Spray foam insulation creates a powerful barrier that restricts airflow through walls, floors, and ceilings. This helps keep hot air in during the winter and cool air in during the summer, thus saving homeowners on monthly energy bills. In addition, the air seal created by spray foam also blocks out allergens such as pollen and irritable dust, making homes healthier for home occupants.
It is important to know that spray foam insulation requires professional installation. This is because it will off-gas significant amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the spraying and curing process. A homeowner should vacate the house during this time and stay away until it is fully cured.
Dispelling Myths About Spray Foam Insulation: Facts vs. Fiction
The history of spray foam began in 1953 with an invention called the Blendometer, which combined chemical components to form polyurethane foam that expands when sprayed. It wasn’t until the 1970s that spray foam became widely used in residential insulation.
Foam insulation can be installed in new construction, re-drywall projects, and even existing homes if there is access to the walls, attic, or crawl space. It is important to note that a professional technician should always perform the spraying.
While spray foam insulation has an incredibly wide range of benefits for homeowners, it is important to choose products that are formulated using low global warming potential blowing agents. This is because the current blowing agent used in most spray foam insulation, hydrofluorocarbons, has a 3,400 times higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide on a per-kilo basis. Look for low GWP spray foam insulators such as BASF Walltite CM01 and Genyk Boreal Nature.
