During the construction, spray foam can be used as an alternative to fiberglass for insulation. Spray foam is available in two different categories, open cell and closed cell. These will affect the cost of insulation. Open-cell foam spray is cheaper than closed-cell foam, the one mentioned earlier will cost $0.44 to $0.65 per board foot, and while the other comes around $1 to $1.50 per board foot. If you are insulating a shed than closed-cell foam is more effective as compared to open-cell. So, depending on the type of material, size, and access, the final expenses would be between $1200 to $3700 for most of the houses.
Other factors also contribute to the overall costs. But one thing is for sure that spray foam will cost around 3 to 4 times more than the fiberglass insulation. If you have a low budget, then go with fiberglass insulation. If you can afford to go with spray foam insulation, then it is worth every penny. There are many advantages of using spray foam over any other material that would, in the long run, end up saving you money. Spray foam is more capable at insulating than other materials so you would end up saving around 30-50$ in energy costs. It also eliminates the soundproofing costs due to it being an excellent sound dampening material.
These factors below will contribute to the final costs.
- Total quantity required
- The material used, open-cell or closed-cell, as they have different prices.
- Labor costs.
- Costs for newly constructed homes is less than that of the old homes due to the ease of installation.
- Location is also a factor.
- Economies of scale apply here. If you are covering a greater area, than the price per square feet will come down a little bit.
Pros & Cons
Usage Of Spray Foam
Spray foam insulation is effective in insulating heat. It is highly effective when it comes to keeping the outside noise from entering your home. Before you decide to buy any brand, make sure to ESR reports and MSDS sheets on any foam being installed in your home.
Spray foam insulation has uses in the following places.
- Basement, Spray foam helps seal pipes, cracks, and sills.
- Spray foam insulation enhances the performance of any heating or cooling system. It can be installed around condensers, ductwork and floor registers. This will reduce the energy cost during winter and summer, and will assist you in recovering the expenses you spent on spray foam insulation.
- Where the siding & foundation meet.
- Garage ceilings.
- Stonewall repair.
- Landscape repair.
Selecting Best Spray Foam
While choosing a good spray foam, R-Value (Resistance value) and NRC should be part of your decision, greater the R-value the greater will be the insulation. However, it is not the best indicator. Because other factors are going to alter the effectiveness of the insulation. There are different ways in which heat and sound can travel to your house. Some of them are
- Conduction
- Convection
- Radiation
In addition to R-Value, you should consider the above-mentioned factors too. Open-cell spray foam has an R-Value of 3.5-3.6 per inch. While closed-cell spray foam has an R-Value of 6.0-6.5 per inch.
Durability Of Spray Foam Insulation
It is quite durable, and it can last up to 25 years. With its energy-saving abilities, you would be able to get back all the costs within 4-9 years depending on your energy usage. Other soundproofing methods are going to cost you around $1k. So, it’s not a bad investment. If you want to look at a cheaper soundproofing method than check my article on that here.
DIY Foam Kits
If you want to go the DIY route, then some brands offer Kits for this purpose.
- Foam It
- Touch ‘n Foam
- Handi-Foam
- Touch n’ Seal
These kits are useful if you are looking to insulate only small areas. For example, for around 100 feet insulation, the 2-3 Kits are enough, and they will only cost you about $100-$250. The DIY option will also save labor costs. But I will still recommend hiring a professional for this task as it contains dangerous gases which can cause serious health issues.
Conclusion
Many factors like type, size, and location will affect the final price of spray foam insulation. For a typical house, you can expect to spend around $1200 to $3700. A modest house or using the spray in only specific areas can reduce it to $300-$600. On the other hand, for a bigger home, you could be spending over $8000. But keep in mind that despite the huge pros of using spray foam as an insulator there are some complaints about the health risks it poses. Even though these risks are only during the installation process and after sometimes those adverse effects diminish. You should just keep this fact in mind too.