Insulation Information for Contractors
Are you a contractor looking to insulate a new or existing home? Do you need information to help you or your customer to decide which insulation is right for you? If you answered yes to these questions, this section is for you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Blown-In Fibreglass
- Fireproofing
- Polyurethane Spray Foam
What is blown-in fibreglass insulation?
The blown-in fibreglass insulation system uses virgin fibreglass insulation (no additives, binding agents or chemicals) to manufacture a seamless blanket of insulation in cathedral ceilings, floors and walls. It is a unique state-of-the-art insulation system that uses conventional fibreglass which is processed into a blowing wool. The insulation is blown through a hose and out a nozzle into the cavity behind a fibre mesh that is attached to the studs.
Does blown-in fibreglass require a vapour barrier?
Yes. All fibreglass insulation requires a vapour barrier.
What is the R-value of your blown-in fibreglass compared to batt insulation?
A 2 x 6 wall will perform at an R24. Batts in a 2 x 6 wall are sold to perform at an R-value of R19 to R24, but tests conducted by the National Research Council concluded that an R19 fibreglass batt with minor installation defects will only perform at an R12½. Blown-in fibreglass will always perform at the installed R-value because the insulation is manufactured onsite to a specified density that ensures a true working R-value.
Where can I use blown-in fibreglass?
Blown-in fibreglass is normally installed in framed walls, cathedral ceilings, floor joistsand rim joists. Blown-in fibreglass is custom fit and can be used for irregular, difficultand creative framing.
Are there any sound control benefits with blown-in fibreglass?
Yes, definitely. The NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) is 1.15 using the ASTM C 423 test method with E795 Type A mounting. Studies conducted show that Blown-In Fibreglass will contribute to a higher STC rating than most other insulation. An STC Rating (Sound Transmission Class) is an average rating across the entire wallassembly in a controlled ASTM E90 test. STC Ratings will vary for the same insulation used in different wall assemblies.
Can I install blown-in fibreglass myself?
No. Blown-in fibreglass can only be installed by a certified installer.
Will blown-in fibreglass settle?
No, not if the fibreglass is installed at the correct design density. Certified blown-in fibreglass contractors are required to do density tests in every application (generally every 600 feet). Caution should be taken if cellulose is used in the blown-in fibreglass because it will settle. Thermo Seal will not install Cellulose in blown in applications or attics because it settles and reduces the R-value. Blown-in fibreglass won’t settle from gravitational forces or household vibrations such as slamming doors. CCMC reported after a simulated drop test (60 times from a height of 2.5 cm) that there was no settlement.
Does blown-in fibreglass hold moisture?
No. Blown-in fibreglass insulation is not absorbent and, if exposed to moisture, will not wick up (pull water through) or hold water. It will dry out and retain its original R-value. Insulation is required to absorb not more than 5% moisture by weight. The ASTM C-553 test showed that insulation used in the blown-in fibreglass absorbed a maximum of 3% moisture by weight.
Does blown-in fibreglass create void areas?
No. The insulation moulds itself around obstacles in the walls, eliminating voids, gaps or seams. Pipes, wiring and electrical boxes are synonymous with insulation voids, and voids mean inefficiency. The system fills tightly around all wiring and piping,leaving no costly gaps or voids that could allow cold air to enter your home or warm air to escape. Blown-in fibreglass manufactures a seamless blanket of insulation that custom fits any size or shape cavity. This guarantees a uniform R-value throughout the entire cavityand controls air infiltration.
Can I insulate the walls in my existing property?
Yes. Blown-infibreglass can be installed in retrofit applications to help reduce heat loss and make your home more energy efficient. Retrofit applications can be installed from the interior or exterior of the home. Interior installations will require the use of a 2″ hole saw to drill into each cavity in order to blow insulation into the wall. If you are already in the process of renovating your home and can remove any existing drywall or panelling, the installation can be done in the same way as new construction. Exterior retrofit installation can be achieved using a 2″ hole saw through the exterior walls; but,you if are able to remove the exterior finishing so the cavity is accessible to us, there won’t be a need to drill into the exterior of your home. The holes created will be plugged with wood which can be painted. There are no guarantees for results with retrofit construction. There are lots of factors that can affect the install, such as how much insulation is already present, if the existing insulation has saggedand moved, how accessible the area is, and if a working air barrier is still in place.
What is ventilation?
