I recently received literature from BASF Polyurethane Foam Enterprises LLC with regards to their closed-cell polyurethane spray foam insulation, COMFORT FOAM®. What drew me to their product was their initial caption, “[a]re you wasting as much as 40% on your energy bill?” How many of you can relate to throwing money out the window every month from your leaky home? According to the Department of Energy, you can reduce your heating and cooling costs up to 30% by proper insulation and air sealing. BASF’s COMFORT FOAM® goes a step beyond to create a higher level of comfort and reduction of energy costs than traditional insulation.
I am no stranger to preaching the benefits of spray foam insulation since my own home was sprayed with Icynene®, an open-cell spray foam insulation. My house is a lean, mean energy saving machine with a geothermal system and thick foam throughout the basement, first and second floor exterior walls, and garage walls. When I first wrote about how much I loved my Icynene®, one of my commenter and now friend, Gary of Virstar Geothermal Energy HVAC Group Enterprises, extolled the benefits of closed-cell spray foam insulation. (You can read his and other comments here. The discussion is quite interesting.)
What Are COMFORT FOAM®‘s Attributes?
The Company manufactures two different types of closed-cell spray insulation: COMFORT FOAM® 178 (typically for colder climate) and COMFORT FOAM® 158 (for warmer climates.) According to BASF, their 2 lb. closed-cell spray polyurethane foam insulation has the following attributes:
- The Company’s COMFORT FOAM®158 has an R-value of 6.6 per inch and the COMFORT FOAM® 178 has an R-value of 6.7 per inch compared to an open-cell spray foam, which has an R-value on average of 3.5 per inch.
- Outstanding air sealing ability.
- Increased structural strength
- Improved comfort with reduced drafts
- Better Indoor Air Quality
- Environmentally responsible with VOC-free and zero-ozone depleting blowing agent technology
- Inhibit the growth of mold since it eliminates air movement in the wall cavity, and thus decreases the possibility of condensing surfaces which lead to moisture.
- Closed-cell foam is approved by FEMA for use in flood prone areas.
- There is no formaldehyde in the Foam unlike some fiberglass insulation.
- The Foam meets class one fire and smoke characteristics.
Wondering on how foam is sprayed into the wall? Watch this short video .
Where can COMFORT FOAM® be installed?
COMFORT FOAM® can only be used where there is an open wall cavity such as in new construction or renovation as well in an unfinished attic or crawlspace. It can not be blown in a wall cavity in which drywall is affixed to it. According to the Company’s technical detail,
“[p]olyurethane foam systems should not be left exposed and must be protected by a minimum 15-minute thermal barrier or other code-compliant material as allowed by applicable building code(s) and Code Officials. Building Codes provide guidelines representing minimum requirements.”
The Foam would be required to be enclosed by drywall or other fire retardant barrier.
What’s the difference between closed-cell and open-cell foam insulation?
Many of you are wondering what the difference between open and closed-cell foam insulation. According to the Company,
“[t]here are three major differences. First, BASF Polyurethane Foam Enterprises uses the versatility of chemistry to offer a closed-cell content of greater than 90 percent for all of its formulations, and open-cell foams commonly used as insulation systems have approximately 60 percent open-cell content. Second, closed cell content offers an R-value of over 6.0 per inch and open cell offers between 3.0 and 3.6 per inch. Third, closed cell foam is virtually impermeable to air, while open cell foam allows far more air and vapor into the house interior.”
As noted above, 90% of COMFORT FOAM is polyurethane foam and the balance is the blowing agent, Honeywell’s Envoate® 3000 245fa.
I found it interesting that the Company sells ENERTITE®, an open-cell polyurethane foam insulation and compares it to their COMFORT FOAM® closed-cell insulation along with traditional fiberglass, and blown-in cellulose. (See chart above.) No one could claim that BASF is making false marketing claims about open versus closed-cell since it sells both.
The one line item on the chart that caught my eye was the absorption of moisture. The closed-cell absorbs less than 4% of value to volume compared to the open cell, which absorbs more than forty percent value to volume. As stated above, the presence of moisture can lead to mold. In addition, in order for the open-cell to be considered an air barrier, 5.5″ inches of foam must be installed in the walls, whereas the closed-cell reaches approved air barrier level at 1.5″ of foam.
Why didn’t I install closed-cell in my own home? Contractors charge more for installing closed-cell versus open-cell. In addition, I was warned five years ago that it off-gassed. Since building a nontoxic house was the most important aspect of my building project, I was too frightened by the possibility of this statement being true. Given BASF’s nontoxic stance, I may have reconsidered the higher cost given the benefits of closed-cell insulation.
Will spraying foam insulation on the underside of the roof shorten the life of my roof tiles?
