Follow These Steps to Master Using Spray Foam Around Your House

Spray foam is an increasingly popular form of home insulation, thanks to its effectiveness at preventing heat transfer indoors and out. You can use spray foam insulation to keep your utility bills down, but there are even more ways that you can use it for home improvement projects. Here are some examples of useful DIY spray foam tips in Fargo, ND:

• Stabilize your showerhead: If your showerhead is wobbly, you can use spray foam to stabilize it—just spray a little foam around the base of the arm, then carve away any excess after it dries.
• Keep pests out by plugging holes: If you deal with pests like mice, plugging holes with spray foam can ensure they stay out—but make sure you get a spray foam that’s specifically labeled as being for pest prevention. Otherwise, determined mice will chew right through the foam.
• Seal joists: If your insulation is lacking in the basement or crawl space, use spray foam along with rigid foam insulation to seal around the joists. Cut the rigid foam to fit, then use the spray foam to hold it in place.
• Use it in the garden to protect water features: Special landscaping spray foam is available. It’s usually black, so it remains hidden—use it to seal around your water features, stabilize walls or even glue objects in place, as well as anywhere else that needs protection, sealing or stabilization.
• Protect fragile items during shipping: You can even use spray foam for protecting delicate objects while mailing. Spray a layer of foam in the bottom of the box, allow to dry and cover with plastic wrap. Wrap the item in several layers of plastic wrap, place in the box and spray the foam on top.

Tips and tricks to mastering spray foam

Spray foam can be sticky and messy—here’s how to handle those “oops” moments:

• Wait to clean up accidents: Did the foam go somewhere you weren’t anticipating? Don’t try to clean it up right away—wait until it dries, then scrape it away and sand down if necessary.
• Consider an extension tube: The plastic tubes that come with spray foam cans are often too short to be effective—purchase a thin extension tube to help you get the product into tricky spots.
• Grab some acetone for pre-cure cleanup: If you notice it before it cures, acetone (the active ingredient in nail polish remover) is great for cleaning up uncured spray foam. Otherwise, you’ll need to wait for it to completely cure.
• Water helps it cure: Spray foam needs a little moisture to cure properly, so if you’re applying it to dry surfaces, lightly dampen the surface with a spray bottle of water.
• Get a gun: If you’re tackling a large project, get a spray foam gun—they cost about $30, and make the installation process a lot easier than using a can and plastic straw.
• New use for your bread knife: Serrated bread knives are perfect for cutting away excess spray foam.

Would you rather hire a professional spray foam contractor instead of doing it yourself? If, after reading these DIY spray foam tips, you’d prefer to let someone else handle the job, call the team at Interstate Insulation in Fargo, ND today!

Categorised in: DIY Spray Foam Insulation

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