Vents are openings in the attic area that allow lost heat and moisture to escape. If you don’t ventilate properly, water vapour can condenseand collect on insulation and rafters. This will reduce the effectiveness of the insulation and could damage the house. We install cardboard and Styrofoam morvents to provide adequate ventilation. Morvents are attic roof vent baffles that hold the insulation away from the roof deck to permit air to enter the attic or under-roof space. The morvents are installed at the eaves or soffit area. Morvents should be installed between every other rafter. The roof should also be vented at or near the peak or at the gable ends. This ensures a flow of air from the eaves and exhausts at the ridge. Morvents are also called rafter vents and chute vents. Without ventilation, attic heat could penetrate into living areas during summer or heat the roof during winter causing ice dams.
What causes ice dams?
Ice dams form when convective heat is present in an attic and melts snow on the roof. This melted snow (water) runs down the roof, under the blanket of snow, to the edge of the roof where colder conditions cause it to freeze, forming ice dams. If ice dams are not removed, water may be caught behind them, forced under shingles or spill over to form icicles. This can result in costly damage to your home: wet (ineffective) insulation; stained or cracked plaster or sheet rock, damp, rotting walls, and stained, blistered or peeling paint.
Can I hot roof with blown-in fibreglass?
No. The only insulation you can hot roof with is a medium density, rigid polyurethane foam.
Do I have to use fireproofing?
Yes, if the foam is required to be protected (thermal barrier for foamed plastics) by provincial building codes (i.e. living space, or crawlspace with a plenum or heat source). ICF (insulated concrete forms) is a styrene foam plastic form that needs to be protected bya thermal barrier the same way as urethane foam needs to be protected.
Are there alternative methods available?
Yes. The building code provides different options for achieving a 15 minute thermal break to keep ignition sources away from rigid, urethane and polystyrene foam plastics (plywood, gypsum board, etc). Be careful of thermal and intumescent paints thathave not been tested or approved for use in Canada. There are no paints to date that meet the criteria for providing a 15 minute thermal barrier over rigid, urethane and polystyrene foam plastics as per the Ontario Building Code.
What fire rating is Monokote Z-3306?
The fire rating is between 10 to 15 minutes depending on application thickness according to CAN4-S124-M testing and classification.
What fire rating is Monokote MK6?
Depending on application thickness and design specifications a rating of up to four hours can be achieved.
Can I paint fireproofing?
Where desired, the natural sprayed texture of Z-3306 can be lightly trowelled to form a semi-smooth, paintable surface. A thin (nominal 1/16th inch) latex stucco overspray may be applied to form a hard eggshell finish, capable of withstanding significant physical contact and surface abrasion.
What is fireproofing?
Monokote®Z-3306 is a cementitious fire protective coating specifically formulated for application over rigid, urethane and polystyrene foam plastics. Monokote MK-6 is single component, spray applied, mill-mixed fire resistive plaster for steel structural members and fluted decking applications.
Is there a maximum thickness that foam can be sprayed?
Yes. There are also differences in the maximum amount that can be sprayed between low density (half pound) and medium density (2pound) foams. Low density foams can be applied to the maximum thickness in one pass, but there are limitations to what those maximums are depending on the application. Please refer to the manufacturer’s specifications or ICC-ES Evaluation Report for detailed information. Medium density foams cannot be sprayed in more than 2″ passes (50mm) according to manufacturers’ specifications. Additionally, once 4″ has been installed, you have to wait 4 hours before the next 2″ pass can be applied. If spray foam is not properly installed, you may not receive the R-value that you have paid to have installed and the foam may not cure properly.
Is spray foam waterproof?
Some spray foam insulations are waterproof. This depends on the density of the foam. Open cell foam is definitely not waterproof or water resistant. In fact, open cell foams can hold a tremendous volume of water (half pound foam). Medium density closed cell foam is water resistant, but not waterproof (2pound foam). High density closed cell foam can be water proof (10 to 12pound foam).
What is hot roofing?
Hot roofing is installing spray foam directly to the sheathing in an unvented attic. When possible, venting should be attempted to prevent temperature fluctuations and to create much needed air flow. Before making the decision to hot roof, you may want to consult the warranty provided for your roofing materials. Many manufacturers will not warrant their products in hot roof applications.
Can spray foam be sprayed outside?
Yes, with limitations. Spray foam left directly exposed to the sun and weather will begin to degrade after about 1 year (1/16th of an inch per year after the first year). Even when the spray foam will be covered after installation there are other concerns to be considered. Spray foam particles are carried by the wind, making it difficult to apply in windy weather. It also creates the possibility for overspray on surrounding vehicles, windows, and other valuable items. Depending on the dampness and humidity caused by weather, it may not be permissible to apply spray foam to any substrate until the conditions are suitable for spraying. Spray foam applied outside will not adhere properly if it is raining or too humid. Spray foam applied inside will not adhere properly if the substrate is damp or has frost.
