Spray foam started gaining popularity 20 years ago in the US as the ultimate answer to fiberglass insulation. We were one of the first contractors to promote it since it was better than the alternatives at the time. While it does provide a better air seal than fiberglass, it still has to be installed properly. Most of the time, it is not installed to full fill the wall, so you are losing some insulation R-Value.
We have completed the foundation at the #1920smakeoveratl, and it has been a journey. We completely rebuilt the foundation and slab on a historic house and simultaneously upgraded it to a super green house.
Most builders know how to insulate walls and roofs; however, little attention is given below the slab and foundation walls. ROCKWOOL insulation is designed for sub-slab and exterior foundation wall applications since water does not affect its composition.
ROCKWOOL and Huber had a great section demonstrating the perfect wall assembly with the insulation and air sealing towards the outside of the house.
ROCKWOOL has many product lines and they all have different purposes. I had a sample of Safe-N-Sound and Comfortboard in my shop so I created a short video showing some of the differences.
As energy codes demand that we make buildings more energy-efficient, we have to find new and innovative ways to make this a reality. One way that builders are able to help maintain a comfortable and healthy indoor environment is with better insulation and air sealing.
You don’t have to hire a professional to inspection certain parts of your house such as roof insulation. Just let nature help you with visual cues on what is going on. For instance, melted frost first thing in the morning indicates that there is heat loss. We compared to an infrared camera and the frost test was actually better to see exactly where the heat loss occurred.
A good way to see if your insulation in your house is installed correctly is to look at your house first thing in the morning during the cold season. The frost is a good indicator of how well the insulation is working.
Matt Hoots with SawHorse interviews Dan Edelman with Rockwool at the 2020 IBS and KBIS in Las Vegas.
Watch more helpful tips and tricks for homeowners.
