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Foam Insulation

N

NEsota

Member
I wish to fill the wall air spaces around the double hung windows in my eighty year old home. Is there a better and more economical way to do this than using the twelve ounce pressurized cans?
Also I want to fill the top six inches of inside walls.
 
I stuff scraps of fiberglass insulation into the crack between the window and frame with a screwdriver or putty knife. The guy who taught me how to replace windows when I was 16 did it that way, and it has worked for me but maybe is not the best way, I don't know. I would be concerned about the foam expanding and distorting the window casing.
Zach
 
You can buy the kit with bigger tanks and gun at Menard's. I don't know the total cost but the gun is around $100. Just depends how many square feet you are doing. A guaranteed way would be to call an insulating contractor.
 
Valid concern, however they make a low expansion foam insulation just for windows and doors so that it doesn't distort them.
 
I had my shop walls foamed a couple years ago made a big difference.Several companies do foam.
I'm going to get my house foamed next summer.They drill holes and fill with fireproof foam.
 
Why the top 6 inches of interior walls?

Doesn"t your attic insulation cover the wall sill plates from eave to eave?

I may learn something I never heard of.

Gary
 
I'm assuming he's wanting to fill the voids where the old cast iron weights hung in.
You can't get fiberglass in those very easily if at all.
The minimal expanding type foam in a can is probably the best way as the other type will as you say, bow the window frames out and cause problems. Watch for it on sale and buy a couple of cases.
 
You can just google it but there is several folks that sell a kit. Comes in a tank like small propane tanks with hose and all. One tank will go a long way and lot less expensive unless the catch the small cans on sale. Takes a few minutes to learn how but not that big a deal and does what you want to do perfect.
 
NEsota,
I've foamed my windows and doors when I remolded. Only used Great stuff in a can. You need to be very careful. Foam expands, you could cause the window casings to warp, same with doors. You may never get doors or windows open without removing foam.

I've heard of a guy that foamed doors when building a new house. Next day, doors were foamed shut because of the expansion. He couldn't get door opened.

Now when I do windows, I will make wood braces to prevent foam from pinching windows.

I think it may be better and cheaper to use very little foam to make window air tight then, finish off with fiberglass.
George
 
(quoted from post at 22:04:40 01/23/14) THis is the stuff I use. Way more economical than the single use cans. You hafta buy the gun, but it will pay for itself pretty quick.

Ben
Low expansion foam

Gun
Click to expand...

I use a different brand but similar gun and product.
Works MUCH better than the single use cans. For one thing the gun is adjustable.
I've used the gun for the last 100+ windows and doors I've installed and will never go back to using the cans or stuffing fiberglass in with a putty knife.
 
They make a version of that material that doesn't expand quite so much, reduces the chances of lifting moldings, etc.
 
I agree with the gun recommendation. It will pay for itself pretty quickly if you're doing anything more than a small one-can job.

Just be sure to keep it clean.
 
Latest issue of Fine Homebuilding has a good primer about guns and gun foam. Learned a lot from it.

Newest issue is marked Mar 2014. Might be able to get it at Lowes?
 
OK - I read most of that article in the Fine Homebuilding magazine - they talk about using a spray bottle of water - any of you guys do that?

Never heard of that before- I admit - I've never read the directions on the can.
 
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