FAQ
Q – What is Icynene®?
A – Icynene® is a water blown open cell low-density (.5 lb/Ft3) flexible, soft foam insulation, which is sprayed into/onto walls, crawl spaces, and the underside of roof, attics, and ceilings by only licensed dealers. Sprayed as a thick liquid, in seconds it expands to 100 times its volume to create a superior insulation and air barrier. Every crack, crevice, electrical box, duct, and exterior penetration is effortlessly sealed to reduce energy-robbing, random air leakage. The building envelope seal remains intact over time and is ideal for residential, commercial, industrial and institutional indoor applications.
Q - Does it produce any harmful fumes?
A – NO, Icynene® is water blown; there are no chlorofluorocarbons / hydrofluorochlorocarbons, formaldehyde, or volatile organic compounds. It seals out dust, pollen, and other allergens from entering the structure. Air sealing minimizes the potential for mold and mildew.
Q - What is its R value?
A - We must be careful in using R value as the only acceptance criteria when selecting insulation for your new home. The ASTM C518 test method C1058 is an old standard biased towards fiberglass that does not give a true fit for service rating of insulation’s effectiveness in your home. Foam insulation will outperform fiberglass 2 to 1 in terms of real world performance in your house. Studies have shown that stuffing higher R values in walls and ceilings with fiberglass still results in double the utility bills compared to Icynene® at half the R’s. Air tightness along with R’s = double the performance of insulation. Three inches (3”) of Icynene® has a performance value equal to or exceeding R-19 and R-30 for five inches (5”).
Q – Can I use it for soundproofing interior walls?
A - YES, sound attenuation is one additional benefit you get with Icynene® spray foam and air barrier material. Icynene® has a Noise Reduction Coefficient of .70 (an NRC of 0 indicates perfect reflection; an NRC of 1 indicates perfect absorption). We use it in theater rooms or for privacy in other areas.
Q – What is a conditioned attic?
A – The conditioned attic was the result of research by the US Department of Energy using Oak Ridge National Laboratories to make an energy efficient building envelope. It simply moves the insulation barrier from the floor of the attic to the underside of the roof deck, joins the vertical walls making the building near airtight and it has no ridge vents or soffit vents. The temperature in the attic will be within 3 – 10 degrees of the living area, resulting in up to 50% in energy savings. The conditioned attic is part of the 2006 building code.
Q - Does my house need fresh air?
A – Being airtight does not mean “no ventilation”. A requirement of an airtight building is to draw in fresh air into the HVAC system from outside the home; this intake must be done on a controlled basis, whereby you now can control when the air is brought into the building, filtering, and scrubbing it with a germicidal air cleaner, and eliminating dust, pollen, and other allergens - making for a healthier building.
Q - Do I need to do anything differently?
A – YES, there are several things you can do that will make the process easier, save you money and assure that you are in compliance with the fire, safety, and building codes. Contact us and we will show you what they are. We are the airtight experts™ and we can make the process easier for you.
Q – Will it destroy my asphalt shingles?
A – NO, it will not. Manufacturers of asphalt shingles who offer competing insulation products will tell you this, but the truth of the matter is there are plenty of manufacturers who endorse the spraying of foam directly to the roof deck from the attic. It won’t harm your roof nor cause condensation problems. It provides a thermal break, preventing heat from the roof from entering the attic, and it allows moisture from roof leaks to drain by gravity through the foam, self drying without altering its insulating performance.
Q – Can you retrofit my existing attic and crawl space?
A – YES, the Department of Energy has shown that 40% of energy loss comes through ventilated attic assemblies. What you need is an evaluation of your home by one of our airtight experts to determine just what the best approach will be for your home. We take a holistic approach and consider the existing HVAC, the attic configuration and your personal expectations in making our recommendations.
Q- How much does it cost relative to fiberglass?
A - There is not an apples to apples comparison. Fiberglass uses old fashioned 1940’s technology. We are providing an airtight building envelope assembly that includes a conditioned attic assembly using 21st century building science. We actually air seal the building, eliminating many elements of cost required for an old fashioned hot box called the ventilated attic assembly. In many cases the HVAC system can be reduced by one whole unit, so, if the standard prescription calls for two units, you probably only need one.
The superior thermal insulating properties that an airtight building assembly gives you, in many cases energy bills are up to 50% less than the pink stuff, giving you a significant savings each month that can result in a positive return on investment in 2-3 years.
An Airtight Expert™ insulated building will reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 4,000 lbs annually with the additional benefit of making your living environment healthier, quieter, and more energy efficient. Think of it as maximizing your new home investment for continued savings that begins on the day the meter is transferred to your name and continues each and every month thereafter. Each home is unique, so contact us for a consultation on your needs and free proposal.