THE R- VALUE VERSUS THE SPRAY FOAM INSULATOR

Insulation of a house is very important. It helps to stop diseases and the discomfort of a house that keeps the same temperature with the outside world no matter what you do. It is very discouraging to try to warm yourself during the winter and find that it is impossible. What makes it impossible is the fact that your house walls have very many cracks that need to be covered so that air and heat do not get transferred in and out of your house continuously.

Important factor during insulation

Heat and air are very important factors that should be considered during insulation because if the air keeps getting into the house, it will never be warm. Again, if you have your gas or electricity on and still the house is not warm, it because the heat is passing through the wall to the outside world. This can be very costly for a house owner because the prices of electricity and gas keep rising again and again. Therefore, in order to get an energy bill that does not eat too much into your pocket, it is important that you get an insulation that favors you.

Spray foam insulator and the fibre glass

The most known insulators include spray foam insulator and the fibre glass.  In order to choose from them, there is always a need to measure something called the R-value. This value is got by getting to know which insulator does not allow the transfer of heat through it easily. The R-value though cannot be discussed without knowing the various methods through which heat is transmitted from one material to another.

There are three ways of heat transmission: conduction, convention and radiation.  Conduction is transfer of heat through touch or physical contact. The R-value measured against conduction will always be higher for the fiber glass than for the spray foam insulator. Spray foam insulator allows heat to pass through it by contact so the value will be very low. When you compare the spray foam insulator against convention, which is transfer of heat through air, it will have the highest R –value because the foam does not allow air to pass through it

This means that the fiber glass is more likely to allow air and more to pass through it than the foam can. This means that the R-value for the fiber is low, when the heat is being transferred through convection and radiation. Therefore, do not really use the R-value to choose between the insulators.

It is important that potential customer should note that the R-values are calculated in air tight conditions. These conditions are not ideal because the spray foam insulator will be outside the house and the prevailing environment will not be airtight; rather, it will be sometimes hot, cold and moist. The spray foam insulator has very many other benefits. It does not wear out fast and it sound proof.  Therefore, the R-values are quite misguiding and should not be taken too seriously when making the selection.

Spray Foam Insulation Benefits: Considering versatility and efficiency

When you are doing repairs to existing buildings or new ones, spray foam provides a very good solution to insulation problems. It’s efficient and versatile and has a lot of benefits.

This type of insulation happens to be one of the greenest solutions available and it can be used to insulate buildings. It’s made of renewable agriculturally resources, and has more benefits than those products made from petrol. When you are installing it in your home, you wont be interfering with the ozone layer since its applied using water only. Once this spray foam type of insulating is put in place, you will always feel that you are safe whether at your home or even in your business because it doesn’t produce toxic vapors.

Spray Foam Insulation materials

The materials nature and how it’s applied makes it very easy as it can be applied anywhere and you get a seal that is air tight. This includes crevices, T beams, joints and joist.

Benefits of a seal that is air tight include lowering your cooling and heating costs and providing a sound barrier. The material used does not allow air to get through because all tiny spots get filled with it; your cooling and heating units won’t have to work that hard. This feature can help you save forty to sixty percent of your bills on energy.

This type of insulation (spray form) is also fire resistant; it’s also waterproof (provided materials don’t get submerged); its rodent and pest proof and mildew and mold won’t grow on it.

Spray Foam Insulation won’t degrade the environment

In case you are thinking of applying an insulator at your home and you want one that has lots of benefits and won’t degrade the environment, then you should consider spray foam. One reason to support this is because it has unique properties; it improves air quality inside the building. Air filtration gets done away with and this helps by preventing airborne irritants in getting into your cooling and heating structures.

Even application by itself has benefits because its water blown; the foam settles quickly, and this gives you time to go on with your constructions or renovations. It’s possible to install it by yourself, and you can save a lot in labor costs. Once it’s applied and set, all seems are done away with as it expands and every bit of space gets filled. You won’t worry about air pockets and void that can result to structural problems in the future.

