Spray Foam Insulation

 

An energy-efficient living space can provide you with many benefits. It will help you save money and decrease your carbon footprint by reducing the energy you spend to heat your home. Insulating your home is a perfect way to provide energy efficiency in your living area. Among the types of insulation, spray foam insulation offers you many advantages.

What is Spray Foam Insulation?

Spray foam insulation is a versatile alternative to traditional ways of building insulation. It is comprised of blending isocyanate and polyol resin. It is foam in liquid form. After spraying it to the place you want to fill in, it can expand to 30-60 times larger than its liquid form.

What is Spray Foam Insulation Used for?

Spray foam is used to insulate your walls, ceiling, loft, floors, and more. It is sprayed off in cavities and expands to constitute a seal over any cracks that cause unwanted airflow.

Spray Foam Insulation for Attic

Problems of air infiltration in the attic may result in a loss in heating or cooling and increase the energy expense. Or attic hatch doors and heating and air conditioning pipes penetrating the living areas may cause unwanted airflow. Spray foam attic insulation can seal the gaps caused by hatch doors or pipes.

Spray Insulation for Walls

Insulating the walls of your house is a way to decrease utility expenses. It is possible to add spray foam to your walls by drilling some small holes in your walls are not been insulated before. If there is already insulation in your walls, you must be more careful while adding spray foam to your walls.

Spray Insulation for Crawl Space

The crawl space is the most humid area in your home. Therefore, you should choose a non-water-sensitive insulation type such as spray foam insulation to insulate it. The insulation avoids mold growth by preventing interior air from getting in touch with the cold surfaces. Besides, foam spray insulation becomes the barrier between the crawl space and your living area above.

Spray Insulation for Metal Buildings

Most people think that metal buildings cannot be insulated with spray foam insulation since it will cause metal rust. However, that depends on the foam quality you prefer to use. If you use premium quality foam, it will not cause any rust with the metals.

Spray Insulation for Basement Walls

Insulating the basement walls will allow you to keep your house warmer. Since closed-cell spray foam is better at avoiding vapor and moisture, spray foam wall insulation is more recommended for the basement.

Spray Insulation for Soundproofing

Just as the air flows in your house, so does the sound. If there are any gaps and cracks that let unwanted air flow in, they will allow noise through your home. You may want to prevent the noise a hundred percent or only to reduce it. If decreasing it is enough for you, foam insulation can be your choice. If you want to prevent the noise entirely, you may need to look for other options. Click for more information about Spray Foam Soundproofing.

Spray Insulation for Windows

To stop air from coming to your house via gaps and cracks around your windows, you can prefer to use spray foam for insulation. However, ensure that you choose minimal expanding foam; if you use a high expanding type of foam, it will cause functional problems with your windows. 

Spray Insulation for Garage

If you plan to heat your garage, insulating it will pay off. Even if you tend not to add a heater to the garage, insulating it will provide benefits such as being a thermal buffer between the exterior walls of the house and the outdoors. Spray foam insulation will work well while insulating your garage since it is energy efficient, prevents unwanted airflow, and is resistant to mold and insects. Click for more information about Spray Foam Garage Insulation.

Spray Insulation in the Basement

Basements can be the reason for heat loss up to a considerable percentage. Spray foam insulation can solve the problem effectively. If the basement has not been insulated before, it will be easier to do interior insulation than exterior insulation. In interior basement insulation, closed-cell spray foam works better. Click for more information about Spray Foam Basement Insulation.

Where Not to Use Spray Foam Insulation?

• Cold weather can influence the expansion rate of the spray foam; hence, you should be careful when insulating in cold weather.
• If the area you will insulate is near electrical boxes, spray foam insulation should not be among the options. Foam insulation near electrical boxes means that you are bringing flammable chemicals to the electrical wiring in your house.
• Spray foam expands immediately and may cause pressure. Therefore, it is better not to choose spray foam insulation in closed cavity spaces.
• Insulating spaces near recessed ceiling canister lights with spray foam can be risky. It may cause fire by trapping the heat.
• If you have health issues with breathing or skin, spray foam insulation can be inappropriate since it includes many chemicals.

What are the Advantages of Using Spray Foam Insulation?

• It helps you save money. Spray foam insulation will increase the energy efficiency of your house. It can save a considerable amount on your energy bills. Moreover, energy-efficient houses are more valuable on the market. 
• Besides blocking heat and cold, spray foam insulation is a blockade for air and water. Thanks to the air sealing it provides, there are no temperature fluctuations in buildings with spray foam insulation.
• Noise is another thing spray foam insulation prevents from entering your house. If you use open-cell foam insulation, you will have your home insulated from the neighborhood's noise much higher than the other types of insulation. 
• Since the foam can be directly applied to the cracks and expands there, it is a perfect barrier for many tiny things, including pollens, allergens, ants, and bugs.
• It deters moisture and prevents mold growth. Spray foam fills in even the tiniest cracks or crannies, so it does not allow any water or steam to seep into your house. Moreover, inert polymer, a component of the spray foam, does not offer a source of food for bacteria and mold. Therefore, spray foam insulation helps both keep you healthy and your walls strong. 
• It is applied easily and dries quickly. It will be ready a day after it is sprayed. 
• It helps you decrease your carbon footprint because you consume less energy. 
• It can last for decades after it is applied. It is strong and does not lose its shape. 
• Spray foam has adhesive qualities. In other words, as well as insulating, it glues the materials of your house together. Therefore, it strengthens the overall structure of the building.

