Heard a contractor say something about spray foam that made me question my attic plans

I was at Home Depot last weekend picking up some insulation for my garage and I overheard two guys talking near the foam aisle. One of them said spray foam in attics is a bad idea for Edmonton houses because it traps moisture and can cause roof rot in our cold climate. I had been planning to spray foam my attic this spring after my energy bill hit $350 in January. Now I am wondering if I should stick with traditional batt insulation instead. Has anyone here had problems with spray foam in their Edmonton home? I would love to hear real experiences before I make a decision.

2 comments

2 Comments

barbaraschmidt8d ago

I had spray foam done 3 years ago and my roof deck started showing rot by year 2. The problem isn't the foam itself, it's that Edmonton houses need to breathe through the attic and spray foam locks everything in tight. Batt insulation with proper ventilation is safer up here.

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morganj818d ago

Locks everything in tight" is a bit dramatic - plenty of spray foam houses up here are fine if the air sealing is done right. Sounds more like your installer messed up the vapor barrier than the foam itself being the problem.