Insulation foremost to efficient building

Today, common Insulation creates moisture problems

We must adopt modern, efficient insulation materials.  Insulation material in Canada needs to be updated to effectively protect our homes and reduce our energy dependency.  Canada’s often-humid climate is characterized by high humidity throughout the year in places. The effect of this climate on buildings and residential housing in particular is significant.  Moisture drive is the main issue though the seasonal temperature range exceeds 40 degrees Celsius (80 degrees in places) and contributes to structural damage and energy consumption over the course of the year.

Canadian homes are almost all insulated with fiberglass insulation though recently other fibrous materials such as cellulose and mineral wool have made inroads to the market.  Insulation in Canada must provide protection from moisture drive as well as thermal protection because of our climate.  In Canada, insulation needs to perform as an air barrier and a vapor barrier.  While traditional walls are built with air barrier and vapor barrier layers to protect the fibrous insulation, these have resulted in costly damage on an enormous scale in Canada’s climate.  Either because of poor installation, failure to seal with caulking (in older homes), post installation penetrations placed in the wall by homeowners or failure of the sealants over time, this technique fails to stand up to the environment.

Modern insulation is more costly to install, but save far more money in time.

Insulation in Canada is cheap and readily available and most homeowners give it little thought because it is so widely accepted that insulation comes in plastic bags and is pink in color.  This ready acceptance needs to be challenged for in Canada, pink insulation is responsible for water damage from water ingress, vapor drive from the interior side of the wall and the resultant mold and mildew issues that this soon to be trapped water creates.

Spray Foam Insulation results in energy efficiency, and healthy indoor air quality.

Homeowners need spray foam insulation in Canada and need to familiarize themselves with its cost, benefits and limitations for no other product can withstand the high humidity of our climate.  Spray foam insulation in Canada provides an air barrier/vapor barrier and thermal insulation in a single application.  Spray Foam insulation is made of billions of tiny plastic wrapped bubbles which are not subject to air movement or moisture drive, making it the very best insulation material for Canada cold climate on the market.  While more expensive to install, spray foam insulation results in lower utility bills, less structural damage over the life of the building, longer building life and a far lower overall ownership costs than fibrous products.  Be sure to ask how EcoLogicfoam insulation can meet your needs.

Tags : air quality, air tight, benifits, building envelope, moisture, R-value, renovating, spray foam insulation, thermal insulation
Posted in : Common Questions, Environment, R-value, building envelope | 6 Comments »

Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation

Why Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation?

Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation (SPF) addresses the three main deficiencies in todays building insulation  – low whole wall R-Values, moisture damage due to vapor permeability and air tightness.

Insulation is used to stop heat loss and conserve energy, but todays materials fail to do an effective job of this on several counts.  Heat is lost in three ways, radiation, convection and conduction.  Of these, convective heat loss (movement of air – and heat with it from one area to another) is the most significant accounting for 60% of total heat loss.  Conduction accounts for another 32% with radiation responsible for the remaining 8%.

Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation eliminates convective heat loss.

Convection occurs within your walls because of the thermal gradient across the wall assembly.  On the warm side of the wall, air is tends to rise and on the cold side of the wall, air will sink where air movement is not prevented.  This readily occurs in fibrous materials in conventional wall assemblies.  Spray Polyurethane foam insulation, however, eliminates convective heat loss because of its closed cellular structure preventing the movement of air through the material.  In doing so, it entirely eliminates the most significant source of heat loss in the thermal envelope.

Conduction is addressed by the measurement of R-Value.  In as little as 3.3” of closed cell SPF, an R-Value of R20 can be achieved reducing conductive heat loss exceeding the performance of 6” of fiberglass.

While neither fiberglass nor closed cell SPF addresses radiation, the effective whole wall performance of a closed cell SPF wall assembly will significantly outperform today’s fibrous materials by a considerable margin.

Protect your home from moisture damage with Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation.

