Feel the Warmth

The Kansas snowstorms this week remind us of a story we heard recently about a husband returning home from a hunting trip and bragging to his wife about his adventures, especially going on about the "barn with the foam insulation" the place where the hunters would gather before and after going out.

The metal building's owner, an avid waterfowl hunter, made the decision to provide an air-tight polyurethane foam insulation barrier inside the structure.

"It was amazing," the husband told his wife. "It was so warm inside because of how well it was sealed."

SPF insulation has many uses and many home-owners are finding it more economical in the long run to use it as they build or renovate houses. Steve Thomas, former host of the PBS series, This Old House and Renovation Nation on the Planet Green channel, used spray foam insulation to renovate his 100-year-old home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

"Spray foam insulation is super insulation. It gives superior R-value, conforms to any shape . . . is a water and air barrier, which makes the house healthier, gives the homeowner amazing energy savings, and allows us to maintain the design integrity of the American Southwest," he said.

So what does spray polyurethane foam insulation have in common with snowstorms?

If the snow is the right consistency and drifts up around your building and on your roof, you can actually feel the warm in your home. It provides a wonderful insulation as it nestles into cracks and crevices, keeping the wind out and the heat in. It actually provides a better shelter than if there is no snow at all.

Snow on outside of building during the
February snowstorm in Kansas City.

But then Mother Nature changes direction and the snow melts and the insulation is gone, unless, of course, you have your building insulated with spray polyurethane foam.

Exciting Times for Washington Roofing & Insulation

There is so much going on this year and we want to continue to share exciting updates with everyone. Washington Roofing & Insulation was awarded the job to work with almost a dozen Casey's General Stores in the state of Missouri and will be working with them for several months. We also recently finished a Digester Lid Dome in Lubbock, Texas with SPF and elastomeric roof coating.

We are in the process of working with a 30,000 square foot building in Lenexa, Kansas which will entail using GacoFlex S-20 Silicone Coatings from GACO Western over an existing EPDM roof. Exciting times in the roofing industry.

In addition, we ran across this case study from the Honeywell Report which shows how well closed cell polyurethane foam saves on utilities. Yes, we work in commercial construction and the report is based on residential case studies, but it is a great example of how SPF can be a major player in energy efficiency.

The Importance of the Climate Zone Map

In order to provide the insulation material for your building, the BASF educates contractors to reference the the U.S. Department of Energy's climate zone map. The map breaks the United States up into two main areas: dry and moist, and further breaks it down into eight zones.

Each zone has specific requirements for how spray polyurethane foam should be applied. To spare you with all the technical jargon, SPF is applied differently from one zone to the next, depending upon climates.

"Both open-cell and closed-cell spray foam are air impermeable and can help to reduce energy losses and avoid condensation by increasing the airtightness of the enclosure if the enclosure is properly designed and the spray foam is properly installed. Open-cell foam is vapor permeable so care must be taken in colder climates to minimize the risk of vapor diffusion wetting of the exterior sheathing. Hybrid applications, known as “flashand- batt” or “flash-and-fill” or “combo systems” consist of spray foam against the exterior sheathing covered with a layer of fibrous insulation. Spraying foam directly against exterior foam insulation is also possible as a hybrid approach but care must be given during the foam application process." Spray Foam Guide, Building Science Corporation 2011.

As a performance-based mid-western spray polyurethane roofing and air barrier company we take understanding the reasons behind the different applications very seriously. We are committed to providing our clients with nothing less than an exception final product so continual staff education in SPF design and installation is a priority.

Why Choose Spray Foam?

Our friends at the Spray Foam Coalition provided us with a 2-page document that lists the benefits of choosing spray polyurethane foam (SPF) for your insulation and air sealing barrier needs on walls, roofs and other surfaces. You can download the document from our website or keep reading for the summarized version.

Spray Foam is Energy Efficient
As much as 40% of a building's energy is lost due to air infiltration, gaps, holes and air leaks. Spray foam closes gaps that lets air escape and can reduce utility bills. It also helps your HVAC unit as it maintains an optimal climate in your building, keeping it from working as hard. In fact, a HVAC unit can be downsized by as much as 35% when a building is SPF insulated.

When SPF is applied to the roof of a building, it can provide cool roof performance when topped with a protective, reflective coating. "Cool roofs" are designed to maintain a lower temperature than traditional roofs.

Common air leaks found in most buildings.
Source: 2011 American Chemistry Council, Inc.

Buildings can be sealed with SPF.
Source: 2011 American Chemistry Council, Inc.

Closed-Cell Spray Foam Can Improve Building Strength and Durability
A SPF roofing system is known to have effective lifespans that can exceed 30 years. A professionally applied SPF can create a strong bond to protect the roof and eliminate water seepage through weak spots. It increases a building's resistance to wind uplift, "gluing" the overall building together.

