Most homeowners are somewhat familiar with fiberglas insulation as it has been around for quite awhile. You’ve seen it in rolls at your local home improvement store and there may even be a few unfinished areas in your home where it’s visible. You also probably know that the material is a major contributor to the R-value of your exterior walls and the energy efficiency of your entire house.
But how much do you know about the new insulation option that’s rapidly gaining in popularity: polyurethane spray foam?
Spray foam has been used for many years to insulate areas in homes where fiberglas wasn’t feasible – usually around door and window jambs or where utilities entered the house. The material’s ability to expand and fill a cavity made it ideal for those applications.
Then someone came up with the bright idea: What if polyurethane spray foam was used to insulate an entire house? As they say, the rest is history and using the material is now considered one of the most eco-friendly methods for insulating your home. A few facts about polyurethane spray foam:
· Air infiltration – Because the material expands to fill all the cavities between your home’s framing members, it can eliminate much of the air infiltration that gets past fiberglass batt insulation.
· Mould and mildew – Polyurethane spray foam creates an air barrier envelope that can reduce the amount of outside moisture that enters your home. Since mould and mildew need moisture to survive, limiting it can reduce the chances of the fungi growing in your house.
· Energy costs – Heating and cooling a home can be costly regardless of its size, but using spray insulation can help your wallet in two ways.
1. Higher R-values in the exterior walls may allow you to downsize your HVAC system
2. It’s been estimated that the energy efficiency of polyurethane spray foam can lower a home’s energy costs by up to 30 per cent.