Home Energy Retrofit Guys Apply Spray Foam at Alligator Exhibit in Ontario

VAUGHAN, ONTARIO, CA – September 14, 2012 – When Home Energy Retrofit Guys (Home Energy) Owner, Mike Cerqua, was contacted to apply spray foam at a new animal exhibit, he got more of a project than he initially bargained for.

A comic shop specializing in superhero memorabilia and featuring several animal attractions was being constructed in a new location when Cerqua was asked to insulate their new alligator exhibit. The store's animal exhibits include monkeys, an albino kangaroo, and a five-foot long alligator named "Butch."

Cerqua was initially brought on board to spray the alligator exhibit's pool with polyurethane foam, but also wound up helping out with other parts of the exhibit. He was excited to take on this project because it was such a unique type of spray foam application.

"It was a first for me and a dream come true ever since I picked up a spray foam gun," he said.

He sprayed 2 lb. closed-cell Polarfoam PF-7300-0 Soya foam over the pool's fiberglass substrate. Upon his completion of the pool, the store's owner suggested he also apply the spray foam to the entire interior of the alligator exhibit. The room was approximately 144 sq. ft. and was made up of drywall and concrete block walls.

"The shapes of the room were created by me on the fly while spraying without the need for carving or shaping," said Cerqua.

There was no single specified foam thickness in this project. The thickness varied greatly depending on if it was used to Cerqua's discretion on the inside of the cave walls, or to create ledges and other features.

The spray foam application took only a couple of hours per night over a period of about a week. The entire exhibit took more than six months to complete because other work was being done in order for the business to re-open at its new, larger venue.

Cerqua and the storeowner used concrete, color, and epoxy on top of the spray foam to put the finishing touches on the alligator habitat. Cerqua then went above and beyond his typical spray foam duties by helping the owner move the alligator into its new environment.

"It was amazing to be in there," he said. "It was like a tropical paradise. I thought, I can't believe we made this for an alligator!"

Seemingly inspired by this unique use of spray foam, Cerqua mentioned that Canada's Wonderland is located just across from his company and that he would love to get more into the amusement park aspect of spray foam. Although Cerqua is interested in pursuing other creative aspects of the spray foam industry, Home Energy also specializes in building envelopes and retrofitting.

About Home Energy Retrofit Guys: Home Energy Retrofit Guys, a company geared toward saving energy, specialize in retrofitting existing construction to save on heating and cooling costs using advanced insulation techniques and technologies. For more information about Home Energy Retrofit Guys, please use the contact details and links provided below.