The Difference Between Open Cell and Closed Cell Spray Foam Insulation

Spray foam insulation is one of the best ways to protect your home from unavoidable environmental factors. There are different elements that could cause unforeseeable damage to your home, for example, moisture getting into your house can cause mold and mildew to grow, and cause certain illnesses to those living in the home. Air infiltration, which is a major factor in the escape of energy, is another thing that spray foam insulation can help with, since using this product can reduce air leakage and therefore lower costs of energy and utilities.

If you have decided to use spray foam insulation for your home or building, there are two different types that you can consider. The first is open cell spray foam insulation. This type is certainly going to be cheaper, because it contains fewer chemicals and is therefore less expensive to produce. However, with this low cost comes the price of not being able to insulate as well as a thicker, denser barrier would. It may be good as an air or sound insulator, but it does not work as well for protecting against moisture or vapor.

The closed cell spray foam insulation is denser and much more compact, which makes it a better barrier for sound, air, and moisture. This type of insulation is usually used for the outdoors, since it is important to make the exposed parts of the structure stronger and longer lasting.

A lot of people will probably be tempted to use the open cell spray foam insulation because it is much cheaper than closed cell spray foam insulation. This is understandable because building a structure is already hefty on its own, and costs of such additives must be kept to a minimum. But one must also consider the advantages of using the closed cell spray foam insulation from the beginning, and how this can possibly lower costs in the long run. It can better protect the home from moisture as well as air and noise. It also reduces the possibility of having to repair some part of the structure that was damaged by poor insulation used in during construction.