Home insulation is sought by home owners today as a number#1 home renovation project. It is the best way to reduce the money spent on home maintenance monthly. Spray foam has a successful track record and many seek to install it for lifelong benefits.

Spray foam is not only known as an insulation that stops the flow of electricity. Spray foam is popular for many other benefits it affords along with energy saving. For starters spray foam makes the house extremely sturdy to face any sort of climatic challenges. Its coating also makes your home water proof, pest free, dust free and fire resistant. Your home is set free of any molds and mildew that could creep in. Also getting spray foam installed in your house fetches you a good amount when you plan to resell your house.

All the above mentioned reasons seem to be quite tempting to get spray foam installed at your place. But have you considered which form of spray foam is ideal for your house. Let’s see the type of spray foams you can choose.

There are basically two types of spray foams available in the market – Open Cell Foam Insulation and Closed Cell Foam Insulation. The difference between the two is their physical make up and the R-value they provide. These factors make a very significant difference to the product performance, application processes and consumer cost.
Open Cell Foam is .05 lb. /cu. ft. It consists of small cells that are not completely closed. The cells are open with air fills in them. As they are loosely bound to each other due to the air pockets the structure is weak. Also they are less water resistant when compared to closed cell foam.

On the other hand closed spray foam insulation is also made of small cells like open spray foam but they are closely bound to each other with no air gaps to make the bond loose. The cells are not filled in with air but with gas that makes the foam rise and expand. This means that the foam is dense, completely water proof and sturdy too.

In order to measure the density of the spray foam you will have to weigh one cured cubic foot of foam material. The open cell foam weighs around 0.4 to 0.5 lb. /cu. ft. whereas closed cell foam has a density of 1.7 lb. /cu. ft. to 2.0 lb. /cu. ft. If you are planning for the insulation of your roof then you need to select a spray foam that gives better support and is sturdy itself. A spray foam with good density promises stronger support.

If we compare the R-value of both the types, open cell spray foam has an R-value of 3.5 per inch and closed-cell spray foams insulation on an average has an R-value of around 7.0 per inch. Open spray foam requires water as a blowing agent on the other hand close cell spray foam needs high R-value blowing agents.

Closed cell spray foam emerges as a popular choice as it is more efficient due to its denser make. It provides higher structural integrity that supports the foundation and allows complete sealing. Also its R-value is higher and gives a strong evidence of insulation ability. They are more efficient at reducing air leaks and prevent water/ moisture infiltration. So they form a better insulation option.

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. (504) 383 – 3261

Investing in home insulation can save you money most especially if you are in countries that experience four seasons each year. Home insulation, which basically refers to a technique of controlling a home or a building’s temperature, can help you minimize your energy consumption. It helps you minimize cold weather or heat loss during winter and provides proper air condition during summer.

There are two types of home insulation products: the fiberglass insulation and the spray foam insulation. However, between these two insulation materials, the latter offers more benefits. If you are wondering how insulating spray foam helps you manage your finances in terms of home maintenance, this article will elucidate what it is, how it works, and the benefits it offers.

How Spray Foam Insulation Works and Its Benefits
With insulating spray foam becoming famous nowadays, more and more households are opting to have this kind of insulation installed in their homes. Spray foam insulation is made up mainly of two compounds that when mixed, the result is a foamy substance. When this substance is applied or sprayed on to a surface, it then sets and forms durable insulating layers to protect your homes from easy wreckage due to constant weather change.

One of the best characteristics of spray foam is its ability to expand once it is sprayed on to a surface. This just means that if your walls or ceilings get cracks or something like that, it immediately gets into those cracks and holes to cover it, thereby protecting the inside portion of your house by providing a firm airtight and watertight seal.

In addition, insulating spray foam can help stop air and humidity aggression, thus keeping cold air out and warm air in especially during winter season. This material is also very durable and can add strength to the structures of your home. In fact, this material, as a home protection, can last a lifetime. Thus, using this foam, there is rarely a need for maintenance. Beyond all those benefits, insulation foam can help improve air flow inside your home, making it more comfortable to live at.

Promoting Green Living
Another good thing about using insulating spray foam is that it is environment-friendly. Since most foam is made up of agricultural products and materials, this kind of home insulator promotes recycling and green living. Some of the materials used in creating this product are from reusable objects and substances. Nevertheless, it is still undeniable that the whole process still involves non-green production. Otherwise, talking about energy conservation, that advantage is another addition to the fact that spray foam is really nature-friendly.

