What is R-Value?

Posted by R Value Comments Off   Apr 27, 2011 @ 09:04
What is R Value 300x165 What is R Value?

Whenever a person seeks to get his/her house insulated he/ she prefers to get an insulation that will give maximum R-value. R-value is the measure of thermal resistance and the R-value of a material is determined by the measure of its resistance to heat flow. High insulation R-value products are most effective and will provide appropriate levels of heat and cool energy throughout the year. The measurement of R-value is determined by the density, thickness, and type of material used. Hence selecting a material with higher R-value gives you better insulation. The higher the R-value, the more the material insulates.

Experts conduct value ratings to determine the resistance to heat flow of various insulation materials. These experts then mark the product as per its R-value weightage. As said before the higher the value is the better it is said to perform.

R-value and insulation materials have a close relation. An insulation that can provide better resistance from heat will help you to keep your house cool in summer and warm in winter. It is advisable to purchase an insulation material that has high R-value. Many consider buying insulation as per its thickness is a wise decision; however the thickness of the insulation material does not matter as much as the R-value. Some of the thin insulation materials perform equivalent to if not more than the thicker insulations.

The R-value required for each house depends on the climate and temperature. Also the place that you are planning to insulate determines the R-value you need so that it works effectively. For e.g. the insulation requirement of the attic of your house would be different from the living room. The basements in U.S are recommended to be insulated with material that provides R-value of 12.

There are many insulation products in the market and each of them have different R-values. Thus before you invest in an insulation do a complete research to find out the R-value each can provide. Select the one that gives the highest R-value to enjoy maximum benefits of insulation.

Amongst the various insulation materials in the market, spray foam insulation is known to give the best R-value. It is also amongst the most popular type of insulation used by home owners. Polyurethane spray foam insulation alone has an R value of around 6.8. In case water gets in to the insulation the R-value of the product is lowered as water brings down the insulation and causes spots or gaps that reduce the R-value of the insulation. As spray foam is completely water resistant it continues to provide effective thermal resistance to the house.

These benefits of spray foam can be enjoyed only if it is applied by a professional as the material is difficult to handle. EcoStarFoam.com is a leading service provider for spray foam insulation. Our team of professionals use durable spray foam of various well known brands to cover every cavity in your house and make your home energy efficient. Our service is well known in New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding area.


Spray Foam Insulation for Restaurants

Posted by Spray Foam Insulation Comments Off   Apr 25, 2011 @ 09:04
Spray Foam Insulation for Restaurants Spray Foam Insulation for Restaurants

A restaurant needs to make its guest feel comfortable. And this is not just limited to the furnishing and interior of the place. The temperature of the place also makes a lot of difference. Let’s just say the environment of the restaurant and the food you serve together build a good impression of your restaurant and compel the clients to visit you again. So apart from the appearance and food of the restaurant, you also need to look at the HVAC of the restaurant to create an alluring aura.

Obviously, a restaurant consumes more energy than a house, thus the restaurant owner needs to take better energy saving initiatives than a house owner. A large amount of energy is not only consumed by the appliances in the serving area but the kitchen too consumes a lot of energy. All this leads to huge electricity bills per month. To save yourself from excess expense you need to look at effective options to save energy and money. Spray foam insulation is one effective option that can save you energy and money adding to your profit.

As the climate changes you tend to switch between the use of your HVAC appliances. On average every structure has openings that together can make for a window open all the time. This leads to the seepage of the cool or warm air and affects the controlled temperature within the room. This leads to excess use of heating and cooling appliances causing a lot of wastage of money and energy. It is time you look at the structure of your restaurant and seek loop holes that cause such loss. By insulating the gaps you can ensure economical use of the appliances and a comfortable environment within.

Spray foam insulation is a solid material for covering the gaps in your restaurant. It is made of polyurethane material that consists of organic and in-organic substances. It is in liquid form when sprayed, thus it can get into the most recessed corners of the building. After exposure to oxygen it solidifies and expands to a size 100 times more than its original amount. This gives you a foolproof coverage and prevents the seepage of air from within.

