Spray foam insulation is quickly gaining popularity for many reasons. Among the green movement, spray foam is recognized as one of the best ways to save energy. Among the financially savvy, it’s recognized as one of the best ways to save money on your energy bill, month after month. Whatever the cause, there is no wrong reason to upgrade your home’s outdated insulation.

If you are looking for ways to save money, weatherizing your home is the first thing to consider. The Department of Energy estimates that proper weatherization will produce average savings of about $958 dollars a year in energy costs. The average American family wastes about 30-40% of the money they spend on heating and cooling. Typically, that’s more than $50 dollars a month.

Spray foam insulation offers a much higher resistance to temperature change than classic insulation methods. It also creates a much higher quality seal, as it expands and fills spots that things like fiberglass simply cannot.

Homes with spray foam insulation applied don’t need to run the air conditioner as long to get the house to the desired temperature. Additionally, once the ideal temperature is reached, the home’s air conditioner will run less to maintain that temperature.

Spray foam keeps unwanted moisture out of homes as well. Excessive moisture leads to high humidity, which can cause temperature increases. These factors make spray foam the optimum choice for insulating your home.

If saving money doesn’t put the money in your pockets as fast as you would like, there are other state and federal incentives to consider. Homes in Louisiana that achieve a 30% or higher efficiency improvement qualify for the HERO program, which offers $2,000 just for weatherizing your home. The Energy Smart Program has many potential rebates for people who weatherize their homes in Louisiana as well. There are also several federal programs that offer as much as 10% of costs spent on weatherizing your home to come back to you. If an energy audit is done by Star Spray Foam Systems before the spray foam is applied, they will even take care of the paperwork for these programs for you.

Allergy season is here, and wreaking havoc on nearly everyone. If you are one of the 60 million Americans who suffer with allergies, then you know how miserable this beautiful weather can be. What’s even worse than having outdoor allergies is having them follow you indoors as well. People suffering from allergies get less sleep on average, and get less actual rest when they are sleeping. When you are not well rested, it becomes more difficult for your body to fight off allergies. This is a vicious cycle.

Outdoor irritants sneaking in through poorly insulated homes cause much of this discomfort. Old insulation techniques leave many small gaps, leading to drafty rooms, dust or pollen infiltration, pest or insect infestations, and unwanted condensation. All of the aforementioned problems can cause the air to become less sanitary overall. Pollen and dust can make it hard to breathe. Infestations and mold will make you sick, just from breathing in the tainted air around them. To top it all off, outdated insulation techniques lead to much higher energy bills.

Spray foam insulation is the solution to all of these problems. When applied, spray foam expands rapidly, and fills almost all the small cracks and crevices traditional insulating techniques simply can’t. This expansion creates a barrier, which keeps almost all outdoor irritants from entering your home. At the same time, cool air is kept in longer. Moisture is not able to seep in through this seal and create still water, which can lead to mold or breeding grounds for vermin and insects. Additionally, spray foam helps to keep rodents and bugs at bay by denying them easy access to your home. With no point of entry or water to sustain them, infestations are easily prevented.

With spray foam insulation installed, you can be confident that every breath of air you take in is cleaner. Saving up to 50% or more on your energy bill will give you as much peace of mind as knowing your home is not being overrun by disease-carrying mice, mosquitoes, and other pests. Breathe deeply and comfortably, thanks to spray foam insulation.

From spring to fall, outdoor allergies can be a pain. Itchy, burning eyes, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath can impair many facets of our daily lives. If you are tired of having your outdoor allergies follow you inside, then it is time to consider having spray foam insulation applied in your home. Enjoy the air you’re in, and sleep better in a home with fewer irritants.

Spray foam insulation expands as it is applied, giving it an advantage over other kinds of insulation. As the foam expands, it creates a tight seal. Thanks to this expansion process, the spray foam is able to get into small cracks and crevices that are not easily covered by traditional insulations, like fiberglass.

The seal created by spray foam insulation blocks unrestricted airflow. Without this free flow of air, pollen, dust, and other debris will not be able to find their way into your home. This creates an environment that is cleaner. People with allergies will especially notice an immediate difference in the air quality when spray foam has been applied.

