The US Department of Energy says that most homes lose 30 percent of their heat or air conditioning as a result of leaks and cracks in the building. This can cause you to end up spending quite a lot of money on energy bills. To avoid this, you should ensure proper vinyl siding services of your house. You can do this using spray foam and by padding your floors, ceiling and walls to make sure that your home is airtight.
Spray Foam Insulation
This padding is a combination of chemicals that are sprayed from a machine on areas to be padded with the use of a hose. When sprayed, the chemicals mix at the tip of the hose and create paint-like sludge that sticks on any surface that it touches.
Shortly after, the foam starts expanding and traps the bubbles. The expansion of the foam forms a continuous layer of insulation that’s impenetrable.
Insulation Types
There are two types of spray foam: open cell and closed cell.
– Open Cell
This is the least expensive choice. It’s referred to as open cell considering that the bubbles in the foam are broken and don’t ever close. Air gets trapped in between the bubbles as the foam expands. This creates several air pockets that trap any heat that might try to escape. Due to the broken bubbles, the foam is soft, allowing water to penetrate through them. Open cell is great for insulating pipes, wires and other obstructed areas. Its insulating rate is 3.5.
– Closed Cell
The bubbles in this foam are all closed and firmly packed together. This makes it much more powerful than the open cell foam. Neither air nor water can penetrate through it. Since their bubbles are smaller, they provide better vinyl siding repair. It has an insulating rating of R-7 for each inch.
Good Insulation is Expensive
Closed cell foam is much more expensive than open cell foam. Open cells have a density of approximately 0.5lb/ft. and closed cells have a density of 1.75lb/ft. If your budget is tight, consider having a combination of both closed and open cell foam.
DIY Insulation
If you want to install your own spray foam, this is possible. Just buy the disposable kit; it has everything that you will need for the job. You can use them when you are doing a minor job, where it’s essential for you to keep the wind and moisture out. You can also use it when doing the Flash and Batt technique.
Flash and Batt
In this method, start by spraying 1-inch thickness of spray foam on the wall. Then apply fiberglass rolls or batts. This creates a strong insulating force that will prevent air or heat from permeating through the walls. This is known as convective heat loss. This happens, for instance, when air blows and carries cold air inside your house. The combination of fiberglass and cell foam enhances each other to provide strong vinyl siding installation.