6 Reasons to Love Spray Foam Home Insulation

6 Reasons to Love Spray Foam

Comfort is key, especially when talking houses. After all, the place where you spend most of your time should be one that’s as pleasant as possible. Enter spray polyurethane foam insulation — known simply as spray foam. It’s a sprayable plastic that forms a barrier between the outside and inside, and it works better than conventional insulation to maintain that boundary.

It makes sense that spray foam adds to the quality of a home. “It was first used in the 1930s but reserved for multimillion-dollar estates and commercial buildings,” says CR Herro, Vice President of Environmental Affairs for Meritage Homes^®. “We were the first to make it widespread in affordable housing.” Meritage^® has made it the standard form of insulation in all of its homes, including entry-level, which is pretty uncommon. Here are five reasons to get excited about spray foam, plus an extra for good measure.

It saves you money.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that about 56% of a home’s energy goes to heating and cooling, and that properly functioning insulation can save you roughly 20% on those bills. Best yet, Herro says the way thoughtful builders use spray foam can potentially cut your bill in half. Instead of applying it only in certain areas, they view the home holistically, applying it throughout the entire structure of the house, including the underside of the roof deck. Spray foam then expands to fill external wall spaces, creating a sealed thermal envelope. “It’s like getting a cooler to insulate versus a paper sack,” Herro says.
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It helps to improve indoor air quality.

“Everybody thinks where they live has the worst pollen ever,” Herro says. If you’re one of those people, spray foam can be a huge relief, thanks to the fact that it’s part of a health-promoting air barrier that reduces sources for mold, airborne pollutants and allergens like pollen and dust. Just imagine a spring season with fewer runny noses, itchy eyes and antihistamines.
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It creates a peaceful sanctuary.

It’s nice to live in a vibrant community with close proximity to restaurants and entertainment, but it’s equally nice to come home and relax without outside disruption. Spray foam reduces the amount of noise that travels through exterior walls, so outside noise stays outside, and inside noise stays inside. Come to think of it, this can also help you maintain friendly neighborly relations if you have active kids or late-night dinner parties.
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It means a safer home.

Meritage Homes uses open-cell spray foam (as opposed to closed-cell), which bonds to the frame of the house and stays somewhat flexible after it’s applied. Open-cell insulates even if a home shifts over a period of years and helps withstand the detrimental effects of rain, wind and humidity. It’s also mixed with a fire suppressant, reducing the risk of the structure catching fire and, if it does, decreasing the chance of it spreading, Herro says.

It provides relief from extreme weather.

Picture this: cozy winter evenings sleeping soundly, without wrapping up in two sweaters and tons of blankets to stay warm, and summer nights keeping cool, without blankets rolled down or fans blowing in your face. No matter the season outside, spray foam’s sealant quality will help maintain an even, comfortable temperature inside.
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6 Reasons to Love Foam for Home Insulation