Healthy Indoors Magazine - USA Edition

54 February 2013 Sprayed In Continued from previous page sufficiently remove the gas- eous contaminants released from spraying and product curing. Workers in the space need to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize their risks from exposure. PPE should include a Type-C airline respi- rator (which delivers fresh air to a full-face mask or hood) since a typical filter type mask provides little protection from SPF application fumes, along with protective clothing and gloves. Residents should leave their home during spray foam operations. Spray foam applicators should take measures to contain the migration of spray foam vapors and particles during spraying and cutting. Residents should work with their contractor to ensure that their home is well ventilated and cleaned before returning. Applicators need to adhere to manufacturer's installa- tion instructions, and carefully monitor pressures and tem- peratures. Any "free-lancing" application mind-sets need to be left at home for SPF work. Failure to operate within spec for temperatures, pressures, or application thickness is very muddy water for an applicator, and usually leads to problems later. The Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) is an indus- try organization whose stated goals are a commitment to SPF performance, safety, and industry excellence. They offer technical information and certification programs for applicators. You can find out more about the SPFA at: http://www.sprayfoam.org/ Really Tight Buildings Are Good, Right? Yes and no. Unplanned air infiltration/exfiltration results in wasted energy consumption, and can result in excessive indoor moisture and IAQ problems in a structure. So, tightening up the building envelope is often a good way to reduce energy loss and moisture intrusion. That said, buildings need air changes. Back in the day when we weren't very concerned about energy cost, our structures were leaky and energy inefficient, which unintentional- ly provided air changes. Once we started tightening things up, that "natural" ventilation tended to be reduced. In the case of commercial buildings, mechanical ventilation was generally provided in the design. For residential struc- tures, though, not so much. If a building is tightly sealed with SPF, mechanical ventilation from a device such as a heat recovery or energy recovery ventilator (HRV/ERV) should be considered to provide necessary air changes and help control indoor humidity. The Bottom Line SPF insulation and air sealing products offer ways to greatly enhance the energy efficiency " Applicators need to adhere to manufacturer's installation instructions, and carefully monitor pressures and temperatures. "

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