Why I finally stopped using spray foam around windows

I used to swear by spray foam for sealing gaps around windows, thought it was the best way. Then I overheard a guy at the hardware store in Akron telling his buddy that it can actually trap moisture behind the trim and rot the frame out over time. He said you need to use backer rod and caulk instead for any window that gets rain. I went home, checked my own install from 2 years ago, and sure enough there was damp wood under there. Has anyone else dealt with hidden rot from doing it the "quick" way?

3 comments

3 Comments

calebc407d ago

Dried out wood after only two years from spray foam?

max_hernandez277d ago

Two years only... man that is wild. I've got friends who did spray foam in their basements and garages like five or six years ago and their wood still looks fine with no soft spots or anything. Something had to have gone way wrong with that install, maybe not enough ventilation or the spray guy didn't mix it right... can't imagine that's normal at all.

nancyjones7d ago

man that "dried out wood after only two years" thing is wild. i don't buy it being normal at all. spray foam is supposed to seal and protect, not suck the life out of your framing. something was off with that install for sure. maybe they didnt vent it right or the mix ratio was garbage. i've seen plenty of builds with spray foam holding up fine for way longer than two years.