ceiling wallboard buckling after foam insulation in attic
#1
05-21-12, 07:58 AM
ceiling wallboard buckling after foam insulation in attic
After I had spray foam insulation installed in the early spring of 2011, I noticed cracks and gaps appear in my ceiling at the edge where the wall meets in early May when the weather became warmer. The gaps increased and the ceiling wallboards buckled up as if sucked up into the attic. These gaps only appear on the eave sides. I called the company and they spent a lot of time investigating the problem, sampling the foam and eventually used durobond to fix the cracks and buckling. Here it is a year later and it is happening again. The company had never seen this and could not come up with an answer. The insulation was done correctly but I am perplexed at what is happening. I know it has to do with warmer temperatures as it was fine all winter but why and how to I remedy this? Any ideas out there?
#2
05-21-12, 08:05 AM
Group Moderator
Welcome to the forums.
Had you lived in the house for a while before having the foam installed? I'm wondering whether this happened prior.
Had you lived in the house for a while before having the foam installed? I'm wondering whether this happened prior.
#4
05-21-12, 08:17 AM
Group Moderator
Your house is showing different behavior than it did previously. When that happens, the question of 'what changed?' needs to be asked. Pretty much answered in this case, the foam.
I would get the foam company out again and tell them their solution did not work.
I would get the foam company out again and tell them their solution did not work.
#5
05-21-12, 09:04 AM
Yeah, I will call them but I was wondering if it has happened to anyone else? The company was perplexed about this last summer as they sent foam samples out to be tested, visually inspected the attic and eaves, and did pressure tests with the thermal camera and could not come up with reasonable explaination.
#6
05-21-12, 10:25 AM
Group Moderator
I would be willing to bet that it has something to do with the expansion and contraction of the trusses (assuming your roof is built from trusses) and the fact that the drywall is now "glued" to that framing by the foam. Trusses flex up and down with temperature changes. Their foam has somehow changed or magnified that movement.
#7
05-21-12, 10:49 AM
I am with XSleeper. I think the drywall is now indirectly glued to the sides of the joists. Some kind of uplift is taking your ceiling with it. Or one other thing, maybe the foam is adhered to the roof at the eaves. This should not be for if this is the case there is probably insufficient ventilation from the soffit vents.
How far into the room does the buckling occur? Is the roof a gable or hip?
How far into the room does the buckling occur? Is the roof a gable or hip?
#9
05-22-12, 08:19 AM
The joists are 16 inches and I have a gabled roof with trusses. The buckling occurs about 12 to 18 inches. The foam was applied directly to the plywood sheathing from the crown down to the eaves and onto the ceiling drywall to completely seal the attic. The temperature in the attic is now the same as the rest of the house year round. I am not sure of the sheetrock thickness. I appreaciate all of your hypotheses. What would be the solution if it is the trusses expanding and contracting? The company I used is Zero Draft and I had called numerous references before I signed a contract and I got rave reviews about their work.
#10
05-22-12, 10:48 AM
How much is the offset at the worst place? Is this sucking up an inch or 1/8"?
This is interesting. When you learn the cause and solution let is all know.
This is interesting. When you learn the cause and solution let is all know.
#11
05-22-12, 11:07 AM
Group Moderator
What seems odd is that the drywall is sucking UPWARD as the trusses and framing EXPAND. Assuming the trusses are all parallel to the gable end truss, the only thing I could imagine is that somehow, as the next truss from the wall expands it perhaps pushes the bottom chord down and it is somehow causing the foam to act as a fulcrum, forcing the drywall upward next to the wall. I can't see how that drywall could possibly go up since it is also foamed and should be screwed to blocking unless maybe it wasn't blocked above.
Pictures might be helpful.
Pictures might be helpful.
#12
05-22-12, 11:34 AM
One more question. Well, maybe more. Is the drywall uniformly pulled up or are there waves where the joists stay put and the drywall between is sucked up? That is does the whole ceiling buckle or only the drywall between the joists? And if you do nothing this summer will it come back in line in the winter?
Does this variation change when there is a cool day in the summer or a warm day in the winter?
What kind of roof do you have? What attic ventilation do you have?
Is the lower part of the roof curled up in the summer and down in the winter to match what is happening on the inside?
And what kind of light fixtures do you have?
Does this variation change when there is a cool day in the summer or a warm day in the winter?
What kind of roof do you have? What attic ventilation do you have?
Is the lower part of the roof curled up in the summer and down in the winter to match what is happening on the inside?
And what kind of light fixtures do you have?
