SPRAY FOAM

 Made from polyrethane, this product reduce air leakage better than any type of insulation. It fills the nooks and crannies of unusually shaped building cavities easily.

There are two main types of spray foam: open-cell spray foam, which has a density of about 1/2 lb. per cu. ft.; and closed-cell spray foam, which has a dentisy of about 2 lb.per cu.ft. The higher the density of the foam, the greater the R-value per ich.

The two ingredients used to make spray foam- conventionally called the "A" and "B" components- are mixed on site using special equipment mounted in a trailer or truck. Heated hoses conveythe chemicals to a mixing gun that sprays the chemicals on the surfaces to be insulated. An exothermic chemical reaction begins as soon as the chemicals are mixed; the liquid mixture foams, expands, and eventually hardens.

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Open-cell spray foam

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 The low density of open-cell foam makes it relatively vapor permeable (a 3-in.-thick layer of open-cell foam has a permeance of 16), so it shouldn't be used to create an unvented conditioned attic in a cold climate (climate zones 5 ans higher) unless the insulation can be protected by gypsum wallboard paintedd with vapor-retarding paint. if the foam will be exposed, only closed-cell spray foam should be used in a cold climate.

Open-cell foams use water or carbon dioexide as the blowing agent.

Some open-cell foams are made in part from bio-based raw materials for example, soybean oils- in place of a portion of the petrochemicals.

Like closed-cell foam, open-cell foam creates an effective air barrier.

Unlike closed-cell foam, however, open-cell foam absorbs and holds water, has a lower R-value per inch, and is vapor permeable. The permeable nature of open-cell foam can be a virtue or a drawback, depending on the application.

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Closed-cell spray foam

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 Closed-cell spray foam provides a higher R-value per inch than less expensive insulation types like fiberglass, cellulose, or open-cell foam, all of which have R-valaue of R-3.2 to R-3.8 per in.

Closed-cell sprau foam is the most expensive residential insulation. When installed well, however, it performs better than any other insulation. It is an excellent air barrier, is imprevious to moisture, and is an effective vapor retarder. Becouse of its density and gluelike tenacity, it also adds strucutal strength to a wall, ceiling, or roof assembly. To seal air leaks in retrofit applications as well as new construction- for example, at rim joists or the attic side or partition top plates-closed-cell spary foam is an extremely useful material.

Many green builders avoid the use of closed-cell spray foam becouse the blowiing agent in most types of closed-cell spray polyuretahne foam are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) with a high global-warning potential.

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 Rising energy costs and discomfort associated with allergies, asthma, mold, and environmental pollution. Spray Foam is able to seal your house from the air and moisture intrusion, reducing costly utility bills, the strengthening of their home, and protect the health of your family from the perils of the mold.

An insulation system not only provides resistance to heat flow (R-value) but also controls the movement of air and limited moisture migration. Spray foam to your roof or walls giving an interior or exterior coating, offering not only efficiency through structural integrity, helping the resistance and wood preservation.

 Keeping your home with good insulation saves energy costs and reduces utility bills. Spray foam is used to seal small cavities of the building or your home to prevent the infiltration of air and moisture. In many homes and businesses energy is lost due to the infiltration of air. This air infiltrates your home through walls, doors, windows, and baseboards. Spray Foam not only complies with the shapes for walls and ceilings, flooring also.

 

What are the benefits of spray foam over other types of insulation?

• Foam has a higher R-Value per inch thickness.  In fact, closed cell foam has almost twice the R-Value of fiberglass or cellulose.

• Buildings insulated with spray foam are more comfortable and use less energy.

• Foam fills and seals gaps and cracks to provide an air seal.  Fiberglass does little more than filter the air as it passes through.

• Closed cell foam provides a better moisture seal than all other insulation.

• Foam provides better sound deadening than fiberglass.

• Foam does not attract or provide a nesting area for pest like other insulation materials.

• Spray foam seals small gaps to keep out insects and other small critters.

• Spray foam expands to easily fill in around other objects and completely fills oddly shaped spaces.

• As air moves through insulation such as fiberglass, it greatly reduces the R-Value.  Since closed cell foam is impermeable to air, it does not suffer from this problem.

• Closed cell foam increases the structural strength of a wall.