Stop Pipes From Rattling
Water pipes that rattle when the water is turned on or off eventually become part of the soundtrack of our daily lives. But why should they when you can fix the problem with a little expanding foam? Spray low-expansion foam between the pipe and the structural element it rattles against. Usually, this is a penetration through a joist or stud.
Protect Fragile Items
For a delicate electronic device or any valuable item you need to ship or store, you might need something more than wadded paper or bubble wrap to prevent movement and damage. You can create form-fitting, clamshell-style padding with expansion foam. You’ll need thin plastic (like food wrap), the item you want to protect, a cardboard paper towel roll, and a box that’s about three times as large as the item.
Make a Multitude of Crafts
Anything crafty and three-dimensional that you can imagine can be formed or carved out of expanding foam. Build mountains, volcanoes, and landscapes with high-expansion foam. Large, formless blobs of hardened expanding foam can be sculpted with a serrated knife.
Fill Voids Below Concrete
Eroded voids in the soil below exterior concrete walkways or patios can eventually cause the surface to crack, so they need to be filled in. If you have access to the void from the side, forcing in soil or sand won’t be enough. Instead, inject high-expansion foam into the area until it oozes out.
Silence a Noisy Metal Sink
Metal kitchen or bathroom sinks can be loud when they are used. One way to dampen the sound is to apply low-expansion foam to the bottom of the sink. It’s a delicate process because you need to work upside-down. Work slowly and apply only small amounts at a time, letting each layer section harden before moving on. Be sure to protect surrounding areas while working with the foam.
Stabilize Shaky Shower Heads and Faucets
Shower heads that move and rattle are more than just annoying. If they rattle long enough, they can begin to leak. Because it’s not usually possible to get behind the shower wall to secure a loose shower head with a strap, the next best solution is to inject expanding foam behind the wall where the shower head emerges. Protect your shower surface as you do this, use low-expansion foam, and go slowly.
Hold Rigid Foam in Place
Sheets of rigid foam do a great job at insulating high moisture areas, such as basements, but they do not fit wall cavities very well. While the best solution is to install rigid foam behind the wall studs, this isn’t always possible or easy. Low-expansion foam can help fill in the inevitable gaps between the edges of rigid foam and wall studs.
Build Waterfalls and Streams
Exterior garden ponds, waterfalls, and streams often use natural rocks as decorative elements, but it can be tough to get them to stay in place, especially with water running over them. Use black expanding foam in minimal amounts under or around the stones to secure them to the lower surface and on their sides to attach them to each other. Expanding foam is waterproof, so it won’t be affected by splashes from the water feature.
Soften Thumps From HVAC Vents
HVAC cooling or heating vents that thump when they warm up or cool down can be softened by injecting expanding foam at key locations, as long as you have access to the area. First, identify the section of the vent that thumps. Next, spray expanding foam to bridge the gap between that area and the closest structural element, such as a joist or wall stud.
Help Your Cooler Stay Even Cooler
Plastic coolers for beverages and food typically have hollow lids. While hollow spaces can provide some thermal insulation, filling that space with expanding foam does a better job. With a drill, make at least two holes on the inside of the cooler’s lid. Fill one hole with expanding foam. Foam will ooze out of the second hole. After the foam has hardened, slice off the excess.
