Enhancing the insulation of your house is one of the best ways to boost your home’s thermal performance and energy efficiency. It will also help decrease the carbon footprint and expenses for your monthly energy costs.
One example of insulating your house is to use spray foam insulation. It’s a good insulation choice because of its perks, such as providing constant humidity inside the house by preventing temperature fluctuations, creating an air-tight seal that keeps your house comfortable and warm, and protects against elements.
It also helps reduce indoor allergens or other pollutants, such as mildew, mold, dust, or mold.
If you’re wondering whether spray foam insulation is a good insulation alternative for your home improvement project, you might want to check our article. We will provide you with all the necessary information to help you decide.
Below is a complete rundown of the different types and brands of spray foam insulation. It also includes the general spray insulation foam costs to assist you in making an informed buying decision.
What is Spray Foam Insulation?
Spray foam (SPF) is an insulation material made by mixing two main chemicals: polyol resin and isocyanate. The two chemical ingredients undergo a reaction when combined, producing a foam that expands quickly when sprayed. The spray foam created is commonly used as insulation without air filtration.
It can expand up to 30% when applied, which helps fill even the smallest gaps, cracks, or even the hard-to-reach areas. The spray foam also hardens quickly upon application.
Spray Foam Insulation has two available types: Medium-Density Closed-Cell Spray Foam (ccSPF) and Light-Density Open-Cell Spray Foam (ocSPF).
Medium-Density Closed-Cell Spray Foam
Medium-Density Closed-Cell Spray Foam is known for being rigid and dense and having each air cell sealed completely. It measures about 1.75 — 2.25 lbs./ft3 and it also has a higher R-value or thermal resistance, which ranges from five to six per inch.
Closed-cell spray foam acts as a barrier to vapor, heat, and air transfer and helps prevent mildew and mold, which makes this type of spray foam an excellent choice for exposed areas. It also resists moisture from passing through and helps protect surfaces from wear and tear.
Light-Density Open-Cell Spray Foam
Light-density Open-Cell Spray Foam, also known as half-pound foam, is semi-rigid with a sponge-like appearance that retains its shape well. It has an R-value or thermal resistance that ranges about 3.8 per inch.
Once installed, open-cell spray foam can expand up to 100 times its size enough to fill crevices, cracks, even uneven surfaces. It also creates an air seal filled with carbon dioxide that enhances insulation.
Unlike closed-cell spray foam, open-cell spray foam doesn’t act as a barrier for air or vapor though it can reduce the sound frequency by blocking and helps absorb air leakage.
Different Brands of Spray Foam Insulation
Here are some of the industry-leading spray foam insulation brands you can take into account for your home improvement project.
Natural Polymers
Natural Polymers is a manufacturer of innovative and environmentally-friendly spray foam insulation products made of bio-based materials, which also have low VOC features. The company offers both open and closed-cell spray foam insulation products.
For closed-cell spray foam, the available options are Natural-Therm 2.0 HFO, Natural- Therm 2.0 IBS PCF (SUMMER), Natural- Therm 2.0 IBW PCF (WINTER), and Natural- Therm 3.0 PCS.
For open-cell spray foam, the available products are Natural- Therm 0.40 “Light”, Natural- Therm 0.50 PCF, Natural- Therm 0.50 IB PCF, and Natural-Therm 1.0 PCF.
SWD Urethane
SWD Urethane manufactures and supplies a wide range of spray foam, insulation, and other industrial product lines. The company features both closed-cell and open-cell foam.
The available open-cell foam products are Quikshield 108YM – Ultra-Low Density Spray Foam, Quikshield 108 – Low-Density Spray Foam, Quikshield 090 – Appendix X Spray Foam, Quikshield 104EZ – No Mix Spray Foam, and Quikshield 106OG – Open-Cell Spray Foam.
For closed-cell foam, the available products are Quikshield 144 – Low GWP Spray Foam, Quikshield 112 – 2LB Spray Foam, Quikshield 180 – Agricultural Spray Foam, Quikshield 232 – Slab-Jacking Foam, Quikshield 118 – Ultra-Efficient Spray Foam, Quikshield 112XC – Commercial Grade Spray Foam, Quikshield 450 – Class 1 Pour Foam Insulation and Quikshield 252 – High-Performance Tank Foam.
Carlisle Spray Foam Insulation
Carlisle Spray Foam Insulation is a manufacturer of spray polyurethane foam systems based in North America, which offers SealTite™ Pro, a spray foam insulation product line that provides thermal protection for residential and commercial areas. The company features both open-cell and closed-cell spray foam.
SealTite Pro’s higher-density spray foam is the available closed-cell foam product, while the available open-cell spray foam is called SealTite Pro’s Open Cell spray foam.
Their other available spray foam insulation products are SealTite Pro OCX, SealTite Pro-One Zero, SealTite Pro No Trim 21, SealTite Pro No Mix, and SealTite Pro High Yield.
How Much Does Spray Foam Insulation Cost?
The exact price of the spray foam brands Natural Polymers, SWD Urethane, and Carlisle Spray Foam Insulation varies, depending on the provided price of the authorized distributors available.
To get the most accurate price possible, customers should visit the local stores or fill up a form for orders through their websites. The pricing may also change, depending on the selected R-value, materials used, the thickness of the spray foam, and the type of spray foam product.
In general, the price of open-cell spray foam products usually costs from about $0.44 to $0.65 per board foot, while closed-cell spray foam products range from $1 to $1.50 per board foot. The spray foam’s layer thickness of foam measures about a one-inch in a one-square-foot area.
If it’s professionally installed, spray foam insulation usually costs about $1,000 to $4000. It includes the installation fee, labor fee of contractors, and cleanup.
The price may also differ, depending on the cost of spray foam materials by size in square feet. For a spray foam that measures 100 sq. ft, the average cost ranges from $44 to $150, while for 200 sq. ft, it costs about $88 to $300.
For 300 sq. ft, the price ranges from $132 to $450, while for materials measuring 400 sq. ft, it costs about $176 to $600. For 500 sq ft, the cost ranges from $220 to $750. For 1,000 sq. ft, the cost of materials ranges from $440 to $1,500.
Is Spray Foam Insulation Worth It?
Spray foam is a great insulation alternative if you plan on upgrading your home’s thermal performance and energy efficiency. It’s also a smart investment for homeowners who want to add value to their houses using environmentally friendly and energy-efficient products.
Spray foam insulation is versatile and can be used to insulate different parts of your house and can also be used for commercial applications. Depending on your preference and needs, you can either choose open cell or closed cell spray foam, which provides flexibility for consumers.
Moreover, spray foam insulation is worth using because it offers a lot of perks, including minimizing air infiltration, noise reduction, heating, and cooling benefits, and can be also applied to hard-to-reach places.
The total cost of the spray foam insulation will depend on its thickness and size, the type of spray foam you will use, and how it will be installed. It may be more expensive than other traditional insulation products, but the benefits of spray foam insulation will make up for it.
