Brae Burn Country Club
Greenstamp successfully completes the insulation of the Poolside snack bar to help make the chefs and workers as comfortable as the poolside guests!
Greenstamp successfully completes the insulation of the Poolside snack bar to help make the chefs and workers as comfortable as the poolside guests!
Greenstamp works with several types of foam on the market. We are certified to spray foam insulation from manufacturers like, Coribond(c), Demilec(c), and Gaco Western Foam Systems. We will evaluate and recommend the best product for your project’s specific need or requirement.
Spray Foam Insulation is a versatile material and proven solution to a variety of construction challenges like:
All these benefits translate into:
OPEN CELL AND CLOSED CELL
The selection of Open Cell SPF versus Closed Cell SPF depends on the project and what is needed in terms of its performance or specific application requirements.
Open Cell SPF produces cells which do not completely close when applied. Air is allowed to fill the space inside the material. It is often installed in the same way unfaced-fiberglass insulation is used. In terms of cost and R-value, Open Cell SPF is the more efficient use of polyurethane foam. In other words, as an air barrier, it uses minimal material to create maximum affect.
Closed Cell SPF produces tiny cells that are completely closed making it a denser, heavier, and stronger material. Its composition is better for preventing vapor and moisture penetration. It is often used in basements, crawlspaces, unvented cathedral ceilings, wine cellars, and other areas of high moisture potential. Despite the higher R-value, Closed Cell SPF requires more material, is more expensive and has a higher cost per R-value.
Based on our evaluation of your project, Greenstamp will help you determine the best and most cost-effective solution.
Spray foam insulation is a spray-applied liquid plastic that expands many times its size. It is commonly installed as insulation and air or moisture barriers. Also known as spray polyurethane foam (SPF), spray foam is durable and maintains its physical properties over time. SPF has been used for over 60 years and is an extremely stable, long-lasting and a versatile material.
SPF is also among the ‘greenest’ insulation alternatives, as it requires minimal energy to transport and install. As a single product, depending on the project and formula, SPF can take the place of 3-4 other products like air barriers, sealants, vapor retarders, and weather barriers. Furthermore, studies have found that it does not release toxic gases or leach harmful chemicals into the air or soil.
Proper technical training and specialized equipment is used to apply the spray polyurethane foam in order to get the best results.
1. What’s the difference between open cell and closed cell spray foam insulation?
Answer: The raw materials of both types of foam are nearly identical. The main difference between them is how dense they are (or, how much we fluff up the material during the spraying.)
The closed cell foam is the denser formulation of the material. This change in density affects its physical properties in many positive ways. However, the open cell is generally the much more affordable choice of the two. Therefore, whenever there aren’t reasons to disqualify Open Cell foam’s usage, it generally will be the product of choice
2. When do I use open cell vs. closed cell?
Answer: The general rule to follow is that one should treat open cell foam identically to fiberglass or cellulose. It is an excellent insulator giving the end user a near perfect fit. In doing so, it also creates a nearly perfect air seal (in contrast to fiberglass or cellulose). This air seal is responsible for up to 40% of heating and cooling savings of the house.
However, closed cell foam can be used in numerous situations for which there is no other answer. It is intrinsically structural, a vapor barrier, a drainage plain, an air barrier and, of course, perhaps the highest R-Value per inch available on the market (usually around 7 per inch).
3. Are all spray foam insulations the same?
Answer: No. There are multiple manufacturers of spray foam. Like with any product, there are some lower-quality spray foam insulation on the market that have been imported from abroad. Be sure to know exactly what you’re getting for the price you’ve been quoted.
4. Can I install spray foam insulation in an unvented roof ceiling?
Answer: Yes. However, care and thought should go into determining if closed cell spray foam is necessary when mapping the potential locations for condensation in the wall cavity.
5. Can I install spray foam insulation in an unvented crawl space?
Answer: Yes. However, one should only use Closed Cell spray foam. Open cell spray foam does not deal with dampness well and is an excellent nest for rodents and others.
6. Can I install injection foam insulation into existing cavity walls or other inaccessible spaces?
Answer: Yes. Both open cell and closed cell foam is available for injection into inaccessible spaces. The material is injected as a liquid and then rises to completely fill and insulate the void. Injection foam is a tool that few builders know about and can be a cost effective solution to numerous retrofit problems.
7. Is the spray foam insulation flammable?
Answer: Yes. According to the International Building Code, all Foam Plastic Materials (not just spray foam, but Styrofoam, sound proofing foams, extruded polystyrene, foam boards, etc.) must be considered flammable (no matter what any salesman tries to tell you.) Different manufacturers’ foams have different flammability. Currently, there are a number of foams that perform over and above the standards required by the International Building Code. However, the literature of each manufacturer’s foam should be reviewed before a project commences.
8. Can I install spray foam insulation directly to masonry?
Answer: Yes. Only Closed Cell Spray foam may be used directly to masonry. (Open cell foam will get and stay wet soon after installation.) A primer is generally not necessary. However, a dew point/wall condensation analysis should be completed to insure that moisture within the masonry does not free within the masonry itself and cause an untimely degradation of the wall. Although this is a theoretical possibility, we have never witnessed it on any of our projects.
9. Can I leave spray foam insulation directly exposed to the sun?
Answer: Yes, with limitations. Spray foam left directly exposed to the sun and weather will begin to seriously degredate after about 1 year. However, after a few days, the foam will change colors and begin to yellow.
10. Is spray foam insulation waterproof?
Answer: Some spray foam insulations are waterproof. This depends on the density of the foam. However, open cell foams are definitely not waterproof or water resistant. Rather, open cell foams can hold a tremendous volume of water. Lower density closed cell foams are water resistant, but not completely water proof. However, higher density closed cell foams can be water proof. Check with your installer or the foam manufacturer for more details.
How would you like it if I told that I could make your home more comfortable?
Engineers have a secret society (ASHRAE) in which they create standards for the rest of us. They’ve got standards on everything you could imagine. Each standard tries its best to define goals using measurable quantities. I’m not an engineer, I’m a chemist and general contractor, but I like how they think. If you can measure it, you should be able to adjust it, and if you can adjust, you can control the results.
Last year I came across an ASHRAE Standard for Thermal Comfort (55-2004). The very thought that someone could define a standard for Thermal Comfort fascinated me. It meant that underlying our general comfort within a fixed space lay measureable variables. So, if I want to get more comfortable, I just have to adjust each of these variables, individually, until I feel great. Unfortunately for you, if you’re sitting next to me, what makes me feel great may feel horrible to you. So, I’ll first state each variable, and then the Ways To Make Your Home, Office, or Warehouse Feel More Comfortable to You as subsets of each variable.
Variable #1: Air Temperature
Variable #2: Mean Radiant Temperature
Variable #3: Air Movement
Variable #4: Relative Humidity
Variable #5: Insulative Clothing
Variable #6: Activity Levels