We are extremely fortunate nowadays that insulation has come a long way since the days when pink fibreglass was the only option. Gone are the days when a "fairly good" insulation job was done by laying fibreglass insulation along areas that needed to be kept cool in the summer months and warm in winter. There are many options available nowadays and one of the most efficient among them is foam insulation. Spray foam insulation, as the name suggests, is sprayed around, onto or into the area that needs to be insulated. It then expands to fill all of the gaps, so preventing heat transfer between the areas being insulated. It also protects against unwanted visitors. If the gaps in your loft or cavity are filled with insulation foam they can't become home to hornets, bugs or other creepy crawlies.
Insulation foam is constructed from polyurethane foam. It is the same substance that can be found in water heaters and refrigerators and so has a proven track record in terms of performance and durability.
As well as coming in a liquid form that can be sprayed and then expands and hardens, insulation foam also comes as rigid foam insulation. This insulation foam comes in the form of rigid boards that are cut to size and are light and easy to manoeuvre. Rigid foam insulation boards can be coated with an insect repellent and often have a fireproof coating, although foam insulation is, in itself, fire resistant anyway. One of the drawbacks with rigid foam insulation is that it is difficult to cut and fit into awkward, irregular shaped places. To this end a combination of rigid foam insulation and spray foam insulation is usually used when performing a foam insulation job.
Another form of foam insulation is icynene foam spray insulation. This comes in two parts one of which is polyicynene resin and the other polyicynene mdi. If using this method to insulate homes the two parts are sprayed on the walls. A reaction then takes place that causes the materials to expand and harden thus filling cavities and preventing ingress through cracks and holes. It contains no CFC's and thus is less harmful to the environment than other gas propelled expanding foam insulation methods.
All of these foam insulation methods offer advantages and disadvantages over each other. The one thing that is certain is that foam insulation is a fantastic improvement over fibreglass insulation. One of the disadvantages, however, is that it is difficult to remove. With the exception of the rigid foam insulation boards, foam spray insulation is both time consuming and exasperating to remove. The properties that it is selected for, it's ability to fill gaps and provide airtight seals, are the very reason that the handyman curses it if he is called upon to carry out some electrical or plumbing work in an area that has been filled with expanding foam insulation.
Whatever your insulation job there are many foam insulation types to choose from depending on your requirements.
Spray-on foam insulation has rapidly become one of the most popular methods for home insulation