[Cob] icynene

[Marlin]

The design folks said that one of the beauties of Icynene was that it didn't require venting under the roof, the icynene is sprayed up against the underside of the roof itself and fills all the gaps...interesting concept.

On the other queries I wish I knew more, the performance appears very adequate, the incynene people estimates I see are R-3.6/inch....and maybe the costs have come down. Evidently the stuff really is safe even to eat! NO VOCs ?  definately worth a second look - I always wish we can duplicates something low tech and local but this may be a tradeoff/compromise........

On the mice thing, I wish I could be more positive but I've had places I've seen overun with mice and have found that initially lowering the population was the only way to keep them out, they found there way into everything, food, cabinets! Icynene should be no exception...... For control, first (cringe from my animal rights friends) I trap/poison them in mass - snap traps and the dehydrating poison stuff that makes them go OUT for water, then they shrivel. Once I had noticed them they evidently had setup quite an extended colony - I personally have seen 30 dead mice in one house before, doing this. 

Then for the long term you can choose from a couple of natural enemies: Rat terriers (if YOU can tolerate them), voracious cats (not like my lazy ones), black/rat snakes - brought in and setup rock piles for them in the yard. BTW cats and snakes do not mix, the snakes will run/slither away......the Rat Terrors, let loose in and around the house are the most awesome killers I've seen of little rodents - write me for the full story - it was incredible!

Good luck, Icynene with confidence (and checkbook)...let us know

Marlin

-----Original Message-----
From:     Amanda Peck <ap615 at hotmail.com>
Sent:     Wed, 25 Feb 2004 08:21:35 -0600
To:       coblist at deatech.com
Subject:  RE: [Cob] icynene


I have a "mostly natural" friend who does a fair amount of building who 
thinks it's the best thing since--oh, maybe stir fried ginger and 
vegetables--for other purposes.  I've had the same wondering, though.

Most people would say that there had to be ventilation directly under the 
roof, even it it's only half an inch or so ending at a vent at the ridge.  
Not sure but maybe on a stem wall, though?

.............