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Spray Foam Vs Rigid

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Spray Foam Vs. Rigid Foam Insulation Near Simsbury, Longmeadow, South Windsor

Spray Foam Insulation Installed In Granby

Best-suited for big jobs. Two-part spray foam provides excellent air sealing and insulation and is often sprayed against open framing, as in this attic installation.

Remember when a pink panther held the monopoly on home insulation? Those days are gone. Today homeowners, contractors, and building scientists (the experts who study home energy performance) spend a lot of time talking about foam insulation. But this newly popular insulation can come in many forms. Right now, let's consider the differences between spray foam and rigid foam. More specifically, we can compare the closed-cell spray foam that requires two components to be mixed at the application nozzle, and the rigid foam insulation boards that come in different thicknesses.

Both two-component spray foam and rigid foam are useful for improving home energy performance. Sometimes it can be difficult to decide whether spray foam or rigid foam is best for a particular application.

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Insulation is essential for energy efficiency, and nobody knows insulation better than Fogarty's Home Services. Call or email today to arrange for a Free Estimate for home insulation in Simsbury, Longmeadow, South Windsor, and other areas including Granby, Suffield, Windsor, Wilbraham, Tolland, Chicopee, Springfield, and more.

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Here are the PROs and CONs of both options:

Two-component spray foam PROS

Provides both insulation and air sealing; air sealing is excellent because the foam expands to fill gaps and cracks.
High R-value —about R-7 per in. depending on the formulation.
Speedy installation.
Once cured, spray foam insulation stays in place; it won't shift, settle, or fall out of place.

Two-component spray foam CONS

Messy; overspray can deposit foam where it must be removed
Respirators and protective clothing must be worn during installation
Temperature-sensitive; cold temperatures can cause problems with foaming action or curing
R-value can degrade slightly over time

Rigid foam insulation PROS

Rigid foam is easy to work with. No respirators or special equipment are required.

Provides both insulation and air sealing, provided that seams between foam panels are sealed with tape
Less messy than spray foam
Different thicknesses are available to suit different applications & R-value requirements
Panels are easy to cut and can be installed at any temperature
Safe handling; no harmful emissions during installation
Best installation for insulating crawl space and basement walls
Some rigid foam panels (like SilverGlo™, for example) include a radiant barrier for additional energy savings

Rigid foam insulation CONS

R-value varies based on the type of rigid foam. It can be as low as R-3.8 per in. or as high as R-8 per in.
More time-consuming installation than spray foam in some (but not all) applications.
Sometimes single-component spray foam must be applied around the edges of rigid foam to seal and hold the panel in place.

Be sure to check out our other content to help in choosing the best spray foam insulation and the best spray foam contractor in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Start Saving Energy and Money With An Insulation Upgrade.

Call 1-860-406-7117 or contact us online to schedule a Free Estimate for spray foam insulation in South Windsor, Longmeadow, Simsbury, Suffield, Granby, Wilbraham, Windsor, Chicopee, Springfield, Tolland, and nearby.

We can also identify the other major areas in your home that are depleting your home's energy. Our home energy evaluation is a wonderful resource for prioritizing your home's energy upgrades and repairs.