Moisture damage occurs due to vapor drive, condensation and water ingress.  Key to eliminating vapor drive is the use of a vapor impermeable material.  While 6 mil poly perfectly installed, completely sealed at top and bottom plates and transitions can serve as such until it is penetrated, poly fails when even small punctures are made in the product.  It is estimated that a one square inch hole allows as much moisture through a wall annually as 300 square feet of diffusion!  Because closed cell SPF is several inches thick, sprayed against the outside wall and bonded to the substrate (sheathing and studs), it forms a complete seal, not easily damaged by penetrations for wall hangings and electrical boxes.

Condensation is eliminated with Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation.

Condensation occurs when a body of air is cooled sufficiently to condense moisture in the air mass.  Inside your walls, this occurs at the point in your insulation where the air becomes saturated.  If this occurs in todays fibrous products, moisture is deposited in your walls and can, over time, cause damage.  Closed cell SPF on the other hand does not breathe.  With the condensation point occurring inside the mass of SPF, there is not opportunity to deposit moisture eliminating this source of future damage.

Water ingress, regardless if it is due to a failed roof membrane, condensation or vapor drive requires that moisture be permitted a channel to escape.  A wall can dry to the interior or exterior but it must dry.  With SPF sprayed to the outside of the wall, and no poly sheathing on the inside of the wall, SPF provides readily available drying potential to the interior and a safer assembly than traditional fibrous products covered with 6 mil poly on one side and house wrap on the other.

Create an air tight home with Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation.

Finally, closed cell SPF results in a very airtight structure.  While this requires the installation of mechanical air handling equipment to ensure sufficient fresh air supply, the mantra “seal it tight, ventilate it right” is the best rule to follow.  By providing direct control of air leakage, we can control air turn over and reduce heat loss due to ad-hoc seepage through wall assemblies.  Cost offsets can be found in downsizing  HVAC equipment due to lower natural air turnover.

By relying on traditional materials a home will consume as much as 50% more energy than is possible by installing closed cell SPF.  A wall assembly built with closed cell SPF reduces moisture related damage and therefore cost of ownership and increased air tightness improves on long term thermal performance as well as providing opportunity for cost offsets by reducing the size of mechanical equipment.

The long-term cost of this decision far outweighs the additional expense of upgrading to closed cell SPF.  This is to say nothing of the increased comfort in:

• Climate control.
• Quieter walls.
• Less dust.
• Increased structural rigidity.

Closed Cell Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation is the next generation in high performance thermal barriers.

Closed cell SPF is the next generation of insulating material.  While more costly up front, the long term financial return when energy savings are accounted for results in significant savings over todays fibrous materials.  By reducing moisture related damage, increasing efficiency and comfort, Spray Polyurethane Foam is the solution to todays increasingly demanding building codes and energy conscious home owners.

Tags : air tight, benifits, building envelope, conduction, convection, energy efficient, moisture
Posted in : R-value, Return on Investment, building envelope | 7 Comments »

Is your home sealed too tight?

Here’s a conundrum:  Modern Canadian homes are too tight?  But efficient homes have to be tight by definition.  Following is a brief look at the issue, the problem, and an effective solution.

Traditionally, homes were made to breathe, not sealed up air tight.

Traditional Homes in Canada stood the test of time. They were not terribly well insulated, not very efficient, not immune to water ingress and yet they were fairly healthy to live in, they withstood the elements and they lasted a long time.  Modern Canadian Homes on the other hand, are very efficient, are well insulated, include products to manage water ingress and eliminate air movement through walls and as a result are much tighter.  As building techniques have changed though, occupants and architects have found that modern buildings in Canada do not always create healthy living environments, are often subject to water damage and tend to incur higher maintenance costs and have shorter life expectancies.  What has happened and what can be done?

At issue is moisture.  In Canada, moisture is responsible for most structural damage to wood frame buildings.  It is primarily responsible for reduced indoor air quality, it is required for the growth and spread of mold and its damaging effects to both buildings and occupants and it results in shorter building life spans and higher building maintenance costs.

Energy Efficiency requires air tight buildings

The problem is that whereas older buildings were designed and built fairly porous, modern buildings are built tight to seal in heat energy.  The result is that older Canadian buildings naturally got wet and then dried while modern buildings still get wet in spite of 6 mil polyethylene vapor barriers, but they do not dry!  This trapped moisture is the source of rot, and mildew, and is the cause of most structural damage, mold growth, poor indoor air quality and high maintenance costs.

