Insulation San Carlos California

How does spray foam insulation work?

Spray foam insulation is one of several methods for reducing air leakage and improving thermal performance in new construction or single-story existing residential structures.

Spray foam can be sprayed inside an open foundation wall to reduce heat transfer through the foundation, which helps reduce the need for mechanical cooling equipment. Or it may be sprayed on top of a properly constructed metal roof, typically onto tar paper installed between layers of felt paper. The closed cell spray polyurethane insulation will flash off at this point and form a continuous layer beneath the roofing material, with no long-term exposure to ultraviolet light required. Spray foam insulation spray machines are typically air driven, not electric. Two main types of spray guns are available in the market, rotating drum guns and compression spray guns. A rotating drum spray gun allows the machine to be stopped when necessary for inspection or adjustment

Compression spray nozzle guns generally run at higher pressures, but this requires increased motor horsepower along with increased maintenance requirements. Watch out for spray foam installation companies who use low quality equipment because it is up to you to educate them on why you want good equipment in your home.

The most important step in spray foam insulation application is proper surface preparation before installation begins. If existing foundation walls do not have adequate insulation installed between studs or if floor joists require additional insulation , spray foam insulation can be used to achieve the desired R-value. A spray foam contractor should not install spray foam insulation over or into wet or damp wall cavities, foundations, ceilings and crawl spaces (see spray foam surfaces).

Types of spray systems

1. Multi-component spray system - This has spray guns and hose lines that mix two components together at the point of spraying. 2) Two component spray system - This has a single hose line and gun where each component is stored separately until they are mixed together just prior to being sprayed

2. Air initiated - When air is used to mix the spray components, it is called air-initiated spray foam. The spray systems can be manual or automatic.

3. Two component spray system with spray generator - This has a single hose line and gun where each component is stored separately until they are mixed together just prior to being sprayed . It uses a spray generator on the mixing nozzle tip to create high velocity jets of air that intermix the two components as they leave the spray gun tip

4. One Component System - As you might guess from its name, this type of spray foam insulation is made from only one chemical mixture that is mixed in one tank

5. Chemical Spray Foam Machine - This utilizes a machine which contains two chemical tanks, spray gun and spray hose for application.

Spray foam insulation is typically priced by volume, meaning that the actual cost will depend on how much spray foam is used. The spray foam industry advertises their product as a way to achieve a highly energy-efficient building envelope in both new construction and existing homes and buildings. Critics say that spray foam can be an expensive way to solve a problem that doesn't exist in most cases.