Even though it’s for indoor use, spray foam will stand all types of weather and help in structural and thermal stability. It does not shrink when the weather changes. Due to its flexibility, it will let the other materials to react according to weather changes.
Spray foam offers great benefits. Apart from being a green product, it also provides air quality and energy efficiently. To install it is very easy, and your home or office value is increased. If you have insulating needs and you are looking a product to meet them, it’s good to try spray foam for better results.

Finding an insulation that will give you the value of your money must be put in the first place, when doing any sort of construction.

Are there Benefits of Spray Foam Insulation?

A person who is freshly building their house or trying to renovate an old one may have very many decisions to make .Some of these decisions include insulation of the whole house; the insulation decision is very major and should not be taken lightly. Therefore, as you make it, choose among the available materials and get the best because insulation can save you a lot of trouble in the future. Avoid buying cheap materials that are likely to make you struggle in the future.

Spray foam insulation options

You could ask what the available options are. You can make use of fibre glass or use spray foam insulation. The later is what this article is going to major on. Spray foam insulation is a type of insulation that has two components. These components can stay independently for a long time, but when they are mixed, they react to make foam that must be applied immediately.

Spray foam insulation benefits

The benefits of using spray foam insulation are very many; firstly, it is ranked among the insulators with the highest R values. The R value is used to refer to the density of an insulator. Therefore, spray foam insulator has a very high density especially the one that has closed cells. An insulator of higher density will do a better job at insulation than other insulators because it is thicker.

Spray foam insulation has a great benefit in that its application is much easier. It can be applied to all manner of surfaces, whether horizontal or not. All you need to do is spray the foam; long techniques are not also needed for its application. Applying it uniformly works the magic.

Spray foam insulation has a great benefit in that it is not likely to grow old and need repairs. Therefore, it stays as an insulator for your house for a very long time unlike other insulators that grow old necessitating replacement after a short period. Additionally, this foam expands after application and spreads to all the cracks on the wall blocking all moisture and air from getting into your house.

The spray foam insulator makes your home absolutely airtight, making sure that you get all the warmth you need. The cold seasons require that you keep the house very warm to avoid freezing; this foam insulator can help you well to achieve this.

Spray foam insulator also benefits you because it is able to kill moulds that often build on un-insulated house .If you leave in an area with very high levels of humidity; you should ensure that your family does not fall ill due to wet conditions by using the spray.

The spray foam insulator can also enable you get rid of noise around your house because it helps absorb noise. Your privacy is then more guaranteed. You can easily spray the foam by yourself or contract a professional to do it for you.

Spray Foam Insulation Benefits

During the cold months of the year, a lot of warming and cooling is needed around the house. Generally, the temperatures are usually below the zero degrees .The price of energy suddenly goes up. This is due to the increased demand in the market. Many home owners hate this season not only because the prices of electricity and gas usually go up, but also because homes lose a lot of energy. This eventually leads to a very big energy bill at the end of the month.

There is a way in which home owners can reduce the energy loss in their houses; this is done through spray foam insulation! This insulation stops air from entering into your home. This type of insulation nowadays has become very popular because it has so many benefits.
These benefits include decreasing loss of energy in your home.

Closed cell: The best spray foam

The best type of foam to use is the closed cell. This is a type whereby the cells of the foam are very close together and this makes the insulation of air tight. The foam protects exchange of air in and out of the home, therefore reducing the loss of energy. Large and empty rooms in the house that are not very well utilized usually are the major culprits of air loss; therefore, when you have them all sprayed, a barrier is created between the walls of your house and the outside world, and hence no more energy will be lost.

Spray foam insulation: Energy Efficient

The other benefit of using spray foam insulation is that it helps a home owner save on the cost of energy. When you have not used the foam, energy will be lost through air leaks, especially in the time that it is freezing cold. When you use the foam though, these leaks are covered completely making it hard to lose energy. Eventually, this helps to save on the amount of money paid for energy.

Spray foam insulation also helps to make a home very comfortable for you and your family. Have you ever wondered why during winter a house is not usually as warm as you would like it to be? The reason is because your house has a thousand and one cracks that allow air to flow in and out. When these cracks and loopholes are completely sealed off, the air of your home will be so easy to regulate making your home absolutely comfortable for you even in winter.

