Expanding Spray Foam Benefits

Have you really thought about if you have the most efficient insulation for you home? Truly, when you have the best insulation system for your home, it is a crucial factor in making sure you keep those agonizing bills low by creating a block and having all the conditioned air in your home stay in and not get out and vice versa. There are various ways to achieve this, but the explosion of expansion foam is certainly happening for a reason.

To fully understand the concept, expanding foam does exactly that, it expands and then hardens or ‘cures’ when it comes into contact with the air. When it does cure after it’s expanded and filled the space it was applied to, it hardens and blocks air from passing through it. Often it comes in DYI canisters that have the material compressed, you can attach a nozzle where it sprays out of. This system has surpassed all traditional methods of insulation such as fibreglass.

This material is generally composed of a two material mixture, a poly resin and an isocyanate. When this is sprayed into wall cavities, holes drilled into a wall, slabs of concrete or roof tiles, it creates a fantastic air tight insulating layer. The way it works is it traps microscopic gas bubbles in the foam. A major contributing factor to it’s superior insulating ability is it’s low density.

When the material is sprayed out of the nozzle, it is directly injected into every nook and cranny that exists within the wall or roof. Due to the high pressure, it is literally pushed into every space that is within the cavity it’s being injected in, where it will completely seal off every hole. When all holes are filled, it will then come out the entrance hole in the shape of spaghetti. When these noodle shaped pieces of the material exit the hole, that’s when you know that there is a proper seal. The excess material is then scraped off and the whole is filled with a mortar of sorts.

Research shows that a forty percent  loss of energy through air loss out of various spaces. When you properly insulate , air leakage will minimize and ultimately save you money. There is a much higher degree of air sealing ability in expanding foam compared to traditional insulations.

• Simple to instal- the simplicity of installing this insulation is another benefit. Just spray the material into the hole that you need insulated. There is no need to measure anything, no cutting or gluing is involved.
• Adheres to surfaces- this material is in liquid form and therefore covers more ground so to speak. When it is sprayed and sticks to the surface it the expands to fill any spaces.
• Extremely durable- unlike other types of insulations, expanding foam is extremely durable. It doesn’t rot and wicks moisture away. It is also inhospitable to insects and rodents that can cause further damage.
• Climactically suitable anywhere- this material will fair well in any climactic region of the world. Traditional insulations usually have a weakness in moist climates as they can retain moisture and develop mould . Expanding foam insulation however avoids any of these situations as it is a repeller of moisture.
• Efficient blocker of Heat transfer- this material will block heat from transferring three different ways 1. Convective where air is the main transferring way, 2. Conductive, this is when there is a flow from a lower temperature to a higher or vice versa, 3. Radiant which is when heat is in the form of light emitting from warm surfaces.
• Saves money- expanding foam is so good at blocking air transfer that it will immediately slash your energy bills by a staggering %40.
• Sound dampener- a by-product of using expanding foam insulation is that it will behave as a noise reducer as well. Sound travels in vibrations, and if you disrupt that vibration with expanding foam insulation you’ll have a quieter space.
• Air quality improvement- it will improve the quality of air as it keeps spores, germs and pollens out.