CertaSpray Polyurethane Closed Cell Foam thermal or sound insulation materials

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. No one hurt

   Made Mar 1, 2012 · , sent to the company Mar 12, 2012 · , published by CPSC Mar 26, 2012

   The product, in the report: 5” closed cell polyurethane spray foam insulation, white

   On [November 10, 2011] I had 5” of closed cell polyurethane spray foam insulation installed in the rafters of my house. The house has no attic, but has two lofts. The contractor is Upstate Spray Foam of West Winfield, NY. I was not given a Materials Safety Data Sheet at the time of the installation or at the appointment prior to the installation. I requested one after the installation for reasons I will explain. I was not told when to enter the house, but was told by the installer that day that “it would cure in 2 and 1/2 hours, sheet-rockers work right behind us!” The contractors arrived at my house approximately 8 a.m., and were gone by 5 p.m. that day. I returned to the house at 5 p.m., it was a rainy, damp, and chilly day so I put the heat on low and left immediately. While I was there I noticed a subtle sweet/burning odor. I called the installer on Wednesday to tell him that I was please and the smell didn’t seem so bad, but would it go away? I had asked him prior to the agreement, if there would be an odor and he said, “After it cures there will be none.” On the day of the phone call he said, “It will cure in 24 hours, and after that there will be no odor.” Two weeks later, and after airing the house out with a fan and all doors and windows open, the odor remained. A worker complained that there, “was a burning smell” in my house. It was when I overheard him telling a mutual friend later that day, that I became alarmed and knew that I had to call Upstate Spray Foam Co., to report the odor again. [REDACTED] came out and claimed that he, “didn’t smell anything”. The electrician working in my house reported that he did smell something strong in one of the lofts. The owner of Upstate Spray Foam Co., and a representative from the manufacturer; Certain-Teed also claimed that they “did not smell anything.” Meanwhile other people have described it as a “sweet or burning” odor. [REDACTED] Meanwhile, I had to cancel work on my house, although I planned to move in by October 2011. The company who claimed they wanted to help, has not responded to my request to remove it based on the smell alone, which after you are in the house for more than 5 minutes is sickening. I can also smell it when I am standing outside near an open door. Another representative from Certain-Teed who I spoke to on the phone told me “there should be no odor after 24 hours and there is something wrong with the installation.” A representative from the Polyurethane Foam Alliance also said the very same thing. I never paid them because they did an unsatisfactory job and they had promised me prior to the installation, that there would be no smell. They have put a lien on my house, and have not done a thing to remedy the situation. I am very concerned about not only my safety, but the safety of the public at large. I shutter to think about how this could affect small infants, children, or pregnant women. I wish that I had never had it installed in my house. [REDACTED]

   Model

   Mixture

   Serial number

   CAS# none Assigned

   Bought from

   Upstate Spray Foam

   Bought

   Sep 13, 2011

   Where

   Cooperstown, New York: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 60, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand CertaSpray Polyurethane Closed Cell Foam, made or sold by CertainTeed Corp

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources