Spray Foam Insulation in Dover, OH

Spray foam insulation is mixed from two liquids at the gun and expands where it lands, filling gaps that batts and boards leave open. Because it bonds to wood, block and steel, it stops air movement as well as heat flow. In the Tuscarawas Valley, where many houses are old and many basements run damp, that combination is most valuable in a few specific places rather than everywhere.

Closed-cell, for damp and tight spaces

Closed-cell foam cures hard and dense. HomeGuide rates it at about R-5 to R-7 per inch, and at typical thickness it slows vapor and does not absorb water. That is why we spray it on rim joists, basement and crawl space walls, barn and shop steel, and roof decks where there is no room for an air channel. It also stiffens the panel or sheathing it is sprayed on.

Open-cell, for walls and sound

Open-cell foam is soft and expands a lot, about R-3.5 to R-3.7 per inch. It is a good fit inside walls during remodeling, between floors for sound and in some roof assemblies. It is vapor-open, so we do not use it against cold masonry or in places where moisture could build up behind it.

What it is not for

We rarely recommend foam across an entire open attic floor. Sealing the gaps and then blowing in cellulose or fiberglass reaches R-49 or R-60 at a lower cost. We also do not spray over active leaks, wet framing or knob-and-tube wiring.

Prep and re-entry

The house is cleared of people and pets while we spray and for the cure time afterward; HomeGuide advises at least 24 hours. We protect floors and surfaces, ventilate the work area and clean up before you return.