Foam Board Insulation
Insulating a abode is i of the almost of import steps to undertake when creating an energy-efficient abode. However, when insulating your abode, it is of import to know what material are out at that place as well as which ones will be the best for your domicile.
Foam board insulation has a unique advantage over other types of insulation due to its closed-prison cell nature. However, the chemical additions to foam board tin can arrive a dangerous add-on to the home.
Foam board insulation is shut-jail cell, stiff, white, pinkish, or bluish, polyurethane, polystyrene, or polyisocyanurate boards that last 100+ years. Inherent R-values are 3.vi-viii per inch. The cost is $0.31-0.six per sq. ft. Insecticides too burn down-retardant chemicals are hazardous to health.
What Is Foam Board Insulation?
Foam board, likewise known every bit rigid board, is a relatively new course of insulation made of foam products that can include polyurethane, polystyrene, in addition to polyisocyanurate.
These foam boards may also come equipped alongside laminated sides that tin increment the endurance of the product likewise as the thermal resistance.
The chemic construction of this bulk-foam product makes the insulation “shut-prison cell”, piece nearly other types of insulation are open up-cell material.
Closed-cell basically way that the cells of the product are uniform and stiff. This is where foam board gets its alternative bring up together with what makes them so sturdy.
By contrast, open-prison cell products accept nonuniform cells that are less rigid, making the insulation cloth softer together with more than pliable.
The unopen-jail cell nature of foam board insulation makes it more than robust also as H2O-resistant. These two factors let foam board insulation to concluding 100 years or more.
The H2O resistance of foam board insulation makes it a groovy selection for basements that suffer from humidity issues.
Appearance as well as Use
Foam board insulation is sold inwards big, solid sheets. They are frequently either 2’ by viii’ or 4’ past 8’.
This distinguishes them from other types of insulation, such as fiberglass as well as other open up-prison cell types of insulation.
Open-jail cell insulation is oft sold inward rolls to relieve space. Foam board insulation, though, is far as well stiff to fold or ringlet. This is especially truthful if the foam board is laminated.
What foam board looks similar mostly depends on the type.
Polystyrene foam boards come inward expanded together with extruded forms. The expanded course is white. The extruded class comes inward pink and bluish colors as well as has a more lightweight blueprint.
The polyiso in addition to polyurethane forms are oftentimes an off-white color, with foil lining their largest faces.
Foam board insulation can live used anywhere you would function whatever other type of insulation. These locations include roofs, foundation walls, wall panels, together with more.
Inherent R-Value of Foam Board Insulation
Depending on the type of foam board insulation, the inherent insulation R-value volition vary.
The R-value of insulation basically describes how good the insulation resists the conductive menstruum of heat. Materials accept an inherent R-value just the rating can be increased past increasing the thickness of the textile.
The higher the R-value of a center, the more than insulation is possible with less thickness.
Expanded polystyrene foam boards frequently take an R-value of between 3.half-dozen to iv.0 per inch of thickness.
Extruded polystyrene foam boards frequently take an R-value of betwixt 4.5 to five.0 per inch of thickness.
Polyurethane too polyiso foam boards take the highest R-values of foam boards, amongst values betwixt seven.0 in addition to 8.0 per inch of thickness.
This high R-value is attributed to the low conductivity of the gases contained within the foam board’second closed cells. However, over fourth dimension, these gases escape too the R-value decreases as this occurs.
Thickness Guide
The criterion R-values include R30, R38, R49, and R60 alongside increasing insulation capacity for rise values.
However, R-values for insulation are often given inwards terms of RX per inch.
To discover the desired thickness for criterion R-values, the R-value must be divided R-value per inch.
Since R-value per inch varies past the type of foam board insulation, the thickness to accomplish measure R-values will vary.
For the sake of simplicity, I volition cite to extruded polystyrene since it is nearly ordinarily used. I volition also function an R-value of 5.0 per inch of thickness for simplicity.
Cost of Foam Board Insulation
Just as the R-value in addition to appearance vary by the type of foam board insulation, and then too does toll.
A foam board of a 1-inch thickness is used below for price estimates.
- Expanded polystyrene costs almost $0.31 for a square pes of the cloth. This is the cheapest grade of foam board insulation.
- Extruded polystyrene costs almost $0.47 for a square foot of the fabric.
- Polyiso foam board costs virtually $0.lx for a square foot.
- Polyurethane foam board costs near the same every bit polyiso foam board.
Is It Easy to Install?
As was mentioned earlier, foam board insulation is much more rigid than other types of insulation that use open up-jail cell materials. This tin can create problems merely can as well furnish relaxation inwards installation.
When carrying the cloth into the dwelling house, a big four’ by viii’ board tin be difficult to become through doorways, which can Pb to damage to the textile.
The lack of flexibility tin can too make it hard to install since the material would non live able to live maneuvered around tight spaces spell installing it. To make things correspond, the cloth may call for to be cutting, piece a non-rigid board could live bent or folded.
However, foam board’sec power to go on its cast comes in handy when installing since, once it is installed, it will not move or crimp inwards on itself equally other insulation mightiness.
Given these tradeoffs, foam board insulation tin can be installed somewhat easily if yous have plenty space.
One tip to keep inward mind is that, when choosing the thickness of your foam board, y'all should detect a happy medium betwixt your desired R-value too a thickness that volition atomic number 82 to relaxation of installation, since as well thick of foam board tin can make it difficult to hitting studs when driving inwards screws.
Is Foam Board Insulation Dangerous?
Although the addition of flaming retardant to foam board insulation tin examine real useful inwards preventing the spread of a fire, the chemicals used to make this can be unsafe to human health.
These toxic flaming retardants include HBCD in addition to TCPP, which are both highly toxic together with difficult to go rid of.
- HBCD is included inwards both extruded too expanded polystyrene foam boards.
- TCPP is included inward polyiso foam boards.
Although near manufacturers are trying to steer clear of these additives, they may nevertheless be contained in foam boards.
Another add-on to foam board that tin can be useful but unsafe is the inclusion of insecticide, specifically for termites.
Insecticides can live hazardous to homo wellness too tin can too hurt of import pollinators like bees.
Foam board product may also be a threat to global health since the manufacturing process uses a blowing agent called XPS, which is one,430 times more than potent of a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
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