Spray foam on garage walls and ceiling

[Dan Harris]

I am looking for a good / legit reason to recommend removal of foam on the garage walls and ceilings. Besides looking like crap, does spray foam, it looks like a roof foam material, affect the garage fire requirements, would it emit toxic fumes if burned?

[Jerry Peck]

Spray foam needs to be protected by an ignition barrier applied over the foam.

There is one type of foam which has been tested and listed for use without the ignition barrier, however, it was recently realized that the test has been purported to be something other that it was - the test was done with a horizontal test sample ... NOT with a sloped test sample, and thus the approval only applies to foam installed as the test sample was tested - horizontally.

That means flat (true, dead-level flat) roofs only, no slope at all.

Of course, though, a "flat" roof will have at least a 1/4" per foot slope as that is what most, if not all, roof coverings call for.

[Dan Harris]

Spray foam needs to be protected by an ignition barrier applied over the foam.
.

Cool... thanks Jerry. I don't believe the butt ugly blue and orange paint on it would be considered an ignition barrier.
Is it OK to dispose this type of foam material in the regular dump, or should I recommend having it checked for hazard materials prior to removal and disposing of.?

[Jerry Peck]

I would imagine a regular dump, but ... first I would add foam to those areas not out to the face of the studs, cut the foam off even with the face of the studs, then cover with 1/2" gypsum board.

That leaves the garage walls insulated, which would probably be a useful thing during cold or hot weather.

[Dan Cullen]

A spray applied paint-like ignition barrier is advertised in the latest edition of Spray Foam magazine. Supposed to be ICC rated/approved/listed/whatever.