Why I won't spray foam my bus

[PatrickBaptist]

This is my 2nd winter in my bus and I don't have a problem keeping it warm or cool, 1 inch foam board in the walls, not opened up the ceiling.
None on the floor and down to 20 it stay in the high 70s inside using just 3x 1500 watt electric heaters.
Last year I used a buddy heater and a larger LP 30k BTU propane heater.
The kids room is super easy to heat/cool, the windows are covered with 1" foam board as well.

Our health just isn't worth ruining with spray foam..... Better to just pay a little more for electric or propane.
I'm sure you can tell me how safe it is for you and all but I won't trust my children and Wife's well being to it.
Though I would throw this out there because I've not seen anyone on here talking about this.

 

[EastCoastCB]

man that's really old and it pertains to it going on too thick. Not a worry in a bus.

 

[ComfortEagle]

This is my 2nd winter in my bus and I don't have a problem keeping it warm or cool, 1 inch foam board in the walls, not opened up the ceiling.
None on the floor and down to 20 it stay in the high 70s inside using just 3x 1500 watt electric heaters.
Last year I used a buddy heater and a larger LP 30k BTU propane heater.
The kids room is super easy to heat/cool, the windows are covered with 1" foam board as well.

So if I understand you correctly, you are able to heat your poorly insulated bus using "only" 4500 watts of electric heaters, with a buddy propane heater and 30K BTU propane heater (both open flame?) as back ups? Mind blowing...

At least you are actually living on your bus unlike the rest of us "under construction posers"...

 

[o1marc]

Millions of applications without issue. Too many old wives tales being perpetrated in modern technology.

 

[PatrickBaptist]

So if I understand you correctly, you are able to heat your poorly insulated bus using "only" 4500 watts of electric heaters, with a buddy propane heater and 30K BTU propane heater (both open flame?) as back ups? Mind blowing...

At least you are actually living on your bus unlike the rest of us "under construction posers"...

Last year I was just using LP heaters, this year electric atleast for now anyways. But yeah it keeps it plenty warm, some nights we have had to turn them down or crack open a window or 2. The LP heaters are the catalytic style. Do have 2 LP furnaces as well 36k each but never have used them but once and that was just to heat up the bus.

We have been living in it for a year now actually.
"under construction posers" LOL.
Try living in it while doing the conversion in an RV park, that's how we started out with the bus, not in a park anymore though.
So in my case it sure wasn't feasible to rip off all the paneling and spray foam it. Then on top of it I just don't believe it's a safe measure either, others can think and claim what they want about the spray foam without being able to scientifically prove it, but my family doesn't have to suffer it so it's not my problem and no point in arguing it. But it's not something that HAS TO be done to live in it comfortably at all unless your talking about crazy cold climates which -6F is as cold as it's gotten in my region for a long long time. Foam board, reflectix, and HVAC tape works great.
Just wanted to share with others that it's very possible to live in a bus and be comfortable without the high dollar spray foam treatment.
In the summer I have 2x 15k RV roof air units that kept it in the lower 70s when it was in the high 90s to 100F no problem. Wasn't parked in the shade either.

 

[o1marc]

Last year I was just using LP heaters, this year electric atleast for now anyways. But yeah it keeps it plenty warm, some nights we have had to turn them down or crack open a window or 2. The LP heaters are the catalytic style. Do have 2 LP furnaces as well 36k each but never have used them but once and that was just to heat up the bus.

We have been living in it for a year now actually.
"under construction posers" LOL.
Try living in it while doing the conversion in an RV park, that's how we started out with the bus, not in a park anymore though.
So in my case it sure wasn't feasible to rip off all the paneling and spray foam it. Then on top of it I just don't believe it's a safe measure either, others can think and claim what they want about the spray foam without being able to scientifically prove it, but my family doesn't have to suffer it so it's not my problem and no point in arguing it. But it's not something that HAS TO be done to live in it comfortably at all unless your talking about crazy cold climates which -6F is as cold as it's gotten in my region for a long long time. Foam board, reflectix, and HVAC tape works great.
Just wanted to share with others that it's very possible to live in a bus and be comfortable without the high dollar spray foam treatment.
In the summer I have 2x 15k RV roof air units that kept it in the lower 70s when it was in the high 90s to 100F no problem. Wasn't parked in the shade either.

