Why would you have spray foam insulation added to your attic or your wall spaces? To insulate your home, of course. Spray foam insulation is an excellent insulator, often doing a better job than fiberglass and other insulating materials. However, spray foam insulation does more than just insulate. Here are some other things it does for you and your home.
Spray foam insulation adds stability to your walls.
When spray foam is applied inside a wall space, it fills the entire space. It settles in between the wall joists and adheres to both the internal and external walls. By filling the space in this way, the spray foam insulation adds stability to the walls. This will come in handy during high winds and harsh storms. Your walls are less likely to suffer damage. This can really come in handy in older homes where the walls are starting to lose stability.
Spray foam insulation helps deter pests.
Nobody wants pests in their home. Cockroaches, earwigs, and ants are all really tough to get rid of once they find their way inside. Spray foam insulation is no substitute for an otherwise good pest control program. However, it is a good addition to the program. The spray foam sheds water, rather than holding onto it, so it won't attract insects like other insulation might. Since it also fills the wall spaces, it makes it harder for bugs to find their way into your home, physically.
Spray foam helps keep mold at bay.
As mentioned above, spray foam does not hold onto water. So, if your home happens to suffer some water infiltration due to a plumbing leak or a storm, the spray foam will shed water. This means it won't mold. Since mold is bad for your health and causes a lot of respiratory symptoms, the more non-molding materials you have in your home, the better.
Spray foam stops air leaks.
When spray foam is applied to a surface, it fills in any little holes or cracks in that surface. That means air can no longer make its way through those cracks and holes. This is really nice during cold weather; it means you won't feel as many drafts and chilly breezes inside your home.
Spray foam is an excellent insulator, helping to greatly reduce heat transfer. However, it also stops air leaks, adds support to the structure, deters pests, and helps keep mold at bay.
it is interesting that, as a society, we have decided to lump so many different jobs and trades under the umbrella term of "contracting." One person could use the work contractor to refer to someone who is framing a new building. Another person could use the word "contractor" to refer to someone who was painting walls. Don't even get us started on the term "construction worker." That one's pretty vast, too!
Since we realized we cannot possible say everything we want to say about construction and contractors in a few paragraphs, we decided to write a blog. And if you are reading this right now, you've found it. Please stick around and read a bit!