A typical modern wall assembly

To look closer at how a modern Canadian home is built we need to look at how its wall assembly is created.  This typically includes 2×6 wood framing members with fibrous insulation batts fitted in the cavity between them.  On the indoor side of the framing is a 6 mil polyethylene vapor barrier, drywall and paint.  On the outside of the wall we generally find OSB sheathing, a house wrap and vinyl siding.  The purpose of the vapor barrier, and the house wrap layers is to protect the porous insulation in between them from air movement for air carries with it moisture.

The entire assembly is designed to assist the fibrous insulating layer in its job and to protect it from getting and staying wet.  In doing so, any moisture that does get past them through penetrations or inadequate sealing at transitions becomes trapped.  What is required is to replace the insulating layer itself with a material that prevents the flow of air and moisture through it.

The answer: An Air tight seal that does not permit moisture to accumulate.

If the insulating layer itself is impenetrable to moisture than there would be no space for moisture to accumulate and all of the issues with modern Canadian homes would be addressed in a single application.  There would be no water damage, mold growth, poor indoor air quality, higher maintenance costs or reduced building life expectancy and we would have well insulated, highly efficient buildings to boot!

The only product that possesses the properties and capability to achieve the required moisture barrier in Canada is medium density (2 Lb) spray foam insulation.  Sprayed in place it is perfectly fitted to completely fill even the tiniest gaps and cracks in the wall assembly.  Spray foam insulation is a recognized air barrier and vapor barrier by the Canadian Construction Materials Center.  Spray foam insulation is one of the most rigorously tested materials that goes into homes.  It does not off gas after installation, it is inert, it will not settle or sag, it is rigid and increases the racking and shearing strength to a home by 300%, it has an R value of twice fiberglass in a given depth or thickness of material and while more costly to install it reduces the total cost of ownership by reducing energy expenses, maintenance costs and eliminating water damage.  The soft cost of improved indoor air quality and occupant comfort alone are enough to justify the additional cost.  Spray foam is becoming far more widely accepted in Canada by homeowners who increasingly understand the importance of moisture control in the health of their homes.

The answer is to seal it tight and ventilate it right.

Tags : air quality, air tight, building envelope, moisture
Posted in : Environment, building envelope | 5 Comments »

Fiberglass – that fluffy, pink, insulation.

fiberglass

Home insulation.  It is pink, right? It comes in big oblong shaped bags and bursts out of them as they are opened – it is precut to fit into your walls perfectly and it has the claimed R-Value printed on the outside of the bag so you know what you are getting.  Home builders have been using it for decades now – it is fibergalss and is the standard, the norm and the dominant product on the market.

Fiberglass, it comes in loosely woven batts – cut to shape, made up of millions of tiny little strands of spun… glass!  No surprise there as it is in the name, but glass – isn’t that what our windows are made of – and aren’t windows a source of heat loss because glass conducts heat energy so well?  So why do we have it in our walls to keep our homes warm?  Oh ya, it is not the glass itself but the air that it traps in between the glass fibers that acts as an insulator.  Because that air is held in place and does not move, it maintains a different temperature than the air beside it.  But…  how does a fiber hold air in place?  It can’t.  So then air is not held in place, it is simply slowed in its movement.  That must be it right?

Is fiberglass effective?

But if air is simply slowed down, how is it an effective insulator if it can move from place to place?  Does it move, or is it simply that it can – I mean it is inside a wall, after all.

Air not only moves through fiberglass, it does so readily, quickly and systematically, acting in response to the laws of physics.  If you were to draw a wall (which is an assembly of different products) in profile, you would see that the majority of space in that wall (between the studs) is occupied by our fiberglass insulation batts.  On one side of the wall is our indoor room, and on the other is the outside world.  Our wall keeps them separate if it is doing its job.  Most of us know that warm air weighs less than cool air and thus tends to rise.  In Canada, in the winter time, our homes are generally kept at a comfortable 23 degrees celcius, while the outdoor environment can be anywhere from 0 degrees celcius in coastal areas to -40 degrees on the prairies.  The effect of this is that the air (loosely held in our fiberglass batt) that rests against the outside wall is cooler than the air that rests against the indoor wall.  Because of this the air against the outer wall tends to fall through the insulation and the air against the inside wall rises.  A convective current is formed and this is an effective heat transfer mechanism which moves heat energy from the inside wall to the outside wall and into the environment.  Fiberglass is a poor insulator.

