FAQs
Q – What does insulation do for my home?
A
Insulation keeps your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter, because insulation resists the flow of heat. Heat is a form of energy and always seeks a cooler area, flowing out of the home in the winter and into the home in the summer. By reducing heat flow, a home uses less energy for heating and cooling. A well-insulated home increases the overall comfort of the home and adds to its resale value. Whether your home is new or old, it pays to insulate.
Q – How do I know when I may need new insulation or reinsulated areas of my home?
A
-You have and older home and have never added new insulation.
-Your home is uncomfortably cold in the winter or is hot in the summer, adding insulation creates a more uniform temperature and increases comfort.
-Your energy bills are high
Q – What is R-Value?
A
R values and their metric equivalent, RSI values, are a way of labelling the effectiveness of insulating materials. The higher the R value or RSI value, the more resistance the material has to the movement of heat. Insulation products sold in Canada are labelled with R and RSI values. Provincial building codes specify minimum R (or RSI) values for new construction, with different values for different applications.
Q – How much insulation do I need in my attic?
A
There is no exact answer to this question, and there are some exceptions to the rule but we typically recommend no lower than R40 blown in to be installed in your home. Old material removal and re installation of new material is the best practice. However, we can top up your attics R-Value by blowing new material on top of your existing attic material
Q – I live on a busy street and am worried about the noise, what are my options for insulation?
A
There are many products on the market today to deal with noise transfer. Many common ones are Roxul Mineral Fibre, as well as Owens Corning QuietZone, Other products like ½ lb. spray foam may also be used to lessen noise transfer through walls and ceilings inside your home.
Q – What is Spray Foam Insulation?
A
Spray Foam (or Polyurethane Foam Insulation) is a 2 part liquid system consisting of an isocyanate and a resin mixture. These chemicals are pumped through a specialized heating and pressurizing unit, kept separate until just before leaving the gun, then mixed at a specific temperature and pressure. There are two types of spray foam based on the cell structure of the foam. One is a closed cell and the other is an open cell.
Q – What is the Difference between open and closed cell Spray Foam?
A
The two biggest differences are in the R-value and whether or not there is a need for a poly vapor barrier to be put over it. Open cell ½ lb. insulation uses air pockets in the foam to help in the r-value and requires a vapor barrier to be installed over top of it. Open cell foam is typically used in garage warm floors and cantilevers in homes and has an R value of about 3-4 per inch. Closed cell, or 2 lb. foam insulation is a complete air barrier and when installed properly has a much higher R-Value per inch (around R6-R7) than traditional batt or ½ lb. spray foam.
Q – Is there harmful off-gassing with spray foam?
A
The two chemicals, when mixed at a high temperature, do atomize-which does off-gas and requires venting or air flow. As soon as the off-gasses leave the room, the foam is completely safe. This can take between 1-24 hours depending on the size and area of the project.
Q – Where can Spray Foam be used?
A
The different types of foam (1/2 lb. and 2 lb.) have different characteristics. An on-site visit will help determine the best product for your project. We can spray everything from house walls to bonus room floors, complete shops to the back of your cube van. Spray foam is an extremely versatile product and can be used almost anywhere insulation is needed.
Q – What is Thermal Barrier?
A
Thermal barrier is a material or coating product, typically applied over spray foam, designed to prevent or delay the foams involvement in a fire. They must keep the temperature of the surface at no more than 250 degrees Celsius over a 15 minute time period when exposed to fire.
Q – Where is Thermal Barrier used?
A
Thermal barrier is used over spray foam in any undeveloped space such as basements, mechanical rooms and crawl spaces. All building codes require an approved thermal barrier on the habitable side of a structure between the interior of the structure and the polyurethane foam.