If you are looking for ways to make your home more energy efficient in sweltering NC summers, sealing your attic with spray foam insulation is one of the best investments you can make. Insulation provides thermal resistance to convective and conductive heat flow. Conductive is the heat that moves through materials, such as your roof, wood in your attic, and sheetrock in your ceiling. Convective heat flow is how heat circulates through your homes, such as how warm air rises and cool air sinks.
Insulating your attic blocks the natural movement of heat flowing into cooler parts of your home. This means a more comfortable living space and lower electric bills.
How Does Spray Foam Insulation Work?
Compared to fiberglass and cellulose, spray foam insulation is a fairly new material commonly made from organic compounds used to make polymers. When the liquid polyol and liquid isocyanate combine and are sprayed, the liquids become a foam that can expand up to sixty times the size of the liquid. Foam insulation can be sprayed directly onto walls, between studs, and even into small gaps around electrical outlets, or where walls meet floors, windows, and doors. The result is heavy-duty, long-lasting insulation and a near-impenetrable seal against air and water.
Benefits of Attic Foam Insulation
The number one benefit of spray insulation in your attic is an improvement in home efficiency. By sealing air leaks and drafts and reducing heat conduction from your attic to your living areas, your HVAC unit won’t need to work so hard. You’ll see lowered energy bills, without having to sacrifice your comfort.
Additional benefits include:
- Spray foam insulation is a more eco-friendly option than fiberglass or cellulose
- Prevents mold and mildew growth by hindering moisture transfer
- It’s rigid, strong structure benefits your attic’s structural integrity
- Spray foam insulation is not a food source for insects and pests
- This type of insulation does not move or shift over time
- There is no dust, allergens, or particles to flow through ductwork and aggravate breathing or cause allergic reactions
Insulation Effectiveness Based on R-Values
All types of insulation are given an R-value rating that shows its effectiveness. The higher the R-value, the more effective that type of insulation is. For example, fiberglass batts have an R-value of 3.5 and cellulose has a value of 4.0. Our open-cell spray foam insulation has an R-value of 7.0, making it significantly more effective at stopping heat flow into your attic.
How Do You Install Attic Foam Insulation?
The first step in installing attic foam is removing any old insulation. Our technicians will then run a long hose to your attic that is connected to the two containers of liquid that make up the foam. As the techs begin spraying your attic walls, eaves, and, if you choose, the flooring, the foam sticks to nearly every material, including wood, masonry, and metal, and expands dramatically, providing an airtight, water-resistant barrier.
The foam quickly dries after it reaches its maximum size. Once it solidifies, the techs trim excess foam and clean up the attic. The process is quick, but due to the mixing of chemicals and special equipment needed to spray it, it must be installed by a professional insulation company.
Why Attic “Breathing” is a Myth
By using spray foam in the attic, we seal up all open spaces, even the smallest cracks, and crevices, including ventilation spaces.
It was once thought that ventilation in attics (letting your attic “breathe”) protected your home by keeping air circulating, preventing moisture from building up in the winter and allowing heat to escape in the summer.
In reality, it’s only necessary to let build-up of moisture and hot air escape when it’s entering through cracks and voids in the roof. When moisture and excess heat can’t build-up, you don’t need to worry or let your attic breathe.
Contact Your Attic Foam Insulation Experts in Cary Today!
If you’d like to learn more about insulating your attic to create a more comfortable, energy-efficient home, make us your first choice! Call us at (919) 847-7072 or fill out our online form to schedule a free no-obligation estimate today!
