Can Polyurethane foam be used for home insulation?

Answer 1

Had my chem teacher in highschool grow the PU foam in front of the class, how did he do it? You need four chemicals: A polyol. For foam, glycerin will work. A diisocyanate. A catalyst called DABCO, which has a REALLY long name. And a blowing agent; for this we'll use water. There are two reactions going on here. First is the urethane reaction--DABCO bonds the polyol to the diisocyanate to form the urethane molecule. Then comes the water...when diisocyanate and water are mixed, carbon dioxide is liberated. The little CO2 bubbles are trapped in the polyurethane and make it foamy.

Answer 2

When you are considering insulation options that may be available for your home for protection from various weather conditions you should seriously look at the benefits that polyurethane foam insulation will provide for you and your family. Insulation is given an R-value which is the determining number of any resistance it has to heat flow. The higher that this value is the better the insulation protection and benefits you will have. Polyurethane foam insulation has a higher R-value rating than any of the fiberglass insulation products that are available on the market today. Since polyurethane foam insulation is a spray that expands, it gets into the cracks and crevices of your walls to block even the smallest drafts or heat loss that can occur. During warm weather conditions as your walls heat up they will expand. Polyurethane foam insulation will expand with your walls to prevent any cracking or splitting in the seal of the insulation and your home. Applying the polyurethane insulation foam spray is best done before you apply your sheet rock or drywall. If you have completed walls you can spray the insulation through the top of the attic and down the walls or you can drill out holes in your walls to spray the insulation behind them and then plug the holes with a plaster patch. Here is a guide to help you protect your home with polyurethane foam insulation.

Step 1. Prior to applying your polyurethane foam insulation you will need to cover any electrical boxes or outlets that you have in the room you will be working with masking tape. This will help to keep the foam from penetrating into those areas that can cause problems for you.

Step 2. You will need to purchase a polyurethane foam insulation kit. These kits are available at your local home improvement stores. When you are ready to begin your insulation installation project, unpack the kit and read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Make a visual inspection to guarantee that you have all of the necessary materials and supplies to complete this project accurately. The insulation kit should include two tanks of chemicals, any necessary hoses need and spray nozzles. Apply a small amount of foam on a test area to get an idea of how the insulation foam expands and to get a feel on how to accurately spray this material.

Step 3. You should hold your spray gun approximately 18 to 24 inches away from the area you will be working. You will want to use a sided ways sweeping motion with your sprayer working between the 2” x 4” wall studs. Start at the top and work to the floor making sure that you have completed each section before moving on to the next.

Step 4. When you have completed the entire room, inspect each sprayed section where you have applied the foam for any gaps in the foam. If you notice any gaps, re-spray over this area making sure that you do not apply too much insulation foam.

Step . If you have excessive amounts of polyurethane foam insulation in an area that has expanded more than you expected, you can use a foam saw to remove this. Using the edge of your 2” x 4” wall studs as a guide, remove any insulation that goes past this point as this will cause problems when you install your sheetrock or dry walling.

Answer 3

Polyurethane foam is used for home insulation. It is one of the many insulation methods available for your home.