Foam Insulation - Home-N-Family

I have been looking at all the different types of insulation and have figured out that each installer only installs one type of insulation, and with the foam types of insulation which are a little more rare, there are not very many people who can install it.

After a lot of searching, I have been able to find 2 people who can install foam insulation on the underside of my roof sheeting.

My major concerns now are how long it will last, and how happy I will be with it in the future.

I am also a little concerned about how thick it is, if I use the half pound open cell foam, then it will go on 8 to 10 inches thick which could interfere with the skylights and also my head room in the attic.

The moisture issue is still a concern, with the 2 pound foam it will be water tight, so moisture will not go through it at all. This is good if you have a condensation problem, this is bad if you have a roof leak and are wondering where it is leaking from.

Polyurethane foam insulation has been on the market for years, but with its petro-chemical base and a blowing-in process that utilized ozone-depleting CFC's, it didn't appeal much to green builders. Recently, however, SoyOyl, a soy-bean based alternative to the polyol component, was developed, which decreases the petrochemical content, making it environmentally attractive and considerably less expensive than many of its previous counterparts. Likewise, new blowing technologies eliminate the ozone-depleting byproducts of installation. These foams are very low VOC, extremely fire-retardant, and, properly installed, they should provide no health risks to homeowners or installers. They release no loose fibers or dust and are not susceptible to mold. It is perhaps for these reasons that BioBase501 was chosen by Environmental Building News as one of their top 10 products for 2003, while Healthyseal received the National Association of Builders "Green with Envy Award" award that same year.