SPF insulation is highly resistant to floodwater damage. It also prevents moisture and condensation throughout the building, helping prevent mold and mildew. When closed-cell is applied in the cavities of walls it increases durability of the wall system because of its ability to conform and adhere to the surface.

Source: Spray Foam Coalition

Flame Seal-TB

After taking an intensive training class, Washington Roofing and Insulation is proud to announce our recent certification as a qualified Flame Seal-TB applicator.

Flame Seal-TB is a waterbased, intumescent coating product that has been certified multiple times as both a Thermal and Ignition Barrier when used over a Spray Polyurethane Foam system. With very low toxicity and low VOCs, the coating qualifies for the LEED IEQ4 Credit for Low Emitting Material - Paints and Coatings.

The certification process for a LEVEL ONE applicator includes passing a detailed test and establishing a Quality Assurance and Control process within their organization.

The Thermal Barrier and Ignition Barrier Story

One issue that has confused many people is the code requirement for thermal and ignition barriers and how it relates to spray foam insulation when installed in an attic or crawl space.

Thermal Barrier - A thermal barrier, as far as building code is concerned, is any product that has been ASTM tested and is considered to have a "15-minute thermal barrier" or an "index of 15." An example of a thermal barrier is 1/2" sheet rock, 1/4" plywood or particleboard, and some fire proof coating.

Ignition Barrier - a product that prevents the ignition of the product which it is applied to from a spark, or from direct heat, but does not protect from direct flame over a period of time. Ignition barriers are usually spray on or brush on coatings.

The Fire Suit and the Leather Jacket
This analogy might help understand the difference. Lets say a firefighter is wearing his fireproof suit, his suit is our thermal barrier. We are standing next to him wearing a leather jacket. This leather jacket is our ignition barrier. The firefighter can walk though a fire without burning, but we can't. That leather jacket would burn quickly. But if we were standing outside the fire and a spark come in contact with the leather jacket, it's doubtful we would burn. The jacket would give us a small amount of protection, but nothing close to the amount of protection that the fireproof suit would give us.

In conclusion, a thermal barrier is a high-level of protection, and an ignition barrier is a low-level of protection. 

When does code tell me I need to us a thermal barrier?
Simply put, everywhere foam is applied to the interior of the building, a thermal barrier must separate the foam from the interior of the building. For example, when foam is applied on the exterior walls your sheet rock on the walls is your thermal barrier. When foam is applied to the roof deck, sheet rock installed at your ceiling is your thermal barrier. If your ceiling is not sheet rock, or does not have a 15-minute fire rating, you must apply a thermal barrier directly to the foam.

When does code tell me I need to use an ignition barrier?
Code says that anywhere foam is applied in an attic or crawl space, it must also be protected from the attic space from an ignition barrier in addition to the thermal barrier that is at the ceiling. The way the code sees it is that once the foam is separated from the interior of the building with a thermal barrier, the foam does not need the same level of protection from the attic space. However, it does require some protection. That is when the ignition barrier, or low-level protection, is used.

Website

Comparing Insulation Products

Out of the dozen positive features compared between spray foam insulation, fiberglass batts, fiberglass loose-fill, wet-sprayed cellulose, blown-in (dry) cellulose and mineral wool, only the spray foam insulation had the most. They include:

• High to Highest R-Value per inch
• No wind washing effect
• Certified air barrier
• Expands to fill hard-to-reach spaces
• Contains no HCFCs or CFCs
• Does not contain formaldehyde
• Won't shrink or settle over time when properly installed
• Will not absorb significant levels of water
• FEMA approved flood-resistant insulation materials
• Will not distort framing when properly installed
• Efficiently reduces sound transmission through walls

The only feature that Spray Foam Insulation does not have that two of the others provide is the ability to inject it into existing wall cavities without major demolition. Spray Foam Insulation is normally done during the initial building process, while adding on to an existing structure or remodeling.

Source: sprayfoam.com, "Insulation Comparison Chart"

It's Not Just About Roofs, Anymore

As building and architecture focuses more on energy efficiency and renewable resources, spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation will become more prevalent for the entire building structure.

As opposed to traditional fiberglass insulation, SPF fills every crack and crevice to eliminate airflow in and out of the building, saving on utility bills and extending the life of your HVAC. It also helps keep insects, spiders, dust, pollen and mold down, giving you cleaner, healthier air to breathe.

Metal studs on the interior of a building.
Photo by: Washington Roofing & Insulation

Metal studs after spraying BASF Spraytite as Insulation.
Photo by: Washington Roofing & Insulation

Washington Roofing & Insulation uses SPRAYTITE closed cell SPF with uses ZONE3 zero-ozone-depleting blowing-agent technology and emits no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It can be used in the following areas of insulation applications:

• Above Rafters
• Between Rafters
• Cavity and Cavity Walls
• Ceilings
• Exteriors
• Floors
• Interiors
• Perimeters
• Roofs