New Ohio Home Is Insulated with Open-Cell SPF

RIDGEFIELD, OH – October 23, 2013 –Spray polyurethane foam can be an ideal option when it comes to new construction for a home that will be on a hill and prone to high winds. Following its installation, SPF bolsters the home by sealing it from any air and moisture infiltration. It also makes the environment inside vastly more cozy because SPF insulation provides a high R-value. Such was the case of a new Ohio homeowner, who opted to have his new house insulated with SPF as it was being constructed.

The homeowner contracted Skyline Industries for the project, which consisted of applying SPF to the exterior walls, the underside of the roof, and the basement of the house. The project also included insulating the garage that was being constructed on the side of the main house. According to Skyline's James Ford, the homeowner wanted to ensure that his energy consumption was 40 to 50 percent lower than what his energy bills would be with batt insulation.

"When someone is moving in into a new residence, they don't have an energy bill to compare it to one after SPF is applied, but you can gauge the difference by the square footage," said Ford. "Since this house was much bigger than the one the owner had previously lived in, there was only one kind of material to use that meets the kind of energy efficiency he sought, and that's spray polyurethane foam."

Ford noted that the biggest difference between batt insulation and spray foam is the fact that with spray foam you have no air infiltration. He also added the application of SPF eliminates the six factors of heat transfer pertaining to energy loss: conduction, convection, radiation, air infiltration, air leakage, and moisture.

Prior to the SPF application, the crew masked the openings where doors and windows would be installed and taped the edges of the openings for overspray protection. The crew wore Tyvek suits and full-face fresh air respirators. Because it was under construction, the house openings provided air circulation, although the crew still had fans going for extra ventilation. The home had a pitched roof with wooden rafters, so the crew utilized scaffolding o get to the apex of the roof, which was 17-feet above the ground.

The crew utilized Classic Max, a half-pound open-cell spray polyurethane foam made by Icynene, for the project's entire SPF application. The crew applied four inches on the exterior walls of the main home, the garage, and the basement. For the subflooring, the underside of the roof, and the underside of the garage ceiling, the crew applied eight inches of foam. The Skyline crew installed a total of 8.5 sets of foam.

The crew had one rig on site equipped with Gusmer H/20/30 proportioner and a Graco Probler P2 plural-component air-purge spray gun. Ford noted that the biggest challenge the crew faced was finding a good access point to run the hoses through, so that they could apply the greatest amount of foam from one place instead of having to move the rig constantly. The crew started from the basement and then moved on from a more central location to expedite the foam application.

"The ground was torn out during construction up, so we figured the best access point into the house was through the ground so we could apply the most amount of SPF possible without moving the rig around the house so much," said Ford.

It took the three-man Skyline crew a week to complete the application. Ford pointed out that in addition to energy saving benefits, the SPF application helped create a sound barrier that deadened outside noises that were noticeable during the prepping of the house. Ford concluded that the homeowner was very satisfied with his new home's insulation.

About Skyline Industries: Skyline Industries specializes spray polyurethane foam and high performance coating solutions for residential and commercial Insulation, roof restoration/coatings and containment services. Their projects have included: massive compost buildings, storage tanks, agricultural facilities, custom homes, and additions. For more information on Skyline Industries, please use the information and link provided below.