Foam Insulation, R-Value is over R-ated

For those of us in the building and design business we hear it often, Actual R-Value is not as important as a sealing the building envelope. What I hope to accomplish with this post is yet another attempt to get the word out to homeowners. I constantly find myself in a passionate discussion with the majority of my clients as to why I highly recommend they do not build a new house and fill it with the "pink stuff". A list of reasons any homeowner should utilize the benefits of foam insulation could go on for miles. I am going to list two of the main elements I admire most about this product.

Save up to 50% on utility bills...

Yes, there is an increase of initial cost for foam insulation. This may deter most contractors and lower end spec home builders however; my clients build their final dream homes. This is where they plan to retire, and live out the rest of their lives. The cost savings over the years are well worth the initial expense. One particular house we designed costs under $500.00 per year to heat! Even with the huge increase of cost for fuel, his heating bill hardly budged.

A healthy alternative for a healthier home...
Let's start with this, the amount of moisture that will pass through a 4x8 sheet of drywall due to vapor diffusion in one heating season is about 1/3 of a quart. If you were to add a 3/4 inch hole to this sheet of drywall, the amount of water from air leakage would be around 30 QUARTS! Now, let’s think for a minute about all of the holes we have in our walls from electrical outlets, cables, telephones, photos and pictures nailed to the wall.... This translates to major air leakage! With soft foam, these cavities are sealed and remain sealed throughout the life of the home. (Hard foam can allow air gaps to form from the structure moving, studs shrinking and so on, but that is a different conversation) No matter where you punch a hole into a wall filled with foam, this puncture will not allow moisture to flow into the wall. A wall filled with a fibrous material will let the moisture in and allow it to move throughout the entire wall cavity. What does this mean? Fibrous insulation can promote moisture, (which results in mold and mildew) sound, heat and drafts to travel freely, foam will not. Why is this important? No one likes a loud home, Heat is something we never want to loose and what happens when we leave an ice cold glass out during a hot humid day? Condensation! Is this what you want to happen in your walls when the warm, moist air of you home travels through the fibrous insulation and comes into contact with the cold exterior wall? Not in my house. That being said, not in my client’s homes either.

Fact: 90% of all building failures in the US are related to moisture. ASHRAE

There are so many other good reasons to use foam insulation.
-Foam expands into holes, cracks, rim joists and areas other insulation can not.
-Foam seals around plumbing, wiring and electrical.
-Contractors receive less callback due to moisture related issues.
-Foam does not settle or compact.
-Homeowners benefit from reduced heating and cooling costs.
-Foam reduces airborne dust and fibers.
-Foam reduces the size requirement of HVAC equipment.

Quality home builders, Architects and Designers around the globe are specifying foam as the only insulation they will accept in their homes. Homeowners need to demand that it be used in their homes and when their contractor fights to use the pink stuff, well; maybe it is time to find a new contractor. Let's face it, everything has its time to come and go. The time has come and gone for fiberglass insulation.