What does spray foam do that batts don't?
Fiberglass insulates the middle of a stud bay and leaves gaps at the edges, around wires, and behind boxes. Air moves through those gaps year-round, carrying heat, humidity, and dust with it. Spray foam expands into the cavity and bonds to the framing, so the wall or ceiling is insulated and air-sealed in one pass.
That is why customers notice the change the same week. The thermostat setting starts to mean something in every room.
Open cell or closed cell for a house?
Open cell is the common choice for attics, roof decks, and interior walls. It expands more, costs less per job, and quiets a room. Closed cell goes where moisture or limited depth is part of the picture: crawl spaces, rim joists, basement walls, and exterior walls when a high R-value in a thin wall matters.
We look at the space first. Your quote names the foam, the thickness, and where each one goes. If you have a preference, say so and we'll tell you whether it fits.
Attic floor or roof deck?
If your air handler and ducts are in the attic, foaming the roof deck brings all of that equipment inside the insulated envelope. The attic stops hitting 130° in August and the ducts stop losing cold air to it. If the HVAC is elsewhere and the attic is storage only, insulating the attic floor can be the simpler job. Each house gets its own answer. More on attics and roof decks.
What happens on install day?
We cover windows, fixtures, floors, and anything staying in the space before the first pass. The foam is sprayed, expands, and cures. You stay out of the work area during application and for the period we give you on the job, which comes from the product manufacturer. Then we trim overspray, clean up, and walk the work with you.
- Clear the work area of furniture and anything you don't want covered.
- Plan for the house to be ventilated during and after the spray.
- Pets and kids stay out of the work zone until we say it's clear.
New construction: when do we come?
After the electrical, plumbing, and HVAC rough-ins have passed inspection and before drywall. Builders usually give us a few days of notice and we fit the spray between trades. If you are a builder, wall insulation covers how we handle framing-stage work and attics and roof decks covers the top of the house.
