Builders and Contractors are required by the State Building Code here in Massachusetts to apply a waterproofing membrane on the exterior of foundations in all areas that will be sub-grade (under the ground after backfilling.)

The most common products are asphalt and rubber based. As an experienced waterproofing professional I have seen these membranes fail quite regularly. Of course the quality of the spray and experience of the installers is key to a proper installation.

About 90% of the time the waterproofing membrane is covered with 1″-2″ of polystyrene insulation and it is usually attached by shooting nails into the foundation. These 2″ nails being shot into the foundation are a breeding ground for future foundation wall cracks.

So now what???

One inch of Closed-cell spray foam insulation is an approved vapor barrier with permeability being at, or below most asphalt and rubber based waterproofing membranes on the market. Closed-cell foam is approved for exterior and sub-grade applications.

One inch of closed-cell foam has an insulation r-value of between 6-8 depending upon the product. There are endless companies that offer a soy-based closed-cell spray foam insulation which are among the greenest products on the market. Adding a second inch of closed-cell spray foam will bring the r-value to 13 or higher.

So is it cost effective???

There is no doubt in my mind! As stated earlier I am also a waterproofing professional and have not only applied asphalt/rubber based products, I have priced and sold these projects.

These applications range from $.80/sq’ to $2.50/sq’ based on the product, quantity and whether insulation boards are added.

Applying closed-cell foam instead will cost from $.70 to $1.50/sq’ based on quantity and thickness.

So why not let this game changing product do just that! Out with the old and in with the new. It is time that builders learn the benefits of spray foam insulation and all of it’s uses.

Whether you are building a new structure or gutting and renovating an existing home/building I think that getting the best insulation for your buck is going to come up at some point.

Consider these points. R-value has significant importance and is also what building department officials use to approve or deny your project. Getting the highest r-value in your wall cavities should be a priority.

Air-leakage is usually the culprit of 40% or more of the heat loss/gain in your home. Stopping the unwanted air exchange between indoors and outdoors should also be a major priority.

Builders and renovators are still using basic fiberglass insulation in wall cavities giving homes an r-value of 13 with no air-seal. You actually cannot seal the walls because fiberglass needs to breathe to be effective.

Many are using cellulose or other mineral fiber types which give the home a similar r-value as fiberglass. Some dense packed insulators on the market have higher r-values and also do a pretty good job at air-sealing (wet cellulose spray.)

Open-cell spray foam is a great air-sealant and r-values in a 2×4 wall cavity range from R-13 to R-19 depending upon the density of the foam.

Now we will get to the meat and potatoes of this post.

Having 1″ of Closed-Cell spray foam installed gives you an r-value of 6 or more, is the best air-sealant, adds structural strength and is an approved vapor barrier.

After the closed-cell foam is applied your options are endless. You could go with an open-cell foam, cellulose, mineral fiber insulation, etc.

Of course filling the wall cavities up completely with closed-cell will give you the best insulator but can run you somewhere in the ballpark of $2.80-$4.00 per sq’.

By combining one inch of closed-cell spray foam and an alternative you would be looking at a ballpark of $1.40-$2.50 per sq’.

That is where the value comes into play. Think about it before you decide one way or another folks.

BioBased Technologies, makers of BioBased Insulation, has recently reorganized it’s operations through Chapter 11. The plan allows BioBased to pay creditors in full over time while continuing to develop green, soy-based spray foam insulation and other products. After testing the waters in a few industrial markets they have decided to refocus the company on insulation and that sounds like a good idea.

“In today’s business climate, filing for Chapter 11 is not that rare,” said Michael Johnson, chief legal officer for BioBased Technologies®. “But we do realize that actually completing the process – securing funding, developing a reorganization plan and implementing that plan – is rare. We will not only continue operations, but we will actually be a stronger, more viable company because of this.”

Losing one of the biggest innovators in the soy-based spray foam industry would be a huge hit for spray foam contractors everywhere. It would be comparable to the closing of GM or Ford in the auto industry (obviously on a smaller financial scale.)  That is the reason that the US Government stepped in and bailed them out, consumer perception is everything in our economy. BioBased deserves to survive, here’s why…

Here is a list of awards/accolades that BioBased Technologies has received:

