Spray Foam Insulation Science

Spray foam insulation is a fluid applied spray polyurethane foam (SPF) is a cellular plastic that creates a continuous barrier on the materials it’s applied to. It is a combination of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), and polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI), also referred to as Side A. Side A is then mixed with Side B, which contains catalysts, polyols, a blowing agent, surfactant, and a flame retardant. When Side A & B are mixed, the chemicals quickly reacts which results in the foam expanding. This creates the cells (foam bubbles) in the desired result. The result of the insulation depends on the characteristics mixed with the chemicals from Side B. Flame retardancy, and sound absorbency for example. Once applied, the foam hardens very quickly.

No. While this has little to do with spray foam insulation science, it’s an important FAQ. Because of the complications with injecting SPF into walls, the quality can’t be measured for its effectiveness. Because of this, we will only insulate a home that is being built, is being gutted or having an addition put on. The studs and building envelope must be fully exposed (no drywall).

All insulation has an R-Value. The R-Value is used to express the thermal conductivity of the insulation. The higher the R-Value per inch the better insulated your building or home is. However, just having insulation with a higher R-Value doesn’t mean you won’t experience thermal drift, or air leakage. Air leakage is where you lose most of your energy. It’s important to factor in the type of insulation you’re using. Energy Shield’s Spray Foam seals on contact, fills seams and gaps, and does not leak air, so energy isn’t lost through air leakage. With standard insulation with a higher R-Value, it doesn’t seal on contact, and air will still leak.

Spray Foam Insulation will stick to any construction material, as long as it isn’t wet or retaining moisture. It sticks to it through a chemical bond. It can be applied to concrete, concrete block, wood, steel, and metals.

SPF is a fluid applied material. It hardens on contact. Since it’s fluid applied, it fills all the gaps and seams and becomes one piece. Instead of strips of loose fiber glass, it’s all one surface.

Thermal drift is the wear and tear on your insulation over time. As it’s exposed to various conditions your insulation wears down, letting in more air. This is the same with fiberglass as it is with polyisocyanurate and polystyrene. Our closed and open cell foam are backed by manufacturer warranties, that you won’t need to replace the insulation or experience a break down in the R-Value. Ask your rep for more information on the manufacturer’s warranty for your specific spray foam.

Air leakage is your worst enemy. That’s what is causing the high energy bills. It’s the air leaking out of your walls or leaking in from your walls. This can happen on ceilings, walls, crawlspaces, and even basements. As your conditioned air leaves (whether hot or cold), it forces your AC unit or heater to work harder to maintain the temperature you want. Sometimes you won’t even see a crack of a seam or a fastener hole, and with enough of them, it could be costing you thousands of dollars a year. Spray Foam fills those holes, cracks, and seams and drastically reduces thermal drift. The other bad thing about thermal drift is that as the hot and cold air mix, it creates moisture and condensation, which can rot the inside of your walls, or ceiling.

We’re members of several professional associations, such as The SPFA (Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance). On certain jobs, we submit for review. Our workmanship (as inspected by the SPFA on-site), they examine all aspects of work, from prep to safety standards, to the application itself, and even the choice of SPF insulation we used.

No, we use SPF manufactured by the leading spray foam manufacturers such as BASF, Gaco and NCFI. Which SPF we use depends on the application. To use certain manufacturers products, we have regular inspections by their engineers to determine the quality of our workmanship, and our use of their products. They inspect completed jobs and recertify our use of their product. We’ve been a leading spray foam contractor since 1978.

It stops thermal drift and air leakage. It’s air-tight, waterproof, and has high R-Values. Since it does all that, it means you don’t have maintenance to worry about, and it solves the problem before it occurs. Since your conditioned air stays inside of the structure, it bounces rather than going through it. Your AC or heater doesn’t need to work as hard, which equates to less electricity and natural gas use.

We apply interior insulation after all the plumbing and electrical is complete.