Choosing the right insulation product for your project can have a large impact on your home or building's energy efficiency, comfort, and indoor air quality.
Open Cell Spray Foam
Open-cell spray foam is one of the best all purpose home insulation materials. It is a lightweight semi-rigid polyurathane foam insulation product that has roughly the consistancy of a nerf ball or a seat cushion. It is is very light and springy. It has an open cell structure and is also called open cell foam or 1/2 pound density foam. The main advantage of open cell foam is that it provides an excellent air barrier and good sound attenuation with less material than closed cell spray foam.
Closed-cell Spray Foam
Closed cell spray foam is a heavier rigid polyurathane foam insulation that provides a higher R value and a complete air and moisture barrier. The material is also called rigid, or 2 lb density foam, because it has a density of 1.7 to 2 lbs per cubic foot. We typically spec this product for exterior applications, below slabs and on the outside of concrete foundations, or in interior applications like pool rooms or saunas where moisture drive may be an issue.
Open Cell Pour Fill
For wall retrofit situations, we use an open cell spray foam product that is specifically designed to rise slowly and fill empty ballon frame walls. This material is by far the best material for filling walls, and the drawback is that the work requires a good deal of skill and complete access to the wall areas that we are working on.
Cellulose
Cellulose insulation is a fiberous material that is made from shredded newspaper, borates, and glue. The material can be a good solution for pour on a ceiling to insulate a large area economically. With enough depth it does provide a pretty good air barrier, but it is still a fiberous material that is subject to settling or shifting. Some applicators also mix cellulose with water and apply the material vertically in stud cavities. We do offer cellulose work, especially in retrofit situations where there is already material in an attic, but we think that foam is better in many appliications.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass is a fiberous material made of woven strands of glass. This material is obviously the main material used for insulation - and has made a significant contribution to energy efficiency, mainly because it is very inexpensive and is better than nothing. (somewhat better). We believe that there is enough fiberglass in the world, and do not offer this product.
Cementous Foams
There are several brands of shaving cream type foams that are used for wall injection and block fill. These foams are great because they are relatively inexpensive and you can push them relatively well into an existing cavity. We have partners that do this work, but don't currently offer this product. When installing this product you have to be carefulll because the material is water based, and is prone to shrinkage or collapse as it dries.
Mineral Wool
Mineral wool is made from woven gypsum fibers. It is a good insulator and an excellent fire retarder.
Cotton Bats
There are several brands of recycled denim bats on the market that are a good substitute for fiberglass. They are neat because they use recycled cloth as an input, and they have very good sound attenuation properties. They contain the same borate materials as cellulose to improve fire properties and inhibit mold growth. We like this material, but prefer foam materials that can provide better air sealing properties
Structurally Insulated Panels
Structually Insulated Panels, or SIPS, are made of a sandwich of plywood and polystyrene foam. This is an excellent approach for new construction, since it provides a great air barrier and thermal barrier. The key with SIPs is to make sure that the seams are well constructed so that they don't shift.
Insulated Concrete Forms
Insulated Concrete Forms, or ICF is a very solid way to build a foundation wall, or an entire exterior wall. It is made with a sandwich of polystyrene with concrete poured on the inside. This provides an excellent mass wall with great insulating and structural properties. Unfortunately you don't get the benefit of the thermal mass on the inside because of the polystyrene sandwich.