If you’re considering using spray foam insulation, then you may have questions about open cell versus closed cell foam and spray foam insulation services. We take pride in helping you understand the differences. Did you know that, according to our sources, open-cell foam insulation can help your home lower its energy bills by half? It’s true. Here’s more to know about open and closed cell foam.
R-Value
R-value is very important in choosing insulation. It’s a value that tells you how well the material will help keep heat in or out of your home. For spray foam insulation, the open cell foam is less dense and lighter. Open cell will expand to approximately 100-120 times its size, which is an R-value around 3.5-4 per inch installed. Closed cell foam is denser and heavy and will expand to roughly 33 times its size. This relates to an R-value of 7 per inch installed.
Open Cell Benefits
Here are a few benefits of open cell insulation.
- It Costs Less
This type of spray foam costs less than closed cell and is one of the biggest benefits of this type of insulation. It will also take less material to fill the same space size due to the expansion, which saves you even more money.
- It Provides a Better Air Barrier
This insulation will expand better to fill your home more extensively than closed cell, which makes it a good air barrier.
- It’s Hydrophobic
Being hydrophobic means that it will retain less water should the insulation be exposed. This creates less mold that can possibly invade your home should there be leaks.
- It’s Quieter
Open cell foam’s cell structure makes it an ideal soundproofing agent, and it will dampen soundwaves as it helps insulate your home.
Closed Cell Benefits
Here are a few benefits of closed cell insulation.
- It Has a Higher R-Value
If you’re trying to meet a building code or an R-Value requirement, closed cell foam has a higher value per inch than open cell.
- It’s Flood Resistant
FEMA recognizes closed cell foam as being flood resistant since it doesn’t allow water or vapor to pass through due to its density. In flood-prone areas, this type of insulation can help reject bulk water
- It Has Great Structural Integrity
Closed cell foam can boost the structural integrity of a building because of the cell structure and rigidity of the foam. Those in high-wind areas may use this to help with flex issues.
- It’s Great for Exteriors
Should you be in a position where you need to apply insulation to an exterior surface, closed cell works great because of its vapor barrier.
Now that you’ve seen the benefits of each, it’s time to figure out which one is right for your situation. If you’re interested in spray foam insulation services, then give us a call. We’d be happy to talk with you about it and help you understand the differences.
