The Insulation Was Literally Hanging Down

We spent part of last week working at a nonprofit home goods shop in St. Paul.

When we first walked in, nobody had to explain where the problem was. You looked up and there it was.

The old batt insulation hanging from the ceiling had started falling apart in several areas. Some sections were drooping. Some were torn up. A few pieces looked like they had been hanging there by pure determination for a while.

Not exactly what you want over a retail space.

It looked worse the longer you stared at it

Funny how that happens.

At first glance you think, “Okay, that’s not great.”

Then you keep looking.

Then you notice another section.

And another.

By the time we started discussing the project, everybody was pretty much on the same page that the old insulation had reached the end of the road.

Out with the old

The removal took a good chunk of time.

Old batt insulation never seems to come out as neatly as people imagine. Bits and pieces end up everywhere. Dust gets stirred up. You fill bags faster than you’d expect.

One of the staff members joked that they hadn’t realized there was that much insulation above the ceiling to begin with.

Honestly, neither had I.

We changed directions a little

A lot of people automatically think new batt insulation goes back where old batt insulation came out.

That wasn’t the plan here.

For this building we went with closed-cell spray foam instead. The foam gave us insulation and air sealing in one shot, which made sense for how the building was being used.

Nothing fancy.

Just the better fit for the job.

Somewhere around midday

The building smelled like fresh spray foam.

Not strong.

Just enough that you knew work was getting done.

The crew was moving along, hoses running, compressors humming in the background. Pretty normal day for us. Less normal for the people working in the shop who kept stopping to see how everything was coming together.

That happens a lot.

Then came the coating

Once the foam was finished, we weren’t done.

The next step was applying intumescent paint over the spray foam for fire protection. That’s one of those things most people never think about because when the project is finished, all they see is the completed surface.

Still important though.

That part mattered.

One thing I noticed

The staff seemed relieved more than excited.

Maybe that’s the best way to describe it.

Nobody was celebrating insulation. Nobody was taking selfies with spray foam. They were just happy they no longer had damaged material hanging over their heads every day.

Fair enough.

Wrapping up in St. Paul

By the time we packed up, the old, damaged batt insulation was gone, the ceiling had been insulated with closed-cell spray foam, and the foam had been coated with intumescent paint for fire protection.

The whole space felt cleaner, looked better, and nobody had to look up at falling insulation anymore.

Sometimes that’s the win. If you’ve got an older commercial building, retail space, nonprofit facility, or warehouse with insulation problems, Call us or visit our website for a FREE evaluation!