Sprayed polyurethane foam insulation and condensation specialists
SPF Saves You Money and Pays for Itself
SPF home insulation saves on energy costs and lowers utility bills. SPF is used to seal the entire “building envelope” of your home to prevent air and moisture infiltration. The US Department of Energy (DOE) studies show that 40% of your home’s energy is lost due to air infiltration. This air infiltrates the home in the form of drafts through walls sockets, windows and doorways.
Often times no expensive building wrap or additional vapor protection is required during construction when using SPF, saving money yet again.
High R-Value
Sprayed polyurethane foam has an aged R-value of approximately 6.0 per 1 inch thickness (depending on the particular formulation and application, higher values have been achieved), enabling it to provide more thermal resistance with less material than any other type of commercial insulation material. SPF systems are frequently used to insulate and protect a wide variety of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.
Monthly energy and utility savings of 30% or greater can be achieved when compared to the alternative roofing and insulation systems. The cost of an SPF roof or insulation system can often be recovered in less than 5 years, simply through energy savings alone.
Prevents Air, Moisture and Gas Infiltration
Studies have shown that as much as 40% of a building’s total energy loss is due to air infiltration. Traditional fiberglass insulation is only stapled, or placed into the wall cavities and does not seal the stud and wall cavities from end to end, or top to bottom. Air infiltration can pass through these gaps, making it far less efficient than SPF. SPF not only adheres to, but forms to the walls and floors to create a tight seal and insulating barrier that stops this air leakage. SPF also boasts the highest R-value per inch than any other commercial material, (upwards of R-7.0, compared with Fiberglass at R-3.5) making your home more comfortable and less expensive to heat in the winter, and cool in the summer.
Since SPF acts as an air barrier, it also helps to reduce moisture infiltration, which is a source of dangerous mold and mildew growth in the home, and can cause severe health problems to its occupants. So save your family and save money at the same time with SPF home insulation systems. Moisture infiltration can also cause structural damage to your home or building.
Helps Reduce Moisture and Mold
Molds produce tiny spores to reproduce. Mold spores waft through the indoor and outdoor air continually. When mold spores land on a damp spot indoors, they may begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods. When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, mold growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or un-addressed. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture. SPF insulation is the key.
Deadens Sound Travel and Noise
SPF also reduces airborne sound making the home acoustically tighter and more private from room to room.
Polyurethane Foam Strengthens Your Home
The walls in your home are the main structural component of the building. In wood frame construction, the weight of the roof, shingles, standing rain water and any snow add weight and exert downward forces on the walls resulting in a compressive force.
Strong winds and gusts from storms also impose lateral forces onto your home’s walls. These forces can distort the walls with what is called a “shearing force.”
Building codes require that your home’s walls be designed to withstand these various forces and loads. However, when walls are built to just the minimum standards, while still safe, symptoms of movement such as creaking and shaking during high winds or occupant usage often occurs.
Higher density, closed cell spray foam insulation inside your stud walls fully adheres to both the exterior sheathing and the studs, reinforcing both. With this added rigidity, there will be less wall movement due to wind, vibration, and occupant activity. Additionally your walls have greater than code required resistance to “racking events” such as hurricanes or other strong wind situations.
SPF also can add structural strength to buildings. NAHB Research demonstrated SPF filled walls could add from 75% to 200% racking strength to walls of OSB, plywood, light gauge metal, vinyl siding or gypsum board.
What are the Different Types of Spray Foam?
Closed-Cell vs. Open-Cell Foam
If you’re looking to learn about spray polyurethane foam insulation, you’ve come to the right place. Before proceeding with a spray foam application for commercial or residential buildings, it’s important to determine whether you’ll be using 0.5 lb./cu. ft. open-cell foam or 2.0 lb./cu. ft. closed-cell foam. These two types have significant differences in terms of performance, application method, and price.