Insulating your home with spray home indeed offers a lot of benefits. However, doing so may require professional help. The good news is that there are a lot of spray foam contractors available out there. Just make sure though that when selecting a company, choose the one with extensive experience, is in the business for a long time, and of course is licensed to provide such services.

EcoStarfoam is one of the top companies you can trust when it comes to insulation services. You can check EcoStarfoam. com to know more about their services or reach them through 504-383-3261.

Home insulation has many benefits. For one, it is cost effective. At the same time, you get to help the environment by saving energy. In other words, it is a guilt-free way of adding comfort to your home. As far as the general cost for insulation is concerned, there are a couple of things that you should know about.

Naturally, warm air flows toward space that is cooler. When you insulate your home, this process no longer happens. Insulation slows down the flow of hot air from indoors to outdoors during winter. Then it slows down the flow of hot air from outdoors to indoors during summer. This is the main reason why an effective insulation can reduce a huge amount of cooling and heating costs.

The cost for home insulation is generally based on  the materials used and contractors. Before you begin setting up a budget, you have to first consider the level of R-value or thermal resistance that you need for a particular space. Know that a material with good insulation capacity has higher R-value.

Aside from the quality, there are other variables to consider when it comes to determining the cost of insulation. For instance, if you are planning to hire a contractor for the project, you will have to consider the labor cost. Most contractors charge based on the standards that you are expecting as well as the climate and size of the area.

On the other hand, there are do-it-yourself materials available in the market. Prices for these materials vary. Although technically, you may be able to save a considerable amount of money should you decide to do it yourself. However, a contractor may be more knowledgeable when it comes to this type of project. If you do not know anything about installing insulation, then you better get a professional to do it for you. Mistakes in installation may cause problems in the long run.

Aside from the cost, you should also think about other things that should be included in the project. For one, you may want to weatherize your home. Understand that there is no point in insulating if there are leaks and unsealed areas in your home.

Before you invest on the project, you should also consider the structure of your home. Installing insulation is only recommended to houses that have no prior insulation. At the same time, it should be added if the floor, attic, and wall cavities will be exposed due to a remodeling project in your home.

If you are thinking about getting discounts, there are a number of utility companies that offer programs or rebates. These programs help encourage homeowners to use effective insulation. Not only does this project help you save up money. It also helps the community by minimizing the energy consumption in your area. In a way, you are helping preserve the environment.

There are many major manufacturers that provide environmentally-safe methods and materials for your home insulation project. The best part is they help save the general cost for insulation. At the same time, you can check out contractor referrals to make sure you get quality service.

For expert solutions, talk to a professional at Star Spray Foam Insulation through calling (504) 383-3261 or visit EcoStarfoam.com.

Roof insulation protects the roof from harsh weather elements, such as rain, snow or wind, for the purpose of controlling the temperature within your home.  Basically, roof insulation is done to prevent these elements from affecting the temperature inside your home, thus helping you minimize your energy consumption.

Roof insulation is recommended for people living in areas that experience four seasons each year. By insulating your roof, you can experience the following benefits:

• Comfort- Insulators can trap warmer temperature inside the house, thus creating a tepid environment within the house despite the drop of the temperature outside your dwelling.
• Saving/energy efficient- As a domino effect of trapping warmer temperature, there’s no need for temperature regulator devices within the house so it will entail savings from electric bill and appliance procurement.
• Noise resistant- Houses with installed insulators are more peaceful as it not only traps temperature but also noises from outside.

There are three types roof insulation, and these are fiberglass insulation, cellulose fiber insulation, foam insulation. Fiberglass insulation requires the use and installation of fiberglass in rolls and sheets.  Meanwhile cellulose fiber insulation requires use of recycled paper treated with fire retardant while foam spray insulation requires use of foam spray usually applied in the undersides of the roof and fills the gap in and between the tiles.  While all these methods protect the roof from damage caused by rain, wind or snow, and traps cold air inside a home during the summer months and warmth during winter, spray foam insulation is preferred by many because it is more efficient and offers long term benefits.

Foam Spray Insulation for the Roof
Foam spray insulation is considered the most efficient insulation methods for the roof for it protects the roof from harsh outdoor elements such as wind, rain and snow, as well as pests and moisture.

