3 Reasons Foam Insulation Can Improve Your HVAC Performance

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Spray foam is becoming a popular option in newer homes, but many homeowners may still not fully understand its benefits. When contractors talk about spray foam, they're typically referring to various closed and open cell products that can replace or supplement standard fiberglass or foam board options. However, these products offer more than just a fancier installation method.

Whether you're retrofitting spray foam into parts of your existing home or you're building a new home, your HVAC system will see some of the most significant benefits from foam insulation. Keep reading to learn three ways that spray foam can improve the performance, efficiency, and comfort of your home's heating and cooling equipment.

1. Sealing Small Gaps

Foam insulation is excellent at sealing small gaps, such as those found beneath window and door trim. Unlike blown-in fiberglass or other options, spray foam will not compress and will expand to seal the gap. These qualities make it a perfect fit for hardening your home's envelope against tiny drafts that can enter from unexpected locations.

Sealing these gaps can be an excellent retrofit project for existing homes and a great way to improve your overall heating and cooling efficiency. By dealing with these drafts, you'll remove pathways for conditioned air to leave your home. As a result, your furnace and air conditioner won't need to work as hard to maintain a comfortable temperature inside.

2. Protecting Your Attic AC Equipment

If your home doesn't have a basement or crawl space, you likely have your HVAC equipment located in the attic. While the attic can be a convenient location for both equipment and ductwork, it also has some substantial drawbacks. The blazing hot sun can turn most attics into ovens during the summer, potentially transferring a significant amount of heat into your HVAC ductwork.

Closed-cell foam can be a perfect choice to insulate your attic since it's moisture-resistant and capable of expanding to fill tight areas, such as near your soffits. Insulating your attic can help extend the life of your AC equipment while also reducing losses due to environmental heat transfer. Spray foam may offer a significant upgrade if you currently have your AC equipment in an uninsulated attic space.

3. Higher R-Values

Of course, the most considerable benefit for new homes comes from the high R-values found in most spray foam products. These values mean that spray foam provides significantly stronger insulating qualities than traditional insulation products. As a result, your home will lose less heat in the winter and stay cool for longer in the summer.

If you have a choice of insulation types during home construction, it's worth discussing spray foam with your contractor and comparing it against your other options. You're likely to find that the extra cost of installing spray foam will pay off in the long run by allowing your HVAC system to create a more comfortable and energy-efficient environment. Consult with a company like Comfort Zone Foam Insulation in your area.


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