What is rigid foam insulation made from?
- Polyisocyanurate. Polyisocyanurate, or Polyiso (PIR), is a foam used as insulation. ...
- Expanded polystyrene. You may already be familiar with this type of rigid foam without even knowing! ...
- Extruded polystyrene. Extruded polystyrene or XPS comes in blue or pink rigid board form and has an R-value of 5 per inch, making it denser than expanded polystyrene.
Is foam insulation worth the price?
Spray foam is worth its high price as it seals surfaces. Property, especially old ones, might develop cracks between the boards that make up its walls and ceilings. There may also be small gaps around pipes and electrical cords. These spaces let in water and air. Spray foam insulation will effectively fill these gaps, saving you time and effort.
What is the best insulation board to use?
Types of insulation boards
- PIR insulation boards. PIR boards (polyisocyanurate insulation) have a wide applicability and are perfectly suited to insulate a flat roof or a cavity wall.
- PUR insulation boards. Polyurethane (PUR) is one of the most efficient insulation materials on the market. ...
- XPS insulation boards. ...
- EPS sheets. ...
- Supple glass wool insulation boards. ...
How toxic is foam insulation?
- Mineral wool.
- Cotton (recycled denim)
- Sheep's wool.
Is foam good insulator?
Polystyrene and plastic foam are both used as insulators as they have small air bubbles trapped inside them. This makes them very good insulators because heat energy can’t flow through them. The same idea is used to keep the inside of buildings warm. What is the r value of vermiculite insulation?
Is foam board insulation toxic?
Foam insulations commonly contain highly toxic flame retardants, and spray foam contains asthma-causing isocyanates. If foam insulation must be used, avoid products that are reacted on site, such as spray foam.
What are foam boards made of?
The most common types of material used to make foam board insulation include polystyrene, polyisocyanurate (polyiso), and polyurethane. Polystyrene is a colorless, transparent thermoplastic, according to the U.S. DOE.
What is the substance used in foam board insulation?
Polystyrene--a colorless, transparent thermoplastic--is commonly used to make foam board or beadboard insulation, concrete block insulation, and a type of loose-fill insulation consisting of small beads of polystyrene.
Is foam board the same as Styrofoam?
Foamboard is made from polystyrene, a popular type of plastic that is also used in the production of Styrofoam. One of the reasons people love foamboards is that they are incredibly lightweight thanks to the polystyrene core of foam board, which is 95-98% air.
Is foam core board toxic?
Her research found that polystyrene is known to have the potential to release toxic emissions when heated at certain temperatures. Additionally, heating the material can potentially ignite the board's paper surface and cause a fire.
Is foam board environmentally friendly?
These bio resins cause the discarded foam board to degrade in landfills or commercial composters once the foam is exposed to a bacteria-rich environment. Biodegradable Foamboard requires 1 to five years for 100% breakdown, whereas conventional foam boards will not Biodegrade for 80 to 450 years.
What is the difference between pink and blue foam board?
Both are manufactured using the same process and contain similar chemical components. The two products also have the same insulating power. However, blue foam boards are manufactured by Dow Chemical Co. whereas the pink foam boards are manufactured by Owens Corning company.
Is XPS foam toxic?
Most rigid polystyrene foam insulation boards, both the EPS and XPS types, contain the toxic flame retardant HBCD, which was banned by the European Union in 2015.
What can I do with leftover foam board insulation?
Donate the Insulation Or try the Restore retail outlets that are open to the public to purchased used building materials. The Reuse Network (Reusenetwork.org) can assist you in finding an organization in your area that accepts construction materials such as foam insulation for building projects.
Which side of foam board insulation faces out?
The reflective side of the board should be oriented to the exterior and the non- reflective white side should be oriented to the interior. EXCEPTION: If vinyl siding is to be installed over AP™ Foil- Faced sheathing, install foam boards with the white nonreflective side toward the vinyl siding.
Can you cut foam board?
To make just a few, simple cuts, you can cut the foam manually. Take scissors, a simple blade, cookie cutters, or even dental floss and cut through your foam. To make larger cuts, use electric tools. Secure the foam and use an electric knife, hot wire cutter, or foam saw to cut through thick or firm foam.