What is the R-Value?

The primary function of the insulation materials is to reduce the conductive heat flow. Typically, the heat moves from warmer to cooler until the temperature balances. While in winter, heat flows from your heated living places to unheated areas, in summer, it moves from the outside to the interior. How effectively the insulation resists conductive heat flow is measured by its R-Value. More effective insulation types have higher R values. All insulation substances have an R-value, but their efficiency level changes depending on some factors.

What is the R-Value of Spray Foam Insulation?

Many sciences and math are involved in calculating a material's R-value. Spray foam insulation R-value is the highest per inch. When applied correctly, closed-cell spray foam features an R-value of around 6.5 – 7 per inch. Open-cell spray foam does not have an R-value as efficient as closed-cell spray foam. However, it still has an impressive R-value of around 3.8 inches.

How to Remove Spray Foam Insulation?

Spray foam is easy to apply, but it is common to misdirect the spray and see it on your furniture, coverings, clothes, or skin. Removing it is a difficult job. Read on to see the steps you should follow to remove spray foam.  

Removing Spray Foam from Construction Materials

• Wear a mask. Spray foam is a chemical combination of isocyanate and polyol resin. It is safe after it cures; however, when you start to remove it manually, particles will be disturbing for your lungs. Hence, ensure to wear a mask before starting to remove it. 
• Don't attempt to remove it immediately after applying the insulation if you have made a mistake. Wait until it dries out. 
• Cut out the pieces of insulation with a saw, knife, or another tool. Be careful with electrical wires. You can use a paint scraper or a hard bristle brush to scratch the remains. A hammer or a chisel helps you if you want to remove spray foam from a nook such as wall cavities.
• To remove the last traces of the foam, apply lacquer thinner, a solvent used to dissolve uncured polyurethane-based materials. Don't use water to dissolve the foam because it hardens it instead of removing it.

Removing Spray Foam from Clothes

• You should remove spray foam insulation from clothing when it is still uncured. First, rub down the clothing with a piece of rag. Then, moisten another piece of rag with acetone found in nail polish removers, and wipe the foam off the dress with it.
• Wash the exposed clothing with a clothing stain remover.

Removing Spray Foam from Skin

• Generally, hands are exposed to spray foam while using a foam insulation sprayer. It can be best removed from the skin before it sets. First, wipe your skin with a rug. Then dampen another carpet with acetone and continue brushing.
• After removing the spray foam for insulation, apply lotion to your skin to keep it hydrated.
• It might be a more difficult job if you need to remove the foam after it is cured on your skin. Scrubbing the foam off your skin with a pumice stone can help you. After scrubbing it, apply petroleum jelly and wear gloves for about 60 minutes. Then, wash your hands with soap and water. Click for more information about how to safely remove spray foam from your skin and hands.

How Much Does Insulate a House Cost with Spray Foam?

After deciding to insulate a house with spray foam, how much does spray foam insulation costs is one of the significant questions the project owner seeks an answer for. The cost of the process depends on various factors.

• The primary factor affecting the price is which spray foam will be used.
• Closed-cell spray foam insulation is more pricy than open-cell spray foam since the former provides more compact and stable insulation than the latter.
• On average, the closed-cell spray foam insulation can cost about 150$ more than the open-cell spray foam.
• The total square footage of the area you will insulate is another cost determinant.
• The spray foam insulation cost per square foot will affect the average spray foam insulation cost.

Can You Do Spray Foam Insulation Yourself?

It is better to hire a professional spray foam contractor to apply spray foam insulation to your house. However, if you want to do it yourself, the answer to the question above is "Yes, you can!" You can buy a DIY spray foam insulation kit, including all insulation equipment, and carry out your do-it-yourself spray foam insulation project. Be careful with the steps you should take before, during, and after applying it. 

Spray foam insulation offers many advantages. Strong and durable, it will help you keep your hose warm with good air for long years. It is easy to apply after making sure that you make the necessary preparations to be on the safe side.

FAQs About Spray Foam Insulation

Is Spray Foam Insulation Safe?

Spray foam insulation is a chemical, and if it is not applied correctly, it can be dangerous. According to US EPA, being exposed to harmful chemicals, fever, shortness of bread, lung and eye irritation, and sore throat are likely harmful effects of spray foam. However, when it is appropriately applied and is entirely cured, it is safe. 

Is Spray Foam Insulation Flammable?

Yes, it is. That means it is not fireproof. On the other hand, it has fire-resistant features and can resist exposure to fire for nearly 1 hour.

Is Spray Foam Insulation Waterproof?

There is no single answer to this question; it depends on the type of material used. Since closed-cell spray foam is denser, it is water-resistant. On the other hand, open-cell spray foam is lighter and not waterproof. Read our blog post for more information.

Can Spray Foam Insulation Get Wet?

Unlike many other types of insulation, spray foam insulation does not deteriorate when it gets wet. It dries after a particular time and does not trap moisture.