Where and when should spray foam insulation be installed?

For an admirer of spray foam insulation, it’s always the right time and place to use spray foam.  It has become a big favorite of many industry professionals, while satisfying many homeowners with positive results and outcomes.  The spray foam product is generically known as polyurethane foam and is routinely installed throughout the home - in the attic; the roof cavity; inside walls; and underneath floors.  It is particularly versatile, and offers many more product attributes than any other insulation product on the market.

Applied by a professional, the spray foam product is sprayed into a cavity as a thick liquid and hardens into place as a super-dense blanket of insulation.  On application, it acts as an impermeable air barrier and moisture barrier simultaneously (probably one of its best features).  It makes a space airtight and watertight, without the need to install a separate, freestanding vapor barrier.  And wherever this product is installed, it will deliver the very highest R-Value of any comparable insulation product available today.

R-Value is at the core of any insulation project.  It’s vital for the homeowner, and the higher it is, the better.  But even with significant R-Value installed, heated air (and cooled air) can escape and compromise the R-Value. An expert spray foam application ensures that a given space is totally airtight. It means that every gap, opening or crack is sealed completely.  And it means that there’s absolutely NO air leakage and NO heat/cool loss.  As a result, spray foam provides exceptional sealing and insulation wherever installed.

Sealing and insulating with spray foam can benefit the entire indoor air environment of a home.  Everything is positively affected – the HVAC equipment performs better; heating and cooling cycles are better balanced; energy consumption is reduced; and energy costs are cut.  Indeed, industry statistics show that the average homeowner could realize up to 40% in annual energy savings, especially during the extremes of winter and summer.  Bottom-line, there isn’t a product or combination of products that can compare.

For the typical homeowner, the issue of a DIY approach to spray foam insulation is often at the forefront.  The truth is, the average homeowner is not skilled or qualified to handle a spray foam application.  The chemicals are complex and demand special handling; the application equipment requires experience and expertise; and the installation process is one that requires proficiency.  All things considered, the DIY approach is fraught with risk for the uninitiated, and calling in a professional to fix things up can be costly.

With regards to project cost, spray foam insulation is known to be more expensive than many of the other products and installations available.  However, it should be viewed as an investment - with benefits (both short term and long term) that far outweigh the initial, upfront costs.  As well, energy savings from one season to the next are significant, and the “pay-back” period is quite reasonable (between 2 and 7 years).  Finally, there are government rebates and incentives that may be available to lessen overall costs.