One "green" option we are interested in is Spray Foam Insulation. When we came across the vendor booth for Profoam of Tennessee I was intrigued to say the least. The hubs and I talked quite extensively to TJ, one of the company's representatives. He answered all of our questions and convinced us (not that it took much convincing) that spray foam was the way to go.
My main interest in spray foam insulation results first, from my desire to not use fiberglass insulation because of the health risks associated with exposure to it. My family's health and safety is of the utmost importance to me and I don't want any of us exposed to formaldehyde out gassing. In addition, spray foam insulation minimizes pollutants and allergens from entering the home.
The economic benefit of better insulation is of secondary importance. Spray foam insulates as much as 50% better than traditional insulation, which means as much as 50% in heating/cooling savings! Add to that, the possible tax credits, and economically, it's pretty compelling.
And the "green" benefits are just the icing on the cake! Less heating/cooling means reduced harmful emissions.
Of course, initial expense is a determining factor. We want to build as "green" a house as we can afford, but long term economic impact is a definite consideration as well. It's difficult to do an initial cost comparison without an actual estimate, but from what I can tell from talking to the Profoam representative and my own research online, it cost anywhere from 2-5 times more than fiberglass insulation. Remember, that is initial cost. The real savings is long term, in reduced heating/cooling.
Want to hear something that is super, duper awesome?!
When we were at the home show we entered all kinds of giveaways and we actually won one! We won a free upgrade to spray foam from Profoam of Tennessee!!! We get our new house sprayed with Profoam for the cost of traditional insulation!! Woo hoo!
Note: I was not compensated in any way, shape, or form, by Profoam of Tennessee for this post. In fact, they have no idea that I wrote this. But, I will be sending them a link. :)
5 comments:
Hey Chanda, everything that you mentioned with respect to spray foam not out-gassing, and cutting your electric bill, was on the money.
But on the subject of being green, there's another benefit. Spray foam creates an airtight seal that helps keeps bugs out, which means you don't have to use pesticides in the home as much as before.
And while not so much a "green" issue, spray foam also prevents your indoor and outdoor airs from mixing, creating moisture, and then leading to mold.
If you're genuinely interested, do some checking up on the soy-based brands out there like Heatlok.
If you do not want to take any risks you may call a professional foam coating company and they will do the job for you. When constructing a house, it is important to choose the best material for the roofing.
Polyurethane Foam Roofing
There are several advantages provided by spay foam roofing that can be quite attractive for homeowners.
Foam Coating Systems provide many benefits to building owners. The two most prominent benefits are waterproofing/leak prevention and insulation value.
I am currently building a house, and desperatly want foam spray, but just can't afford it. Traditional insulation for my house was $4500.
The cheapest foam quote I could find was $18,000. I just cant swing the difference with the budget. I cant cut that much from anything or everything else.
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