Why Spray Foam Insulation Is Best Product on the Market
Depending on the age of your home, it’s likely been insulated with fiberglass batts, a very popular product over the years. And while winters are kept pretty warm, these types of insulation are not efficient. The problem is that the home is not totally air-sealed. In fact, in the typical home, there are dozens of air leaks: openings, gaps, and cracks that allow air to pass in and out without limit.
Professional contractors agree that the total air leakage in an average home is like leaving your front door open all the time. With EcoStar Insulation on the job, air leakage is addressed, and the home is effectively air sealed. This could save the homeowner as much as 30% on annual energy costs. In short, HVAC equipment works more efficiently, and the home is comfortable year-round.
Home insulation is often neglected as a home improvement project. It’s not readily visible, so it doesn’t really come to mind. The truth is, insulation benefits the home far more than most other home improvements. The cost savings on energy alone can offset the overall spray foam insulation cost in very short order. The important thing is to install the right product and to do the work professionally.
Understanding Spray Foam Insulation as a product
Spray Foam Insulation (SFI) has become a viable installation alternative to traditional insulation products. It’s a highly sophisticated chemical combination, which requires specialized application equipment, as well as installers who are experienced. In simple terms, liquid foam is sprayed into a given space, where it quickly expands and hardens to completely envelop the space. It’s used in attic insulation, walls, and foundations, where it seals and insulates like no other product on the market.
The Benefits of Installing Spray Foam Insulation
Homeowners must understand that Spray Foam Insulation is a premium product, with long-term benefits. The upfront cost of product and installation is more than the average, but the long-term savings definitely offset that cost. Indeed, the payback period could be as little as 5 years. But needless to say, the savings on heating and cooling continue for the lifetime of the home. Best of all, Spray Foam Insulation does not deteriorate, and needs no replacement or replenishment.
In general, industry statistics show that some 40% of energy (heating and cooling) is lost through air leakage. It could be through the windows, the doors, even directly through the walls. But with Spray Foam Insulation, the “building envelope” is so well sealed, that insulation performance is above and beyond any of the conventional insulation products available today. Here again, it’s the superior quality of the product that makes the long-term homeowner benefits so worthwhile.
Over the years, Spray Foam Insulation has attracted the attention of many professionals. With an expert install, a single application does it all - the installation space is totally sealed and insulated once completed. SFI will not settle over time and there’s no need to top-up or re-apply. More than that, because the finished space is so well sealed, air circulation is enhanced, and noise reduction is improved. There is just no way for other comparable products to deliver as many benefits.
With EcoStar Insulation, a spray foam install can also provide “fire blocking” properties. Properly applied, the foam envelope will slow down the spread of flames by restricting the air and oxygen circulation. And because fire needs oxygen to survive, an air sealed space can actually reduce any potential damage, and even provide some safety for occupants. Working with client homeowners,
EcoStar Insulation is able to articulate all the benefits and advantages of Spray Foam Insulation.
Additional Benefits of Spray Foam Insulation
With conventional insulation (like fiberglass batts) indoor humidity can be higher than desirable. This can lead to condensation, frosty windows, even moisture in the attic. But with SFI installed, air moisture is controlled, and the negative effects of indoor humidity are significantly lessened.
Sound diffusion (exterior and interior) is prevalent in homes that are not well sealed. Conversely, a home that is well sealed can reduce ambient sound right throughout a home. And that includes both exterior sounds and interior sounds. It all makes for a more comfortable living environment.
Beyond sealing tight, Spray Foam Insulation is not made of materials that will attract rodents or insects, particularly in an enclosed space like the attic. The finished installation does not provide a “feeding” environment for animals or bugs, and therefore the space remains free of intrusion.
Options when choosing Spray Foam Insulation
Depending on homeowner need, EcoStar Insulation can recommend the SFI product that will best suit. There are two product options available, each with varied performance levels, whether as an air barrier, moisture barrier, or insulating envelope. Both product options are high performing.
“Half Pound” spray foam expands dramatically from its original liquid volume and forms what the professionals call a semi-rigid application. The finished space delivers impressive R-Values when compared to other product applications, although best recommended for interior usage.
“Two Pound” spray foam has more application flexibility in terms of R-Value performance and air barrier efficiency. Expertly installed, the product serves as a very effective vapour-barrier, as well as an air barrier, and insulation envelope. No other product can compare with the performance.
The “Two Pound” product also contributes to the structural strength of a wall assembly and adds physical strength to the overall building envelope. This is an ideal approach for insulating below grade foundations, allowing for a waterproof barrier on the exterior of the foundation concrete.
The Key to Insulation Performance is R-Value
Whatever the insulation product used, the common measurement criterion is R-Value. It refers to thermal resistance and basically measures how easily (or not) heat is being transferred. Without getting technical, suffice to say that the higher the R-Value, the higher the insulating performance. And when insulation professionals compare R-Values amongst various products, the Spray Foam Insulation products invariably perform better than any one product or combination of products.
