As home insulation and energy efficiency experts, we get a lot of questions from homeowners about spray foam insulation. This type of insulation is new to many homeowners here in Nashville, especially because many houses in the area still have fiberglass in the attic, walls, and crawlspace.

Because we know Tennessee homeowners have questions about spray foam, we wanted to share with you our most frequently asked questions — and help you decide if spray foam is right for your home.

What are the benefits of installing spray foam?

All types of insulation are designed to slow down heat flow through the walls, roof, and floor of your living spaces. This keeps valuable heat in during the winter and unwanted heat out during the summer.

Another important piece that often gets overlooked with the use of traditional insulation is air sealing. Insulation itself won’t stop air from escaping through the cracks and gaps in the construction, but air sealing will. So, to get the most value out of your investment, it is important to seal up any gaps with caulk or canned foam before installing new or additional insulation.

Spray foam insulation is unique in that it has insulation and air sealing properties. This means that in addition to controlling heat flow, it also eliminates air leaks which let air travel freely into and out of your living spaces.

When you have an experienced professional like E3 INNOVATE install spray foam in your home, you can expect benefits like:

• More stable indoor temperatures

• Less need to run HVAC equipment

• Decreased energy usage

• Reduced air leakage & drafts

What else should I know about spray foam?

With any spray foam project, it’s important to work with a home performance expert who will take the whole house into account.

Let’s say, for example, that you want to upgrade the cellulose insulation in your new construction project to spray foam insulation. Your house will end up tighter than most new builds because the spray foam will seal up air leaks. This is great for reducing drafts and energy consumption, but it could also increase the need for ventilation, in order to remove moisture and control humidity. Installing spray foam will also reduce the size requirements of your home’s heating and cooling system.

At E3 INNOVATE, we take factors like HVAC and ventilation into account to ensure that you get the benefits of spray foam, without the potential negatives that come with improper spray foam installation.

What happens when I need to re-roof my house?

There is a myth out there that attic spray foam will void your roof’s warranty; however, this is not the case. And in most cases, you do not need to remove spray foam insulation from the attic before having your roof replaced.

Is there off-gassing with spray foam?

We use environmentally-friendly Icynene® spray foam, which has been extensively tested for off-gassing. It performs better than traditional spray foam without the harmful chemical impact. Icynene® releases low levels of VOCs during the initial 24-hour period after spraying, and these levels are virtually undetectable after 30 days.

How much does spray foam cost?

This largely depends on the scope of your project. We recommend getting a quote from our team for the most accurate price estimate.

What do you need from me to provide a quote?

For existing homes, we always complete a home assessment as part of the quote process. This allows us to pinpoint areas where spray foam is needed, such as air leaks and insulation gaps.

For new construction or renovation projects, we start with a design review consultation here in our East Nashville office. This gives you an opportunity to ensure your spray foam investment is successful and that the ventilation and HVAC strategies are well thought out and sized appropriately.

Still have questions about spray foam? We have answers. Call 615-247-5337 or contact us to talk to an insulation specialist!