Spray Foam Insulation
Spray foam insulation is a two-component mixture made of isocyanate and polyol resin. These two properties combine at the tip of a spray nozzle and form an expanding foam that can be sprayed onto concrete slabs, roof tiles, into wall cavities, or through holes drilled into the cavities of a finished wall.
Spray Foam Advantages
The US Department of Energy found that 40% of a home’s energy is lost through air leaks — driving up your utility bills. However, buildings that take advantage of spray foam insulation are insulated up to 50% better than traditional insulation products. Spray foam can be used to fill gaps and stop the leaks in many areas of a home or building. Some common spots for air leaks that can be sealed with spray foam include:
- Behind knee walls
- Attic hatches
- Wiring holes
- Plumbing vents
- Open soffits
- Recessed light, furnace flue or duct chaseways
- Basement rim joists, windows and doors
- Walls
- Roofdecks
Spray Foam Types
Spray foam insulation is provided in both high pressure and low pressure systems. High-pressure is most often used in new home construction, whereas the low-pressure spray foam is used mostly for remodeling jobs where existing walls already have drywall. Spray foam insulation is categorized by two types: open and closed cell.
Benefits of open cell insulation:
- economical
- provides a good air barrier (but no water vapor barrier)
- R-value of 3.4 to 3.8 per inch
- excellent for sound control
Benefits of closed cell insulation:
- acts as water vapor and air barrier
- R-value of 7.2 per inch
- adds structural integrity to your home
- can be used as stand-alone and hybrid insulation
Next Generation HFO Spray Foam
Reformulated versions of spray foam with only a tiny fraction of the global warming potential of their predecessors are now required in some locations. Kinzler Construction Services can meet this requirement by installing spray foam made with the hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) blowing agent.
Blowing agents are essential ingredients in spray foam insulation. They create the tiny bubbles of trapped gas that slow the movement of heat and make foam such a great insulator. But the most common blowing agent in spray polyurethane foam today, a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), has a global warming potential (GWP) more than 1,000 times that of carbon dioxide. HFO spray foam formulations now have a GWP of 1.
Your Construction Partner
Kinzler Construction Services delivers an industry-leading customer experience. Contact us today at 888-292-2382 to see if spray foam is the right product for your project.
