Spray Foam Insulation for Builders
Go beyond your client’s expectations with an energy-efficient home that delivers on performance, functionality and comfort year-round. Residential insulation such as Icynene spray foam insulation helps you differentiate your homes in many ways.
Backed by our trusted, industry-leading engineering and technical support network, Icynene energy-efficient spray foam insulation has been tested and evaluated by industry associations, including ABAA, ICC-ES and CHPS.
THE ONLY INSULATION THAT RECOUPS ITS COST
Spray foam insulation is a valuable option for businesses and homeowners. It offers numerous benefits that traditional cellulose or fiberglass insulation fail to provide. Here are a few of the reasons why this kind of insulation is an ideal, energy-efficient alternative to its counterparts.
Homeowners and businesses can expect up to 50% possible savings on heating and cooling costs. That’s because spray foam insulation expands up to 100 times its volume to fill gaps where heat and air conditioning can escape. Cellulose and fiberglass can be loosely packed, which can result in drafty spots or stuffy areas in a building.
Indoor Air Quality affects everyone. Airborne pollutants can penetrate your home and lead to respiratory issues like asthma and even lead to mould. Mould and moisture control is critical for a healthy home.
Air sealing and eliminating air leakage can help prevent outdoor pollutants affecting your home’s indoor air quality.
The application of spray foam allows for greater privacy as well as peace and quiet. When considered for structural soundproofing, insulation should be able to address two main noise types:
- airborne
- flanking noise
Icynene spray foam insulation can reduce both. Icynene’s open-cell, light-density spray foam insulation has natural sound-absorbing properties which helps soundproof.
Cellulose and fiberglass insulation both absorb water, which could cause structural damage to a property. By contrast, spray foam insulation’s seal is vapor permeable, helping to prevent the formation of mildew and mold. Additionally, while pests such as mice or rats sometimes use traditional cellulose or fiberglass insulation to build nests, they are not attracted to spray foam insulation.
Flexibility for Applications – Builders can effectively seal any intricate or unique design without project delays.
Suitable for All Projects – Armour Insulation offers an array of specialized formulas and can provide the correct insulation for any housing or renovation project regardless of climate zone.
INSULATE NEW AND EXISTING HOMES
Spray foam insulation can be installed in new or existing homes. It adheres to wood and steel frames alike and is effective in any climate.
Each home is different, and has different insulation needs. These are some examples of parts of the home where spray foam insulation is often used.
- Attic Living Space – Insulating the underside of your roof to create an unvented, conditioned attic as a living space.
- Attic Floor Insulation – Insulating the floor of your attic to keep the house below warm (vented attic.)
- Cathedral Ceilings – Insulating high ceilings and roofs with intricate shapes.
- External Wall – Insulating outside walls to keep your home comfortable.
- Internal Wall – Separating noisy rooms and keeping out pollutants.
- Room Above Garage – Avoiding cold and hot spots by insulating bonus room floors.
- Floor Over Porches and Unconditioned Spaces – Insulating other floors to keep your home conditioned.
- Basement or Crawl Space – Insulating your basement walls and ceiling or crawl space ceiling.
- Hard-to-Insulate Spaces – Insulating around windows and doors, around skylights and electrical boxes, and rim joists.
BUILDING GREEN HOMES
Green your next building project and help your clients save money on energy costs
- Better Energy Efficiency (Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions)
- Healthier Indoor Environments
- Less Excess Materials
- Safer Formulas
- Renewable-Based Option Available
While most traditional insulation types only provide R-Value, building science shows us that an air seal, like that provided by Icynene, is imperative for total building performance. Protecting against air leakage with spray foam means that homeowners can significantly reduce CO2 emissions and save up to 50% in energy costs related to heating and cooling. On average, the energy savings can exceed the installation price within three to four years. Plus, an energy saving air seal helps keep airborne pollutants, allergens and moisture out ensuring a healthier and cleaner indoor air environment.
Spray foam’s dual performance function of R-Value plus air sealing also means that the amount of building materials required is less and can also shorten construction schedules. Icynene spray foam works for the life of the building, eliminating the need for replacement or additional materials and waste.
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are used as blowing agents in many spray foam insulation products. They also may include polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) for fire resistance. However, HFCs have a high global warming potential (GWP) and PBDEs can potentially be toxic to humans as well as the environment.
All Icynene spray foam insulation products are PBDE-free, and several are also HFC-free.
In fact, ICYNENE LD-R-50®, ICYNENE LD-C-50® and ICYNENE MD-R-200™ are 100% water-blown (meaning no synthetic blowing agents are used). Certain Icynene spray foam formulas have additional environmental benefits:
- ICYNENE MD-R-200™ is made with up to 12.6% recycled plastic in the resin. This defers the amount of plastic filling up landfills.
- ICYNENE LD-R-50® contains renewable-based content. It’s made with castor oil rather than petroleum-based polyol. Did you know that for every 2.2 lbs (1kg) of castor oil produced rather than petroleum-based polyol, there’s a 7.7 lbs (3.5kg) reduction in CO2 emitted into the atmosphere?
