How This 55-Year-Old Homeowner Ditched the Foam Crew and Sealed His Drafty Walls in a Weekend!
I Went From Paying to Heat the Outside... To Sealing Every Stud Bay With My Hands in One Weekend.
By Scott Schuyler
Every homeowner has that one room.
Too cold to sleep in January. Too hot in August.
The space heater runs all day. It’s losing.
Then the heating bill comes. Higher than last winter.
I knew spray foam was the fix. Most homeowners who’ve looked into it know that.
The question was who was going to spray it.
I Did What Most Homeowners Do First
Turned the heat up. The bill went up. The room stayed cold.
Grabbed a few cans of gap filler. One can, a few gaps, and it was gone.
Called a foam crew.
That’s the part that stuck with me.
The job wasn’t that big. The quote was priced like it was.
A lot of crews don’t want a small job. The ones who come out don’t make it cheap.
So I had a job too big for a can and too small for a crew.
The Job Was Smaller Than the Quote Made It Look
So I looked for myself.
I ran my hand along the walls and the edges. Cold air, coming right in.
Gaps where the walls meet the floor. Gaps up at the top. Bare stud bays.
That’s where the cold was getting in. A few walls and a few seams.
That’s not a crew job. That’s a weekend.
Why Doing It Yourself Makes Sense
The job is smaller than you think. A 12x12 room takes about 3 kits at 1 inch.
You don’t wait on anyone. You pick the weekend. Not the crew’s schedule.
You see every gap. You’re the one with the gun. Nothing gets skipped.
You can do it in stages. One room this weekend. The next one when you’re ready.
It’s the same fix. Air sealing and insulating, done with your own hands.
FullStop is rated R-4.12 per inch. Two 1-inch passes get you R-8.24 at 2 inches.
It’s a blend of open and closed cell. BEEST calls it DualCore: a closed-cell outer skin with a flexible center.
The kit comes with 12 cans and a metal gun. No rental, no compressor.
Walls and gaps around your home. Check the surface and building requirements, then plan what you can seal yourself.
How I Did It
- Checked the temperature. Surface and air need to be 41F or warmer. I warmed the cans to 68F first.
- Prepped. Made sure the surfaces were suitable and followed the product’s surface-prep instructions. I checked wiring and pipes before spraying. Moisture problems need to be resolved first.
- Suited up. Respirator, gloves, goggles and coverall. Every time. Gloves, goggles and a coverall come in the kit. Bring your own respirator.
- Practiced. Sprayed a piece of cardboard first to get a feel for the gun.
- Sprayed in 1-inch passes. Let each one set. Two passes for 2 inches.
- Aired it out. Kept it ventilated. Gave it 24 to 72 hours before using the space.
Follow the current product instructions and safety information. Keep flames, sparks, pilot lights and other ignition sources away during use and until vapors have cleared.
How Many Kits Will You Need?
This is the first thing every homeowner asks me. Here’s the honest math.
One kit is 12 cans, rated 240 sq ft at 1 inch on paper.
In real use, plan on about 170 sq ft per kit at 1 inch. At 2 inches, about 85 sq ft.
Measure your walls, multiply height by length, and add them up. Then round up.
Real use is about 70% of the rated number, rounded for planning. BEEST’s estimate, not a lab test. Overhead work uses more. These estimates don’t establish the total insulation your building needs.
One buyer said it best: “Covers less than you think it will, plan ahead.” Plan a little extra.
The Straight Answers I Wanted Before I Bought
Will it trap moisture?
It’s a vapor resister, not a vapor barrier. Check the moisture-control approach your building needs first. Never spray wet surfaces or cover an unresolved leak.
Is it flammable?
Yes, during use and before curing it is extremely flammable. Keep ignition sources away until vapors have cleared. Cured FullStop is Class A fire-rated (ASTM E84), Flame Spread Index 0.* Your local code decides whether it needs an ignition or thermal barrier, so check with your inspector.
What about wiring and pipes later?
Run and check them before you spray. Plan access first, then seal before drywall.
I’ve never sprayed foam. Can I do this?
Most first-timers can. Practice on cardboard first and follow the instructions for your job.
“Surprised how easy this was. I had never used spray foam before this but it really was pretty simple after about 5 minutes.”
FullStop customer review
*Results apply to cured foam under controlled test conditions.
Other Homeowners Did It Too
BEEST reports the following customer results:
- 89% noticed fewer drafts
- 80% noticed lower energy bills
- 99% did the job without hired labor
Customer-reported figures published by BEEST. Individual experiences vary by home, climate and installation. These figures aren’t a promise of savings.
“this spray foam kit sealed every crack in my attic in no time and definitely made my living room feel warmer and quieter!”
FullStop customer review
“This stuff is amazingly easy to install. I received it quickly and I did my whole shed without any help.”
FullStop customer review
“Used in crawlspace area. Extremely easy to use even when cramped on your belly.”
FullStop customer review
Selected Judge.me customer reviews. Read customer reviews.
You Can Do This Yourself
You don’t need to install insulation for a living to get started.
Measure your room, work out how much foam you need and follow the application guide. Then take it one wall at a time.
Have a question before you start? Call BEEST for help choosing your kit or getting ready to spray.
FullStop foam has a 1-year limited warranty. Register within 30 days and the foam warranty extends to 10 years, free. Register your kit.
The extension applies to the foam. The gun has a 1-year limited warranty. Read the warranty terms.
Pick your room. Pick your weekend. Do it yourself.
Scott Schuyler
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