSPECTION
For all who want to conduct SPF insulation inspections, start with
understanding what correct and complete SPF installation is according to
the manufacturer who produced the foam you’re inspecting.

The SPF Visual Inspection
• Visual Inspection Observations (SPFA Guide Section 6)
• Identify and/or confirm:
– Specific assemblies are insulated in accordance with Project
specs and scope
– SPF installed in accordance with air barrier requirements
– SPF fully adhered to substrates and cavity framing members
– Satisfactory overall surface profile
– SPF color uniform and consistent
– Cracks, blisters, delamination's
– Presence/absence of thermal & ignition barriers
– Take photographs

Yes No NA Wall Insulation
X All stud wall cavity insulation installed to uniformly fit the cavity side-to-side and end-to-end.
X
Insulation adhered to substrates and building components to provide an air seal where
required.
X Rim joists insulated as required.
X
Corner channels, wall intersections and behind tubs/showers insulated and air sealed as
required.
X Skylight shafts and attic kneewalls insulated and air sealed as required.
X Insulation surface profile satisfactory.
X Insulation of uniform color and consistency.
• Visual Inspection Observations (SPFA Guide Section 6)
• Fill out the tables on individual building assemblies
Example:
“Yes” = Acceptable “No” = Deficiency “NA” = Not applicable

• Thermal Barriers & Ignition Barriers
– Are they In Place?

• Additional

SPF Thickness Measurements
• Thickness Measurements and Insulation
Profiles (SPFA Guide Section 7)
– R-value closely related to thickness
– SPF thickness is usually THE fundamental
requirement for BE insulation projects
• Thickness will vary somewhat depending on:
– Specific assembly
– Location within assembly cavity
– Surface profile

Closed-Cell SPF (at appx. 2-3 inch thickness, open area)
¼ -inch variation E = excellent
½ G = good
¾ F = fair
1 + P = poor
Open-Cell SPF (at appx. 2-3 inch thickness, open area)
½ -inch variation E = excellent
3/4 G = good
1 F = fair
1.5 + P = poor
• Thickness & Profiles (SPFA Guide Section 7)

Project Size Area Assemblies
(walls, floors, ceilings,
roof decks, etc.)
Lineal Assemblies
(rim joints, etc.)
Maximum No. per
Project
Small (<10,000 ft2) 1 per 100 ft2 1 per 10 lin ft 25
Large (>10,000 ft2) 1 per 500 ft2 NA 25
• Thickness & Profiles (SPFA Guide Section 7)
• Probe thickness at random, representative spots approximating the
following frequency schedule:
• Record thickness, assembly type and the profile in the vicinity of the
probe
• 3. Contractor repairs holes as appropriate

SPF SAMPLE COLLECTION
We’re sampling the SPF product not the air. I you intend to show the
product is affecting your client you must first look at the product

SPF Sample Collection
• Often IEP’s conducting an SPF investigation
focus on making their evidence (air samples)
support their hypothesis (it’s the SPF) without
an objective scientific challenge.
• Often without the identification of the applied
SPF product or a full SPF inspection.
• These SPF samples are to establish the
condition of the product and not to collect air.

• Samples (SPFA Guide Section 8)
– Removal of the full thickness of SPF from the assembly
• Coring tool (cylindrical sample)
• Knife or saw (rectangular, triangular sample)
– Inspect
– Photograph (as appropriate)
– Store in plastic bag
– Record observations
– Contractor repairs hole

• Samples (SPFA Guide Section 8)
• Inspect for:
– Number & thickness of lifts or passes
– Color uniformity and consistency
– Cell structure uniformity and consistency
– Unusual softness, brittleness, stickiness or odor
– Presence of moisture
– UV degraded surfaces
– Darker skin on the foam or pass surface
– Blistering or delamination between lifts or substrate & SPF

SPF SAMPLE COLLECTION
“LET’S LOOK AT SOME SPF”
We’re sampling the SPF product not the air. I you intend to show the
product is affecting your client you must first look at the product

The SPF Samples
Good SPF

The SPF Samples

SPF Measurements

Misapplied SPF
Misapplied SPF
Contaminated Closed – Open Cell SPF

Misapplied SPF
Misapplied SPF

Misapplied SPF
Misapplied SPF
Delamination and Shrinkage

Misapplied SPF
Misapplied SPF
Blistering SPF – Inconsistent Color

Misapplied SPF
Misapplied SPF
Un-Reacted Closed Cell SPF

Misapplied SPF
Misapplied SPF
Blistering – Open Cell SPF

Misapplied SPF
Misapplied SPF
Poorly Reacted & Blistering – OC SPF

Misapplied SPF
Misapplied SPF

Misapplied SPF
Misapplied SPF
De-Lamination – Open Cell SPF

Understanding the SPF Sample
• Determining characteristics such as
– number and thickness of passes
– off-ratio foam;
– scorching;
– knit line adhesion and
– UV degradation;
– color inconsistencies;
– odor; and
– cell structure