This type of insulation works well for the roof because it covers the entire roof with no gaps, making the roof astonishingly air tight as compared to other materials. The best thing about this insulating procedure for the roof is that it does not alter the look of your roof, thus you won’t have to spend more money for reconstructing your roof or house just to properly seal it. With foam insulation, the foam is only applied beneath the roofing material to seal the room so that cool air from your air-conditioning unit does not leak out during the summer months and cool air from the outside during winter cannot get into your home. This way, you can save a lot of money with this roof insulation method in the long run. Aside from this benefit, you will also enjoy tax incentives, depending on your state, for availing this environmentally friendly procedure.

Aside from the economic benefits it offers, this roof insulation method also prevents moisture that can facilitate growth of molds inside your house. This keeps you and your family safe from health risks that molds can cause.

One of the most important home fixtures that must be considered is insulation, which is a method of keeping cold air and warm air from leaking out. In a recent study, forty six percent or almost one half of the total electric consumption of an average American household goes to heating and cooling of the house alone. That’s a lot of money, which can actually be saved if your house is properly insulated. With a properly insulated home, you won’t need your HVAC units constantly to maintain the thermal comfort in your house.

One of the most important parts of the house that needs insulation is the wall mainly because the wall covers the most part of the house. Thus, when it is properly insulated, your energy consumption can be significantly reduced.

Wall Insulation: Benefits and Types
Like roof and attic insulation, wall insulation helps keep your house sealed. With a properly insulated house, you won’t have to constantly use your heating or cooling system to regulate the thermal comfort in your home. This indeed clearly represents a lot of money saved, in addition to the obvious fact that it can lengthen the life of your HVAC units.

There are several ways to insulate your wall, but one of the most popular and widely used today in wall insulation is foam. Foam wall insulation comes in two types: foam board and spray in. These materials are often used interchangeably, but the fact is that they differ and both have their own pros and cons.

Rigid foam board insulation is also an efficient way of sealing your home and maintaining your home’s thermal comfort. The problem with this type of wall insulation , however, is that it tends to be a fire hazard and thus should not be installed without installing a proper fire protection or without consulting a professional. This is why many people go for the blown-in wall insulation, which is good for sealing crevices or cracks. This type of insulation is often used by professionals for interior wall insulation. While this works wonders on your energy consumption, the drawback of this application is that many areas can be missed. This is why it is of utmost importance to hire a professional energy auditing firm to make a thorough evaluation of your home and determine all aspects of your home that need foam wall insulation.

Although initially wall insulation may seem expensive, the cost for insulation is actually worth it, with all the long term positive effects you may enjoy from insulation. In addition to decreased energy consumption and savings, you may also enjoy several tax incentives from the government for employing such “green” techniques in your home. Just check your state guidelines on this and see how much tax benefits you can enjoy from having your wall or home insulated.

For expert solutions, talk to a professional at Star Spray Foam Insulation through calling (504) 383-3261 or visit: EcoStarfoam.com. Star Spray foam Insulation is one of the top firms that offer insulation services in New Orleans.

Lately, more and more people are opting for foam for home and building construction mainly because of the long-term benefits it offers. Today, there are two main types of foam to choose from: open cell insulation and closed cell insulation. But because have their own advantages and disadvantages, it is essential  to first learn about what these services are and which one is best for you.

Both types are use the same materials and work in the same manner. They trap air or gas in a plastic matrix to create a foam wall for insulation. The differences between the two types start with the blowing agents used with the foam.

Blowing Agent
With open cell insulation, the blowing agent used to achieve reaction is water. This will react with the air inside to create CO2. The air bubbles created expand the material until it sets. The same reaction is made with closed cell insulation. However, it uses HFCs as a blowing agent. So basically the open cell is the greener option between the two.

Weight
Because CO2 expands quickly, the bubbles formed usually burst before the plastic actually sets hence the term “open cell”. The result is a lightweight and spongy foam substance that weighs is 0.5 pounds per cubic foot. The closed cell foam, however, is heavier than its counterpart weighing in at 1.7 to 2 pounds per cubic inch. It uses a chemical blowing agent that turns from liquid to gas. The bubble doesn’t burst before the plastic settles hence a denser product.

R-Value
The R-Value of a material basically refers to its ability to reflect heat. Higher R-Value means better insulation. In this area, closed cell beats out open cell insulation. Although the latter has an R-Value of 3.6 which is the same with most materials, closed cell insulation boasts of 6 per inch.

