Insulating your attic with spray foam is one of the most effective ways to lower your utility bills while keeping your home comfortable, even during hot Hillsborough summers!
Our attic spray foam insulation drastically reduces three types of heat flow in and out of your attic:
- Conduction – heat transfer through materials, like floor joists and sheet rock.
- Convection – heat transfer through air, like hot air rising upstairs or cool air sinking to the lower areas of your home.
- Radiant transfer – heat transfer through light such as the sun heating spaces through a window.
By properly insulating your attic, you can prevent cooled air from escaping while blocking hot air from your attic from moving into the cooled parts of your home. Your HVAC won’t have to work as hard to keep your home comfortable, and you’ll save money on your bills!
What is Spray Foam Insulation?
The spray foam insulation we use in Hillsborough attics is a fairly new material compared to fiberglass and cellulose. It consists of two liquid polymers that, when combined, react to form a foam that can expand up to 60 times its original size, where it then dries to a rigid, lightweight substance that is almost impenetrable to air and moisture.
As soon as the liquid is sprayed, it expands, making it ideal for coating walls to provide an additional layer of heat protection. It can also be sprayed into the smallest crevices around windows and doors and used to seal gaps where the walls and floors come together.
The Benefits of Attic Foam Insulation
The biggest benefit of having foam insulation installed in your attic is the improvement in your home’s energy efficiency. You can stop having to decide between expensive utility bills and sweating or freezing, depending on the season. By sealing up drafts and leaky spots and reducing and even eliminating hot air from moving through your attic flooring and living area ceilings, your home’s temperature is easier to regulate without overworking your heating and air conditioning unit.
Other benefits of attic spray foam insulation include:
- It’s water resistant and can stop mold and mildew from growing in your attic.
- The rigid texture helps your attic’s structural integrity.
- Less likely to see pests and insects because this type of insulation isn’t a food source for them.
- Spray foam insulation takes decades or more to break down and degrade, unlike fiberglass and cellulose that break down and lose the majority of their volume within a few years.
- There are no allergens, dust, or particles to aggravate breathing or cause allergic reactions
- Spray foam insulation is a more environmentally safe option than fiberglass.
Insulation Effectiveness and R-Values
Every type of insulation is given an R-value rating that shows its effectiveness. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation is. For example, fiberglass batts have an R-value of 3.5 and cellulose has a value of 4.0. Our spray foam insulation has an R-value of 7.0, making it twice as effective at stopping heat flow into your attic than fiberglass!
How We Install Attic Foam Insulation
The first step we take to install spray foam insulation for our Hillsborough customers is to remove any old insulation and start with a clean slate. Next, our experienced technicians will connect two containers, each holding a liquid polymer, to a hose, and run the hose up to your attic. The techs can then begin spraying the foam, coating your walls and eaves, and in some cases, even your floors.
Because it sticks to almost every type of material, including wood and brick, all the gaps and cracks are sealed and there’s an airtight, water-resistant barrier keeping your attic dry and moderating the temperature. Once it’s dry and solid, we trim any excess foam and clean up our workspace. While this is a much faster process than other types of insulation installation, it does need to be installed by a professional due to the chemicals being used.
Why Attic “Breathing” is a Myth
Attic spray foam insulation seals up the whole attic, including ventilation spaces. While at one time, this would have been frowned upon, today, we’re learning that ventilation, or letting your attic “breathe” is actually bad for your home. It’s thought that the vents keep air circulating through your attic, preventing hot air from building up and moisture from gathering. This is only necessary when air and moisture are able to enter your attic to begin with. When your attic is sealed, there’s no need to ventilate it.
Contact Your Attic Foam Insulation Experts in Hillsborough Today!
Ready to lower your utility bills and make your home energy efficient and comfy all year long? We’re here to help! Call us at 919-847-7072 or fill out our online form to schedule a no-obligation estimate today!
