When building a new home or needing to add additional insulation to your attic, you need to think carefully about what type of insulation you want to use. Fiberglass batt insulation is the most common option, in part because it’s relatively inexpensive and can easily be installed. While you always need to hire a professional for spray foam insulation installation, the advantages it provides are always going to make it well worth the additional cost. In this article, we’ll look at how spray foam insulation performs compared to other options to show you why it’s such a great choice.

Understanding Insulation R-Values

When choosing which type of insulation to use, the most important thing is to focus on R-values. R stands for thermal resistance, which is a measurement that expresses how effective of a barrier the insulation creates to block out heat. Higher R-values indicate that the insulation creates a much more effective thermal barrier. You always want to make sure you have a minimum R-value in different parts of your home. For instance, your exterior walls, attic, and ceiling have higher R-value requirements than your interior walls.

Comparing Spray Foam Insulation to Other Options

Spray foam insulation has a higher thermal resistance than any other type of insulation as long as it is applied properly. The most common type of spray foam insulation is polyurethane spray foam, which can be either open-cell or closed-cell. Closed-cell spray foam is heavier and denser than open-cell, which makes it better at creating a heat-resistant barrier. Open-cell spray foam has an average R-value of around four per inch. The R-value of closed-cell spray foam is typically around six per inch. This is far superior to fiberglass batt insulation, which typically only has an R-value of around 3 to 3.5 per inch. Blown-in cellulose insulation performs slightly better than fiberglass batts and typically has an R-value of up to 3.8 per inch. Blown-in fiberglass insulation generally has the poorest performance, with an R-value of only around 2.2 to 2.9 per inch. Spray foam insulation also performs much better in terms of insulating air ducts than any other available option.

The other reason that spray foam insulation performs much better is that it expands as it dries. It completely fills up the void in between wall studs, floor joists, etc. With batt insulation, you always end up with some gaps that still allow hot air to pass through. Blown-in cellulose or fiberglass insulation is mostly used to insulate attic floors since you don’t end up with any gaps with either type like you do with batt insulation. The issue is that blown-in insulation ends up settling over time, which leads to it creating a less and less effective thermal barrier. Spray foam insulation fully hardens when it cures so that it can continue performing just as effectively for decades.

The superior performance of spray foam insulation makes it the perfect choice if you’re looking to improve your home’s energy efficiency. The fact that it creates a much more effective thermal barrier means it will help keep your home from getting as hot so that your air conditioning doesn’t need to run as much. This reduced workload can also make a major difference in how long your air conditioning system lasts before you need to replace it.

Other Advantages of Spray Foam Insulation

Opting for closed-cell spray foam insulation is an especially great choice in Florida due to our humid climate. That’s because closed-cell spray foam is completely waterproof. You never have to worry about condensation forming and causing it to soak up water. Cellulose and fiberglass insulation can both easily soak up water, and their performance is greatly decreased if they get wet. The bigger issue is that wet insulation creates a major risk of mold growth and can lead to a serious mold infestation.

Another great thing about spray foam insulation is that it creates a much more soundproof barrier than other types of insulation. That means you’ll hear much less noise from out on the street. If you opt to use spray foam insulation in your interior walls, it will also make a major difference in how much sound you can hear from other rooms.

One of the other major benefits is that spray foam insulation lasts far longer than all the other options. In most cases, you can expect it to continue performing at the same level for 80 or even 100 years. Fiberglass batts can potentially last just as long, but their performance slowly decreases over time.

Spray foam insulation is also the best option for insulating a home’s air ducts. Ductwork insulation is important since it helps prevent the cool air produced by an AC system from gaining heat as it moves through the ducts, which in turn makes the AC system work more effectively. Having sufficient insulation on your ducts is also important for preventing condensation from forming on them, which can lead to mold issues in your home.

If you need any HVAC service in the Pensacola, FL area, Bluewater Heating & Air is the company to turn to. We offer expert repair, maintenance, and installation services, and we’re also the area’s top choice for spray foam duct insulation. Contact us today to schedule a service call or consultation or if you have any questions about our indoor air quality or smart thermostat services.

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