Another major benefit that the foam spray insulation has is that it makes a house sound proof. Through using this spray, you stop noises and other unwanted disruptions from getting into you wonderful home.

The foam is also very useful to prevent unhealthy things from getting into your household. Some of these things can cause disease to you as the home owner; such things include dust, mold and pollen. This foam comes in handy for people who have allergic reactions to pollen for instance.

Do not pay hefty bills for your energy while there is a way of using foam spray to reduce energy loss in your house.

Why use the spray foam insulation?

The spray foam insulation is also very important in making your home very conducive and comfortable .The cracks that are usually within the house before insulation make a home very hard to warm because the air keeps being exchanged from the outside and from the house. The insulation then seals the cracks off such that you can easily warm up your house without using a lot of energy. During winter, you do not struggle any longer with heating up your home.

Good things in Spray form insulation

Spray form insulation also helps to keep you and your family healthy. The infiltration moisture into your house can lead to sicknesses. When your house smells of moulds and wetness, you and your family will be at risk of getting very many diseases. The cracks can also let in things like dust and pollen, which may affect you adversely.

Spray foam insulation is also good because it helps reduce the travel of sound from one room to another, therefore giving you and your family privacy among yourselves and with the outside world.

Major benefit of the spray foam insulation

Another major benefit of the spray foam insulation is that you do not need to worry about repairs. This is majorly because it does not age or sag; therefore, it is very long lasting and will not have repairs costs in the future. So if you ever need insulation, use spray foam insulation for its benefits are many.

Important Facts About ‘Icynene’ Spray Foam Insulation

If you happen to be building a new home or remodeling the existing one, chances are you will need to insulate your home as well. There is a wide variety of household insulation available for a home owner to choose. According to many building experts, one of the most commendable ways to insulate your house is by use of foam insulation containing icynene.

It is extremely important that you properly insulate your house especially after doing some great renovations on it. The main reason behind insulation is in order to offer ample protection to yourself as well as your family whenever the temperatures get extreme. At times, the temperatures could be too lo w during winter and at other times they could be too high during the summer. In either of the scenarios, you could be in some trouble if your house is poorly insulated. Just about every expert in the building industry and interior home renovations can testify to the fact that spray foam insulation is the best. Whereas there are other kinds of cheaper insulation options like fiberglass, they are not as efficient and as effective as the spray foam insulation.

Icynene foam insulation

Icynene foam insulation came into the market in the year 1986. This spray foam insulation creates a protective barrier that prevents free entry of unwanted pollutants as well as unwanted outdoor allergens. It is applicable in both residential as well as commercial buildings. The major objective of the developers of ‘icynene’ spray foam insulation was to come up with a quieter, energy efficient and healthy indoors in a house hold.

With icynene foam insulation, you are easily able to spray the underside of your household and also the attic. You will also discover that the icynene foam insulation is costly compared to many other types of insulation. However, that should not concern you because you can always recover the amount spent through energy savings. When the icynene foam insulation is well/professionally applied, you need no air conditioner even when the temperatures go to the extremes during the summer. The insulation also provides for a magnificent sound barrier. As a matter of fact it could be raining heavily but you would not notice as a result of the efficiency provided by its insulation.

Icynene foam application

When making applications using icynene foam application, great care should be taken. This is because the spray foam insulation could expand and exert unwanted force on any reinforcement that attempts to contain it. Another problem with icynene spray insulation foam is that the adhesion between the foam and the slates during roof insulation will make such slates impossible to re use later on. The Foam application can also cause some terrible structural problems with the roofing. This is because it may prevent water from draining away from the roofing timber and therefore cause it to rot. It is for such reasons that spray foam insulation on framed roofs has been considered as not too good a practice in Britain.

 The Adverse Health Effects Of Spray Foam Insulation

Spray foam insulation as a way to treat buildings has become very popular in the United States as well as many other countries across Europe. This is probably because it is highly efficient compared to other treatments like fiber glass. Another reason could be because the United States government has offered some attractive tax incentives for all those who will use spray foam insulations in their homes.

