Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!

I was told by a realtor that
I was told by a realtor that I would need a 4 foot tall crawl to winterize a cottage, I think as long as there is room to work and install whatever ducting, etc. that is needed would be enough. What do you think?

We’re considering putting 6 mil plastic on the floors since they will be seldom crawled upon. Should we run it up the walls a little way?

We’re looking at filling joist cavities — about 2 or 3 inches — with Great Stuff 3X expanding foam using a store-bought tip on the can sprayer (3 for $7) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qte2FHo6UPY

And some more links:
http://www.eznozzle.com/ this link shows the triangular spray tips for Great Stuff and a couple other brands of canned spray foam, 3 of these on ebay for $7. I’m gonna practice on a new bath tub we’re getting ready to intall. I always wanted an insulated bath tub so i can run a hot bath and have it remain hot for a hour or so in winter
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-PRODUCT-Vertical-Foam-Nozzle-DIY-spray-foam-substitute-smaller-jobs/

also interesting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN6wfzigHks a how-to youtube of the spray nozzle i list above. After watching, i think i can now use foam effectively

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hh5MYv7lWc spray foam insulation
nightmare — says that commercial foam appliers get a two part formula from their suppliers. They mix the two on site, spray and leave. It seems that most spray jobs are ok, but if they don’t mix the two chemicals well enough (like with epoxies), or if the temperatures are off when mixing or applying — then there can be problems — a euphemism for poisonous outgassing which can cause headaches, allergies,generally feeling very poorly and a lot more. And there is a uriney smell, or maybe a fish smell.

On the other hand, small store-bought cans of pre-mixed spray foam don’t seem to have a bad rap. Anybody know of problems? I’d like to know before i spray the stuff on a bathtub which will get to 105 to 110 degrees F every time I fill it with hot water.

Sorry Jeff. I agree that wasn
Sorry Jeff. I agree that wasn’t very helpful (I was in a hurry). The top 2 hits are articles @ Green Building Advisor about chemical odors associated with improperly applied spray foam insulation. Spray foam is typically used to seal the rim bands when encapsulating a crawl. Was spray foam applied in your crawl?

I’ve seen numerous complaints about odors associated with improperly applied spray foam in green building blogs, most often described as a fish odor, although some people describe as a cat urine odor. Strong chemical odors are normal during application — installation protocols stipulate occupant evacuation and ventilation during the application. But if spray foam is mixed and applied as per manufacturer instructions, there should be no residual odor from the foam once it cures.

The other possibility, as you mentioned, is the crawl space liner material, or the adhesives used to seal the liner. You you have a poly-vinyl chloride liner (typically black or white), or is it polyethylene (translucent)? PVC liners are commonly used for swimming pools and have a very distinctive odor.

Hello Scott, The conditioned
Hello Scott, The conditioned crawlspace is the only way to go if you have a crawlspace.The issuse that we see in North East PA are that most contractors and homeowners miss or partially complete the 4 steps to a conditioned crawlspace.
1 control the groundwater-taking precautions so area will not flood.checking gutter leaders to keep water away from foundation. Installing perimeter interior drains to a tail drain or a good sealed sump pump.A battery backup pump if there is no generator.
2.control the earths moisture- installing a good durable vapor barrier that is sealed 100%! 6 mil just will not do. If you have a good vapor barrier with poured concrete,that will do as well.
3 Stop the outside air infiltration We untilize closed cell foam to seal foundation walls and rimjoist.then you get a good R-value/ thermal break from the exterior. Install a good sealed door,we use cut down exterior doors or if opening is to small a good sealed cover.We see alot of customers that have sprayfoam on there foundation but no sealed door.So the cold air comes right in.
4 condition the space
Once you have a space that is able to be controlled.Do just that! Introduce heat and AC to keep area control.Since there is no outside infueunce in that area it normally will stay around your average ground temperature. We always use dehumidifiers to keep area conditioned and keep relative humidity around 55% so there is no condensation or mold growth.
Again all 4 steps are important to have and utilize a conditioned crawlspace.If 1 is missed or done poorly the system will not function to it fullest potential! Sometimes not work at all and waste money and energy.

Thanks David. That link you
Thanks David. That link you sent me opened to a variety of possible web sites so I never found the exact reference to your reply “there is a known cause forvtheccat urine odor”. Can you send me the exact link or tell me where to look for it? I still want to address this as I assume it won’t go away by itself.

@Jeff, no you’re not the only
@Jeff, no you’re not the only one with urine odor associated with an encapsulated crawl space. The the cause is no mystery, and completely avoidable. See: http://bit.ly/1oOUd1i