Does fiberglass perform?

Further, while there is a vapor barrier in the form of a 6 mil polyethylene sheet on the inside of the wall which theoretically prevents air from moving into the wall, there is none on the exterior of the wall.  The result of this is that wind pressure can easily penetrate into the wall assembly and move through it.  As it does so it transfers heat in the air trapped in our insulation to the outdoors.  Fiberglass needs to be protected from air movement and this cannot be done on both sides of the wall.

Is fiberglass resilient?

What about the durability of fiberglass.  Those batts we install are not very rigid.  They are actually kind of floppy and need to be placed fairly carefully in order to get them to stay before we put up the vapor barrier.  What happens to them behind our walls over the years – do they stay in place, or settle.  Even worse, what happens if they get wet somehow – do they tend to sag and lose their insulating properties or leave areas of our walls uncovered and unprotected from the cold (and water damage).  Fiberglass is not durable.

Is fiberglass safe?

We haven’t even looked at the effect of having glass fibers in our homes.  Tiny glass fibers are not friendly to people.  If you think it’s a reasonable proposition that inhaling microscopic shards of glass coated with phenol-formaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde resins can cause disease, I’d say that we do not want fiberglass in our homes.  Fiberglass is not safe.

Spray foam replaces fiberglass – it does the job fiberglass fails to.

What we need is a product that is effective, durable, safe, and not suceptable to wind pressure, or moisture ingress.  While there are other insulating products on the market such as mineral wool, cellulose, even recycled blue jeans, Spray Foam Insulation stands alone in addressing each of these issues for it alone is not made of fibers, and is impervious to air and moisture flow.

Fiberglass days have passed.

Tags : air tight, benifits, building envelope, Cost, renovating, thermal insulation, Video
Posted in : Environment, Video, building envelope | 5 Comments »

Vapor Barrier

The wall assembly and moisture

Poor moisture control is responsible for the majority of structural damage to our homes wall assembly.   Moisture ingress into the wall assembly and its subsequent accumulation must be kept to a minimum for a buildings long term performance.  A wall assembly is designed to separate two unlike air masses – the internal from the external.  With careful planning, this can be accomplished but the majority of existing buildings, especially our homes, leak - outdoor air seeps into the wall assembly or even interior conditioned space, and conditioned interior air escapes and with it the heat, humidity control, and air purifying dollars spent to make our indoor environment ideal.

Penetrations in the wall assembly

Air movement through a buildings wall assembly happens because typical wall assembly seen in residential buildings are full of penetrations, utilize fibrous insulating materials, or are inadequately crafted.  This is accelerated where pressure is applied in the form of wind washing, large temperature differences across the wall assembly or as a result of vapor pressure differences.

A typical wall assembly is created (in Canada) with cladding on the outside of 2×6 structural framing with house wrap (Tyvek), and OSB in between.  The cavity is filled with fibrous insulation and the interior side of the framing is covered with 6 mil polyethylene layer and gypsum wallboard.  There are a number of potential problems with this construction.  First off, with the vapor barrier on the internal side of the wall assembly there is very little protection afforded to the fibrous insulation from exterior pressures from wind washing and convective currents created due to temperature differences across the wall assembly.  This means that exterior air has free access to the insulation in the wall assembly which itself allows air to move through it (fiberglass also doubles as a furnace filter – something you WANT air to move through)!  The result – a wall assembly that performs at vastly degraded real world R-Values than advertised.   The same thing happens from the interior side in a home that is pressurized.  Indoor, moisture laden air is forced through gaps, transitions and inadequately sealed junctions in the wall assembly into the cavity insulation and with it the energy used to condition it.   The main problem with this, aside from the immediate energy loss, is the moisture that this air carries with it.  When warm, moist air from either side of the wall reaches a sufficiently cool surface (from the cold outside in winter or through the use of air conditioners in summer), a condensing surface is formed allowing moisture to condense, accumulate, cause water damage, permit mold growth and lower the air quality of the home.  This is where a 6 mil polyethylene vapor barrier actually works against the building envelope by preventing the wall assembly from drying.  Because fiberglass allows air to move through it, and air moves moisture, water is going to get into a fiberglass insulated wall – what is then needed is a way for the water to get out – this cannot readily happen when vapor retarders such as polyethylene are used.

