The type of insulation that you have in your home can have a direct impact on how energy efficient your living space is over time.
Spray foam insulation is becoming an increasingly popular option for residential insulation. Many construction companies utilize spray foam for new homes being built, but you can take advantage of the benefits spray foam can offer even if you have existing walls.
Learn more about the installation process to get a better idea of how crews can retrofit your home with spray foam insulation in the future.
Selecting the Right Foam
One of the most critical aspects of retrofitting existing walls with spray foam is selecting the correct foam product.
Crews typically use a foam that has the consistency of shaving cream. This lightweight and soft foam can easily flow around any obstacles that may be encountered within an existing wall cavity.
You don't have to worry about wires, plumbing, or other obstacles preventing this type of spray foam insulation from completely filling your wall cavity.
As long as the right foam product is used and installed correctly, existing walls can enjoy the same level of insulation from spray foam as the walls of a home with the spray foam insulation built in.
Installation From the Outside
Crews are able to install spray foam insulation into existing wall cavities from the exterior of most homes. The best approach to installing spray foam will depend on the materials used on the exterior of your home.
Siding
If your home is equipped with vinyl or aluminum siding, crews will remove a small piece of this siding in order to drill a hole into your home's exterior wall.
A flexible armature is then run through the hole all the wall to the top and bottom of the wall cavity. This allows crew members to identify any fire stops or studs that might prevent the installation hose from reaching the full length of the cavity.
Once the layout of the wall cavity has been determined, a hose will be snaked into the cavity and the spray foam will be deposited. Crews will then fill in the hole, replace the removed siding, and move to the next wall cavity.
Brick
If your home's exterior is made of brick, the installation process will require a bit more preparation.
Holes must be drilled at the top, middle, and bottom of each wall cavity in a brick exterior to ensure the cavity gets completely filled.
Once the spray foam insulation has been installed, these holes are filled in with mortar. The holes are small and shouldn't detract from the overall aesthetic of your home's exterior.