Insulation Ottawa & the Outaouais
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Foam insulation has many advantages over standard insulation options:
Spray foam insulation is applied as a liquid, using a nozzle not unlike a fire hose. It looks like paint when first applied, but is actually a combination of two substances that blend together at the nozzle and immediately begin to cure. The curing process—which happens within seconds—expands the liquid into a thick foam, which then fills the space and creates an air-tight seal.
Foam insulation serves two purposes in one application—it fills empty spaces with an insulating material and it creates a tight air barrier. Because it fills holes of every shape and size and can fit around odd shaped objects, foam is able to create a very tight seal. A tight seal means no escaping hot or cool air, and therefore, lower utility bills. You spend your money heating your home, not the outdoors.
When it comes to spray foam insulators, products divide into open cell and closed cell options. Open cell insulation is, as the name suggests, made from tiny foam cells that are not completely closed. The density of an open cell insulator is typically ½ lb. In closed cell insulation, the foam cells are closed and filled with a gas that helps expand the foam and create a tight barrier. The density of a closed cell insulator is typically 2 lbs. The advantages of closed cell foam include its strength, higher R-value, and its greater resistance to the leakage of air or water vapor.
Because of its huge advantages in quality, KinLar Insulation Inc. firmly believes in a closed cell product.
R-value is a unit of measure used to define thermal resistance, or the ability to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the resistance to heat loss. The R-value is a very useful measurement, but it has limits. It only measures conduction. Conduction—where heat escapes through solid objects—accounts for only 20% of a building’s heat loss, while convection—where heat escapes via air moving from one place to another—accounts for the rest. It takes as little as a ¼ inch of Polarfoam PF-7300 SOYA foam to stop 99% of convection heat loss.
The R-value of KinLar’s spray foam insulation is R-6 per inch.
Sprayed Polyurethane foam will form a bond on virtually all substrates including wood, stone, gravel, brick and cement. The area needs to be reasonably clean and dry to the touch.
Polarfoam is made from SOYA, recycled plastics and vegetable oil which are replenishable resources making it a sustainable product.
Not necessarily. If someone has a low tolerance for a mild paint or chemical odour, then we would suggest they stay away for at least 24 hours. In most cases occupants are permitted access within a few hours of the work being completed.
All manufactured materials will off-gas to some degree, and foam insulation is no exception. However, Polarfoam PF-7300 SOYA is a medium-density spray foam which meets the CAN/ULC S705.1 material standard. The CUFCA requires that all of its licensed manufacturers meet a maximum limit of 1/100 of the government’s allowable limit. Polarfoam PF-7300 SOYA met this requirement easily.
Polarfoam PF-7300 SOYA is a two component closed cell spray-applied rigid polyurethane foam system distributed by the Canadian company Polyurethane Foam Systems Inc. It’s an innovative ecological product made from renewable vegetable oils and recycled plastic bottles, which uses a Zero Ozone Depletion Substance (ZERO ODS) as a blowing agent.
Polarfoam PF-7300 SOYA is formulated to exceed the requirements of the National Building Code of Canada for foam insulation, and has been evaluated by an independent recognized laboratory to ensure compliance. It has also achieved the Greenguard Environmental Institute’s (www.greenguard.org) GREENGUARD Children & SchoolsSM indoor air quality certification.
It emits no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) or CFCs (Chloro Fluoro Carbons). It contains no formaldehyde or bleach and insulates without any of the harmful environmental side effects of older insulation materials.
As environmental issues have increased in importance, various national and provincial programs have arisen to encourage consumers to do their part. It’s possible your insulation project can qualify you for a rebate. Please check the following links to see if you qualify:
Basement insulation grants
Attic insulation grants
Wall insulation grants
The Ontario Home Energy savings Program (http://www.homeenergyontario.ca)
Natural Resources Canada Retrofit Program (http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/retrofit-homes/retrofit-qualify-grant.cfm)
Yes, the formula is adjusted to account for the temperature and humidity and the equipment is heated to ensure the foam is applied at the optimum temperature and cures correctly regardless of the ambient temperature and humidity. Yet another reason why it pays to use a CUFCA qualified insulation contractor such as KinLar Insulation Inc.
The team at KinLar Insulation Inc. is always happy to answer questions. We regularly update our blog with valuable information on insulation and the industry, and encourage you to stop by. In addition, please feel free to contact us directly with any query you might have.
Here’s a few links you might find useful if you’re looking for further information:
The Canadian Urethane Foam Contractors Association website (http://www.cufca.ca)
A blog dedicated to a greener world talks about soya-based insulation. (http://www.greenstrides.com/2008/07/16/how-green-is-biobased-spray-foam-insulation)
Tips on conservation by the Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (http://www.mei.gov.on.ca/en/)
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