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12/20/2009
Your Home: Spray foam insulation
By: Ryan Peterson

When you talk about insulation, you instinctively think of that thick, pink, fiberglass stuff that your parents always told you not to eat because it's not cotton candy, right? Well, spray foam insulation looks nothing like that and, according to the experts, it's a superior product. "Fiberglass insulation hasn't come anywhere in 50 years. Windows have gotten better, heating systems have, but insulation hasn't. This foam is the best there is. It's an air barrier. It air seals. It'll fill all the voids, the nooks and crannies. It expands to 100 times its size in six seconds. It stops all the air leaks in the house," said expert Jayme Kuhn.

Looks like something right out of a science fiction movie doesn't it? Kuhn assures us that the polyurethane foam is water based, completely non-toxic, Energy Star rated and it meets all existing building codes. "If you do it in the design stage you can cut down on the heating requirements for the house by 40 percent to 50 percent and the air conditioning. There's a whole bunch of benefits. If you put into the initial design of the home, there's almost zero cost. The whole insulation package is typically 3 percent to 4 percent of a new home," said Kuhn.

We've told you all about the advantages of spray foam insulation. If there is a downside, it might be the cost. It costs twice as much as traditional fiberglass insulation. But, in the long run, you're going to save as much as 50 percent on your energy bill.

"It'll reduce the energy load on this house by 40 percent minimum. There are benefits even though the initial cost is twice as much as the traditional fiberglass insulation. Anywhere from 35 to 50 cents per board foot for open cell and anywhere from 80 cents to a $1.20 per board foot for closed cell foam. The return on investment is less than four years," said Kuhn.

An Energy Star tax credit is also available. The insulation must be installed in your "primary" residence. The credit is good for 30% of the cost up to $1,500. It's in effect until December 31, 2010.

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