With airflow restricted to the places inside your home that need them, no cool air is wasted. This means that your air conditioner will run less and keep your home as cool as you want it to be. Because of this, homes that upgrade to spray foam insulation save lots of money on energy costs. Many people see a drop in their energy bill by as much as 50% or more.

Mold is another problem starter. It can cause airborne illness in anyone. Mold is commonly caused by excess moisture sitting in one area for prolonged periods of time. With spray foam insulation, moisture will not collect inside your home.

Vermin and insect infestations create unhealthy air as well. Much the same as mold, roaches can pollute your air and even spread disease. Homes with spray foam insulation are much harder for pests to enter. Additionally, with no still water accumulating in unseen areas of you home, rodents and bugs will have no way of getting water. With no water source, and no nutritional value from the insulation, pests have no reason to nest in your home.

Insulating your home with spray foam insulation does more than save you lots of money. It is also one of the most green things you can do to keep your local ecosystem in rhythm. Bugs love to crawl into peoples’ homes for safe shelter and food. In doing so, these bugs reduce the amount of food available to their natural predators, such as mice, birds, and fish. With less food available, these creatures inadvertently reduce the amount of food available to predators, such as wild cats, birds of prey, and alligators. The chain doesn’t end there, but you see the idea.

By insulating your home with spray foam, you create a barrier that helps to keep bugs and vermin outside. When applied, the foam expands to roughly ten times its original size. This means spray foam can fill the many small cracks and holes that conventional insulation simply cannot cover. By filling these holes with foam, most insects and vermin are unable to enter your home. Instead, they remain outside, where they naturally belong.

If you are looking for a way to save money in your home, spray foam one of the ways to go. Families who have applied spray foam insulation typically see their energy bill drop 30-50%. Compared to classic insulation methods, such as fiberglass, foam insulation offers much higher temperature resistance. This means a home insulated with spray foam will hold the same amount of cool air for a much longer period of time.

Spray foam insulation drastically cuts back the amount of energy your house needs to use in order to keep cool. By using less energy, you reduce the impact local electric companies have on the environment as well. With the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 still threatening to pollute the waters attached to the gulf, it is important to take action in such a way that we have more resources to use during such major crises. Whether you are doing it for the water, the plants, or the wildlife, weatherizing your home is a huge step in making sure the bayou stays healthy.

New Orleans made a huge deal to fill out their roster in picking up forward Ryan Anderson. There is another deal, however, which makes the trade between Orlando and New Orleans seem like small potatoes; namely, cutting your cooling costs by up to $958 a year, or even more, with spray foam insulation. The average home stands to save about 32% on heating and cooling a month.

Great basketball players tend to bring everyone around them to a higher level. In the same fashion, insulating your house properly can bring your home’s defense to a new level. A poorly insulated home can waste up to 40% or more of the cool air it produces. This waste is created by insufficient insulation, aging and deteriorating air ducts, or other various leaks. Many of these things may not even be visible during everyday activities. By having Star Spray Foam Systems weatherize your house, all of these issues can be taken care of in the most cost-effective way.

Spray foam insulation is the perfect defense against Mother Nature’s starting lineup. By weatherizing your home, mold and mildew are blocked. Condensation on your doors and windows will vanish. Foam insulation shuts down dust. Insects and other pests are boxed out, preventing infestation and a costly exterminator bill.

Trade up from conventional, outdated heating and cooling practices. Star Spray Foam Systems can give you a complete diagnostic of where your home’s defensive line is insufficient. Once the problem areas are identified, the weak spots can be sealed properly with spray foam insulation. After the insulation is sprayed, a second diagnostic is run to see how much performance has improved on your home court, along with an estimate of how much money you may save.

While the 2012 season has ended for the NBA, spray foam insulation does not take a vacation. There is no off-season for saving on your energy bill. Spray foam works just as hard to keep your air comfortable from January to December, every day. There is no denying that, when it comes to insulation, spray foam is the veteran climate handler you can rely on to reduce what you spend on keeping comfortable.