1000000 homes with spray insulation, 1 butthead complains. Scientific enough for me to say it is safe .

 

[PatrickBaptist]

1000000 homes with spray insulation, 1 butthead complains. Scientific enough for me to say it is safe .

Think of me however you want buddy, whatever makes you feel better about it is good enough for me.

 

[JustKip]

I can heat the 1200 sf ground floor of my poorly insulated 100 year old house with 3 1500 watt heaters.
There are multiple ways of insulating, and you should be able to heat with half the energy.

 

[PatrickBaptist]

I can heat the 1200 sf ground floor of my poorly insulated 100 year old house with 3 1500 watt heaters.
There are multiple ways of insulating, and you should be able to heat with half the energy.

Well sure I can heat a 5000sf garage with 3 1500w heaters, but how well is another matter and depending on outside temps and if the sun is out and how much the cattle fart... For someone starting out on a conversion not all of us have the cash laying around for $1000+ in foam or worse live under credit. Between that and the *possible* health issues that spray foam could cause I just didn't go that route.

Mind you the 3 electric heaters I use aren't all on high, the one in the back bed room stays on low with the thermostat turned down so it doesn't even run very much otherwise it would be an oven back there, the windows are all covered and insulated well and it's closed off from the rest of the bus.

"There are multiple ways of insulating" Right, I just don't go the spray foam route, I used foam board just haven't pulled down the ceiling to do it yet. But it's up on the walls.

Good thing it's an old wives tale smoking is bad for you.... LOL. It's time for a cigar.

 

[PNW_Steve]

I had a bus spray foamed back in 1995. I lived in that bus for almost eight years. I loved it. I did have one problem.... In one spot a bit of plywood rubbed against the foam and it squeaked when I was driving. I took a piece of the plywood out and trimmed the foam down a bit and put it all back together. No more squeak. I put 250k miles on it and never had any issues.

As of January of this year the new owner is still on the road in the bus.

I just had my latest bus foamed. It came out nice. As I drove away from the foam shop I could smell something like fiberglass resin. It was not terrible but definitely noticeable. We stopped at a motel for the night. The next morning we headed home and no more smell.

It was much warmer driving home as well.

I think that a few folks are running in circles yelling "The sky is falling, the sky is falling! ".

Two part closed cell polyurethane has a long and good reputation. I think that I will keep using it.

 

[ComfortEagle]

In the summer I have 2x 15k RV roof air units that kept it in the lower 70s when it was in the high 90s to 100F no problem. Wasn't parked in the shade either.

***Sarcasm Alert ***
Wait a minute, first you tell us you are able to heat your poorly insulated bus with "only" 4500 watts of electric heaters, and now you assert that you can cool your bus with 30K worth of air conditioners. Again, mind blowing.... At least you didn't say "only" 30K this time.

But like I previously said, at least you are actually living in your skoolie... Rock on brother.

Rick
<><

 

[TheHubbardBus]

I watched both videos. Some of the naysayers made very cogent points, IMO.

In particular, the guy who said essentially 'this isn't being produced in a factory, the factory is your home' is spot on. You're depending on a chemical reaction between two quantities of reactants, in an environment where there are numerous variables that differ from job to job. I can see where there's all sorts of things that could go wrong. And even when things go right, you're inevitably still going to have some quantity of one component or the other that didn't react. It would be impossible to not have some unreacted precursors no matter how good you were. There also appears to be the possibility of side-reactions creating new compounds in high-heat (guessing there, but the admonition against high exothermic heat & formaldehyde where the foam itself wasn't supposed to contain any would suggest that).

I am curious on what the long-term off-gassing picture looks like considering a properly-done job w/ modern formulations, compared to factory-produced foam board.

I'm necessarily off the foam train, but it is food for thought. At least to me. Thanks PB.

 

[ComfortEagle]

Some of the naysayers made very cogent points, IMO... There also appears to be the possibility of side-reactions creating new compounds in high-heat (guessing there, but the admonition against high exothermic heat & formaldehyde where...

Cogent points?

Admonition against high exothermic heat?

