If you are not familiar with spray foam, it is a form of insulation used in building construction. It has polyurethane base; once the foam is mixed and pumped, it hardens, forming an insulating layer in your roof, walls or floor. It was originally only used by professional building contractors but now there are several do-it-yourself kits available if you fancy yourself to be a bit of a handyman around the home. The insulating layer is very effective in protecting against heat loss in winter, and keeps hot air out of your home in the warmer summer months.
The Advantages and Benefits of Spray Foam over Other Forms of Insulation
Prior to the invention of spray foam, the most common type of insulation used was fiberglass foam mats. These foam mats were mostly used in roofs. Compared to spray foam, fiberglass insulation has several distinct disadvantages.
The process of installing spray foam can be messy. However, because it is a spray, it gets into all the nooks and crevasses. It provides much better insulation for your home than fiberglass where gaps are often left between the mats. In this way, spray foam not only insulates your home against harsh weather elements but also provides much better protection against vermin, bugs and insects. The tight seal makes it far more difficult for unwelcome creatures to burrow into your home and make their nests there.
A second advantage of spray foam is that it adheres really well to most surfaces which means that you can use it to insulate roofs, walls, and even floors. Many builders use it to insulate homes underneath the floors to keep warmth in and vermin out. Fiberglass insulation installed in walls and roofs is less resilient and often peels off after time and has to be replaced.
Spray foam also does not absorb liquids so it is less susceptible to mold and damp than fiberglass foam mats. This is thought to be one of the main reasons that spray foam lasts longer than other forms of insulation. Any part of your home that lasts longer will ultimately increase the value of your home so investing in spray foam insulation, even though it's a little more expensive, can benefit you when you decide later on to place your house on the market.
Handling fiberglass can be unpleasant as fibers break loose, causing irritation to the skin and chest if inhaled. From this point of view spray foam is far more environmentally friendly as it doesn't cause discomfort when touched.
How Does Spray Foam Make Your Home More Energy-Efficient?
Better insulation in your home means that you will not need as much heating in winter or air-conditioning in the summer. It is easier to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home in all seasons. You will not only be saving on the amount of energy you are using in your home but you will also benefit from lower utility bills.
Because of the tight seal that spray foam provides, it prevents wind, rain and damp from seeping into your home. Your home will be better protected against inclement weather and strong winds. Because spray foam lasts longer and does not need to be replaced as often as other forms of insulation, this makes it more energy-efficient. You are using fewer new resources over time in terms of home maintenance and this contributes to the efficiency of your home.
Why is Energy Efficiency Important in Your Home?
We can all recognize that the world we live in has limited resources. In addition to limiting the amount of new resources that we use, we also need to find ways to increase the efficiency of the resources we do use and eliminate waste as much as possible. Optimizing heating and electricity usage are just two ways in which you can make your home more energy-efficient. Having a properly insulated home can help you achieve this, so it makes sense to use a product such as spray foam.
With the modern focus turned more and more towards energy efficiency, you would be wise to take advantage of this trend. A home that optimizes its energy efficiency by installing products such as spray foam insulation will have a higher market value. People do not mind paying more for something initially if they know that it will last longer and also save them money in the future.
Spray Foam Direct.com features quick and easy do-it-yourself spray insulation which will save you money and energy. Guardian Energy Technologies Inc. offers the added benefits of reducing our carbon footprint by offering foam it green solutions and balancing their impact through carbon reproduction projects. Visit online today.
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