Differentiating between open-cell and closed-cell foam involves considering two main factors. Firstly, let’s examine each type of foam. With open-cell foam, the foam’s minute cells aren’t completely closed, allowing air and moisture to fill the foam. These tiny open spaces make the foam relatively weaker and softer compared to closed-cell foam. In contrast, the cells in closed-cell foam are sealed, and the foam contains a gas that enables it to expand and better insulate a structure. The cells in closed-cell foam are designed to have specific characteristics during the formulation process.
Open-cell spray polyurethane foam, also known as half-pound foam, typically has a density of 0.5 lb. per cubic foot and an R-value of 3.5 to 3.6 per inch.
Closed-cell foam, also known as two-pound foam, typically has a density of 2 lbs. per cubic foot and an R-value of 6 to 6.5 per inch.
Open-cell spray foam has an average density of 0.5 lbs per cubic foot, providing an R-value of 3.5 to 3.6 per inch. As the open cells are relatively vapor-permeable, three inches of open-cell foam have a permeance of 16 perms. In fact, the use of a vapor retarder is often required when it’s used in interior applications.
Closed-cell foam itself acts as a vapor retarder, being semi-impermeable to vapor. Two and a half inches of closed-cell foam have a permeance of 0.8 perm.
Open-Cell spray foam utilizes water or CO2 as a blowing agent, and some low-density open-cell foams use bio-based raw materials like sucrose or soybean oil instead of petrochemicals. Closed-cell spray foam, on the other hand, uses hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) blowing agents that have a high global warming potential. Due to the 1,430 times higher potency in global warming potential compared to carbon dioxide, many manufacturers are transitioning to more environmentally friendly hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs).
Insulation contractors in NYC should consider the differences between open-cell and closed-cell polyurethane foams. When it comes to spray polyurethane foam insulation, it is crucial to determine whether to use 0.5 lb./cu. ft. open-cell foam or 2.0 lb./cu. ft. closed-cell foam. The variations in performance, application method, and price between the two are significant.
One key factor in distinguishing open-cell foam from closed-cell foam is the structure of the foam itself. Open-cell foam contains permeable and partially closed cells, allowing it to fill with air and moisture. This renders the foam weaker and softer compared to closed-cell foam.
Unlike open-cell foam, all the cells in closed-cell foam are sealed. These cells are filled with gas, providing the foam with the ability to expand and offer better insulation. Closed-cell foam’s density plays a role as well. For insulation applications, closed-cell foam ranges from 1.7 lb./cu. ft. to 2.0 lb./cu. ft., while for roofing applications, densities can be between 2.8 to 3.0+ lb./cu. ft. The higher the density, the more rigid the foam.
Closed-cell foam exhibits greater resistance to water vapor and air leakage, making it stronger and offering a higher R-value compared to open-cell foam. However, due to its higher density, closed-cell foam requires more material, leading to a higher cost. Despite its higher R-value, closed-cell foam remains more expensive per R-value than open-cell foam.
Insulation contractors in NYC should carefully consider these factors when choosing between open-cell and closed-cell polyurethane foams for their projects.
To decide on the appropriate foam for insulation purposes, it is crucial to consider factors such as vapor control, strength, and available space. Typically, open-cell foam utilizes water as a blowing agent and has an R-3.5 value. On the other hand, closed-cell foam requires high R-value blowing agents and provides an R-6 value.
These factors serve as key considerations when selecting the type of foam for insulation in building applications. Closed-cell and open-cell foams are the most commonly used polyurethane foams in such cases. Choosing the right foam type is critical as using an unsuitable foam can be ineffective or unnecessary in certain applications. For example, open-cell foam should not be applied where water absorption can occur, as it is a poor insulator. Thus, using open-cell foam in below-grade or flotation applications would offer minimal to no thermal insulation benefits. In roofing applications or scenarios that require high R-value per inch, closed-cell foam would be the ideal choice.
Before making a decision between open and closed-cell foam, it is vital to request application and performance information from the supplier. Having knowledge of the foam type and its performance prior to commencing a project is an important topic to discuss with the spray foam applicator, ensuring that you are well-prepared.
For insulation contractors in NYC, it is recommended to consult with suppliers regarding specific application and performance information. This will help you stay ahead of the game and make informed decisions.
