These energy statistics may help you sell spray foam insulation, or help you understand the reasons you should have it in your home.

They have been compiled from various sources. Mostly DOE.

1. According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, the average home spends $1,300/year on energy utility costs.

2. 1/6th of total electricity consumed in the U.S. is used for cooling, costing $40 billion per year.

3. The US Department of Energy (DOE) studies show that 40% of your home's energy is lost due to air infiltration. This air infiltrates the home in the form of drafts through walls sockets, windows and doorways.

4. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that common sources for indoor air quality problems include chemicals from building materials and mold.

5. California building code efficiency standards (along with those for energy efficient appliances) have saved more than $36 billion in electricity and natural gas costs since 1978. It is estimated the Title 24 standards will save an additional $43 billion by 2013.

6. Air ducts. A typical home loses 20 to 30 percent of the air that flows through its ventilation system. The culprit is leaky ductwork. Properly sealed and insulated ducts and joints, especially those routed through attics where temperatures may vary widely from the home's living spaces, optimize a system's efficiency. An insulation value of R-6 is recommended for ductwork

7. Energy Star-qualified homes are independently verified to be at least 30 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 1993 national Model Energy Code

What is the Difference between Open-cell and Closed-cell Polyurethane Foams?

When it comes time to actually put the foam product in your home or commercial building, you must identify whether you will use .05 lb./cu. ft., open cell foam, or 2.0 lb./cu. ft. closed cell foam. This makes a big difference in cost, application methods, and performance. There are two major factors to consider With the open-cell vs. closed-cell foam. The first is the nature of the foam. It is either open-cell foam, where the tiny cells of the foam are not completely closed. They are broken and air fills all of the "open" space inside the material. This makes the foam weaker or softer feeling than closed-cell foam. Closed-cell foam differs in that all of its tiny foam cells are closed and packed together. They are filled with a gas that helps the foam rise and expand and become a greater insulator. These cells can be formulated to obtain many characteristics, the most common being size and density. Density is measured by weighing one solid cubic foot of foam material. Open cell foams typically weigh in at 0.4 to 0.5 lb./cu. ft. Closed cell foam range in density from 1.7 lb./cu. ft. to 2.0 lb./cu. ft. Roofing applications typically use a 2.8 to 3.0+ lb./cu. ft. foam. The higher the density of the foam, the heavier, or stronger it becomes. Some polyurethane foams are molded into decorative interior molding and painted or stained for a simulated wood effect. These "higher density" foams are typically in the 30 lb./cu. ft. to 40 lb./cu. ft. density range.

The advantages of closed-cell foam compared to open-cell foam include its strength, higher R-value, and its greater resistance to the leakage of air or water vapor. The disadvantage of the closed-cell foam is that it is denser, requires more material, and therefore, is more expensive. Even though it has a better R-value, typically the cost per R is still higher than open-cell foam. The choice of foam can also be based on application specific characteristics such as strength, vapor control, available space, etc. Open-cell SPF has an R-value around 3.5 per inch and typically uses water as the blowing agent. Closed-cell SPF has an R-value of around 6.0 per inch (aged R-value) and uses high R-value blowing agents.

Both types of foam are commonly used in most building applications and the choice for which to use can depend on many of the factors discussed above. Some foams are inappropriate in specific applications. For example, you would not use open-cell foam below grade or in flotation applications where it could absorb water; this would negate its thermal performance as water is a poor insulator compared to air.

Closed-cell foam would be a good choice where small framing sizes need the greatest R-value per inch.

Closed-cell foam is perfect for roofing applications.

Feel the difference, choose THERMETIX.

Call us for a free estimate (877)-606-FOAM [(877)-606-(3626)]