In as much as spray foam insulation is said to be highly effective and efficient, it is not without its demerits. One of the biggest drawbacks of spray foam insulation usage is that it has got adverse health effects on users. Spray foam insulation contains some harmful chemicals known as “isocyanates”. These chemicals are strong irritants and can cause damage to your eyes, respiratory tract, skin and intestines. Most people tend to experience rashes on their necks, chest and arms after using spray foam insulation for some time while others feel s as if their eyes have got sandy or coarse particles in them.

When workers get too much exposure to isocyanates, they can easily develop asthma over time and this without their knowledge. Respiratory irritations may also develop to full blown bronchitis following persistent exposure to isocyanates.

Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

Medical practitioners have reported quite a number of cases of HP i.e. Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis from workers who have been exposed to isocyanates for long periods. At the onset, the symptoms of HP are muscle aches, flu, high fever and frequent headaches. Other signs that may appear later on include; a congested chest, difficulty in breathing and frequent coughs. It was found out that workers who have acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis show the signs about 5 hours immediately after exposure to isocyanates. On the other hand those that have developed chronic HP experience a lot of difficulty in breathing as time wears on. They also feel fatigued and loose a lot of weight. The good news is that over the past few years, quality foams have been developed and have eliminated most of the health complications that we have seen above.

An important point worth noting is that spray foam insulation does not have toxic effects when it has completed its curing process. It only has toxic effect during the curing process. That explains why those applying it suffer health effects if they are not well protected while home owners do not get affected. During the curing process, spray foam insulation produces a harmful gas that brings about difficulty in breathing as well as poor vision.

Wear protective clothing while using spray foam insulation

As a result of the health complications associated with spray foam insulation, those applying it are advised to wear protective clothing especially over the face. Gloves and gas masks would be most appropriate during the application process. Applicators are also advised to ensure that they mix the materials in the correct proportions. Failure to do that will ultimately lead to perpetual emission of toxic gases which will be more harmful even to the home owners.

A Deep Look At Spray Foam Insulation

The most popular kind of spray foam insulation is polyurethane. The development and usage of polyurethane is accredited to the military during the 1940s. During those earlier years it was mostly applied to aircrafts. Polyurethane had to wait until 1970 for it to be utilized as effective foam insulation in households. A variety of systems are deployed in application of spray foam. The “2 part high pressure system” is normally used when it comes to construction of new homes. It is a fast expanding brand of spray foam. The other system is the “2 part low pressure”. This one is normally used in existing walls where remodeling jobs need to be undertaken.

Spray foam insulation is categorized into 2 major categories as explained below;

Open cell:

This is a foam type whereby the tiny cells aren’t closed completely. The cost of open cell foam is less prohibitive due to the fact that it does not contain a lot of chemical ingredients. Although it is very good as an air barrier, it seldom provides any kind of moisture barrier. You’ll also discover that it is more or less like a sponge in physical appearance. Open cell foam is mainly used to insulate interior walls and experts do not recommend it for outdoor application purposes.

Closed cell:

This is a type of spray insulation foam that is pretty dense as compared to the open cell foam. Its cell structure tends to be smaller and more compact. It is a fantastic air as well as moisture barrier. Generally, closed cell foam can be used anywhere but It is normally ideal for roofing projects as well as other outdoor projects.

Spray foam insulation has saved energy costs as well as lowered utility bills in most house holds. The energy department of the United States has carried out a survey which indicates that about 40 percent of a household’s energy gets lost as a result of infiltration of air through the windows, walls and doorways. However, the same cannot be said of homes that have been fixed with spray foam insulation.

Closed cell foam protects buildings from unwanted moisture that can cause growth of mold &mildew. Mold and mildew can cause the wooden frames supporting your house to rot and ultimately collapse. Mold can also be a nuisance to your health as your body can experience allergic reactions courtesy of harmful mold spores.

On top of moisture and temperature controls in many house holds, spray foam insulation can be used to lower noise levels. This is because it acts as a barrier to sounds that are airborne and which are transferred through the floor, walls and roof of a building.