Does foam board insulation need a vapor barrier?
Foam insulation usually does not require a vapor barrier. For some foam insulation types, such as closed-cell spray foam and foam board insulation, the insulation itself stops the movement of most water vapor.
What is rigid foam?
When most people think of insulation, they picture fiberglass batts and rolls—and that’s perfectly okay. However, we often forget to consider all our options. There are many different types of insulation available to us. One type that may be unfamiliar to you is rigid foam.
What is rigid foam insulation made from?
Typically, rigid foam insulation is made of three different types of plastic with different R-values. These slightly different materials give us three different types of rigid foams.
What are the benefits of using rigid foam insulation?
Fiberglass is the most common type of home insulation in North America, but rigid foam insulation is gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional insulation solutions. Although it’s not necessarily better than fiberglass, it does have some advantages that can make it worth considering as a replacement to other insulation types.
When to use rigid foam insulation?
There are various times when you might want to consider using rigid foam insulation. The main benefit of using rigid foam insulation is that it is easier to work with than other types of insulation. So, rigid foam insulation can be applied wherever thermal protection is needed.
What is foam board insulation?
Also known as “rigid “or “continuous”, foam board insulation is made of a dense foam core and maybe laminated on either side. Unlike the fiberglass insulation found in most homes’ stud walls, foam boards provide continuous protection from the elements. Thanks to their density, they typically also have higher R-values per inch.
What is EPS foam core?
Common Types of Foam Cores. Better known as EPS, is the least expensive among today’s foam board products. Because its blowing agent is air, EPS is made with a trivial amount of embodied carbon compared to Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) products.
Is foam board insulation your father's?
Not Your Father’s Rigid Insulation. While rigid panels have kept buildings warm for ages, today’s leading products are not your father’s foam board insulation. Modern foam boards can do a lot more than block heat transfer; they can also control the flow of vapor and moisture and keep the wall cavity dry.
Can foam boards reflect heat?
With reflective laminate and an air gap on the warm side, foam boards can reflect heat into a room. This potential boost in thermal resistance makes reflective laminate a fitting option for interior use.
Does foam board keep moisture out?
On the warm side of a wall, it does wonders to keep out moisture, notably in locales with a high water table. On a wall’s exterior, a quality foam board product with perforated laminate will help curb thermal bridging while letting the wall assembly breathe and stay dry.
Can foam board be perforated?
That said, a perforated laminate coat cannot act as a barrier.
Is EPS foam stable?
That said, EPS is less prone to deterioration, so its R-value is stable over time. Graphite Polystyrene. GPS, consists of EPS foam infused with graphite particles. The latter beef up the foam’s R-values to about R-4.7/inch. As with EPS, the R-values are stable, and the risk of deterioration is low.
How thick is foam board insulation?
It comes in standard-size 4×8 sheets, and smaller sizes, in many different thicknesses from 1/4 inch to 2 inches. Some types of thicker foam board insulation are available, but they may need to be special ordered.
What is the best insulation for a batt?
Foam board insulation is a great alternative to the very common fiberglass batt insulation that is in most of our homes. It has a higher R-Value per inch of thickness, it’s resistant to moisture and is easy to work with.
What is EPS insulation?
EPS is used under roofing, over foundation walls and beneath siding. Extruded Polystyrene. This foam board insulation is the rigid pink or blue panels that can be found at home centers in many different thicknesses. It is denser than EPS and provides more R-Value with a rating of 5 per inch of thickness. This foam board insulation is available ...
Is foam board insulation good for a basement?
Because of its resistance to moisture, foam board insulation is a great choice whenever and wherever there is a chance it could get wet, such as: an exterior foundation, inside a basement against the foundation, and on the outside of a house beneath a house wrap. Foam board insulation is more expensive than traditional batt insulation, ...
What is Foam Board Insulation?
Foam board insulation is a product made from polystyrene and polyurethane used to insulate interiors from exterior temperatures. Generally speaking, foam board is most often used to insulate areas of a structure unfriendly to batts or blown insulation. An example might be an unfinished basement where the walls are made from cement blocks.