Allow me once again to expose my colon...

https://youtu.be/71xxvp5R9hE

 

[PatrickBaptist]

I watched both videos. Some of the naysayers made very cogent points, IMO.

In particular, the guy who said essentially 'this isn't being produced in a factory, the factory is your home' is spot on. You're depending on a chemical reaction between two quantities of reactants, in an environment where there are numerous variables that differ from job to job. I can see where there's all sorts of things that could go wrong. And even when things go right, you're inevitably still going to have some quantity of one component or the other that didn't react. It would be impossible to not have some unreacted precursors no matter how good you were. There also appears to be the possibility of side-reactions creating new compounds in high-heat (guessing there, but the admonition against high exothermic heat & formaldehyde where the foam itself wasn't supposed to contain any would suggest that).

I am curious on what the long-term off-gassing picture looks like considering a properly-done job w/ modern formulations, compared to factory-produced foam board.

I'm necessarily off the foam train, but it is food for thought. At least to me. Thanks PB.

Thanks hero.
I went through OSHA training and cert with the crawl space encapsulation work I've done in the past and off gassing materials was something that was really stressed.
I did my best to provide my customers with products that not only worked but didn't work against their health.

But there is usually the majority that aren't going to hear the possible dangers of using such and such for whatever reason or another.

I know there are a few that would like to atleast know the possible risk while most would prefer not to know and I can understand their way of thinking as well.
Just like the what is going on with monsanto with round up, so many though it was so safe and now it's coming out that really isn't the truth. Happens with alot of things in life.
Can't abstain from everything unhealthy I agree with everyone on that note, and I sure am not any kind of environmentalist but inside my dwelling I'm a bit more cautious.
Thanks for your mature objective comment.

 

[PatrickBaptist]

Cogent points?

Admonition against high exothermic heat?

Allow me once again to expose my colon...

https://youtu.be/71xxvp5R9hE

LOL I remember watching in living color when I was a kid, fire marshal bill was my fav. LOL, I think I'm going to have to go watch him now....

 

[EastCoastCB]

Spraying a bus with a couple inches outside in the sun vs spaying it thick in an attic in Canada like in the video. Big difference.

 

[TheHubbardBus]

Cogent points?

Admonition against high exothermic heat?

Allow me once again to expose my colon...

https://youtu.be/71xxvp5R9hE

I hate to break it to you, but - as much as I love In Living Color - those are real words. You might want to step outside your polyurethane tomb & get a breath of fresh air before you lose any more neurons to off-gassing :biggrin:

 

[ComfortEagle]

I hate to break it to you, but - as much as I love In Living Color - those are real words. You might want to step outside your polyurethane tomb & get a breath of fresh air before you lose any more neurons to off-gassing :biggrin:

True, true however, you've got to agree that precluding further out-gassing we must internalize the flatulation of the matter by transmitting the effervescence of the indianisian proximity in order to further segregate the crux of any unreacted precursors.

And polyurethane tomb, polyamorous crypt, or sarcophagus of polygamy... Regardless or irregardless, I appear to have been unequivocally and irrevocably polymotopsied...

Finally I assert that before further commentary is proffered or prophesied, research is recommended in regards to the polymeric falcighol derivation associated with the Marina (aka level five) web. Now, if I may retain my liquids here for one moment...

Rick
<><

 

[TheHubbardBus]

:biggrin: Well Played, Rick. Well Played. :biggrin:


There do appear to be quite a few peeps on this site alone who have used spray foam - to include our resident lost Wayans Brother - with no results other than high praise. And as mentioned above the vast majority of residential jobs seem to go great. Plus, if you did get a bad roll of the dice, removing foam from a metal bus interior should be fairly easy - and far less destructive - compared to the interior of a porous wooden attic.

 

[ACamper-SKO]

I saw the first video a couple of years ago. After watching it I would not put that stuff in a house.

I still would probably put it in a bus if I had the opportunity. If something went wrong in a bus it is a few thousand dollars and not that hard to recover from. A house on the other hand would be a nightmare..

My bus was a budget build and spray foam didn't fit into that. I got a bunch of pink foam board and it works just fine. I have been hanging out in below freezing temps with a wood stove staying very toasty.