How to Install Spray Foam Insulation in Hard-to-Reach Areas

Properly insulating your home can reduce your energy costs and make your home more comfortable. Ideally, insulation is installed when the home is under construction and there is easy access to all the surfaces that need to be insulated. Once the home is built, however, some places that need insulation can be extremely difficult to access. In cases like this, using spray foam insulation is an ideal solution. This type of insulation applies as a liquid and expands as it dries, filling any gaps.


Put on the safety equipment you need to wear when applying the insulation. This includes safety goggles, gloves and a respirator mask.


Examine the fittings on the hose, nozzle and tanks that contain the insulating material. Tighten the fittings if they are loose. Each tank contains a chemical component of the foam insulation in liquid form. The two chemicals mix when they meet in the nozzle, and the chemical reaction between them is what creates the foam.


Open the valve on each tank to allow the chemicals to flow through the hoses.


Place the tip of the nozzle into the first hard-to-reach area as far as you can. Move the nozzle up and down, and pull it out of the spot to ensure that it doesn't get stuck. Place the tip back into the area along the top edge.


Squeeze the trigger to begin applying the insulation. Turn the nozzle from side to side as you lower it down the length of the crevice. When you reach the bottom, release the trigger and remove the nozzle. Allow the insulation time to expand and cure (about 5 minutes).


Apply the insulation to any other areas that need to be insulated.

Things You Will Need

  • Safety goggles
  • Gloves
  • Respirator mask
  • Spray-foam insulation kit


  • You can rent the equipment you need for this from an equipment rental facility, or purchase it from a home improvement retailer.
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