2009
• BioBased 501w named “Remodeler’s Choice Top 100 Products” by the readers on Qualified Remodeler Magazine
2008
• BioBased 1701s® named a Green Product Award winner by Building Products Magazine
• BioBased Technologies® received the Green Award from the Fayetteville
• Chamber of Commerce in recognition for their new corporate headquarters that is awaiting LEED
Silver certification
• BioBased Insulation® received the first Green Log Home and Lifestyle Award in the insulation category
• BioBased 1701s® named “Top 100 Building Products” by Building Products Magazine
2007
• BioBased 501w® named “Top 100 Products” by Residential Design & Build Magazine
2006
• BioBased Insulation® named Outstanding Environmental Business, Sierra Club of Arkansas
2005
• BioBased 501w® named “Top 10 Products” by Rural Builder Magazine
• BioBased 501w® named “Top 100 Products” by Residential Architecture Magazine
• BioBased Insulation® named “Top Seven Energy Efficient Innovations,” Smart Homeowner Magazine
2004
• BioBased 501w® named “Top 100 Products” by Building Products Magazine
• BioBased 501w® named “Top 50 Remodeling Products” by Qualified Remodeler Magazine
• BioBased 501w® named “#1 Requested Product” by Environmental Design+Construction Magazine
• BioBased 501w® named “Top 10 Green Building Products” by Building Products Magazine
2003
• BioBased 501w® named Building Green Top 10 Listing, GreenSpec© Product
• BioBased 501w® named Outstanding Green Product of the Year, National Green Building Conference

The new Green Building Standard 189.1 is coming and it is going to have a huge impact on home values across America.

Here is an excerpt from the ASHRAE website:

“Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, is the first code-intended commercial green building standard in the United States.  It has been published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), in conjunction with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).”

The new codes are going to include items like heating/cooling system efficiency, CO2 emissions, building envelope analysis including air-tightness, insulation quality, window efficiency and moisture resistance.

Basically, the efficiency of ALL of the systems of a home/building and the way they interact with one another are going to be inspected, analyzed and recorded for green certification. Green certification and Documentation = Higher Home Values…It’s about time!

Here is a link to a very insightful blog post discussing all different types of countertops and their impact on our environment.

This post is straight from the USGBC’s Green Home Guide and a very well thought out review. It goes over the efficiency of each product from it’s creation to the end of it’s life and the environmental impact during each step during the life-cycle. Enjoy!

Here’s the link:

http://greenhomeguide.com/know-how/article/choose-the-best-countertop-material-for-your-homeand-the-environment

I recommend that you read the original blog post before reading my post which is actually a comment on the original debate. Here’s the link: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/it-s-ok-skimp-insulation-icynene-says

For what we know about the actual formula to calculate R-values, it is based on conduction prevention. It has nothing to do with blocking air-leaks. This is a VERY interesting argument. One thing I want to point out is that the requirement of r-values in building codes has INCREASED 30% or more in most areas of the US in the last 5-10 years.

Since many structures insulated with mineral fiber types of insulation the air-leakage can easily result in a 40% heat loss/gain. The code officials decided that instead of monitoring the air tightness and retesting the actual air-sealing benefits of spray foam and other types of insulation that make a building air-tight, they would take one simple factor – R-VALUE – and go home with their Owens-Corning sponsor money.

What should take place is a total re-evaluation of the requirements to make the home energy efficient upon the sale of the home. Each region has and should have it’s own set of regulations. Blower door tests should be performed to determine a minimum air-seal requirement (which exists but is overlooked). Then these test shells should be evaluated for their heat loss/gain using different products and r-values.

Once the tests are performed and evaluated new codes should be written and put into action. Of course this means that every home being built/sold will have to undergo a blower door test to check for air-tightness which brings the cost of a home inspection up significantly (one reason why it has been avoided.) Also, if the home fails the tightness factor there are few options other than spray foam and/or a complete renovation to solve the issue.

I disagree with the silly practices of Icynene but understand that they are trying to make a HUGE point when it comes to raising r-value codes to compensate for heat loss/gain. Code officials should understand the difference between the air-tightness of a home and the conductive values eliminated by insulation. Test the theories and re-write the codes.

There are Do-It-Yourself kits available for spray foam insulation. Three of the major companies that I have had personal experience with are Foam It Green, Tiger Foam and FomoFom.

There are the same number of DIY options as most spray foam contractors will offer including open-cell, closed-cell and even injection foams (which can be used for existing wall cavities without tearing down walls.)

The same rules apply to DIYers as they do to contractors including ignition barriers and such. Most DIY spray foam companies to a good job of informing their customers about the rules and regulations and some even offer tips, tricks and what to watch out for…BUT THEY DON’T TELL YOU EVERYTHING!!!

Spraying foam with a DIY kit is just like being a new guy on a spray foam contracting crew. The BIG difference is that there is no one that knows what they are doing to look over your shoulder and correct your mistakes.

