Spray foam has maintained its position as one of the best insulation materials on the market for decades now. But over the years, it has changed and evolved in the process, and some conceptions of spray foam insulation from past years are no longer true. Today we’ll be debunking common spray foam insulation myths like these to provide some more accurate information on these extremely useful materials. Keep reading to see the real answers to some of these myths and misconceptions regarding spray foam.
“Spray Foam Insulation Can Harm Your Health”
This myth likely comes from professional spray foam installation experts’ precautions, like using protective coverings and respirators during installation. Installation experts wear these suits to protect themselves from the hot foam that the spray foam machine produces. Some spray foam companies may require you to leave the building on installation day due to the fumes from this process, but after the foam sets and cures, it doesn’t give off any further fumes. Once the installation and curing process is complete, you can reenter the building without any health concerns.
This also helps debunk another myth which states that spray foam insulation has an odor even after the insulation process. After the installation and curing process, this type of insulation will not stink up your house for years with any sort of chemical odor. As long as you hire a trustworthy and professional installation company that uses high-quality insulation, you won’t have to worry about any lingering odors or hazards.
“Insulation Only Helps in the Winter”
Insulation is important for keeping warm air from escaping your home in the winter, but did you know that insulation can benefit your home in the summer as well? Spray foam insulation can act as a barrier to keep heat from entering your home. Many types of insulation have heat-resistant properties, and spray foam is no different. This heat resistance works in both directions—keeping heat out of your home in the summer and keeping it inside your home during the winter. It also helps to fill in the natural cracks and gaps in the walls of our buildings, keeping heat out this way as well.
“Spray Foam Isn’t Worth the Expense”
Hiring a high-quality professional spray foam service and installation can be a financial investment at the time, but this investment is more than worth it. Spray foam insulation can help your home, business, and other buildings be more energy-efficient, saving you money in the long run. Spray foam insulation helps regulate your indoor temperature with its ability to trap and prevent heat from escaping or entering depending on the time of year. This means you’ll be turning your thermostat up and down a lot less often to try to regulate the indoor temperature yourself. This can help you save on your monthly energy bills, which can eventually add up and replace what you spent on insulation in the first place.
“You Can’t Install Spray Foam in the Winter”
Many home or business owners might think that they can’t install spray foam in the winter due to the cold. However, many installation companies are trained to do just that. In these cases, the company may bring in space heaters to warm the internal temperature of the room or building. Many spray foam systems go through a heating process as well, which can help in the colder weather. This is another reason you should rely on a professional service for most large insulation projects, as they will know when the surfaces are warm enough for the foam solution to adhere to the surfaces as it should.
“All Spray Foam Is the Same”
Some customers interested in spray foam insulation will claim that “foam is foam” without understanding the key differences between types. In fact, the quality of a project can sometimes depend on whether it uses the right type of foam. For example, open-cell and closed-cell are two types of foam that the industry uses most. Each have their own properties and distinct differences, which makes them ideal for different applications. By simply saying “all foam is the same” and blindly choosing one, you may not end up getting the quality job you would expect because the type of foam you used may not have the best benefits for you.
On the other side of the coin, there are also customers and even contractors who insist that one type of spray foam is better than the other. Each type of spray foam has its own unique properties and benefits. While one type may be better than others for a certain application, there is no distinct victory that should be your go-to among the spray foam industry. You can never go wrong with consulting a spray foam expert to see which would be best for your project.
“Spray Foam Traps Moisture”
Some home and business owners may be hesitant about installing spray foam because they might have heard it traps moisture overall. Neither closed-cell nor open-cell foams attract and absorb moisture. They are meant to do the opposite, in fact. Modern spray foams don’t retain moisture and water, which helps them protect your home or business from a buildup of mold and mildew. There may be some specific types of foams on the market that are formulated to attract water, but any insulation going into your home or business will not.
Spray foam insulation has changed and evolved a lot in recent years, so it can be easy to hear a lot of conflicting information at times. We hope this guide to debunking common spray foam insulation myths has helped you understand more about the benefits of spray foam and cleared up any misconceptions.
For any spray foam business owners or those who are looking for more specific information on commercial spray foam insulation equipment, check out our shop here at Spray Foam Systems, LLC. We strive to be the number one product information and technical resource center when it comes to spray foam equipment.
