Homes built prior to 1960 had no insulation or at best R-5. Between 1960 and 1980’s average R values increased to about R-11.

Insulating wall cavities that were empty or under-insulated will save energy. A 2″ x 4″ stud framed wall filled with expanding foam insulation will provide an insulating value of R-22.

Before insulating side walls you need to find out what is in there. Visual inspection through openings may reveal what is already in place, if anything, or an infrared thermal imaging will reveal heat loss in areas that are hidden or have varying insulating value.

Sometimes cellulose, fiberglass, or rock wool may have been blown in, and either not installed at the proper density or settled and lost effectiveness.

Adding insulation to partially filled wall cavities is difficult and a job for a well-qualified installer. Expanding foam insulation may be the best solution when done correctly. Beware of old knob-and-tube wiring because of the possibility of creating a fire hazard. Be sure to check with a licensed electrician.

If you are replacing exterior siding, it may be a good time to add insulation. Installing rigid board under new siding may not be the most cost effective method and complicates window and door opening depths and sills. Injecting expanding foam wall insulation could be your best choice and not require modifying window sills and trim.

If exterior walls are opened for remodeling consider in place expanding spray foam insulation for best R-value and reduced air infiltration.
Technicians with special equipment can test your house for air leakage. This test measures the air leakage of your structure at all localities and can reveal where hidden air flow occurs around framing, wall penetrations for plumbing and wiring, and chimneys and attic access.

Insulating wall cavities not only saves energy, but also improves comfort in winter and summer, drafts are reduced, and your home will be quieter with expanding foam wall insulation.

Insulation in the roof and walls is clearly beneficial for its ability to reduce heating and cooling losses and costs. The savings achieved by reducing heat transfer by conduction justifies the cost of adequate insulation.

But don’t forget that convection is another source of heat transfer when air moves between two spaces. Minimizing or controlling losses via convection is desirable but requires more consideration. Adequate outside air is necessary for breathing, and sufficient air transfer is required to ventilate other gases and odors from interior spaces.

Most homes are so leaky that there is plenty of opportunity for air to intrude and be enough for the occupants. However, as structures become more air-tight and interior materials become more synthetic, there is the possibility that the indoor air quality is compromised.

Controlling infiltration of outside air is important. Not only is uncontrolled air infiltration wasteful of energy it can also carry outside pollutants such as fumes and dust. Inadequate exhaust of indoor pollutants can cause allergies, respiratory distress and ’sick building syndrome’.

Expanding foam insulation applied to walls and roof voids fills small spaces and gaps that allow air to flow between the interior of a home and the outside environment. Eliminating these gaps prevents air convection from carrying heat between the interior and exterior of a home, which results in lowering the expense of heating or cooling a space.

Minimizing air from entering from the outside into the house means that expanding foam insulation can improve the quality of air inside your house. With proper permeable filters and especially electrostatic filters installed with your air-handler, circulating inside air can be controlled and cleaned of allergens, particulates and pollutants within a building’s interior. By using expanding foam insulation to reduce infiltration of outside contaminates, the inside air is a higher quality. This may be an even more important consideration if a resident suffers from allergies or respiratory conditions.

A more sophisticated installation that is used in commercial buildings and may be justifiable in homes is the use of an ‘economizer’ air handling system. By using an arrangement of ducts and dampers in an ‘H’ pattern outside air and exhaust air can be controlled to allow recirculation and proper ventilation. Depending on the sensible heat and latent heat outside, controllers move the dampers to allow the desired air flow in and out of the building space, which maintains adequate fresh air and takes advantage of the energy of the exterior for cooling or heating. This is especially effective for ‘air-tight’ structures and locations where day and night time temperatures and humidity vary significantly.

Expanding foam insulation is extremely useful to address multiple issues of conduction and convection. Whether it is maintaining the temperature of a home, controlling air infiltration, soundproofing a space, and minimizing energy consumption, almost everyone will enjoy the benefits of expanding foam insulation.

Fire resistant foam insulation contains fire retardant, and some are specifically formulated for fire resistant use.  If you need a fire resistant foam for insulation, be sure to choose one specifically marketed as such.  These products possess a higher degree of fire resistance than standard foam insulation.

Fire Resistant Applications include :
- fire resistant installation of window and door frames
- fire and smoke resistant sealing of connections between walls, ceilings and floors
- sealing of all openings in roof constructions
- sealing of cable and pipe penetrations in walls
- improving thermal insulation in heating and cooling systems

Soudal makes a fire proofing single component PU Foam with non-hazardous propellant and high adhesion to many building materials. SOUDAFOAM FR with CFC-free propellant is a one-component, self expanding, ready to use polyurethane foam with propellants which are completely harmless to the ozone layer. It has a fire rating of up to 229 minutes (4 hours) according to the new European Norm CE 1366-4.

Touch ‘n Seal makes foam sealant and insulating products that contain fire retardants. These foams are intended to resist flaming, and slow flame spread.  However, they cannot stop a fire from spreading indefinitely. Touch ‘n Seal foam is flammable and a fire hazard during dispensing. Do not use around fire or flame, and be sure to extinguish all pilot lights in the area.

ELCH PRO Fire Rated group contains four specialized products for domestic and commercial building applications. FR Silicone and FR Intumescent Acrylic sealants are both tested to BS 476:part 20 and fire rated to 4 hours. FR Acoustic Sealant is also sound tested to a value of 55dBA and is supplied in large volume packs. FR Polyurethane B1 Foam is fire rated between firm, mineral construction substrates and in this application meets the requirements of building material class B1 according to DIN 4102 part 1.

Froth-Pak, although combustible, has a European Class B2 or new Class E fire rating which is equivalent to BS EN11925-2, making it difficult to ignite. The foam’s low thermal conductivity makes it approximately twice as effective as an insulation material as other forms of insulation such as glass fiber, expanded polystyrene and mineral wool.

There are several manufacturers of fire resistant foam insulation products. Be sure to check their fire retardant properties and fire rating specifications so that they suit your purpose.