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What
innovative energy saving techniques does spray polyurethane
foam allow? |
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Several.
1. You won’t need house wrap with spray foam. The
air and moisture sealing effects of the spray polyurethane
foam are far superior to what house wraps can do.
Don’t waste your money on house wrap if you are
insulating with spray foam.
2. You can encapsulate your entire exterior house
shell with spray foam. In effect, this creates conditioned
space everywhere–including attics, basements, and
crawl spaces. When ductwork is run through these
areas, it is kept within conditioned space, substantially
increasing the energy efficiency of your home. This
reduces energy loss from recessed lights and drop
ceilings while minimizing any chance of frozen pipes
in colder climates.
3. Spray polyurethane foam will conform to any size
or shape cavity. Bay windows, oval windows, angled
walls, sloped ceilings, or any other unusual framing
designs can be well insulated and tightly sealed
the same as the uniform spaced stud walls.
CAUTION: Do not try these insulation techniques
with conventional glass fiber batts or blown-in
cellulose. |
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What’s
a "thermal barrier" and when is it needed? |
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A thermal
barrier is a covering on the surface of the spray
polyurethane foam insulation which will protect
it for at least 15 minutes in the event of a fire.
½-inch gypsum wall board, such as Sheetrock®, is
an approved 15 minute thermal barrier. Building
codes require the installation of a thermal barrier
between foam plastics (such as spray polyurethane
foam) and any occupied space. Exceptions apply in
some cases; review local codes and/or confer with
your local building code officials. |
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How
does polyurethane foam seal my house? |
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Polyurethane foam insulation is sprayed on as
a liquid which reacts and expands in place. This
expansion action also seals all of the cracks
and crevasses in your wall’s exterior sheathing.
The result is that air can no longer slip in -
your house will be less drafty and more comfortable.
Air leakage can also introduce moisture into
the wall cavity, resulting in wet insulation and
mold and mildew. With the sealing effects of polyurethane
foam insulation, this will not be a concern.
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Won’t
sealing my house lead to indoor air quality problems? |
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Your
house does need to be ventilated. Most house design
professionals will advise you to seal the house
structure as tight as possible and provide the necessary
ventilation through the heating and air conditioning
system. Many systems employ an "air exchanger" which
is designed to pre-condition (either warm or cool)
the incoming outside air with the outgoing exhaust
air. In this manner, you can build an extremely
energy efficient exterior shell using spray polyurethane
foam while still providing controlled and energy
efficient ventilation. |
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Is spray
polyurethane foam code approved? |
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Yes.
Building codes provide for the use of spray polyurethane
foam in the Foam Plastic section. This section of
the code also describes the use of thermal barriers.
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Is Dwyer's
foam approved by the U.S. Building Codes? |
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Yes. The three recognized model code groups in
the United States all have sections relating to
the approval of sprayed polyurethane foams which
Dwyer's use. The products are accepted nationwide.
| International
Conference of Building Officials (ICBO)
publishes the Uniform Building Codes |
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| Southern
Building Code Congress International
(SBCCI), also known as the Basic Building
Code, publishes the Standard Building
Code |
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| Building
Officials and Code Administrators International,
Inc., (BOCA) publishes the National
Building Code |
717
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At what
point in the construction of my house should spray
polyurethane foam be applied? |
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Normally
spray polyurethane foam is installed at the same
point in the construction cycle as other types of
insulation. That is, it should be installed after
the rough plumbing, electrical wiring, and heating
and air conditioning ducts have been installed.
If you decide to seal the entire exterior house
shell with spray foam, spray foam insulation may
need to be applied in some areas before the ductwork
is installed. |
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Can
I use spray polyurethane foam to insulate an existing
home? |
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Spray
polyurethane foam is used primarily to insulate
new homes. This is because spray polyurethane foam
must be applied to an open cavity. When spray polyurethane
foam is injected into a closed wall cavity, the
pressure of the expanding foam may damage the wall.
Consider insulating an existing home with spray
polyurethane foam when you’re replacing the exterior
siding or doing other major remodeling. |
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How
does spray polyurethane foam compare with glass
fiber batts and blown-in cellulose? |
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1. Glass fiber batts will not stop air leakage
(it might filter out some dirt and dust). Blown-in
cellulose will slow down air leakage. Spray polyurethane
foam will stop air leakage . . . dead.
2. Glass fiber batts have an R-value of about
3.5 (1-inch thickness). Blown-in cellulose has
an R-value of about 3 to 4 (1-inch thickness).
Spray applied polyurethane foam has an R-value
of 7 (1-inch thickness). Thus, 3 inches of Dwyer's
foam would yield an R-value of 21.