Spray Foam creates a better wall assembly

A better wall assembly is built when using medium density spray foam insulation such as EcoLogicFoam.  By forming billions of tiny bubbles made of thin plastic walls, it is impervious to moisture flow (recognized by the Canadian Construction materials Center as an air & vapor Barrier) and does not allow water to accumulate inside of the material.  Further because it is a continuous insulator, the surface of the foam never becomes a condensing surface on either the interior or the exterior surface meaning that any moisture laden air that comes into contact with it cannot deposit or accumulate that moisture on the surface of the foam.  This alleviates the pressure driven movement of both air and moisture through the wall assembly and results in a tight envelope that permits the conditioning of the interior environment with a high degree of efficiency through conservation.

In our next instalment we will examine the cost of using spray foam insulation verses typical fiberglass batts in a wall assembly.

Tags : air tight, building envelope, convection, moisture
Posted in : Environment, building envelope | 58 Comments »

Your Building Envelope

The Building Envelope: your first

line of defence

The first article in this series identified the importance of a tight building envelope in creating green homes.  Structural Insulated Panels and Insulated Concrete forms create an excellent air tight wall Assembly and building envelope because they do no breathe, have a high resistance to heat loss and create healthy indoor living environments by controlling the flow of moisture and eliminating condensing surfaces on the internal wall surfaces.  However 99% of all homes are built with conventional 2×6 framing.  This article looks at the design of conventional building envelope, the advantages of sealing homes with spray foam insulation and the importance of effective air barrier and vapor barrier control layers.

The building envelope is made up of the roof, above grade walls, below grade walls, and the basement floor.  These building envelope components should be thought of as systems for each is made of an assembly of individual products, working together.  These products include exterior cladding, control layers (moisture barrier, air barrier, thermal barrier) and the structural members (framing).  Each of these components plays an integral role in how a building envelope and the house it encloses performs – the failure of any of them can result in the failure of the building envelope.

Are conventionally built homes satisfactory?  Modern homes are code required to be built with 2×6 structural framing, a minimum of R-20 insulation (thermal barrier) and a layer of 6 mil polyethylene sheet (vapor barrier & air barrier).  There are additional layers to the wall assembly including gypsum wall board, and paint on the interior and OSB, house wrap and cladding on the exterior.

Traditional Building Envelope design: Deficient

The problem with the above building envelope is this:  The entire system relies on the 6 mil polyethylene membrane to stop air movement, vapor movement and to permit the fiberglass batt to perform as designed!  In Canada, the polyethylene layer goes on the warm side of the wall because we are in a climate which predominantly requires heating meaning it is subject to dozens of penetrations at the time of installation (electrical outlets, light switches, window frames and doors, recessed lighting enclosures, seams – top, bottom and where the layer must be installed around framing members.)  This says nothing of the penetrations added with decorative wall hangings, nail holes and modifications done after the fact.  Unless these seams and penetrations are sealed in such a way as they never release, plenty of opportunity for air movement and with it moisture movement is created.  Worse, because fiberglass batt insulation allows air and moisture to move through it, penetrations and deficiencies in the 6 mil poly layer allow for air pressure differences across the wall assembly to degrade the performance of the insulating layer over time resulting in effective R-Values of half (or less) the advertised value.

Spray Foam Insulation creates a lasting high performance building envelope.

