What is an R-value?
A measure of how effective the insulation is at resisting the flow of heat. The higher the R-value, the better it insulates.
Why do I need a professional to install my insulation?
To do the job properly is the short answer. He will install the correct amount of insulation you need and avoid common mistakes that cause air infiltration or making the house too tight. Improperly installed insulation can cause you to spend too much on heating/cooling or even cause structural damage to the house due to humidity or moisture build up.

What about ventilation?
A properly ventilated house lets the house breathe preventing moisture build up in your house. Not ventilating the attic properly lets the heat build up in the attic heat up the rooms below it. A home that doesn't breathe well, i.e. is too tight can have problems with odor, moisture and humidity, and hazardous air contaminants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and radon.

What is air infiltration?
When air gets into the home through cracks or lack of vapor barriers. One third of the energy to cool a home may be due to air infiltration through electrical outlets, air ducts, sill plate, foundation, etc

How and Why is Insulation Used to Control Sound?
Sound attenuation, or the limiting of sound propagation from one area to another, requires the application of special and standard insulation materials to encase or enclose the noise generating source, forming a sound barrier between the source and the surrounding area. The purposes of applying sound attenuation materials are to:
1. Reduce obnoxious noise levels emitting from machines, equipment, pipe lines or enclosures.
2. Reduce general noise level in plant areas.
3. Provide for better work conditions.

What does insulation actually do for my home?
Fiber glass insulation keeps your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter, because insulation resists the flow of heat. Heat is a form of energy and always seeks a cooler area - flowing out of the home in the winter and into the home in the summer. By reducing heat flow, a properly insulated home uses less energy for heating and cooling. In addition to being an energy saver, fiber glass insulation also acts as a sound absorber. When installed in walls and ceilings, it can reduce the transmission of sound from one room to another or from the outside. In today's noise-laden environments, more and more homeowners are soundproofing their homes. A well-insulated home increases the overall comfort of the home and adds to its resale value. Whether your home is new or old, it pays to insulate.

Where do I find R-value information when I go to buy insulation?
Insulation is identified and labeled by R-value. R stands for resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating power. Manufacturers of insulation products print R-values of their products either on the bags or on the labels. In most cases, R-values are also printed on the facings of fiber glass batts and rolls

What is the benefit of insulation?
Heating and cooling systems consume 50% to 70% of the energy used in the average American home. You'll save on your energy costs if you reduce the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling. Insulation helps your home retain heat in cold weather and reject heat in warm seasons.

What Is The Icynene Insulation System™?
The Icynene Insulation System™ is a complete insulation, air and moisture barrier system that windproofs and seals wall, floor and ceiling cavities against air movement, including spaces around electrical outlets and light fixtures, at baseboards and where walls meet windows and doors. This means that outside air (either hot or cold) cannot seep through walls, causing drafts or cold spots. It also means that humid interior air cannot enter the walls and condense. AWhat are the avantages of The Icynene Insulation System™? As in addition to simplifying the construction process for the builder, Icynene™ Insulation eliminates the major causes of building envelope problems, air-borne moisture movement and entrapment. Blower door tests have shown that a steel framed home insulated with Icynene™ Insulation, and with no polyethylene vapor barrier, measures 1.2 ACH at -50 Pa. depressurization. This is well under the 1.5 ACH50 rating for the most energy efficient home. Heating and cooling costs are typically reduced by 30 to 50%, and smaller, less expensive heating and cooling equipment can be used. For the homeowner the advantages are:
* Compared to other technologies, The Icynene Insulation System™ is a less expensive method of building an energy efficient home.
* A more energy efficient home means that energy costs can usually be reduced between 30 and 50%.
* A more comfortable home, free from drafts and cold spots.
* A quieter home because Icynene™?creates a continuous sound barrier against outside noises.
* A healthier home - when used with a mechanical ventilation system, superior indoor air quality provides your family with a much healthier place in which to live.

How Long Does it Take to Cure?
The foam is created in seconds after spraying. You can watch it expand within seconds to 100 times its original volume, literally before your eyes. It completely cures within a few minutes.

Does the Foam Entrap Moisture?
Icynene™ Insulation is a breathing foam, and any moisture in the building's concrete or lumber can escape through the insulation as the building dries out, thus eliminating any risk of rot or mildew.

How is The Icynene Insulation System™ Installed?
There are two different ways to install Icynene™ insulation - spray it onto any open surface and studded wall or pour it into an existing wall cavity when renovating. An Icynene trained, licensed Dealer must be used in both cases.

With any open surface, Icynene™ insulation can be sprayed on once electrical and plumbing services are in place. It then expands to 100 times its initial volume in seconds, permanently adhering to the surfaces of the surrounding building materials and sealing all gaps.

For retrofitting existing walls, a slower expanding formulation of Icynene is used during renovations. The material is simply injected into small holes drilled into plaster or gypsum walls, or from the outside of the wall.
What is the R-Value of an Icynene™ Insulated Wall or Ceiling?
R-Values of insulating materials are measured in laboratories and are designated a nominal R-Value per inch. In the wall or ceiling of a building, most factory made insulation materials suffer a reduction in performance due to air leakage and infiltration. The insulating value of many building components may be as low as 50% of the nominal R-Value of the insulation they contain.

By contrast, the insulation of a wall containing Icynene™ Insulation will perform closely to the laboratory tested R-Value of the material and seal the wall cavity from air infiltration as well.

The Icynene Insulation System™ is particularly suited to steel frame construction. Icynene™ expands 100:1 as it is installed, adhering to surrounding building components. It completely seals joints, crevices and voids, including difficult-to-insulate spaces such as steel stud U and C sections, double studs and non-standard stud locations. A continuous air/vapor barrier is formed around the building structure in a single application.