#1 – PREPARATION IS KING – You can never over-prepare a space when applying spray foam. This stuff gets everywhere and on everything. You may think that your antique grandfather clock is safe because it is 30 feet away on the other side of the room. IT IS NOT SAFE! When spraying foam, tiny particles of overspray fill the air and drift around landing on any/every surface in the room and even adjacent rooms if they are not blocked of with plastic. The tiny specks of overspray are just like paint overspray except for the fact that they DO NOT COME OFF.

I was working on a new construction project once and these take the least amount of preparation. The job took 8 days to complete and 2 of those days were spent scraping and scrubbing the window sills which we failed to cover properly. It was a nightmare and the customer ended up getting a discount because his brand new pre-finished windows were never going to be perfect again. Those tiny specks of overspray landed so subtly on each and every window sill in the entire house.

#2 – The TANK – Or should I say the tanks…first of all they are HEAVY. Each one weighs about 60 Lbs. Instead of saying they are Do-It-Yourself kits they should be Do-It-With someone else kits.

WARNING: If you are using a DIY kit in an attic that does not have a finished floor don’t do this by yourself. All the moving and shuffling around involved, changing the spray heads, changing gloves and getting BOTH tanks from point A to B is not suited for one person and you could easily end up falling or dropping a tank through the ceiling below. Trust me it has happened.

Another problem with the tanks is that once they are “empty” no one wants them and the company will not take them back in my experience.

Last but not least, after using half of the materials and putting them away for a later date you may find that they do not work very well next time. Not sure exactly why but assuming it has to do with the foam materials sitting in those long tubes for weeks or months.

#3 – Cover your ASS – Forgive my vulgarity but I wanted to grab your attention. Cover every square inch of your body if possible. Painter’s coveralls, head socks, goggles and nitrile gloves should be worn at all times, even if you are not spraying but will be in the room. I cannot stress HEAD SOCKS enough because the first time I ever sprayed foam I had to shave my head, not kidding.

#4 – Breathe Man, Breathe! – Most spray foam companies use full face air-supplied respirators but most people do not have access to one. You can get away with using a painter’s respirator in most cases and if you are spraying in a very open area, like outdoors, a dust mask is sufficient.

Confined spaces, such as attics and crawlspaces do not over much in the way of natural ventilation. If you are sealing up your attic with spray foam you must realize that you are virtually eliminating an escape route for the overspray particles. The gases created by the exothermic reaction of the mixture of parts A and B of the foam will quickly fill a confined space that is being sealed. This can be a noxious situation, even when you are wearing a respirator. You can rent an exhaust fan and a 20 foot extender for about $30/day, it is worth it.

#5 – I can’t see a damn thing! – Protect your eyes. This is probably the toughest thing to deal with when spraying foam. SPF contractors use tear offs over their repirators so when they covered in foam they just tear it off and put a new one on. If you are using goggles and spraying for a considerable amount of time or over your head at all, be warned, unless you cover your goggles with something (I use Saran Wrap) you will be going out to buy new ones halfway through the day.

Another thing to keep in mind is that when wearing safety glasses or vented goggles, the mist that builds up in the room from the foam reaction (well it is actually from the Isocyanate) can irritate your eyes quite a bit and cause Corneal Edema. Corneal edema is an irritation of the cornea that will cause blurriness of vision and you will see rings and a glowing effect around lights. It is usually not permanent and goes away within 3 days. I had this for 8 days once and it was not fun at all. I felt like I was risking my life when I drove at night because the headlights from the oncoming cars was just huge rings of different colors. Crazy!

Whether or not you decide to read the article that my comment below is posted on (http://houseblog.ottopohl.com/2010/02/05/foaming-about-insulation/comment-page-1/#comment-41). I think you will find my information informative and revealing.

–Wow!!!

You did your research! I am very impressed that you were able to calculate all of those figures and actually obtain some of the “secret” information that you did.

I have to take you for your word on the calculations for the quantities of comparable Co2 inside the closed-cell products an credit you for being bold enough to point that out.

One point that you made which is valid but disconcerting to me  is the event of escape of the 245FA into the atmosphere. As you said, during a fire this would happen but the actual toxicity of many other building materials in the house will be far more harmful to the environment. Not to mention the harmful effects or borate, formaldehyde and other bonding agents and fire retardants in fiberglass and cellulose insulation. Closed-cell foam torn out during a renovation can and should be sent to a recycling plant, there are many available.