3. Glass fiber batts can sag over time; blown-in
cellulose can settle over time: both situations
leave sections uninsulated and you’ll feel colder
because of it. Spray polyurethane foam completely
adheres to wood and sheathing and is rigid; the
result is a permanent barrier to heat loss and
air entry.
4. Spray polyurethane foam will add strength
and rigidity to your house. Glass fiber batts
and blown-in cellulose will not.
Read more about R-values and spray insulation
in our article The
"R" Fairy Tale.
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Will
I save money if I insulate with polyurethane foam?
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Yes! The installed cost of spray polyurethane
foam is somewhat higher than glass fiber batts
or blown-in cellulose. However, the higher initial
cost is partially offset because you can leave
off the house wrap and your heating and air conditioning
equipment can be smaller. You will save in your
heating fuel and electric bills.
Studies suggest that homes insulated with spray
polyurethane foam use 20 to 40 % less energy than
homes insulated with conventional insulation.
Your savings may be greater or less depending
on your life style, appliances, house site, number
and size of windows, etc.
One home owner from Colorado Springs reported
the following to us:
"We live at 8,000 feet
above sea level and have been through some severely
cold winters. In our old house, which was 2,600
square feet and insulated with 3 ½-inch batts,
our winter gas heating bill was about $130 per
month. Our new house has 6,000 square feet of
living area and 3 inches of spray foam in the
walls. Our highest monthly winter gas bill has
been $80. One of the main differences was the
lack of drafts in our new home."
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Will
spray polyurethane foam insulation lose R-value
over time? |
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When
first installed, spray polyurethane foam’s R-value
is about 10 for a one-inch thickness. Over time,
the R-value drops to about 7.0 (per inch) and stabilizes
at that value. The time it takes to reach an R-value
of 7.0 depends on a variety of factors, including
total foam thickness. We report a six-month aged
R-value. Many industry studies indicate that a one-inch
thick sample of foam will stabilize after six months
and maintain that approximate R-value for decades.
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Can
spray polyurethane foam be applied directly to electrical
wiring? What about installed electrical devices
like recessed lights? |
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Spray
polyurethane foam can be applied directly to electrical
wiring. Recessed lights or other fixtures may require
a certain amount of air circulation around them
for cooling purposes. In these cases, stuff fiber
glass around the fixture. |
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Will
spray polyurethane foam deteriorate over time? |
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Not
that we’re aware of. We’ve looked at 20-year old
spray foam projects and we have not observed any
signs of deterioration. We expect the polyurethane
foam system to insulate and seal your home for the
life of the house. |
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How
long has spray polyurethane foam been used to insulate
houses? |
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Spray
polyurethane foam was commercially developed in
the United States in the mid-1960's. Homes have
been insulated with spray foam since that time.
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What
smells does spray polyurethane foam produce in my
home? |
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A slight
odor will be present during installation of spray
polyurethane foam insulation. This will rapidly
dissipate after the spraying operation stops. After
that, the installed spray polyurethane foam will
be odorless. |
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Will
spray polyurethane foam absorb or entrap moisture?
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Most
moisture problems in houses are due to moisture
entry from air leakage. Because spray polyurethane
foam provides such an excellent air barrier, this
source of moisture is virtually eliminated. Other
potential sources of moisture can be excluded with
proper construction techniques and materials. Unusual
building use (such as freezers or swimming pool
buildings) may require a vapor retarder. Contact
us regarding your specific situation if you have
any questions. |
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Does
spray polyurethane foam contain formaldehyde? |
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No.
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What
equipment do I need to apply spray polyurethane
foam? |
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Required
equipment elements include a plural component proportioner
pump with heaters, dual high pressure heated hoses,
high pressure mixing and spray gun, and feed pumps
and hoses. In addition, an air compressor and electrical
generator may be needed. |
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Can
a homeowner apply spray polyurethane foam? |
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It's
not very practical due to the expense of the equipment
involved. Spray foam application requires complex
equipment and a skilled installer. Dwyer's has the
experience necessary to do the job for you right! |
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Will
spray polyurethane foam strengthen my house? |
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Yes!
Two pound foams are rigid and structural. Your walls
will be more resistant to winds and you’ll notice
less creaking and shaking when doors are slammed
or when the kids are romping about. |
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How
long does it take to install spray polyurethane
foam? |
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The process is actual quite fast. A typical 2000
sq ft house can be fully insulated with spray
polyurethane foam in a day or less. Large houses
or houses with complex design features could take
longer.
Request a FREE estimate
from Dwyer's today!
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