One question I have always had about spraying the roof rafters is will it shorten the life of the roof since the roof can not breathe? In my own house, I have one section in which the rafters were sprayed. I noticed that it is the last area of the roof to dry out. My 2nd floor ceiling is full of foam and my recessed lights are all air tight. I am in New Jersey so we have cold winters and humid summers. So, I posed the question to the Company. I received the following response from Jim Andersen, a Company Manager of Application and Training , who is a seasoned 35-year plus veteran in the spray foam industry as a contractor, distributor and now a manufacturer of materials:
“The [sic] article was written by Mark Graham, Technical Director for the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) which is the leading roofing industry trade association. It should help clear up the question that when using either open-cell spray foam or closed-cell spray foam to unvented attic applications, it is possible to obtain asphalt based shingles and maintain a manufacturers warranty for the shingles. BASF supports the conclusions explained by Mark Graham in his article. Listings are updated each year and published in the NRCA Steep Slope Roofing Materials Guide available from www.nrca.net for a fee. This book will list those manufacturers that offer shingle warranties over insulated roof decks or non vented attic applications.
As far as the question of spraying foam to the underside of the roof deck, will it shorten the life of your roof? This is a hard question to answer. The first major question is where is the geographic location of your home and the color of the roof? Locations in northern climates which dark colored roofs generally will not have an adverse impact to the life of the roof. Steep sloped roofs may last longer than low sloped roofs. Hot climates with dark colored roofs generally will not last as long as light colored roofs. When we add insulation, one must ask how much and what is the overall performance of the insulation.
Uninsulated roof decks will generally warm and cool as does the outside temperature. When adding insulation, the objective is to keep the attic air temperature controlled or conditioned. When any type of insulation is added to the underside and the vents closed off, this air space is called “conditioned air space”. In other words, it should be about the same temperature as our inside house environment. The heat or cold is kept out of this area because the insulation performs a function. Most shingle warranties are for 10, 15, 20 or more years in duration. Most warranties are pro rated which means the value decreases with time. In my opinion, the use of BASF open-cell or closed-cell foams for underside applications per building code requirements will not have an adverse effect on the life of the roof. This is supported by several manufacturers who are willing to offer warranties for their shingles when used in this non vented application.”
In any event, check to make sure spraying the underside of your roof does not void your roof warranty.
What are your thoughts on the subject?
Has anyone used closed-cell spray foam insulation?
Has anyone installed closed-cell insulation in their home, and if so, what has been your experience? If you are a contractor, have you installed both closed and open cell insulation, and if so, what has your experience been? Is installing closed-cell insulation overkill or a good bang for the buck?
Special thanks to Katharine Davino, Marketing Operations at BASF PFE for her assistance in this article. All charts and photos are courtesy of BASF Polyurethane Foam Enterprises LLC.
Bob says
This was a nice read!
We are selling our home and building a new energy efficient home. There are so many new technologies available to save on energy bills. Could be easily enough to make part of the mortgage payment!
Bob
Green Talk says
Bob, good luck with building an energy efficient house. Just make sure you put in a ventilation system so the house can “breath.” I have written about the Broan/HEPA that I have in my house here.
Come back and tell us more of your home energy ideas. Anna
Mark D. Tyrol says
How To Stop Drafts and Save On Energy Bills
Imagine leaving a window open all winter long — the heat loss, cold drafts and wasted energy! If your home has a folding pull-down attic stair, a whole house fan, a fireplace or clothes dryer, that may be just what is occurring in your home every day.
Drafts from these often overlooked holes waste energy and cost you big in the form of higher energy bills. Drafts are the largest source of heating and cooling loss in the home.
Drafts occur through the small cracks around doors, windows, pipes, etc. Most homeowners are well aware of the benefits that caulk and weatherstripping provide to minimize energy loss and drafts.
But what can you do about drafts from the four largest “holes” in your home — the folding attic stair, the whole house fan, the fireplace and the clothes dryer? Here are some tips and techniques that can easily, quickly and inexpensively seal and insulate these holes.
Attic Stairs
When attic stairs are installed, a large hole (approximately 10 square feet) is created in your ceiling. The ceiling and insulation that were there have to be
removed, leaving only a thin, unsealed, sheet of plywood.
Your attic space is ventilated directly to the outdoors. In the winter, the attic space can be very cold, and in the summer it can be very hot. And what is separating your conditioned house from your unconditioned attic? That thin sheet of plywood.
Often a gap can be observed around the perimeter of the attic door. Try this yourself: at night, turn on the attic light and shut the attic stairway door — do you see any light coming through?
If you do, heated and air-conditioned air is leaking out of these large gaps in your home 24-hours a day. This is like leaving a window or skylight open all year ‘round.
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add an insulated attic stair cover. An attic stair cover seals the stairs, stopping drafts and energy loss. Add the desired amount of insulation over the cover to restore the insulation removed from the ceiling.