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“IT’S NOT ALWAYS THE SPF”
However
You'll Never Know If You Don’t Look

It’s Not Always the SPF
Sometimes
It’s the Heated Over Spray

Heated Over Spray

Sometimes
It’s the Heated Over Spray

Sometimes
It’s the Ventilation of the Attic

Sometimes
It’s The Air Handler

Sometimes
It’s Rodents

Sometimes
It’s the Prior Loss or Damage

Sometimes
It’s Incomplete Install

Sometimes
It’s the Ducts

Sometimes
It’s the Ducting

Sometimes
It’s the Exhaust Ducts

Sometimes
It’s the Old Insulation

Sometimes
It’s Fire Retardant Coating

Sometimes
It’s Just a Filthy Old Attic

CATEGORIES OF MISAPPLIED SPF
A Method to the Madness

Categories of Misapplied SPF
• In my experience, SPF investigations can be
categorized in three distinct categories.
• By using these three assessment categories, I
have had great success in identifying the
catalyst of SPF associated odors and
complaints.

CATEGORY 1
MISAPPLIED SPF
The SPF inspector must remember, that while the SPF insulation may be
the issue, unless you can say there are no other issues within the home,
you have not completed your investigation you’ve just begun.

Category 1
Category 1 Includes:
• Improper ventilation during the application,
• Incomplete application,
• Off ratio application,
• Over-spray

Category 1
• Nuisance odors that are directly associated
with incorrectly applied SPFI can be addressed
by either correcting the areas of misapplied
foam or by removing and re-insulating the
areas.

CATEGORY 2
PRE-EXISTING OR RECENTLY INTRODUCED
CONTRIBUTORS
You haven't completed your investigation you’ve just begun

Category 2
• This category cannot be stress enough to the
professionals that are investigating SPFI.
• This category runs the gamut and can include
some rather odd contributors to occupant
discomfort and nuisance odors that become
much more concentrated when the SPFI is
installed.

Category 2
• These include the:
– HVAC system,
– air exchange rate,
– storage of materials in the now sealed space,
– insect and or rodent activity,
– routine pest control applications,
– the previous insulation condition and material,
– proper ducting of kitchen and bath fans.
• The possibilities are endless

Category 2
• The SPF Inspector must ask relevant questions
such as;
– “What is the condition of the new semi-conditioned
space?”
– “What have the occupants been sealed in with?”
– “How is the air exchange rate being met?”
– “How is the semi-conditioned space actually being
semi-conditioned?”

CATEGORY 3
SENSITIZATION DUE TO EXPOSURE
A bell cant be un-rung

• This category is unique in that any attempt at
reducing the occupant’s exposure to the SPF
insulation that they are now sensitized to may
not be of any relief.
• I have had no luck in providing sensitized
occupants relief from the home they are now
sensitive to.

• I have been involved in everything from the
introduction of outdoor air through a pre-filter
and dehumidifier to control the temperature,
humidity, particles, path, and pressure to full
removal of the SPF insulation. Unfortunately
that bell can’t be un-rung.

SUMMARY
Spray Polyurethane Foam SPF Insulation Nuisance Odor Investigations
“It’s Not Aways the Foam”

Summary
• By expanding my approach to SPF
investigations, I have found that not all SPF
insulation complaints are a result of
misapplied SPF.
• This has led to may believing that I’m simply
ignoring the issue of misapplied SPF or the
concerns with occupant exposure to the
application of SPF insulation.

Summary
• That could not be further from the truth. Of
the three categories discussed in this
presentation, two directly address the areas
I’m often accused of either avoiding or
ignoring.
• It’s the second category that seems to raise
concern with other IEP’s investigating SPF
Insulation nuisance odors and complaints.

Summary
• To ensure SPF is applied correctly
and avoid occupant exposure during
application, we strongly encourage
all SPF applicators participate in the
SPFA's The Spray Polyurethane Foam
Professional Certification Program
(“SPFA PCP”)

Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation SPF Nusiance Odor Investigations #IAQS #IAQ

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