[logan176]

How do I remove or contain the smell from Icynene spray foam?

Background:
Four years ago I gutted the second floor of my Cape Cod style home. My neighbors had been having problems with cooling their second floors and during heat waves some of their kids have to sleep in the living room. After doing a lot of research on insulation and the difficulties insulating a Cape, I decided on Icynene open cell spray foam. The foam was sprayed right to the roof decking and the gable walls. The roof is no longer vented and the space behind the kneewalls is now conditioned space. As per installers instructions, the second floor was vented with fans for a week before putting up the drywall.

I have storage behind the kneewalls and there is usually an odor back there. During hot weather the smell is strong enough to creep through an unsealed access door into the upstairs hallway and into the bedrooms. From what the installers told me and based on what I read there is not supposed to be a lingering smell. My buddy also had this same foam installed in his bonus room and he doesn't have a smell. However, his installer chose to use baffles and keep his roof vented.

Current Ideas:
I should have dealt with this issue a while ago but before our daughter was born we didn't go upstairs that often and didn't really notice the smell. Having a kid changes all that. I am in the process of calling a professional or using a kit to test the air quality. During the next few days I will also add weatherstripping to the kneewall access door to try and keep the smell contained. While I'm at it, I will also seal the outlet boxes and the supply vents.

Other Ideas:
As long as testing says the odor is harmless, I'd rather not rip out the insulation. I read a thread on another post where someone suggested using a type of aluminum spray paint on the foam... the kind that's used on wood joists to contain the smell of smoke.

Others have also suggested using fans to try and get fresh air into the space. I will try this but the attic space behind the kneewall is completely sealed except for the access door and a hole in the gable wall for a small bathroom exhaust vent.

I was also thinking of maybe trimming back some of the insulation against the roof decking to bring it flush with the rafters, installing sheetrock, and sealing the joints with compound.

Do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Logan