Expanding foam explosion house ruined

baz321 · 21-10-2014 12:46pm #1

Hi guys . I was using an expanding foam product in a stud wall when the gasses from the foam exploded causing major damage to my house ,luckily I was uninjured .The only source of ignition is a socket in the stud wall a distance of three feet away from the foam ie.no foam came in contact with the socket . There is a small warning on the back of the can that this can occur , I read the instructions and safety of use and there was nothing in that about using more than one can or risk of explosion.i have read the backs of other expanding foams in hardware shops since the incident and none of them have any waning about using more than one can and risk of explosion . Is it just this product that is extremely dangerous ? Anyone have a similar experience .

seamus · 21-10-2014 1:04pm

You're not clear about what warning was or wasn't on the can.

Any cans using propellants will have standard warnings about being explosive. Foam insulation cans should also have warnings about ventilation. Propellant can ignite but shouldn't explode unless there's a substantial build up of it in the air. Did you have the room adequately ventilated while you were carrying out these works?

Did the can advise switching off your electricity before proceeding?

dudara · 21-10-2014 1:07pm

I'm going to move this to the DIY forum for now as I don't see it as a CI for now. Feel free to move back to CI if it goes in that direction.

dudara

baz321 · 21-10-2014 1:38pm

seamus wrote: »

You're not clear about what warning was or wasn't on the can.

Any cans using propellants will have standard warnings about being explosive. Foam insulation cans should also have warnings about ventilation. Propellant can ignite but shouldn't explode unless there's a substantial build up of it in the air. Did you have the room adequately ventilated while you were carrying out these works?

Did the can advise switching off your electricity before proceeding?

Hi. I have been told by bostik that there is no propellant used in the product . There was a warning on the back of the can saying using more than one can can cause a build up of gas and a risk of explosion . I was dropping the foam into the wall between the timbers from the attic . The warning on the label is tiny and its like they dont want you to see it .there is nothing about turning off electricty . The other expanding foam cans on the market have no warning about risk of explosions at all .

postitnote · 21-10-2014 1:56pm

How many cans did you use just out of interest?

baz321 · 21-10-2014 1:59pm

Just one and half cans before explosion took place 750 ml cans .

sbsquarepants · 21-10-2014 2:03pm

Even without the added cost of explosion repairs, sounds like a fiendishly expensive way to insulate a wall.
I've used it a good few times over the years and it's the first I've heard about any risk of explosion. I'll be a lot more careful with it in future! What kind of damage are we talking about?

_Brian · 21-10-2014 2:05pm

My friend burst a tin by dropping it in his kitchen and it was some mess.

Half of the unit doors needed refinishing, silver appliances were ruined, it is serious stuff when released like that.

Lucky you weren't injured.

sbsquarepants · 21-10-2014 2:08pm

Friend of mine done the very same thing. Brand new kitchen was absolutely destroyed! Apparently cooking oil will clean it off while wet - but he found that out too late and fortunately I still haven't tried it!

postitnote · 21-10-2014 2:10pm

I don't see how Bostik could have any liability then unfortunately.

If you used more than one can in an unventilated area then you haven't followed the warning label on the can.

Unless of course you could prove that the warning was insufficient in size, but I don't know if oversight would be much of a defence.

IMHO count yourself lucky you're alive and move on.

baz321 · 21-10-2014 2:18pm

Was using it to prevent mice entering base of wall .it was one of the last jobs I was doing in a major refurb of the house . The fitted kitchen was on this stud wall , the blast was so severe it threw the wall kitchen cabinets and they hit the far wall along with splash back tiles and plasterboard . Roof tiles are blown off the roof above the stud wall, plasterboard ceilings are pushed down away from the timber with the force of the blast and joints on the boards are all cracked as is plaster on the walls where they meet the ceilings .floor kitchen cabinets are in the middle of floor where the blast forced them , most of the new unused appliances are damaged as I can see so far . I estimate total costs around 30 thousand or more .

Alun · 21-10-2014 2:20pm

Ouch!

