About Foam Spray
Why Spray Foam Insulation Is Better than Other Types of Insulation
Insulation is a vital component in any home that seeks to be energy efficient. It is typically placed in areas where air escapes, such as between the cavities inside the walls and in the attic. This serves to slow and reduce heat transfer. By sealing air leaks and adding proper insulation to the attic, crawl spaces, and basement, homeowners can save on heating and cooling costs.
Traditional Types of Insulation
Before you hire a contractor to install insulation, it’s important to understand the other options. Not all insulation has a good R-value, and various types exist for different applications. Details of other options include:
Blanket Batts and Rolls
Blanket batts and rolls are typically constructed with fiberglass, mineral wool, and plastic fibers. Installing this type of insulation is an inexpensive and DIY-friendly project. The materials are designed to fit into the standard width between wall studs, attic rafters, and floor joists.
Foam Board
This type of insulation is usually made of polyurethane, polystyrene, or polyisocyanurate. It’s best for unfinished walls and ceilings. It reduces the amount of heat conducted through wood and other elements that make up a home’s structure.
Radiant Barrier
Reflective or radiant barriers work differently than most types of insulation. Its effectiveness is not measured by R-values. While standard insulation reduces heat flow in a home, radiant barriers instead reflect the heat away from the home to prevent heat gain. The insulation is constructed using a reflective barrier placed over a substrate material. It is best used for attics, especially in hot climates.
Why Spray Foam Is Better
One of the key differentiators between traditional insulation materials and spray foam insulation is its ability to air seal. Foam insulation provides an air barrier to wherever it is applied to help mitigate air leakage from the building.
Air sealing a building with spray foam insulation helps address moisture which reduces the risk of mold and mildew growth. Buildings in colder climates can reduce the formation of ice dams with spray foam insulation.
When you compare spray foam insulation with the other types of insulation, spray foam does a better job of minimizing air infiltration. It also assists in limiting moisture from entering and escaping the home, which in turn reduces the load on heating and cooling systems. Spray foam insulation offers many benefits that the others do not. It is the best choice for property owners.
Stop the Leaks
Want to keep your home free of moisture and its comfort-level balanced? Install spray-foam insulation.
For decades the value of insulation in reducing energy consumption has been well known. Yet still there are still a vast number of homes in North America that are not properly insulated. There are two main reasons for this. Either they were:
- built in the days prior to modern concerns about energy consumption or
- builders now are attempting to rein in construction costs by cutting corners on insulation.
In either case the result is that many homeowners are paying more for energy than they need to. For many years spray foam insulation was used almost exclusively in commercial settings but recently that has begun to change. As word has slowly spread about the many advantages of spray foam insulation more and more homeowners are choosing it over fiberglass and it’s easy to understand why. Unlike fiberglass spray foam:
- Provides an effective air and moisture barrier.
- Adds structural integrity to walls, floors and ceilings.
- Reduces the amount of pollen that infiltrates the home.
- Will remain effective even if it gets wet due to a burst pipe or flood.
- Provides a higher R-value.