Preservationists are always faced with the daunting task of insulating old historical places so as to preserve them for present generation and for posterity. They have been scientifically studying ways to maintain the structural integrity of these buildings, not only to preserve them, but also to conserve energy. These preservationists are zeroing in on the idea of spray foam insulation, which promises a high-end solution to insulation requirements of old buildings without compromising the integrity and beauty of said structures.

Take, for example, the Elk Hills Town Hall in Michigan, which was recently insulated using spray foam insulation. There were many possible solutions at hand, but the association opted for spray foam insulation after a series of consultations with expert contractors on old building preservation. These professionals suggested the use of spray foam insulation to the association, and the members of the association unanimously agreed to that option.

The town hall has been standing for nearly 125 years. Its preservation was a highly delicate task. Moreover, insulation was imperative because every day, the heating system was used and the energy lost was costing the townspeople a lot in taxes. Restoration professionals rightly suggested the use of spray foam insulation because it is the most viable method at hand.

Energy Efficient Solution:

1. There were other viable solutions to the insulation problem at the town hall. However, after a thorough analysis of the advantages and disadvantages, the association agreed on use of the spray foam insulation for the following reasons:
2. The spray foam insulation readily attaches to the old surfaces of the building.
3. It poses no harm to the health of people who use the town hall.
4. The solution, likewise, addresses the primary problems of the heating and cooling systems of the building, and solves the problem of the rising cost of energy consumption.
5. Furthermore, it is cost effective for the association and the taxpayers who are shelling out their money for the restoration and insulation of the old building.

Elk Hills Town Hall now stands as a prime example of how restoration can lead to conservation of energy and taxpayers’ money.

Everything that springs from creation is created twice: first in the mind, and then in reality. Just like in building your dream house, you must first imagine it in your mind, and then build it in reality. But foremost in the planning of your house should be the precise and proper insulation of the attic, which is more exposed and therefore more prone to damage. Attic insulation does not simply refer to plugging every leak; it is also about scientifically sealing every nook and cranny of the attic to prevent dissipation of heat, transmission of sound, and conduction of electricity. Likewise, attic insulation means the use of scientifically tested insulating materials for effective insulation.

You can save a lot of energy if your attic is well insulated. We all know that heat flows from warmer areas to cooler areas, thus it flows freely through leaks in the attic. With proper attic insulation, your air-conditioning system would not be taxed as hard, so you can save energy and money.

There are three popular types of attic insulation materials:

1. Foam insulation is the fast growing choice for attic insulation. It can make your attic fire-resistant because it is flame retardant. Likewise, it can easily fit into difficult corners of the attic for easy installation.
2. Fiberglass insulation is the traditional way of insulating your attic. Fiberglass can be very effective for almost 35 years. It is flame retardant and is chemically safe.
3. Cellulose insulation is cost effective and can easily be installed. However, it’s not fire-resistant. Flame-retardant chemicals are mixed with it to make it more resistant to fire.

Many benefits can be derived from proper attic insulation, including safety. Leaks gradually weaken the attic. Without proper care, the structural support of the attic will be compromised, which risks the safety of your entire house. However, with proper insulation, your attic will stand firm against any inclement weather. Moreover, you can save yourself a lot of hard-earned money with proper attic insulation. However, if there are structural defects from the outset, fixing them immediately will save you a lot of headaches.

With all the news of credit crunches and environmental problems, it’s a great time to look into how your house is insulated. Insulation saves money, makes the home more eco-friendly and saves the time that may be spent fiddling with the thermostat.

Instead of making the effort of getting a professional, it is a great idea to do the insulation on your own. Spray foam insulation is a particularly good solution since it is very easy to apply and almost anybody can do it. The process starts with buying a do-it-yourself kit that will typically contain the gun, hose, and the actual chemicals you will spray in containers. There are two chemicals in two containers, one of which tends to have higher viscosity than the other. This is the biggest and really the only thing you need to pay attention to when doing spray foam insulation yourself. The chemicals get mixed in the spray, so you have to warm them up to achieve an even mixture so you get better insulation. To do this, you have to heat both containers so they are at least 70°F. Any lower would make it hard to spray and reduce the insulating factor of the foam. The best way to do this is to simply put an electric blanket over the containers.

