Different brands of spray foam
HomeBuilder1975
| Posted in Green Products and Materials on
I am seeing different brands of spray foam in this market, Icynene, Certainteed, Demilac, and now a foam made by Bayer. Are there differences in quality?
Allan
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Replies
Allan,
I supposed one could do a spreadsheet analysis of all your insulation options. On the categories you could have R value, $, GWP, Installation, waste or recycle, Customer Service, etc., and give a “value” of 1-10 at each box and come up with your own conclusion. I’m sure it could make a difference if in Houston or Boston.
Allan,
I think most of us guys who use spray foam in the field on a daily basis will tell you that the differences between brands are minor and nothing that you as a homeowner need to be concerned about. Your local installers will have their favorites but across types of foam, products are a lot more similar than they are different.
i agree with the above, but keep in mind for the uninformed, there are some key differences when talking about ALL the foams
closed cell has a much higher r-value and basically zilch moisture permeance; most foams listed are closed cell
open cell foams have a lower r-value and decent moisture permeance; icynene is the main brand. also open cell foams like icynene are water-blown instead of using gasses that are potentially ozone warming and have other issues
there are now some medium density open cell foams with r-values in between the two
you need to understand how this effects your building structure before making a choice
the big key is finding someone qualified to spray the job right. great foam means little if sprayed wrong
Yes Allan there are some differences. Different manufacturers use proprietary ingredients that each believes isbetter for one reason or another. Some FILL better, some insulate differently, some use different blowing agents. The importnat thing is to use a professional installer to spray the foam. More information at: http://spraypolyurethane.org/TrainingHowTo - this is the first EPA reviewed FREE training. The main url of that site is a wealth of infomation. For general uses and benefits of spray foam see also http://www.greenbuildingsolutions.org and click >>Insulation then >> Foam Insulation. Thanks for your question.
Rob Krebs
http://www.facebook.com/greenbuildingsolutions