Is Spray Foam Insulation Better

If the hvac equipment and air ducts are in your attic it is better to install spray foam insulation specifically with open cell spray foam to protect the equipment and ducts.

Is spray foam insulation better.

The attic roofline is typically insulated with 5 nominal fill foam resulting in an r value close to 20. Unlike other kinds of insulation like cellulose spray foam provides better insulation because its fluid nature allows for it to go through tiny crevices. However if your attic doesn t have any hvac equipment or air ducts you. The four most important factors when choosing an insulation material for your home are r value soundproofing safety and cost.

Both products are better than not having any insulation at all and they ve been used in homes for a long time now but by today s standard they simply don t stand up to the far more efficient option of polyurethane spray foam. Regardless of which material you choose to insulate your home with any form of insulation is better than no insulation. Even though it was far more expensive they noted that it performs much better. In other words the cells are deliberatly left open.

Closed cell spray foam insulation has the lowest noise deadening ratings. This means that you can cover walls and ceilings more efficiently without doing too much work. Cellulose for attic insulation. Fiberglass insulation is significantly cheaper than spray foam insulation but it is also less effective especially in extremely cold conditions used in roughly 85 of american homes fiberglass insulation is the most common form of home insulation.

In general spray foam insulation will cost more than blown in blanket wall insulation with loose fill attic insulation r 40 as a standard. Any spaces and gaps that aren t filled can equate to the size of a basketball with enough air leakage everyday to fill two air blimps. It s hard to perfectly install fiberglass and cellulose. Open cell polyurethane spray foam performs better with noise reduction and comparable to fiberglass batten insulation.

And because it can insulate a house more effectively you won t have to spend as much on. Spray foam insulation has less market share but is increasing in popularity. Fiberglass traditional insulation comes in primarily two forms. As you can see from the comparison table spray foam is not the best material for sound insulation.

Spray foam is the better choice when it comes to long term cost and thermal resistance. Spray foam can stop cold air from passing through your house while fiberglass can have air leakage that will. A spray insulation is referred to open cell or closed cell because of the difference between the small bubbles cells that make up the foam. This makes the foam a softer more flexable material.