Cost Comparison: Closed Cell Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation

With the demand for improved energy efficiency, increasingly stringent code requirements and rigorous consumer expectations, the overall performance of building enclosures has received a surge of industry focus. One of the components receiving elevated attention in design is the selection of insulation materials.

Installed Insulation Costs Don’t Tell the Whole Story

In selecting a product, there can be a tendency to place too high an emphasis on the “first” or “installed” costs. This is understandable given defined budget limitations for most projects. However, installed costs don’t tell the whole story. When selecting an insulation product, one should consider not only how its attributes impact performance, but also the cost benefits that multiple functionality has on a project. Often, insulation products with multiple functionality can eliminate additional costs associated with products that are more one dimensional in performance. When evaluating the insulation layer as a system, one must consider the additional layers required for the insulation system to work properly. These include the use of vapor control, air sealing and overall insulation thermal performance, as well as impacts on other building areas such as HVAC systems, framing and structural enhancements, to name a few. As we transition thinking to whole system design, a comparison of cost and performance of “systems” rather than individual “components” provides a clearer cost picture. This can help determine which product is better suited for a specific project rather than looking at each individual insulation layer as a discrete purchase.