Spray Foam Insulation Vs Cellulose

Like a warm windbreaker spray foam stops cold air from passing through your home.

Spray foam insulation vs cellulose.

Closed cell polyurethane spray foam insulation is a much more dense type of foam than open cell. Properly mixing and applying spray foam insulation requires substantial expertise and can only be done by trained professionals. Cellulose insulation may be less expensive than foam but in a dense pack installation it has two drawbacks philadelphia based builder postgreen homes has found. Spray foam if you were to look at a pie chart showing what you spend every year on home energy use your heating and cooling system would take up nearly half of the pie.

It doesn t matter if it s an outdoor deck being converted into living space or basement ceiling or the subfloor over a damp crawlspace. First installing the product requires labor to staple netting to the stud walls prior to blowing insulation into the cavities. Fiberglass and cellulose operate more like a woolen sweater allowing the air to pass through. Icynene spray foam stops conditioned air escaping your home.

For those of you who don t know about this. The r value of cellulose insulation ranges from 3 6 3 8 per inch and spray foam insulation ranges from 3 5 3 7 per inch of insulation. But with properly installed insulation you can cut down on your energy demand leading to a lower heating and cooling bill and creating a more comfortable. Friday august 22 2014.

Spray foam insulation cellulose. When icynene spray foam is applied it begins as a liquid but quickly expands into a foam which adheres to the surface which it is applied. Spray foam insulation like icynene is also sprayed in but because the material is different from cellulose insulation the result is also different. Cellulose insulation is probably the safest among all the other kinds of insulation there is including spray foam insulation.

It is often used in roofing projects or other outdoor applications but can be used anywhere in the home. Air leakage contributes to higher than average heating and cooling bills. But what about other insulation options that might be available to you like wet blown cellulose. It has a smaller more compact cell structure.

Given that both insulators are equal in r value the difference in thermal resistance relies heavily on proper installation and air sealing. It is a very good air barrier as well as a water vapor barrier. Other than the fact that it s an insulator cellulose can also reduce the noise heard between rooms. Spray foam insulation vs.

Spray foam insulation drawbacks it is the most expensive option with costs running as high as two or three times as much as fiberglass batts or cellulose loose fill. You won t have any problem with it being accidentally exposed as it s not harmful at all.