When it comes to spraying, you have to bear in mind that once it has dried, the foam expands by around 30%, so you have to be careful when applying it to allow for this expansion. A bit of practice can help; it is highly suggested that you first try spraying the insulation over a small surface to get confortable with how much is needed. Then, do the rest of the work in whichever manner you feel most comfortable with.

This may all seem rather tedious, but it is something that you would need to do once or twice in a lifetime at most. And while you may not be aware of it, there are air leaks in the house that are raising your energy costs. An important thing to remember is that, in most cases, the biggest leaks are in the attic and basement, so those areas should be covered first.

Keeping the heat inside buildings and other types of structures is made possible with the use of spray foam insulation. It is made up of resins and chemicals such as isocyanates and polyurethane. Spray foam insulation is sprayed on a certain surface, and then expands and becomes dry and firm. This type of insulation is usually used by professionals. However, do-it-yourself kits are now available to those who would like to use it.

There are two types of spray foam insulation: the closed cell foam and the open cell foam. These different types of foam can be used for different purposes due to their characteristics. For example, in areas that are filled with water, the closed cell foam is usually used. This is due to the fact that open cell foam absorbs water and therefore cannot produce the desired result. Water resistant foams are generally used for the insulation of swimming pools. Because of its density, closed cell foams are more expensive than open cell foams.

Spray foam insulation is also utilized to patch up gaps and crevices. This is a great way to keep cold and hot air from going inside a structure. The leaking of internal air is also prevented through the use of spray foam insulation.

Insulating the floors and ceilings of one’s house can reduce energy costs. The optimal temperature within the house is maintained and relative humidity is also decreased. Spray foam insulation can help prevent floorboards from warping. Since air leaks are very common in attics, using spray foam insulation can help insulate the attic properly. This even helps to reduce energy costs. Filling in cracks using the spray foam insulation is also a great way to keep bugs from getting inside houses.

Finally, noise can also be taken care of using spray foam insulation. Noise usually finds itself inside the home because of the empty gaps in the walls. Poor insulation in ceilings, walls, and floors can also result in sound leakage from other parts of the house. Using spray foam insulation can help in the reduction of noise and allows you to have a better, quieter atmosphere in various parts of the house.

There is probably no greater recognition of the quality of a product than a big name company ordering a large amount of it for a certain project. This has happened very recently with spray foam insulation. The popular organic frozen food establishment, Amy’s Kitchen, has decided to use spray foam insulation in its facility at Petaluma, California.

The order specified that the insulation should cover all 110,000 square feet of the ceiling of Amy’s Kitchen. Along with the sheer size of the project, the experts found some serious damage in parts of the ceiling, but even with that, they managed to complete the entire project in the end. They even finished it a day ahead of the deadline.

Amy’s Kitchen decided to use spray foam insulation for some very good reasons. The insulation itself does its job very well, providing optimum insulation inside the building and preventing noise from easily escaping through the walls, and it is cost effective. As can be seen from the final result, spray foam can deal with highly damaged walls and ceilings. The firm also used spray foam for its durability. It is widely known that when applied properly, the insulation can easily continue to maintain a comfortable indoor environment for many decades. Amy’s Kitchen has gone for this form of insulation because, in many ways, it reflects the company itself. Spray foam is cost effective, long lasting, and does everything it promises to do in a superb manner.

Having achieved this great feat, spray foam is likely to be more popular than ever now. It has probably made advances as well since they used special commercial spray foam for the job in Amy’s Kitchen. Furthermore, they had the right people for the job; something that cannot be overemphasized. At any given time, it was observed that there were 35 to 45 experts looking over the project. The people of Petaluma who work at Amy’s Kitchen will definitely be enjoying their work environment for a long time to come. Even the owners should be pleased when they compare their electricity bills from before the project to their electricity bills now.