A comfortable home means having a house that is well sealed from drafts and well insulated. This means having a proper air barrier in combination with proper insulation, only this combination can keep your home warm and draft free.
Common signs that you need a better insulation and air barrier ststem are if walls are cold to the touch, floors are cold, heating/cooling is uneven throughout your house, you have high heating or cooling costs or you have problems with mold growth.
There are 3 main areas to consider when insulating your home:
Basements pose a unique problem for insulation. There is significant moisture in a basement coming from both the inside and the outside of the house.
The best choice for insulating basement walls is Closed Cell Spray Foam insulation (See Closed Cell vs Open Cell Spray Foam) which is both the air barrier and insulation in one. Spray Foam Insulation is a superior option for insulating basements as opposed to the more traditional batt insulation and vapour barrier.
Benefits of Spray Foam Insulation for Basements are:
- it is draft free and airtight
- helps prevent growth of mold by controlling movement of moisture
- helps to eliminate condensing surfaces which can lead to mold growth
- helps basement remain warmer and at a more even tempurature with the rest of the home
- reduces heating costs
It is important to ensure crawl spaces are properly insulated. If they are not then it is possible that air, mold or even rodents can get into your home. Even insulating crawl spaces with batts isn't very effective since batts do not prevent air from moving in and out of your home. The best way to insulate a crawl space is by using spray foam which forms to any irregular shape (such as a round vent going through a square hole). Spray Foam insulation also acts as an air barrier which will prevent air from passing through.
Benefits of Spray foam Insulation for Crawl Spaces are:
- conforms to irregular shapes ensuring a complete seal
- prevents unwanted air transfer from your home to the outside
Attic Insulation is the most cost-effective place to add insulation. Spray Foam attic insulation can be applied in one of two ways: it can be sprayed onto the attic floor or it can be sprayed on to the underside of the roof. A qualified spray foam applicator can help you decide which choice is better for your home.
Benefits of Spray Foam Attic Insulation are:
- reduces heating/cooling costs
- keeps your home warm and comfortable by preventing heat loss through the attic
- helps to prevent ice dams which can cause damage
An important consideration when choosing a spray foam is to determine if the spray foam is open cell or closed cell. The two types of spray foam have different uses, so you should be sure you are choosing the correct type of insulation for the job.
Urecoat uses Walltite Eco Spray foam which is a closed-cell foam and is the best choice for insulating in areas where moisure may be present and where an air barrier is needed.
Closed Cell Spray Foam
- Highly effective air barrier system
- Has excellent resistance to water
- One of the most effeient insulating materials - R-values around 6.0 per inch
Open Cell Spray Foam
- Has R-value that is just over half that of closed-cell - R-values around 3.5 per inch
- More permeable to moisture vapor
- Open Cell foam should not be used in exterior applications
- Has twice the sound resistance of closed cell spray foam
