Sunlight Contractrs of Louisiana – Why Spray Foam Insulation Should Be Installed Properly By An Industry Expert and Liscenced Contractor
As with any industry in construction, there are always growths and changes happening. New technology, new studies, and new products keep spray foam companies on their toes. New research shows that existing insulation must be removed before installing spray foam insulation in your attic. Sunlight Contractors has made it an integral part of the work that they do to make potential customers aware of the dangers of leaving existing insulation in the attic if they are considering spray foam insulation. Spray foam insulation is a great product.
Homes that are insulated with spray foam are some of the most comfortable and most efficient homes. The problem lies in the fact that spray foam is an unregulated industry and some contractors haven’t done the research or have the experience to know what is helping/hurting your home. Leaving existing insulation on the ceiling, especially kraft paper faced batts, is a highly debated topic in the spray foam industry. One known issue is trapping pollutants that have become caught in the insulation over time inside the new thermal and air envelope, which would have otherwise been essentially outside the house prior to spray foam.
Another, and even bigger issue is that it creates a buffer between the conditioned space of the house and the newly conditioned attic. Without allowing air to get back into the house to be sent through the air conditioner to be filtered and dehumidified, the attic air can become stagnant. This will cause a build up of moisture over time that can present itself as an issue with mold growth or moisture rot. Inside a spray foamed attic, surfaces get much colder than they used to. As such, they are prone to condensation. The best way we can combat these issues is by removing the existing insulation as it is no longer needed.
This allows the air to drive inwards, creating even air flow and not allowing the air to become stagnant. Another important issue is every house is built differently and breathes differently. In order to make sure you don’t have moisture issues in the future, you can go to the Home and Garden section at Home Depot and buy a temperature/humidity reader for $10.00. This way, if you don’t have a modern nest thermostat, or one similar, you can keep an eye on your humidity readings. Any customer experiencing humidity over 60%, needs to call a licensed contractor who specializes in your energy envelope, like Sunlight Contractors.