BTW, I wouldn't have thought a bit of expanding foam would put most mice off .. they'd nibble right through it surely?

baz321 · 21-10-2014 2:25pm

You are right I consider myself very lucky I wasn't hurt or killed . The small warning on the can will cover bostiks against a claim . i think the product is so dangerous it shouldnt be sold , I think this will happen again very easily and the next person won't be as lucky .

baz321 · 21-10-2014 2:30pm

It's supposed to stop them , it only looks like crunchies doesn't taste like them

5T3PH3N · 21-10-2014 2:33pm

Can you post some pictures? This sounds crazy, I can understand how it can happen but I never thought it could create such an explosion.

baz321 · 21-10-2014 2:36pm

After some research on the web I saw a case where a can of bostik expanding foam exploded in a joiners hand it hit his chest so hard it killed him , very sad story he had a young family .

mickdw · 21-10-2014 2:45pm

baz321 wrote: »

After some research on the web I saw a case where a can of bostik expanding foam exploded in a joiners hand it hit his chest so hard it killed him , very sad story he had a young family .

Jesus are you sure it wasn't a gas line that got disturbed or something. I can see how a foam can explosion might push out a stud wall surface or some such but the level of explosion you are talking about seems quite outrageous.
If you are certain there is nothing else at play here, you really need to contact the manufacturers of that product.
Its shouldn't be that dangerous and I'm sure they are not aware of it being that dangerous. It needs to be withdrawn if responsible for such damage.

postitnote · 21-10-2014 2:51pm

Just read that there myself. He was pre heating the cans in front of a heater to make it work better.

https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/2010FAI10.html

It was the common practice of the deceased to heat up these canisters to improve the efficacy of their operation.

jameshayes · 21-10-2014 2:52pm

:eek: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-25319071

baz321 · 21-10-2014 2:55pm

Sorry I'm unable to post pics or links as I'm a new user I have tried .

b318isp · 21-10-2014 2:59pm

If you are sure it was gases, it may be worthwhile mentioning this to the HSA, as they are responsible for monitoring REACH compliance, which includes the labelling (and use) of substance on the Irish market.

http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Your_Industry/Chemicals/REACH/Roles_and_duties_under_REACH/

baz321 · 21-10-2014 3:09pm

I contacted hsa and explained thing to them and they said to contact the consumers association of Ireland I explained things to them and they took my details and were to ring me back .
That was a week ago I will write to them this time, it's their job to look into products that are faulty . Interestingly any products being put on the Irish market are not required to be tested before being sold .

slave1 · 21-10-2014 5:52pm

:eek: Jazuz, I've used untold amount of them down the last few years in filling in here and there, sounds leathal, glad you're okay OP

iano.p · 21-10-2014 6:04pm

Holy god that sounds like some blast force. I just had a look at the cans I have in the van and none say they can explode. Did you ring the company

baz321 · 21-10-2014 6:25pm

The product is called "sealocrete" marketed by bostik and sold through the grafton group " i bought my can in heiton buckleys .from the little information bostik told me its not made by them ,it only says made in Europe on the can . I'd love to know if its only this product and expanding foam made in this factory that is dangerous .i haven't found any warnings about using more than one can in an area or risk of explosion on any other cans by other makers .

jameshayes · 22-10-2014 8:16am

The mirror or one of those other sh!te rags would have a field day with this!

KAGY · 22-10-2014 8:40am

Can you tell where explosion originated? In the wall or elsewhere?

It does sound major considering only two cans used.

On a lighter note - the two ads on this page are for dust flamibility and a loss adjuster. Big bro is truely watching

hawkwind23 · 22-10-2014 9:30am

Thats quite an experience!
Being in the trade for many years ive seen this stuff used extensively , would never imagine a blast from it never mind of the magnitude you have described.
Got to be linked to something else
Glad your ok and hopefully you get to the bottom of it and claw back some of the expense its cost you

baz321 · 22-10-2014 9:31am

Just waiting on forensics to come this morning , hopefully after that we will be able to start to tidy up and get central heating /electricty back on .im sure bostik wouldn't want bad publicity about their product in the paper !

loyatemu · 22-10-2014 1:11pm

you should find out if the same stuff was used in the Nottingham house mentioned in the BBC link above - if it was there should be pretty explicit warnings on the can (alright they used 12 cans of the stuff, but I still wouldn't expect it to effectively demolish 3 houses).

Alkers · 22-10-2014 1:38pm

If you want to PM me some pics, I can put them up in the thread for you.

Expanding foam explosion house ruined

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