When one wants a home to become energy efficient, taking on insulation becomes a necessity. Insulation is typically placed in spots where air escapes: between the walls, the attic, and the crawl space. This material takes the hot air that leaves one space and slows it down. It is also used to modernize or maintain existing homes so that energy costs are reduced.
What Kind of Insulation Should Be Selected?
Naturally, all of the insulation options bring on different results. It’s vital to get the best possible choice of insulation when you insulate your home. The ideal way to determine what insulation is best is to figure out where the insulation should go in the first place.
Spray Foam Insulation
Also known as sprayed insulation or foaming insulation, spray foam insulation is a two-part liquid insulation material that seals air and insulates wherever it’s placed. The material comes in a resin, an iso, and two big drums. Two liquids are separated all the way until application at the job site proper. Installation of this material should always be done by a licensed, qualified spray foam installer.
Both liquids—the foam and the pressure-sensitive adhesive—pass through a heated hose all the way to a spray gun. That’s the only time they are combined, at which point the foam is created. It takes the foam mere seconds to expand in full, seeping into every nook and cranny of the cavity’s surface. It’s a type of insulation that provides long-term, immediate advantages. Usually, it seals gaps and leaks within existing walls and spaces that are tough to reach.
Spray foam insulation comes in two types: closed and open cells. Open-cell foam is used for interior applications such as walls, floors, and ceilings. It’s essentially low-density foam insulation, which allows moisture permeability for moisture management to be helped along. Other advantages include:
- Lower cost per square foot installed
- Not being a food source for mould
- Provides qualities for sound dampening, making it great for theatre or media rooms
Closed-cell foam has a higher density than open-cell foam but less flexibility. It is used in exterior applications such as walls, floors, and ceilings. Out of all types of insulation, it has the highest R-value at around 6.2. It’s rigid and helps water to be rejected. Numerous benefits include:
- Application at low temperatures
- Adds impact resistance
- Adds wall racking strength
- Convenience in accommodating high R-value requirements in small spaces due to higher R-value per inch
There are plenty of other insulation types that are more traditional, but some do not have a good R-value compared to that of others. Other choices include:
- Blanket batts and rolls
- Foamboard
- Radiant barrier
That said, one of the biggest advantages of spray foam insulation over traditional types is its ability to air seal. As previously mentioned, spray foam insulation prevents air leaks into the building and helps to keep the air flowing smoothly through the structure. In turn, moisture is addressed, which lessens the likelihood of mildew and mould growth.
Conclusion
There are so many options for insulation on the market. Spray foam is easily the best one, available as open or closed cells. Benefits include a lower cost per square foot installed and not being a food source for mould.
Need to get spray foam in Toronto? Reach out to Foamworks today! We’re a leading insulation contractor specializing in the quality application of spray foam insulation.