There are federal as well as state tax incentives for home owners who have insulated their homes with spray foam insulation. These incentives are in form of tax deductions. These wonderful tax incentives have encouraged many people to adopt usage of spray foam insulation to treat their buildings.

What You Should Know About Spray Foam Insulation

Closed cell spray foam is arguably the best insulation material. It resists heat movement, a great feature that can never be found in other insulations like fiber glass. Insulation with fiber glass often leaves spaces where heat can be unnecessarily lost and therefore not very efficient.

Another noticeable merit with spray foam is that it saves a lot of space unlike cellulose or fiber glass. The thickness of spray foam is dependent on where it is sprayed but under normal circumstances, it goes about 3 inches in depth upon installation. More over, with a furnace that is energy efficient, you can save a great deal of energy with spray foams.

Spray foams are highly criticized by environmentalists for not being eco-friendly. Although they are packaged in well recycled bottles, their main ingredients consist of oil and petroleum which are considered harmful to the environment. Those using spray foams are also advised to be very careful and avoid inhaling their smell directly since it could adversely affect their health. One of the major health consequences of consistent inhalation of spray foams is development of asthma. It is recommended that all who use spray foams should do it while wearing protective gear.

It’s important to note that closed cell spray foams may be used just about any where. They are particularly effective in lofts or in areas where floor boards rest firmly on the foundation. Cost is one of the biggest barriers that prevent people from using closed cell spray foam because its price is quite prohibitive (approximately USD 3 per square Ft). This is in spite of its efficiency. As a matter of fact, it is more expensive than any other type of insulation. Nonetheless, it is the one product that you can bank on to deliver utmost efficiency.

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Spray Foam Insulation

Due to its simplistic nature, many people are nowadays opting for the spray foam insulation. It is also preferred due to the fact that it is cheap. All said and done, one has to be well aware of what he/she is getting into when it comes to using this appliance in terms of advantages and disadvantages: how effective is this appliance towards adding value to one’s house, especially with regards to solving the problem of finances?

Survey courtesy of the U.S.A government

According to a survey courtesy of the U.S.A government, a household in the United States of America might end up spending even up to $650 annually just on eclectic appliances like heaters and air conditioners. This is rather expensive, given the nature the economy currently. This information is vital when it comes to picking the right appliance for your home. You don’t want to end up picking an appliance that will end up raising your bills.

Using the right insulating appliance will definitely help one cut down on the expenses. So, how does one choose the ideal insulation? This can easily be done by analyzing the advantages as well as the disadvantages of these appliances, with specific reference to spray foam insulation.

To begin with, it is important to clearly define what this foam insulation is; it is an electric appliance used to fill up gaps like crevices by use of spray gun. When the liquid fills up the gaps, it expands and covers gaps thus acting as insulators. A foaming agent expanding to come up with foam is the one responsible for the production of liquid. They enlarge by a scale of 100 times in size.

This spray can be in different kinds: expanding spray form-which is used for polyurethane foam. It basically is used to insulate walls as well as ceiling boards in a house. Its effectiveness stretches to the fact that it can be used as a barrier to some adverse conditions both during winter and summer.

Why other insulations are not effective?

Other insulations do actually leave behind cracks which can be used by heat, thus they are not effective. Using this insulation will on the other hand go along way in ensuring that these cracks are completely covered. It also will prevent invasion by insects that do crawl into these cracks. In addition, it also prevents moisture from forming thus leading to much lesser occurrences of molds. Another fact worth mentioning is that it has some quality of stickiness, which solidifies the strength of one’s foundations.

Despite being seen as the best option, this insulation also has some negative qualities: it is quite expensive as opposed to the other products which are considered traditional which can provide the same services.

It is also too delicate and demanding in that it should not be exposed to the sun and other products like solvents from bathrooms which are strong.

Health wise, many people are reported to have suffered consequences from the chemicals, such as breathing problems, irritation of the skin among others. Its fumes are believed to be flammable, and do pose a risk when close to fire.  The last disadvantage is drawn from the fact that this gas can easily result to emission of what is called green house gas.