I also noticed that you strictly focused on a closed-cell product, which I can understand because it brings the most environmental concern regarding the 245FA. You could have opted to go with and open-cell foam that relies on a steam reaction and air to create the bubbles inside the foam which act as the insulator.  Most open-cell foam products do not rely on 245FA to increase the r-value. You mentioned that the product you decided to go with has a r-factor of 6.2/inch. You could have sought out a 1.0 Lb. open-cell foam offering an r-value of 4.5/inch and used that in all of your non-moisture related spaces. One example of a product is Demilec’s Agribalance which I have used hundreds of times in combination with a 2.0 Lb. closed-cell foam for the basement sill areas and areas that have moisture concerns and are hard or impossible to tackle with a vapor barrier.

As far as the foam guy that uses it for furniture, automotive, etc. The process is not the same. Spray foam used in homes needs to rise and typically have a volume of 1.8-2.2 Lb./Cu.Ft. This is not the case with much denser types of rigid foam. The reason that 245FA is used by most foam companies that sell foam to the construction market is that it allows for proper expansion while maintaining a high r-value. If one was to use a mix of materials such as this guy uses it would get sprayed on at 1/32nd of an inch and barely expand, if at all. It would go on very sloppy and not fill gaps through expansion.

My last note is regarding your quote, “The “soy-based” thing is a bit misleading, as it still contains a lot of petroleum-based chemicals.” I have to agree with you 100% that this is a misleading advertising scheme…however…I understand what it means to be qualified as a soy-based foam. As you said there are parts A and B and parts A are virtually the same across the board. In order for a foam product to be registered and accepted as a Soy-Based product it must contain 9+% soy/recycled/renewable materials. After you break it down it seems small but the fact is that spray foam insulation is the way of the future and will be used in 75% of all new construction in the next five years. Having 5% of the total materials being soy based, reused or renewable in a $100 billion industry is a step forward.

Construction projects were at a six year low for 2009 according to the Associated General Contractors of America.

But for the mere $900B spent energy efficient building practices are at an all time high.

More projects in 2009 were LEED certified by the USGBC than all of the prior years COMBINED since inception of the program in 2000.

You can read the entire story here http://www.wbjournal.com/news45578.html

Think about it folks, if you actually built the house you are living in, would you choose to use anything BUT spray foam to insulate your house? The sad fact is that you likely did not build your house and the person or contractor that did was looking to maximize profit, was unaware of the stunning benefits of spray foam or foam simply did not exist.

Forty percent, Yes 40%, of heat loss or gain in homes without spray foam insulation is due to excessive air-leakage. The only insulation product that creates a +99% air-seal is spray foam.

That is a staggering number to say the least. Think about saving 40% on every single heating/cooling bill since you have lived in hour home and for the next 20 years that you might be there.

Take my friend Jon for example, who has a poorly insulated home in Massachusetts. If you know New England at all you know that the Summers are HOT and the Winters are Cold (and usually it seems that Spring and Fall are only about a month long temperature wise.) Another fact about New England is that this is where it all began. Many of the homes here are historic and by that I mean OLD. Until the 70’s no one even thought of insulating houses and if they did they were well before their time.

So Jon lives in one of those “historic” homes and once he struggled through two years of being a new homeowner he finally put his insulation needs at the top of his list for year three. And boy was he happy he chose spray foam.

His heating and cooling costs averaged $280/month. I say average because the actual charges were MUCH higher in the Winter and Summer.

Jon decided that due to the style and state of the interior walls that he was going to gut the whole thing and start from scratch. After getting all of the plaster and lathe off of the perimeter walls he changed his mind about tearing down the rest (I don’t wanna brag Jon BUT – Told ya so.)

To make a long story short… Jon decided to go with a soy based closed-cell foam to get the best r-value possible from his barely 3″ wall cavities. After sealing up every minuscule crack and crevice in the perimeter walls he went ahead and had the attic sealed up and not only did he foam the sill area in the basement he actually had the spray foam company spray 2″ of foam on the fieldstone foundation walls.

After having a Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system installed to increase indoor air quality Jon was out almost $10,000 for the project and he still hadn’t put his walls back up.

You see that $10k and you must think, WOW was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY!

Jon now averages under $100/month for heating and cooling. He is saving $180 EVERY month. He is saving over $2100/ year and once five years goes by the insulation has paid for itself and he is pocketing the rest for the rest of his life should he choose to stay that long. Luckily for Jon he made a great investment. His fiance, who recently got pregnant, plans to move in with Jon in two months and they will certainly be enjoying their long family lives together unaffected by the crazy New England weather.

Just a quick final note, this story is real and the biggest reason Jon saved way more money than average is because he had absolutely no insulation in the walls and his house only has seven windows which were swapped out for newer replacements that he reclaimed for a great deal for Habitat for humanity. He basically stole the windows for only $100 each and his brother put them in for nothing.