Tried that spray foam insulation in my workshop walls and got a nasty surprise

I thought I was being smart last month by sealing up all the gaps in my shed workshop with that expanding spray foam from the hardware store. Figured it would keep the drafts out and save me some money on heating. Well, the next morning I walked in and it smelled like someone had been painting with industrial chemicals. Turns out I used way too much and the stuff didn't cure right because it was too cold outside. The fumes gave me a headache for two hours and I had to leave the doors open for three days to air it out. Now I gotta rip some of it out and start over with the proper stuff. Has anyone else had this problem with foam insulation in unheated spaces?

3 comments

3 Comments

alice33623d ago

Two hours of headache from foam fumes is insane.

eric_murray2623d ago

Yeah but were you using it in a tiny room with no ventilation or what @alice336? I swear half the time people blame the product but it's really just bad air flow. Some of those spray foams kick off fumes that'll mess you up for way longer than two hours if you're trapped in a garage or something... Not saying it's your fault or anything, just wondering if there's more to it. I've had foam stuff give me a headache too but usually opening a window helps cut it down.

drew_park15d ago

Honestly, is it possible the foam was just a bad batch or way past its date? I've had canned foam crap out on me before when it was stored in a cold garage, and it never cured right either.