Icynene spray foam insulation products qualify for LEED credits. Builders and designers can attain Icynene LEED credits in:
- Energy and atmosphere
- Innovation and design
- Materials and resources
- Indoor environmental quality
Each Icynene spray foam insulation product is green approved by the National Green Building Standard™ of the National Association of Home Builders.
Energy efficiency is a top consideration among homeowners in the market for insulation. Icynene spray foam insulation helps you give them exactly what they want. In fact, Icynene can help reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 50%. Savings may exceed insulation costs in just three to four years on average. The investment then continues to pay off in the form of monthly savings for the life of the home.
Because less energy is needed to heat and cool a home with Icynene, HVAC capacity needs may also be reduced, saving you and your clients more money and possibly freeing up space within the design. HVAC design software can help you estimate the reduced heating and cooling loads.
When measuring the effectiveness of insulation, R value is the only factor most insulation manufacturers talk about because it’s all they offer. R value measures the ability to limit conductive heat flow (heat transferred through it). But the primary method of heat transfer is not conductive heat flow — it’s air leakage (convection). Air leakage can account for up to 40% of a building’s energy loss, and it cannot be stopped with traditional insulation. R value is important, but an airtight seal is equally important for achieving energy savings.
Icynene spray foam insulation provides insulation R value and air-sealing in a single step. This is the only way to truly provide your clients with the most energy-saving value from their insulation costs.
ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH ENERGY CODES
The Icynene code department is actively involved in building code development and licensed Icynene distributors such as Armour Insulation, always have the most current code information.
If you have questions about building codes related to insulating a house in your area, contact Armour Insulation, your local Icynene distributor.
- For up-to-date insulation spray requirements and the latest evaluation services reports: www.ICC-ES.org
- For building code questions and code cycle timelines: www.ICCsafe.org
- For state updates, including alerts: www.bcap-ocean.org
Code changes occur on a three-year cycle with various due dates along the way. Icynene representatives participate at each stage of the cycle to avoid surprises and ensure that Icynene products and services are always in compliance.
- Icynene holds at least 15 building code official presentations per year across the United States and Canada, addressing specific issues relevant to each geographic area. These presentations always include question-and-answer sessions.
- Icynene representatives also participate in building trade shows to update attendees on products and issues involving spray foam insulation.
Icynene’s code department proposes new code changes as a founding member of the Advanced Building Coalition (ABC). The ABC is a coalition of similar, proactive companies and consultants who wish to make building codes more energy efficient while being cost-effective.
These organizations include NAHB, the Colorado Department of Energy and other like-minded manufacturers. As a group, these organizations have a greater influence in defending proposed code changes and opposing those that are not in the best interests of building occupants and professionals.
- ICC-ES: International Code Council Evaluation Service (USA)
- CCMC: The Canadian Construction Materials Centre
- BBA: The British Board of Agrément (United Kingdom)
- ATec: Avis Technique (France)
- EEA: European Economic Area
- VTT: European Technical Approval
PRODUCT WARRANTY AND ENERGY INFORMATION
Icynene’s complete range of open-cell, closed-cell and renewable spray foam insulation products are guaranteed to perform as specified for the life of the building giving you peace of mind and assurance in a quality insulation product.
Depending on your project and requirements, open-cell and closed-cell spray foam insulation products have some key advantages.
OPTIONS:
Classic Ultra – R-Value 3.7 per inch
FL500 – R-Value 3.9 per inch
BENEFITS:
- Spray in place insulation and air barrier
- Vapor permeable
- Breathes
- Will accommodate long term creep and seasonal movements
- Does not sustain mold
- Rejects bulk water
- Drains water through
- Water commonly used for blowing agent
- Suitable for interior applications only
- Soft, flexible and highly adhesive texture allows the product to retain a tight air seal during the normal structural movement/shifting over the life time of the building
- Vapor permeable permits bi-directional drying of assemblies
- When applied to the underside of a roof deck, will allow for bulk water to pass through and visibly expose the location of an exterior roof leak
- Soft open cell structure allows for greater sound absorption versus closed cell structure
- Using a water based blowing agent instead of a synthetic blowing agent reduces the environmental impact
- Lower cost
OPTIONS:
ProSeal LE – R-Value 7.1 per inch
4G – R-Value 6.9 per inch
BENEFITS:
- Spray in place insulation and air barrier
- Low vapor permanence
- Vapor barrier (class II VDR)
- Rigid design adds structural reinforcement
- Does not sustain mold
- Rejects bulk water (even submerged)
- Deflects water path
- Blowing agent increases R value
- Suitable for both interior and exterior application
- Higher R-value per inch, easier to accommodate higher R requirement in narrow spaces or thinner wall capacity
- Hard, rigid texture provides increased wall racking strength (if necessary)
- Also suitable for exterior and below grade applications as it rejects bulk water
- Lower vapor permanence, can be a class II VDR
- Impact resistance