Pro tip: Skip the fancy spray foam for attic insulation in ABQ

I get why everyone loves that closed cell spray foam for attics. It seals everything up tight and has that high R-value. But after my own experience last January, I think it's overkill for most homes here. I paid a guy $2,800 to spray foam my attic in Albuquerque, and three months later I had moisture problems. The house couldn't breathe and I got condensation on my roof decking in February. My neighbor did the old school blown in fiberglass for $900 and his place stays just as cool in summer. I ended up having to rip out a section of drywall in my north bedroom because of mold starting behind the insulation. Has anyone else had trouble with spray foam not letting the house breathe right in our dry climate?

2 comments

2 Comments

jade4716d ago

Oh man, that really sucks. I feel for you. I had almost the exact same thing happen when I tried spray foam in my little house up in Cedar Crest a few years back. I was so proud of myself for going with the "premium" option and then bam, same moisture issue on the roof sheathing. It makes you feel stupid for spending all that extra money. The whole "house needs to breathe" thing is real, especially in this high desert climate where you get those wild temperature swings from day to night. Your neighbor with the blown in stuff probably made the smarter call honestly. I'm sorry you had to deal with that mold too, that's a nightmare to clean up.

milabaker16d ago

Three houses in my neighborhood had the same spray foam moisture problem, all built within five years of each other by the same builder. It's a weird pattern I've noticed, @jade47, where a "premium" fix ends up creating a whole new problem that the old school methods never had.