That being said, open cell foam is a better choice for hot or humid areas for roof insulation. However, when it comes to overall performance in insulation, the closed cell is a better choice especially for walls and flooring.

Cost
Because it uses more materials, closed cell insulation is 20-30% more expensive for the same thickness than open cell foam.

Overall Comparison
When it comes to advantages, closed cell insulation is better at R-Value, overall strength of the material, and resistance to air and water vapour leakage. However, it is denser and more expensive. Open cell on the other hand is a lighter material to work with and performs well in hot and humid areas. Also, it is worth noting that open cell produces a bit more jobsite waste compared to closed cell.

In cases wherein thickness and R-Value is important, then the insulation of choice should be closed cell foam.On the other hand, if these characteristics are not the main consideration, then the open cell foam is the better choice considering that it is a lot cheaper.

Overall, it is difficult to say which foam is better. There are situations wherein closed cell insulation is the better choice while open cell insulation is also great at certain circumstances.  To learn more, call (504) 383-3261 or talk to an expert at EcoStarfoam.com.

Spray foam insulation is the process where polyurethane foam is pumped into houses for the purposes of insulating the walls, ceilings and just about any place where insulation would have to run through. As a result, the insulation keeps the needed heat inside the house from leaking outside the house during cold months. At the same time, it also keeps the warm air inside so that house occupants will not feel the cold from outside. There are two types of applications: the open and closed cell foam insulation.

Spraying in Polyurethane foam is considerably much more efficient than other known and recognized insulation types when reducing air leakage. With the insulation already foamed-in-place, it would now be easy to fill in cavities within the walls and ceilings effectively. The spray foam insulation process may be typically expensive, but not as expensive as the fiberglass insulation. The procedure is not neat though, and at times will get messy whenever too much insulation is being injected in and the walls buckling on it itself as the foam normally starts to expand.

Where Does the Closed Cell Foam Insulation Concept Fit In?
A closed cell foam insulation procedure typically differs from others because of the closed-cell foam (the primary component). The tiny foam cells of such foam are generally tightly packed together and are close. They are stimulated by a gas component, making the foam to rise and expand outwards, thus becoming an effective insulator. This means that this material can be programmed to take on many characteristics including the density and size.

Stopping Air and Moisture
Closed-cell foam may not be naturally cheap, but it provides for a better R-value (at 6.5) for every inch involved than when compared to an open cell foam type. Its sturdy density backed by a glue-like tenacity characteristic adds to the strength of wall and ceiling structures, including that of a roof assembly. All in all, it’s the strength and greater resistance to elements like air and water vapor makes it stand out among other available insulation types.
With the cost and cleanliness set aside, there are other benefits that you can exploit, like the spray procedure feature that can get into hard-to-reach spots within walls and ceilings, which provides an improved insulation. Drafts are also not spared; it keeps the house significantly warmer during winter.

Drawbacks
The disadvantage with using the concept is nothing short of expected as with any other insulation types. Closed-cell foam is much denser, and expensive. Even with a better R-value, the cost per R is still significantly high if you compare it to that of open-cell foam.

What Star Spray Foam Insulation Offers
It is a locally owned company that operates a full-service spray coating business dedicated to effective and “Greenist” techniques and practices. Using the latest in cutting edge and high performance closed-cell foam insulation technology, Star Spray Foam Insulation offers the best solutions to every particular insulation needs there is.  The company’s goal is to set the standards for an improved understanding of the green design concepts within homes and offices via their excellent insulation techniques. Such techniques and practices help keep the bugs and termites away, while effectively dealing with mildew and mold manifestations.

• Open-cell spray foam is spongy in nature as compared to Closed-cell which is less porous and rigid in nature.

• Closed-cell spray foam is less permeable to water vapor as compared to Open-cell spray foam so it allows relatively less water vapor to penetrate.

• Closed-cell spray foams normally have R-values between 5 to 8 per inch as compared with Open-cell spray foams insulator typically have R-values of 3 to 4 per inch.

• Closed cell spray foam is perfect for cramped places. A thin layer of closed cell spray foam is as effective as thick layer of closed cell spray foam.

• Closed-cell foam rarely requires trimming and produces little or very less waste on other hand open-cell spray foam requires trimming after installation and more waste is during installation.

• Closed-cell foam is very strong and increase structural strength of building by reinforcing the surface where as open-cell foam is soft with little structural strength.

• Closed-cell foams are superior insulators as compared to open cell spray insulators.