The owner of the restaurant should look at the HVAC of the kitchen and store room. Maintaining proper HVAC of the store room will help to keep the grocery in good condition. Restaurant freezers, walk in coolers and storage facilities are insulated with spray foam insulation. This helps to keep the stock fresh.

Spray foam is difficult material to handle and needs professional help for installation. EcoStarFoam.com is a leading service provider for spray foam insulation. Our team of professionals use durable spray foam of various well known brands to cover every cavity in your house and make your home energy efficient. Our service is well known in New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding area.


How Spray Foam Insulation will save small business money How Spray Foam Insulation will save small business money

Work places need to build an atmosphere that is conducive to working. Hence offices take resort to installing high end appliances, invest in furniture with proper ergonomics and set an ambience that is relaxing. Another important aspect that offices have now begun to pay attention to is the environment of the office. No doubt the internal atmosphere is controlled with help of various appliances as no one would work in a place that is too hot or too cold. But work places seem to be running the appliances over time, paying huge energy bills per month and still landing up with uncomfortable temperature within.

The temperature of the room is the first thing that will make the employees comfortable to work for long hours as compared to the high end appliances and furniture. But running heater/ air-conditioners longer than required is not a solution to it. The energy bill posted to an office at the end of the month is definitely more than what any household could get given the appliances like light, computers and other devices running for long hours. This takes up for most of the profit made. To save the hard earned money you make you need to take corrective measure to stop the additional running of the cooling and heating appliances.

Spray foam insulation is an effective way of doing so. Maximum of the structures have cracks and openings in them that together make for a window open 24Í7. This leads to constant leakage of the air within and infiltration of air from outside. Spray foam insulation stops this leakage of energy and provides better atmosphere, lesser energy bills along with reduced consumption of energy.

Spray foam is made of polyurethane material which is completely environmental friendly. When sprayed the material is in liquid form and reaches the most recessed corners of the wall. On exposure to oxygen it expands to a size 100 times more than the original volume, thus sealing the gaps in the wall completely.

Spray foam insulation may seem a little expensive when you compare it with the other insulation materials in the market. However, on close inspection you will know that the money you spend is worth it. Spray foam tends to pay off well over the time in terms of utility savings as it provides maximum insulation. Also it has to its credit many benefits apart from bill saving.

The use of trained professional for the installation of insulation increase the cost you incur for spray foam. But spray foam is a difficult material to deal with, thus it requires professional assistance. Improper application of the material can lead to structural damage. EcoStarFoam.com is a leading service provider for spray foam insulation installation. Our team of professionals use durable spray foam of various well known brands that cover every cavity in your house and make your home energy efficient. We are well known for our top quality services in New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding area.


Fiberglass Insulation vs Spray Foam Insulation

Posted by Spray Foam Insulation Comments Off   Apr 21, 2011 @ 09:04
Fiberglass Insulation vs Spray Foam Insulation Fiberglass Insulation vs Spray Foam Insulation

Fiberglass insulation is a product that has been in the market since a long time. Over the period of time manufacturers started sensing the growing needs of home owners and came up with different types of insulation to provide better efficiency. Spray foam insulation is a definite product that is capturing the market of Fiberglass due to its efficiency and a number of other benefits. With a number of insulation products in the market the consumer is bound to get confused in finding the right insulation for their home. Let’s take a quick look at which insulation is better, Fibreglass Insulation or Spray Foam Insulation –

