What You Need To Know About Expanding Foam Insulation And Your Business
Posted on: 30 June 2021
What is expanding foam insulation, and how can your business benefit from this type of product? If your company's building is drafty, overheating, or doesn't have existing insulation, take a look at what you need to know about expanding polyurethane foam.
How Is Polyurethane Foam Different From Other Types of Insulation?
Unlike the rolls or sheets of insulation in your attic at home, polyurethane foam is a spray product. This allows you to squeeze the insulation into crevices or small spaces or fill large gaps and areas in between walls. The versatility of a spray foam option makes this type of product a top choice for businesses that have many different insulation needs.
What Types of Spray Foam Insulation Are Used in Buildings?
The three main types of spray foam products are high-density, medium-density, and low-density insulation. The type of foam you use for a specific project depends on the building, where you plan to insulate, and energy cost reduction strategies.
Like the name says, high-density foam is highly dense. This means its structure is denser than other types of spray foam — giving it a high insulation value. Common uses for high-density spray foam include under a roof or in spaces that border exterior areas.
Low-density spray is an open-cell foam that can create a continuous air-tight barrier. This type of product is less rigid than a high-density foam and won't have a high R-value. The R-value is the measure of an insulation's thermal resistance. Higher R-values provide increased insulation. Even though low-density insulation has a lower R-value (compared to high-density insulation), it is typically less expensive, it creates a sound barrier, it adjusts to heating/cooling-related expansion or contraction, and it can flex to fit into tighter spaces.
Medium-density foam falls somewhere in the middle of high and low products. This foam creates a continuous insulation barrier and is used anywhere from building wall cavities to crawl spaces. While it's not flexible (like a low-density product), medium-density foam does have a higher R-value.
What Are the Benefits of Foam Insulation?
An overall increase in energy efficiency is a primary benefit. Without adequate insulation cooled or heated air can escape your building and the hot summer and cold winter exterior air can get in. A spray product provides you with a way to fill air leaks, stop gaps, and add an insulating layer to walls or the roof. This lowers the building's energy use and can save your business money in heating or cooling costs.
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