The best protection for your home.
Spray-in-place polyurethane foam insulation represents a major innovation in energy efficiency and home construction quality. Spray foam insulation has enjoyed a long and successful track record in residential home construction. In fact, NCFI spray foam insulation has been contributing to home comfort since the 1960’s.
When can spray foam be installed?
Spray foam insulation is professionally 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, but before the interior walls are completed in new home construction. In some cases spray foam also can be applied in older homes, to the inside of roofs and under floors after construction has been completed.
How does spray foam work?
A two-part mixture is applied by trained professionals to the inside surface of exterior walls, to the underside of the roof, and beneath floors in basements and crawl spaces. The spray mixture expands rapidly to fill all cracks and voids, completely and permanently adhering to wood, masonry, metal studs and joists.
Which is better, closed or open cell?
Although both systems offer significant advantages over fiberglass batting: ability to air seal; ability to fill cracks and conform to odd shaped cavities; and ability to hold their shape over time and under adverse conditions, only closed-cell foam has the thermal insulation value (R-value) to bring your home up to Energy Star standards with only one-half the thickness required for fiber insulations. In addition, closed-cell foam products increases the strength of you wall system (it’s approximately doubled) and increase the water resistance of your home’s exterior.
How does closed-cell spray foam provide moisture protection, yet still breathe?
Unlike cellulose and fiberglass materials, closed-cell foam is impervious to water absorption and wicking. Yet, like Gortex fabric, the closed-cell structure allows the passage of water vapor (high energy particles) to allow your home envelope to “breathe”. Liquid water has much larger particles and is unable to pass into or through a closed-cell foam barrier.