Spray Foam Insulation

When you want the best way to stabilize your home environment, let McCoy Foam be your go-to for spray-foam insulation to keep your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Spray polyurethane foam is the smart, energy-efficient way to keep your home comfortable.

Depending on the purpose, you can choose between open-cell foam and closed-cell foam. Here’s a short comparison of the two:

Open-Cell Foam

Any spray foam insulation is comprised of small bubbles, called cells, sprayed on a surface. In open-cell foam, the cells are not totally encapsulated, allowing for a softer material that is lighter and more flexible. One advantage to open-cell foam is that it will expand to a greater degree than closed-cell foam, allowing for fewer applications to seal up an area.

Closed-Cell Foam

Closed-cell foam is just that—the cells are closed, and therefore more rigid and less able to expand to fill a space. The result might mean more applications and a higher cost. But because closed-cell insulation is denser and more rigid than open-cell foam, it adds to the structural integrity of a building and offers a stronger barrier against moisture.

What is R-Value?

R-Value is a way of rating just how efficient an insulation is. The higher the rating, the better the insulating quality. Because open-cell foam is less dense than closed-cell, its R-value is lower, usually around 3.5 per inch. Closed-cell foam, on the other hand, is denser, with an R-value of 6.0 and up, depending on the formula used, and multiple applications can build on that rating.

So Which Foam Should You Choose?

Because of its rigidity and higher R-value, closed-cell foam is desirable in areas of extreme weather conditions, and offers the additional benefits of repelling insects, sealing cracks, and eliminating condensation and the resulting mold growth that can damage your structure.

However, open-cell foam has its own advantages, not the least of which is the lower cost factor. In addition, the lower density and easy expansion also mean it can be easily applied in unusual architectural designs, such as soaring ceilings or odd angles. Another advantage of foam is that since it easily fills space between studs, it can also be effective for soundproofing.

Don’t try to guess which type of spray-foam insulation to choose. Let the experts at McCoy Foam explain the benefits of both kinds of spray-foam insulation and suggest the best choice for your project and budget.