A properly insulated home will always save on energy consumption compared to a poorly insulated one. And for the pro-active homeowners who want to reduce utility bills, insulation can contribute significantly. For us, getting a home properly insulated is one of the better home improvement projects. An energy-efficient home will definitely decrease utility bills and improve comfort and livability. Truly, every home no matter the size is going to benefit when insulation is improved.
In the case of older windows and doors, sealing and draft proofing will minimize “air leakage”. When sealed properly, windows and doors will prevent heat loss (and wasted energy).
A poorly insulated basement is often the first area of concern for the poorly insulated home. It can easily be the most neglected area but can also have the most problems due to the potential for moisture build up and condensation issues. The idea of insulating the basement is to eliminate airflow, stop air leakage, and stop moisture from collecting – This will contribute to reducing household utility costs.
Window films are specifically designed to decrease solar heat. Window films save energy because the AC works less, and therefore hydro costs are reduced during the summer.
Insulating a garage will stop cold air from coming into the house, and warm air from leaking out. This is especially important when any living area located above the garage.
Attics and roofs are usually the primary source of heat loss in most homes. To get the most out your R-value in the attic or anywhere else for that matter, it must be sealed well. In case of attics, sealing can be done with properly taped and sealed vapour barrier, 2 lb. spray foam or both. The attic must also be well ventilated.
Livingston Insulation will recommend a plan to maximize your specific attic space to produce the best comfort for the home and energy savings for the wallet. Our installers will seal, insulate, and ventilate the home so that the energy efficiency is significantly improved. The result: decreased utility bills throughout the year.
Back in the 1990’s when we started, homeowners were always questioning the attributes of 2lb. Polyurethane spray foam. But after decades of proven results and high accolades from the DIY TV shows, a much greater portion of the public is aware of spray foams benefits. True, there are number of product options to choose from, but none perform like spray foam does. Spray foam is essentially the best insulation available period. Professionals are recommending spray foam as the procedure that delivers the best results. Spray Polyurethane Foam has proven itself, time after time, to do more and perform far better than any comparable product on the market today.
When professionally installed, spray foam provides the highest energy efficiency by protecting your home, cottage, commercial building or farm against heat loss. This simply means heat will stay in during the wintertime and outdoor heat will not enter during the summer. This results in your heating and cooling equipment working less, and lowering your energy consumption for any season. A good spray foam installation will save substantial dollars each and every year.
But Spray foam does much more than just insulate. It controls moisture. Studies show that up to 60% of heat loss in a home results from the escape of moisture-laden air. When properly installed with 2 inches or more, Polyurethane Spray Foam creates a vapour barrier that stops moisture accumulation and air movement, therefore reducing heat loss. This one of the most shining examples of spray foams superiority over other types of insulation.
Another advantage of spray foam is its distinctive ability to seal a space airtight – this ensures the optimum in thermal insulation and makes for R- Values that are hard to match. But even the best product will not perform if not properly installed. This is especially true with spray foam. These are advanced chemical compounds that require expert handling, and the highest standard of professional installation.
At Livingston Insulation, we use the utmost in professionalism on each and every job we do, big or small.
R-value insulation ratings are used to measure an insulation’s ability to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective it is. For example; walls are R-24, Attics are R-50 and some flat roofs are R- 30. Home insulation should be purchased based on its efficiency value.
Regarding 2lb. spray foam, the first inch will attain 72% of your total heat retention and 2 inches will retain 89%. At 3 inches, the area sprayed is now 94% more efficient! After 3 inches, there isn’t really a point to apply more product unless your local building code requires it.
A LTTR is a rating system used to see how insulation performs in the long term. Most standard testing is for the R-Value immediately after it is installed. We in the foam industry are required to give you the LTTR rating and not the initial rating so just be careful when comparing different companies quotes and claims that you are comparing LTTR ratings.
A batt of fiberglass insulation’s (LTTR) is substantially reduced over time.
The (R-value) rating on a bag of fiberglass insulation is very deceiving. When a bag of insulation (pink) says (R20) it means that it will provide that rating if it is installed correctly, meaning in a sealed cavity which is never the case. Only spray foam can seal the cavity properly.
The (LTTR) of an (R20) fiberglass batt is at best actually rated at (R12). This is because it will sag and gap for a variety of reasons (gravity, house shifting, pulling wires through wall space, vibrations in house, etc.) For every 1/8″ gap you will lose 50% of the (R-value).
Spray foam insulation is guaranteed to never gap, sag or crack, while fiberglass insulation does
not guarantee that.
Polyurethane foam insulation is listed as a combustible insulation under the building code. The foam does have a fire retardant in it, which means it will not support a flame.
If you pull the source of flame from it, it will stop burning. Building code requires a thermal barrier to be put over all foam insulation (½” drywall meets all thermal barrier standards). Also a coat of fire retardant can be applied if no such thermal barrier is applied (drywall) depending on the project and rules applied to the job.
Spray foam insulation can help reduce allergens from entering the home due to the barrier it creates when applied to cracks and walls. Contaminated outdoor air will not be able to enter through areas sealed with spray foam insulation, which will result in improved indoor air quality.