Frequently asked questions

How much does spray foam insulation cost?

There are lots of variables like height and working conditions depending on the town or state's building code requirements! But a way to get a ruff number is to calculate the square footage of the area you are looking to spray times the depth to get the r-value you need per code. On open cell foam, it ranges from .40 to .60 a board sq foot per inch. On closed cell foam, it ranges from $1.10 to $1.45 an sq board foot per inch  

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What is spray-in foam insulation made of?

Most spray foams are made from polyurethane-based and are considered/classified as PU foams. Open-cell spray foam Catalysts Blowing agents are different than closed-cell foam it Typically uses water as the blowing agent and not a manufactured chemical blowing agent. The chemistry is slightly different from closed-cell foam which uses chemical blowing agents.

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What are the different types of spray foam insulation?

There are different types of spray foam. Open-cell spray foam is also called half-pound foam, closed-cell spray foam is also called 2-pound spray foam and there is roofing foam or 3-pound and above foams depending on the compression strength needed for the project specification. There is injection foam insulation and also specialty foams like agricultural foams used in chicken barns.

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How many inches of spray foam do I need?

The depth or amount of inches of spray foam needed is based on your local building code and the climate zone you live in. You will need to check with your local building department or state building code official or architect.

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What is the best spray foam insulation brand?

There are many manufacturers of blending spray foam insulation on the market. All manufacturers have their blend. I always recommend using a larger manufacturer like UPC, Gaco Wester, base, demilec, huntsmen, Owens Corning, Johns Manville, Natural Polymers, Carlisle, and NCFI, to name a few. The larger manufacturers will have a proven track record and typically more R&D In my opinion. but it also comes down to the installer and company doing the job. They all have differences in what they like to spray, the yield overspray, extra that installers prefer certain foams over others because of the spray ability of the foam.

 

Do I need a vapor barrier if I use spray foam insulation?

Depending on the product your having installed and your local building code and climate zone you live in. closed cell foam is a class 1 vapor retarded at 1 to 2 inches depending on the manufacturer and no vapor barrio should be installed over it. Open cell spray foam does not give you any type of vapor barrier and always vapor transfusion threw it this can lead to condensation problems in certain climate zones depending on the R-values/ depth of the foam. Local building departments might require a vapor barrier over the foam to be installed.

 

How much does it cost to have someone spray foam insulation installed?

The cost depends on a few things 1st cost of chemicals they manufacture, fluctuates with the market cost of raw chemical goods 2nd there are differences in the raw chemicals used a good manufacturer uses higher quality chemicals to manufacture the foams, and which is more to make.. 3rd the amount of foam needed to do your project so length and width times depth. 4th working conditions like it high or tight crawl space the working conditions can affect the production of the project 5th spray surfaces and temperature is it 20 degrees outside and if you are spraying to a cold metal surface you will lose yield this will affect the job cost 6th equipment some companies will hook up to your home electrical service I never recommend this it could overload you electrical panel as our equipment uses a lot of power typical around 100 amps the company typically does not have a lice election doing this hookup. We only use generators to power out equipment and are completely self contained the generators use diesel this along with added maintenance is an added cost to our company and we have to charge slightly more for our rigs to be on the road. 7th training and certifications there is a lot of cost in properly training employees and getting certifications along with continuing education. But a range to gage your cost on open cell foam  runs around .40 to .60 a board foot per inch of depth and closed cell runs 1.10 to 1.45 a board foot per inch

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What is a good weight for spray foam insulation?

This would depend on the manufacturer and their blend/ product there is open cell spray foam which is referred to half pound foam and in a 1 cubic foot block it should weigh ½ of a pound most closed cell foam are called 2-pound foam and 1 cubic foot by 1 cubic foot block should weight 2 pounds there are some 1.5 and 1.8-pound foams so I recommend reading the manufacturer's specifications page

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I have an old turn-of-the-century house and I am looking to have foam insulation installed in the walls. Can you do this work without a complete gut rehab?

Yes, we offer an injection foam with an effective R-value of R4.2 per inch this high R-value will help drastically reduce your air infiltration saving you money for the life of your home.

 

 

what products I can use to reinsulate my walls?

  you can install cellulose insulation with an R-value of 3.2 per inch. This gives you an R-value of R-12.8 in a true 2×4 wall. You can also use polyurethane injection foam with a 4.2 per-inch R-value

 

What happens when I have high amounts of moisture and make my house too tight?

We can certainly make any house too tight with spray foam insulation. Too tight would mean .35 air changes per hour or less. ASHRAE standard for indoor air quality requires a minimum of .35 air changes per hour. If you make the house too tight and don’t have enough proper air movement and you have high quantities of bulk moisture, then you can promote mold growth and rot. You should find the root of the bulk moisture and fix that ensuring a safe and healthy home.

 

What should I do if you make my house to tight?

You can install an HRV\heat recovery ventilator or an ERV\energy recovery ventilator system, or you can use a simple make-up air fan.

 

Where should I start when having my house insulated?

Every house is different. If you don’t know what your house needs or what your issues are, we strongly recommend having an energy audit done by a BPI-certified contractor. We also recommend having thermal imaging done during this audit. Typically we look at attics as the first area for upgrading insulation and air sealing. We also look at basements in exterior walls

 

 

Can I get to state energy code a 2 x 4 wall or do I need to frame that with the 2 x 6? 

Yes, we can get you to code in a 2 x 4 wall with our closed-cell spray foam. You do not have to spend money to frame out your wall in 2 x 6 or reframe your roof joist.

 

Can you tell me what a hot roof is and how it works?

Hot roof assemblies are also called unvented. It’s how the house is insulated. The thermal envelope is moved against the roof deck and closed-cell or open-cell foam is sprayed directly onto the roof sheathing, making it a monolithic unvented assembly.

 

 

Do foam insulations still contain urea formaldehyde?

There are many different brands of spray foam. None of the polyurethane spray foams use any urea formaldehyde. They are all polyurethane-based. There are some injection foam products still on the market that do contain urea-formaldehyde as the binder. They are known as Amyloplast foam insulation.

 

Where is spray foam typically installed and how is it installed?

Opened and closed cell spray foams are typically installed in an opened stud cavity, like new construction and remodels before sheetrock has been installed. It is also installed in attics and crawl spaces of older homes to make them much more energy efficient. Spray foam is installed under high pressure and high temperature. It mixes in the mixing chamber on the gun and goes onto the surface in a liquid state like a paint. It expands 30 to 150 times its liquid size making a monolithic durable airtight envelope, sealing out all air infiltration.

 

Does spray foam need to be covered or can be left exposed?

According to the current building code, all spray foam needs to be covered by a 15 min. intumescent barrier. Paneling, plywood, and sheet rock all qualify as a 15 min. barrier in attics and crawl spaces. Many application procedures and municipalities require the foam to be coated with a 15 min. intumescent paint as a fire barrier.

 

I have a lot of ice damming on my house, is this due to poor insulation?

Yes, typically you have a lot of air leakage or poor insulation causing heat to melt the snow and it re-freezes on the bottom of the roof, where it is cooler, backing up causing water damage, mold, and unhealthy living conditions.