Whole House Fans and Air Conditioning Vents
Much like attic stairs above, when whole house fans are installed, a large hole (up to 16 square feet or larger) is created in your ceiling. The ceiling and insulation that were there have to be removed, leaving only the drafty ceiling shutter between you and the outdoors.
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a whole house fan shutter seal. Made from white textured flexible insulation, the shutter seal is installed over the ceiling shutter, secured with Velcro, and trimmed to fit. The shutter seal can also be used to seal and insulate air conditioning vents, and is easily removed when desired.
Fireplaces
Over 100 million homes, in North America are constructed with wood or gas burning fireplaces. Unfortunately there are negative side effects that the fireplace brings to a home, especially during the winter heating season. Fireplaces are energy losers.
Researchers have studied this to determine the amount of heat loss through a fireplace, and the results are amazing. One research study showed that an open damper on an unused fireplace in a well-insulated house can raise overall heating-energy consumption by 30 percent.
A recent study showed that for many consumers, their heating bills may be more than $500 higher per winter due to the drafts and wasted energy caused by fireplaces.
Why does a home with a fireplace have higher energy bills? Your chimney is an opening that leads directly outdoors — just like an open window. Even if the damper is shut, it is not airtight.
Glass doors don’t stop the drafts either. The fireplace is like a giant straw sucking your expensive heated or air-conditioned air right out of your house!
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a Fireplace Plug to your fireplace. Available from Battic Door, a company known for their energy conservation products, the Fireplace Plug is an inflatable pillow that seals the fireplace damper, eliminating drafts, odors, and noise. The pillow is removed whenever the fireplace is used, then reinserted after.
Clothes Dryer Exhaust Ducts
In many homes, the room with the clothes dryer is the coldest room in the house. Your clothes dryer is connected to an exhaust duct that is open to the outdoors. In the winter, cold drafts in through the duct, through your dryer and into your house.
Dryer vents use a sheet-metal flapper to try to reduce these drafts. This is very primitive technology that does not provide a positive seal to stop the drafts. Compounding the problem is that over time, lint clogs the flapper valve causing it to stay open.
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a dryer vent seal. This will reduce unwanted drafts, and also keeps out pests, bees and rodents. The vent will remain closed unless the dryer is in use. When the dryer is in use, a floating shuttle rises to allow warm air, lint and moisture to escape.
For more information on Battic Door’s energy conservation solutions and products for your home, visit http://www.batticdoor.com or, to request a free catalog, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to P.O. Box 15, Mansfield, MA 02048.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark D. Tyrol is a Professional Engineer specializing in cause and origin of construction defects. He developed several residential energy conservation products including an attic stair cover and an attic access door. Battic Door is the US distributor of the fireplace plug. To learn more visit http://www.batticdoor.com
Green Talk says
Mark, I have written about your attic and fireplace products as well in my energy saving tips here. I even included the video too. I am a big fan of Battic Door’s products.
I also have a dryer enclosure to keep out the draft and written about it here.
Can you make a product to keep the cold from coming in from your range? Anna
bucket trucks for sale says
It is nice to see green building products being used nationally and worldwide, and also the demand for such materials has risen dramatically. We should all be thinking of our planet Earth in any way we can. Just look at the auto industries, boom trucks, bucket trucks, and even crane trucks are going green.
Hussey says
It is nice to see green building products being used nationally and worldwide, and also the demand for such materials has risen dramatically. We should all be thinking of our planet Earth in any way we can.
Boom Truck says
Great site. It is extremely well researched and knowledgeable about the topic. Going green is the best way to cut costs and to help save the enviornment thats why purchasing equipment to help with construction should be used/recycled equipment.
Sandra Office Furniture says
I watch that show Extream Home Make Over and I have seen that when they are doing the new homes they use this stuff or maybe something similar, which I think is just amazing, here in South Africa we don’t build our houses like over there so we wouldn’t really be able to use this stuff but it would be awesome if we could anything that will allow us to save on energy is just great and we at the moment are really paying a hight amount for our energy, which really hits the poor the most and the they are really struggling.
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Moe says
Thank you so much for explaining the differences between those two types of insulation. I think that people are sometimes a little careless and they they might leave a window cracked or leave the door open for minutes at a time. Another thing that people sometimes forget is to get a roofing contractor to come out and check up on the roof. I found that I was losing a ton of warm air in the winter because I had poor insulation up there.
how to install attic insulation roll says
My brother recommended I might like this blog.
He was entirely right. This post actually made my day.
You can not imagine just how much time I had spent for this information!
Thanks!
Patrick Gills says
I’ve used spray foam insulation in my house ever since I moved in. While it is know to be a bit pricier than fiberglass or most other insulators, it’s a lot cheaper than having to deal with water damage and other environmental factors that it is actually able to defend against