  • The make of the product is an important aspect that determines how it will work. Due to its unique make spray foam gives a better coverage and performs the insulation task better. It is made of polyurethane which is a mix of organic and inorganic substance. Therefore it is liquid when sprayed and can reach the recessed corners of the wall. Also the liquid expands when it contacts with oxygen to a size much more than the original volume. This enables it to give a proper coverage. Whereas Fiberglass is available in long rolls and pre-cut rectangles, the pre-decided size makes it difficult to adjust and cover the odd corners of the surface.
  • It is important that the R-value of the insulation you choose should be good. Spray foam is well known for the R-value it provides. It is the only product that gives an R-value of 6.00 per inch. This makes it a very effective material to use for insulation. However, Fiberglass will require a thicker layer to give an R-value that matches just one layer of spray foam insulation. Thus spray foam emerges as a more economical investment.
  • While installing Fiberglass insulation you will need to put in a separate air barrier, however this is not the case with spray foam as it acts as its own air barrier.
  • As Fiberglass comes in pre-cut and pre-defined sizes it lacks flexibility to give proper coverage which its counterpart spray foam can afford easily. This makes it possible for spray foam to cover the crevices around pipes and other inlets as well.
  • Spray foam forms an ideal insulation for any house as it is a onetime installation. Unlike Fiberglass it requires no maintenance or retouching. It never sags or degrades. Fiberglass after a period of time needs to be replaced with a new and firmer sheet as it tends to deteriorate faster.
  • Not only does spray foam maintain the temperature of your house but also keeps it safe from dirt, pollution, molds, mildew and moisture. Also spray foam makes your water proof, fire resistant and sound proof. This is not in the capacity of fiberglass.
  • Spray foam may be an expensive option as compared to fibre glass, but it returns the cost incurred within a few months through the savings you make on the energy bills. Also the savings continue for life turning into profit made each month.

However the benefits of spray foam can be enjoyed only when it is applied by a professional with the required equipment and techniques. EcoStarFoam.com is a leading service provider for this eco friendly insulation. They have a team of experts who are qualified enough to cover every crevice in your house and reduce your energy bills. They are popular service providers in New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding area.


Blown in Cellulose Insulation

Posted by Cellulose Insulation Comments Off   Apr 20, 2011 @ 02:04
Blown in Cellulose Insulation Blown in Cellulose Insulation

With the need to insulate their house homeowners are looking for options that range from synthetic to environmental friendly types. You can choose from the various options available to you in the market like fiberglass batt, spray foam insulation and blown –in cellulose. Blown-in cellulose insulation forms a very eco friendly option to install in your house.

Places that can be insulated with blown-in insulation
There are a number of places in your house that can benefit if you consider blown-in cellulose insulation. Apart from the exterior walls blown-in insulation can also be applied on the garage ceiling and the attic floor.

People living in colder climates often face the problem of ice-dams forming in the house. Gaps and leaks in the attic insulation lead to formation of ice dams in your house. Heat from the rooms below moves upward and melts the snow on the roof. The melted snow then freezes and forms ice again. As snow melts and forms ice again the heap builds up. The water that melts is obstructed from travelling down as it is blocked by the ice dam. Many a time’s contractors have problems in preventing the gaps and leaks in the insulation for the attic. Here is where blow-in insulation steps in, it reaches the recessed corners and fills them up. This prevents the heat from escaping and forming ice dam.

Why should you consider Blown-in Insulation?

  • Blown-in cellulose insulation is made of post-consumer, recycled paper and mostly newspapers. This makes it completely eco friendly. The new kind of blower is used now-a-days to blow in the cellulose to fill in the insulation with high density. This will eliminate the settling of the insulation.
  • Blown-in insulation serves as the best choice for insulation as it can be tightly applied around the electrical outlets, piping, wiring and ductwork. Also it can effectively reduce air leaks compared to the traditionally used fiberglass insulations.
  • By hiring professionals to install the insulation for you, you can assure that the insulation is installed appropriately the first time itself. Also blown-in cellulose insulation is a much cheaper option for foolproof insulation. Thus, giving much profit with low cost of proper insulation and better bill savings in future.
  • It provides you with a tighter insulation with high R-value; this increases the comfort you feel in your house. Also you reduce the use of appliances like heaters and air-conditioners to control the environment of your house.
  • Fibreglass and other insulation depend on proper application to give 100% results. This is a challenging task for the installer. Blown-in insulation is easy to apply and thus can prevent air penetration that is achieved only after proper application of the insulation.
  • Also blown-in cellulose makes your house completely sound proof. The sound proofing not only stops the noise from outside to enter your house but the insulation also runs between the rooms to stop the sound from travelling from one room to another.