Why is foam more expensive than blown-in fibreglass?
The biggest reason is the cost of material. Fibreglass is much less expensive than the chemicals required to make polyurethane foam. The main ingredient in polyurethane foam is petrol and in fibreglass it is sand or recycled glass.
What is half pound foam?
Half pound foam is an open cell polyurethane foam that uses only water as a blowing agent. The density is only ½ pound per cubic foot and it can be distinguished by open pockets of air throughout the foam. Open cell foam is permeable to water and is not rigid in composition. Actually, open cell foam feels soft and spongy to the touch. Open cell foam is less expensive than closed cell foam because less chemical is needed to achieve ½ pound density, and it has a much lower R-value. Half pound foam expands about 150 times its original volume to form a semi-rigid, non-structural plastic. This SPF typically has an R-value of approximately 3.5 per 25.4 mm (1 inch). Half pound foam must be covered as per building code requirements for the protection of foamed plastics from sources of ignition (spark, fire, etc.) Half pound foam manufacturers have not yet found an environmentally sound way to deal with all of the excess waste left over after installations. Half pound foam is not a vapour barrier.
What is the difference between ½ pound foam and 2 pound foam?
The raw materials of both types of foam are nearly identical. Both 1/2-lb and 2-lb SPF are made from blended systems of polyol resins, catalysts, surfactants, fire retardants and blowing agents on the B-side, with polymeric MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate) on the A-side. The difference between SPF types isin how these materials are formulated. The main differences between them are how dense they are, their R-values, cost, use as a vapour barrier, water permeability and tensile strength. Closed cell foam is the denser formulation of the material. The denser the physical properties, the greater the benefits. Both ½ lb and 2-lb SPFs have air barrier qualities that can help reduce noise from outside the building envelope (i.e. airplanes and car traffic). The ½ lb foam’s density offers additional sound absorbing qualities;however, neither foam is exceptionally effective at reducing vibrational impact noises.
½ lb SPF has a high open-cell content (greater than 50 percent) and liquid water can enter the foam. Conversely, 2-lb SPF has a high closed-cell content (greater than 90 percent) and resists water absorption. In a building assembly, the latter SPF offers added weather or rain barrier protection. Closed cell foam is a vapour barrier at installations of 50mm or more. Closed cell foam is rigid in strength, whereas open cell foam is spongy. Most open cell foams only perform at a maximum of R3½ per inch. Closed cell foams are better for outdoor use and in crawlspaces. As of January 1, 2010 both types of foam promote 0ozone depletion.
Is your foam the same as the stuff sold in hardware stores? Tiger foam, etc.
No, even though closed cell foam purchased in hardware stores is considered a closed cell polyurethane foam, the chemical formulation is very different from ours. Our CCMC (Canadian Construction Materials Centre) government approved foam can only be installed by certified licensed installers who work for a CUFCA (Canadian Urethane Foam Contractors Association) member. Do-it-yourself spray foam kits are extremely messy, unreliableand often end up costing more money to install than having the work done by a professional spray foam contractor. Our foam is manufactured to be more eco-friendly and in turn will qualify for many LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design) credits that do-it-yourself kits cannot.
Can foam be sprayed in cold temperatures?
Ice dams form when convective heat is present in an attic and melts snow on the roof. This melted snow (water) runs down the roof, under the blanket of snow, to the edge of the roof where colder conditions cause it to freeze, forming ice dams. If ice dams are not removed, water may be caught behind them, forced under shingles or spill over to form icicles. This can result in costly damage to your home: wet (ineffective) insulation; stained or crackedplaster or sheet rock, damp, rotting walls, and stained, blistered or peeling paint.
Is your foam the same as the foam sprayed around windows and doors?
No. Although you can buy cans of foam that are low expansion or high expansion and are a type of polyurethane foam, they contain a different chemical composition and are applied using aerosol which achieves a much lower R-value.
When do you have to fireproof spray foam?
All spray foam (half pound and 2pound) must be protected by a thermal barrier in any area considered a living space (ceiling height over 5’11”), crawlspaces with a plenum (an enclosed space that moves air to living space), and crawlspaces with a heat source. The building code provides different options for achieving a 15 minute thermal break to keep ignition sources away from spray foam insulation (drywall, gypsum board, etc.).