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Green Insulation? Try SPF Spray Foam!

By
Home Inspector with Gravity Architects & Consulting

Spray Foam Insulation (SPF)

As a designer and 203(k) Consultant, I LOVE how SPF spray foam insulation adheres to any shaped structure - from the roof rafters all the way down to your floor joists, so a protective sealed envelope is formed around your home.  This keeps air from penetrating your walls, and stops the dust and pollutants that can come in with it. SPF insulation also helps keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter, further reducing your home's environmental footprint.  I have worked with this product many times as a designer, builder and inspector, and am continually impressed with its performance.

 

 

Spray foam insulation won't sag, shrink or pull away from your walls, EVER. It never needs to be replaced or added to, thanks to its durable nature. Fiberglass batts can sag over time, blown-in cellulose can settle, which leaves sections un-insulated and you'll feel the temperature difference because of it. Spray polyurethane insulation (SPF) completely adheres to wood and sheathing and is rigid; the result is a permanent barrier to heat loss and air entry.  Also, the micro-cellular spray foam insulation blocks neighborhood noise, making your home the peaceful healthy haven it was designed to be.

 

 

 

 

A couple of SPF choices are: Closed Cell (2#) SPF or Open Cell (1/2#) SPF, with a lot of conflicting information out there, but the SPF basics are this:

*R value of 6+/inch for SPF compared to fiberglass batt R value of 3.5/inch.

*Minimizes the transfer of sound.

*Structurally enhances the surface that it bonds to.

*Creates an air-tight seal as it expands into place.

*The cost savings are seen immediately upon application.

*The HVAC system can be downsized, due to SPF’s efficiency.

*Will not settle, shrink, or deteriorate, and it’s guaranteed to retain its R-value and noise-reduction qualities over the life of your home.

Besides its dramatic energy savings, SPF’s are formulated from renewable agricultural resources and uses a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly blowing agent with zero ozone depletion potential (ODP).

 

Edward D. Nikles
Ed Nikles Custom Builder , Inc. / Nikles Realty , Inc. - Milford, PA

Thanks for the info. ! What do you think about open Vs. closed cell in walls ! Keepin' it Green !

Feb 08, 2009 01:51 PM
Suzanne Bennett
Sold By Design - Saint Petersburg, FL
Sold By Design- St. Petersburg

Great information. 

Just watched a great episode of Greenovate.  The homeowner was using a foam insulation made by BioBased (made from soy bean oil). 

Thanks for offering your personal testimonial in working with these products.

 

Feb 09, 2009 01:19 AM
Christopher Colvin
Gravity Architects & Consulting - Marietta, GA

I have used BioBased soy SPF in attic remodels here in Atlanta, and it gets technical pretty fast, but the actual soy content seems to be minimal and can vary wildly.  There are 2 parts to the product: an "A" side that is petroleum based, and a "B" side, which is a blowing agent - which can be up to 96% soy, but often isn't.  Believe it or not, I had a client pick up a piece and chew on it, not really understanding what the product was... or thinking in terms of modified edamame... wasn't very tasty from the fact that the hoses get cleaned out with WD40! 

For wall installations, Closed Cell performs better and has a higher R value, but does cost more.  I always recommend the roof to be SPF, as that is what the sun cooks the worst.  Often budget forces other areas to be batt or blown. 

Feb 09, 2009 02:11 AM