Introduction
Rigid foam insulation is a great choice for your home or business. But if you’re not sure what it is, how it works, or why you’d want to use it, these are all good questions to ask. Luckily for us all, there are plenty of answers on the web! I’ve collected some of them here in one place so that you can get an overview of this material before doing any more research (and hopefully…
What is rigid foam insulation, and what does it do?
Rigid foam insulation is a type of insulation that is made from polyurethane. Rigid foam insulation can be used in a variety of applications, including walls, roofs, and floors.
Rigid foam is made up of two main ingredients: the blowing agent (which creates bubbles) and the resin (which holds everything together). The blowing agent allows for air pockets to form inside the insulating material so that it forms an even layer when installed correctly.
The resin serves as a glue that ensures all parts of your house are well-sealed off from heat leaks by filling any gaps or holes around pipes or electrical boxes with protection against moisture damage.
How does rigid foam insulation work?
Rigid foam insulation is a great product for the home, because it helps keep the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It also helps to keep your attic dry and quiet. How does it do this?
Expandable polyurethane foam is what makes up rigid foam insulation. The job of this insulation is to fill the spaces between your walls and ceiling so that there’s no air movement between them. The expandable polyurethane expands to fill those spaces, creating a barrier between them. This keeps heat from escaping through those areas during cold weather, which means you can save on energy costs!
Rigid foam insulation also helps keep moisture out of your home while still being able to breathe on its own thanks to its ability not only to block air flow but also prevent water vapor molecules from passing through without letting them escape either way by absorbing any water that comes into contact with it rather than allowing moisture into your living space which could cause problems later down line when mold starts forming due too much humidity levels inside since there was no protection against humidity getting into house initially (remember how we talked about how these types of products used specifically designed materials).
Does all rigid foam insulation require a vapor barrier?
There are a few different types of rigid foam insulation, and each has its own requirements for vapor barriers.
- Rigid foam insulation with vapor barriers: If you’re looking to create a closed-cell type of insulation system, your rigid foam will most likely come with an attached vapor retarder. The purpose of this is to prevent moisture from entering your home or building via the attic or other areas where the rigid foam was installed.
- Expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS): These types of insulation do not require any kind of vapor barrier because they are what’s called “closed cell” insulations. Closed cells don’t allow water molecules in or out, which means that there’s no way for them to leak into your home if left exposed in places like attics and crawl spaces.
- Foam board: This type tends not to come with any sort of barrier either; however, some contractors may apply one as part of their installation process anyway just in case there was some unseen damage during shipping or handling by construction workers before getting here
What are the benefits of using rigid foam insulation?
- Rigid foam insulation is a great insulator. It can be used to prevent heat loss or gain in your home and reduce heating bills.
- Rigid foam insulation is a great sound barrier, which means that it can help lower noise levels inside the home, allowing you to enjoy quiet rooms without disrupting soundproofing efforts with other materials such as carpeting or drywall. This can also be helpful if you live in an area where you want quiet during certain parts of the day so as not to disturb neighbors with noise from construction projects or traffic outside your home’s walls.
- Rigid foam insulation is a great vapor barrier because it keeps air movement between warm and cool areas of your home under control so that moisture doesn’t build up inside walls or floors causing potentially dangerous issues like mold growth.* Finally, rigid foam insulation acts as an excellent fire barrier because once installed properly it will not burn through during fires like other building materials might do if they were used instead!
Should rigid foam insulation be faced with kraft paper?
Should rigid foam insulation be faced with kraft paper?
Yes. The most common way of facing rigid foam insulation is by applying a thin layer of kraft paper to the outside surface of the insulation. This acts as a moisture barrier and also helps prevent any thermal bridging from occurring, which can cause significant heat loss in your home. If you’re unsure about whether or not this is necessary for your project, consult with an insulation professional to determine what steps are appropriate for your situation.
Rigid foam insulation can be a great choice for your home or business!
Rigid foam insulation is an excellent choice for your home or business. It can help reduce your energy bills, and it can also reduce your carbon footprint.
Rigid foam insulation has a variety of applications, including attics, walls and floors. You can use rigid foam insulation to increase the value of your property by reducing heating and cooling costs, but you should always consult a professional contractor before installing any type of insulation in order to avoid damaging your home or business.
Conclusion
We hope you have enjoyed reading our blog post on the benefits of rigid foam insulation. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact us at Foam Insulation Northwest today!