Just like spray foam insulation, blown-in cellulose too should be filled in by professionals for great results. EcoStarFoam.com is a leading service provider for spray foam insulation installation. Our team of professionals use durable spray foam of various well known brands that cover every cavity in your house and make your home energy efficient. We are well known for our top quality services in New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding area.


Why spray foam insulation is the best option?

Posted by Spray Foam Insulation Comments Off   Apr 12, 2011 @ 01:04
Why spray foam insulation is the best option Why spray foam insulation is the best option?

Homeowners are increasingly getting aware of the need for energy conversation. Many of them adopt procedures that will help conserve energy at the time of building or remodeling their house itself. One of the widely used measures to help conserve energy is spray foam insulation.

Spray foam insulation is an eco friendly insulation process. It is an artificial material made from the mixture of organic and inorganic chemicals. The combination of organic resin polysol and isocyonate created under specified temperature and pressure conditions is used to make polyurethane material. The material has the ability to expand like foam to a size that is 100 times more than the original volume. It is the greenest product one can use as it causes no ozone depletion and does not give out any kind of toxic vapors to harm your health.

Spray Foam used for the insulation consist of a sealed thermal envelope that covers every cavity or gap to which it is applied. It improves the air quality of your house and gives you a comfortable environment to live in. Spray Foam Insulation has no adverse effects on the health of the residents as it has few loose fibers that move around. By closing the gap, it blocks the air infiltration. This stops dust and harmful household mold and mildew from coming in the house. This means that Spray Foam Insulation effectively provides your family a healthier place to live in. A healthy family eventually leads to decrease in cost spent on health care.

As it efficiently covers every crevice in the house, Spray Foam Insulation creates a thermal envelope to protect the house from loss of energy. This helps you to retain the temperature within the walls and reduce the use of heating or cooling systems; thus, achieving huge savings on the energy bills. This is perfect for places that require both heating and cooling. People have successfully saved 20% to 40% on their utility bills monthly.

Spray Foam Insulation also prevents water from leaking into the basement. As spray foam expands and grows hard on the cavity it works well against water and moisture. In addition, spray foam insulation is fire resistant and reduces heat.

Most importantly, adopting spray foam has helps the economy and environment as it is made from recycled materials. The use of Spray Foam Insulation provides complete safety to the environment as well.

Homeowners need to be aware of the fact that the initial cost of installing the insulation will be slightly more than the other insulations in the market. However, this cost is recovered in a few months with the savings you make on your energy bills and the favor you do to the environment by using an Eco Friendly Insulation.

An individual considering spray foam insulation for his/ her house needs to know that installing this insulation is not a do-it-yourself job. You need an expert to do it, as it requires specialized sophisticated equipment to install properly. Also the process is very messy and complicated. The market has many service providers to help you install spray foam insulation to achieve better savings and better living. EcoStarFoam.com is a leading service provider for spray foam insulation. Their team of professionals uses an eco friendly product called Star spray foam to cover every cavity in your house and make your home energy efficient. Their service is well known in New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding area.


Blower Door Testing and Air Leakage

Posted by Energy Audit Comments Off   Apr 12, 2011 @ 12:04
Blower Door Testing and Air Leakage Blower Door Testing and Air Leakage

Home owners have now learnt that getting an energy audit of the house is the first step towards building an energy efficient home. The audit process helps them understand the amount and type of energy leaving their house. To determine this, the auditors check your house completely by means of various procedures. To begin with they check the characteristics of your homes thermal envelope which include the walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, and skylights. The house is checked for openings that lead to energy leak. The appliances you use are checked to see if they are over consuming energy economically or not.