Where Would I Use Foam Board Insulation?
Foam board insulation can be used essentially anywhere other forms of insulation can be installed. For example, foam board insulation can be used in place of blown in attic insulation, batts, and spray foam.
How Do I Install Foam Board Insulation?
Foam board insulation can be installed in a number of ways, depending on where it is going. For our purposes today, we will assume that the surface receiving the foam board is accessible and free of any fasteners.
What Tools Do I Need to Work with Foam Board Insulation?
Working with foam board insulation requires only a few hand tools. These include (but are not limited to:
How thick should foam board insulation be?
Foam board insulation is easy to use and is a great DIY way to add some insulation. It comes in standard-size 4×8 sheets, and smaller sizes, in many different thicknesses from 1/4 inch to 2 inches. Some types of thicker foam board insulation are available, but they may need to be special ordered.
Do you need a vapor barrier with rigid foam insulation?
5 Answers. Rigid foam insulation is usually a qualified vapor barrier. However, an installation between the studs can pose a challenge. To complete the vapor barrier you would want to foam-seal or tape all the sides where the rigid meets timber, because these gaps will facilitate vapor flow.
Does foam board absorb water?
Home / Does the foam absorb water? No. However, water can work its way through the foam under pressure or by gravity force. When the foam is placed on water it will float and upon removal it will not contain any water and it does not lose any of its insulating properties.
What is foam board insulation used for?
foam board insulation. Foam boards – rigid panels of insulation – can be used to insulate almost any part of your home, from the roof down to the foundation. They provide good thermal resistance and often add structural strength to your home.
Can I spray foam insulation myself?
A: Tom Silva replies: Spray foam is great insulation, but it's fairly demanding to apply; the kit instructions have to be followed exactly. In fact, study them before you buy your kit so you know what you're in for. As with spray-foam kits, protect yourself and the floor from the dripping globs of canned foam.
What is the R value of rigid foam board?
Rigid foam R-values range from R-1 for 1/4-inch thick sheathing panels to R-15 for 3-inch thick panels. R-value is not entirely a function of the thickness of the material, as the facing material and type of foam used will affect the R-value of the material.
Is rigid foam insulation waterproof?
Polyiso is a rigid foam board insulation used for roofing and for insulating walls and ceilings. It is a composite insulation made from various chemicals and synthetic materials, which are heated and then cooled to form rigid panels. This creates its closed-cell structure and makes polyiso exceptionally waterproof.
What is pink foam board?
Unique specialized pink foam products include a below-grade foundation insulation board with drainage channels on the surface of the board and a filtration fabric facing that prevents soil from clogging the channels. Owens Corning also offers a pink foam product manufactured with precise thickness tolerances for applications in which a tight connection between the board and an adjacent surface is necessary.
What is the difference between pink and blue foam boards?
Both pink and blue foam boards are rigid insulation panels made from extruded polystyrene. The chemical composition, manufacturing process and insulating capability of the two products are similar; the principal difference between them is that they are manufactured by two different companies. Pink foam board is manufactured by Owens Corning, and it's marketed under several different brand-specific product names, including Foamular, Propink, Thermapink, and Insulpink. Blue foam board is manufactured by Dow Chemical Co., and it's marketed under the Styrofoam brand name.
What is blue foam?
Blue foam products intended to be used as sheathing on exterior walls are faced with thin plastic films that protect the board's extruded polystyrene core and add extra strength to the board. Boards intended for interior walls are unfaced, but some of them include convenience features such as notches at the edges to accommodate wood nailing strips. Other blue foam products are designed for roofing or cavity wall applications. High-density blue foam products are designed to resist compression under heavy loads when they're used beneath concrete slabs.
Is polystyrene insulation more expensive than extruded polystyrene?
Expanded polystyrene insulation is less expensive than extruded polystyrene, but it is also more fragile and is a less effective insulator. Polyisocyanurate panels, also called ISO panels, consist of a rigid foam core sandwiched between foil or fiberglass facings.
