Our family has a saying, “Pretty isn’t always pretty.” Basically, something that may seem amazing at first glance might need a second look and a thorough evaluation.
Foam insulation is all the rage, and for a good reason, BUT not all spray foam insulations are the same and not every situation is better served with foam insulation. Water based foam is a good product and it has its place, but using this kind of foam in residential wood framed construction isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. You hear it advertised everywhere, with low monthly payments, but just because it pops up on your TV or radio sounding like a great deal doesn’t mean you should believe it. Pretty isn’t always pretty.
NCI can install water based foam insulation and does in masonry wall construction, where it is used to insulate the cores of block walls. Riding the wave of popularity with foam insulation, many companies have taken it and modified it a little with their “proprietary chemicals,” then selling it to homeowners. Water based foam injected into the walls of your existing wood framed home seems like an easy, low-mess solution. It certainly has a smooth pitch, but if only it was true. If your house was built years ago, the wood framed timbers of your home are DRY and suck up any and all moisture they can. Herein lies the great weakness of this type of insulation. Because it is water based, the water is sucked into the dry studs of your home. Since the wood structure of the house absorbs the water, the insulation shrinks. We are not even going to talk about the prudence of dumping massive amounts of water into a closed wall cavity! If that’s not enough, do you really want a water based insulation injected into your walls around your electric wiring? Many times homeowners are led to believe that when the job is done each stud cavity will be filled from side to side and top to bottom with foam. However, the reality is that once the moisture is sucked out of the foam it shrinks back and leaves large gaps, welcoming cold air into your home.
Will fiberglass or cellulose settle in the stud cavity over time? Yes it will. Can that settling be remedied by adding extra insulation over time? You bet. The problem with foam is that once it shrinks it is nearly impossible to fix unless you remove the drywall, tear out the shrunken foam, and reinsulate.
Does water based foam insulation have a time and a place? Of course, it is excellent in masonry construction. When it comes to insulating an existing wood framed home is water based foam the best option? No. What is the better option? Fiberglass and cellulose insulation are two options that won’t damage your studs or drywall and will leave your home well insulated, warm and cozy. Plus, if it happens to settle, you can easily add more.
NCI has the ability to install water based foam insulation into existing homes but NCI CHOOSES NOT TO. At North Central Insulation, quality comes first. We choose not to use water based insulation within the walls of your home, so you receive a more effective product. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
North Central Insulation – because the finished product matters.