To carry out all these tests Energy Auditors use a number of equipment. One amongst the many equipment they use is Blower Door. A blower door is a machine that is used to check the air leaks in your house. It is installed towards the outside of the door. It usually does not take long to set up the equipment. After getting the house ready for the blower door test the fan is turned on. The operator will increase the speed to a point where negative pressure develops in the house i.e. around 25 to 50 pascals.

The blower door checks the infiltration of air within your house. Infiltration is related to how leaky or tight your home is. Generally not all the leaks come from the doors and windows; they could also come from basement and the attic as well. But many seek to close the openings around the doors and windows only. When we shut off the infiltration of air from the doors and windows we enhance the infiltration from the basement and the attic. This does not serve purpose. In many cases the air coming in the house through the attic and basement openings proves harmful for the residents. Thus energy auditors provide recommendations that help the home owner to seal the gaps in a manner that the hose will not lose the healthy air coming in and the unhealthy air stays out.

The blower door helps the auditor to understand the amount of air that is entering the structure. It will also let the auditor know of the house is too leaky or too tight or just right. Accordingly the auditor will let you know of the changes you need to make.

Many people with new homes have a feeling that their house is free of any sort of infiltration. This however is a misconception. There have been cases where many new homes have been found with leaks and need serious repairing.
The use of blower doors is best left to professionals who understand the indications it gives and the operation of it. StarEnergyAudits.com is a leading service provider for professional energy audits. Our team of qualified professionals analyze your house thoroughly and propose effective measures to reduce energy wastage. We are well known for our impeccable services in New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding area.  Call 504.383.3261


Will Spray Foam Insulation save me Money?

Posted by Spray Foam Insulation Comments Off   Apr 04, 2011 @ 09:04
Will Spray Foam Insulation save me Money Will Spray Foam Insulation save me Money?

Spray foam insulation is a popular home insulation choice these days. Most of the home owners opt for it as it has a strong history of success. Most households aim to have a house that is energy efficient and saves them money on the energy bills per month. The renovations happening in the homes too are directed at having a house which is easier and less expensive to maintain and reaps more savings. Spray foam comes as a guaranteed solution for these requirements.

Spray foam insulation is a material made of polyurethane which is a mix of organic and inorganic components. It is liquid when sprayed thus can reach the most recessed corners and cracks in the structure. The material expands to a size 100 times more than when sprayed and hardens when exposed to oxygen. This makes the material difficult to handle. Well trained professionals are adept at handling this material with the required equipment.

If considered carefully, spray foam insulation cost is quite affordable. Although it costs more than other types of insulation in the beginning, but it pays off well over the time in terms of utility savings as it provides maximum insulation. Also it has to its credit many benefits apart from bill saving. Hence, despite the higher cost many people prefer to install spray foam for the long term benefits it provides.

Spray foam insulation requires professional help to be installed because of the complexity of the material. Improper application of the material can lead to structural damage. Thus it is not a job that can be done by following a few do-it-yourself guides.

The installation cost of spray foam depends on the area to be covered. So for starters you need to analyze the area required to be insulated.

Also the cost varies from place to place. A major reason why people do not mind spending a little more on spray foam insulation installation is that it is absolutely maintenance free material. Installing spray foam is a onetime task. It requires no retouching, maintenance or replacement at all. This is very unlike the traditional cellulose and fiberglass insulation.

Spray foam begins to pay back the cost of its installation from the first month itself with sizeable savings on the energy bills. These savings soon turn to profit as the reduced bill cycle continues for life.

EcoStarFoam.com is a leading service provider for spray foam insulation installation. Our team of professionals use durable spray foam of various well known brands that cover every cavity in your house and make your home energy efficient. We are well known for our top quality services in New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding area.