If this same building envelope were insulated and sealed with a  single application of spray foam insulation, the result would be significantly different.  Because spray foam is manufactured on site, it conforms to every minute variance, nook and cranny in the building envelope.  It is a perfect, custom made fit.  Made up of billions of tiny, microscopic bubbles, it will never settle, sag, or move, it absolutely and completely seals a wall without any penetrations.  It conforms to electrical boxes, outlets, and recessed light cans, wrapping itself around and behind them to completely enclose them.  It is inches thick and not subject to any of the potential problems of a layer only 6 mil thick.  Spray Foam is not dependant on caulking, glue or sealants to act as an air barrier or vapor barrier and results in a building envelope that is air tight, impenetrable to moisture, and has a stable R-Value much higher than fiberglass.  At an R value of 6 per inch, there is potentially R-33 available in a 2×6 cavity wall if super insulating is required.

Conclusion:

A robust building envelope is designed to endure and separate two different environments.  The modern, conventional building envelope does not do this adequately because it is constructed using an air barrier and vapor barrier subject to degradation over time.  The system created to accomplish this is too heavily dependant on a single layer of thin plastic (6 mil polyethylene), and any penetrations or deficiencies in its installation, or subsequent use degrades building envelope performance allowing moisture into the building envelope and heat loss from it resulting in higher expense and shorter useful life span.  Spray Foam, though more costly at time of installation addresses this in a single, simple application and is required in new homes by informed homeowners.

Our next article will look at the importance, function, design and performance of the air barrier layer and materials used to create air barriers in the building envelope.

Tags : air tight, benifits, building envelope, Environment
Posted in : building envelope | 12 Comments »

Home Energy Performance

Efficient Home

Efficient Windows

Block or diffuse direct sunlight entering through windows and sliding glass doors by installing sunscreens or a light window tint. You can also close the blinds or shades when the sunlight is strong. This will keep your house cooler, lower your electric bills and make your home more efficient.

Efficient Water use

Install a recirculating hot water pump. These devices are sold at most home improvement stores for about $175. and are relatively easy to install with basic plumbing skills. The purpose of this device is to reduce water consumption by pumping hot water to all hot water faucets in the house thus eliminating the need to run water until the hot water arrives. Essentially, this device provides near-instant hot water whenever your turn on the faucet for hot water, make your water use far more efficient.

Efficient refrigerator

Keep the coils clean on your refrigerator and air conditioner. On average, your fridge and air conditioner consume about 30% to 40% of your total electricity. If you keep these two well maintained, you may notice a drop in your electric bill. You can easily vacuum the accumulated dust and dirt coating the coils on the bottom of your refrigerator. Special brushes are also sold at most home improvement stores to make this job easier. Clean coils will make your refrigerator more efficient and use less energy. In addition, set the fridge and freezer at the manufacturer suggested setting. It doesn’t have to be set at the coldest setting. As for your air conditioner, have a professional inspect your air conditioner and clean the coils annually. This preventive maintenance keeps your air conditioner efficient, will save your money in the long run by avoiding costly repairs.

Efficient Thermostat

Install a digital programmable thermostat to automatically regulate the temperature in your house. Programming the thermostat to automatically turn on and off at certain times of the day can dramatically reduce your energy bills. Nowadays, most programmable thermostats start at $25.00.

Efficient Doors and window frames

Caulk and seal any visible cracks around doors and windows. Even the smallest cracks in the exterior of your house will allow outside air to penetrate to the inside or let conditioned air leak to the outside. Cracks such as these can be easily sealed with a weatherproofing caulk that is sold at most home improvement centers.

Efficient Televisions

If you have a plasma TV, only turn it on when you are watching it. Many people who leave their TV on while doing other things around the house don’t realize the amount of electricity they are wasting. Most (if not all) plasma TV’s consume a great deal of electricity. Leaving the plasma TV on when you aren’t watching it is like leaving the refrigerator door wide open while you are having dinner.

Efficient Appliainces

When buying new appliances, buy appliances with the Energy Star label.

Efficient computers

Use the power save option on your computers and monitors. The monitors consume more power than the computer.

Efficient Laundry

Use the washer, dryer and dishwasher in the evening – electricity is usually cheaper after 6:00pm

Efficient Light bulbs

Replace most of your bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Since these bulbs are still a little pricey, only install compact fluorescent bulbs in the light fixtures that get used most often, i.e. kitchen, family room, hallway, exterior lights.

Efficient Hot Water heater

Change the setting on your hot water heater twice a year. During the summer, set the temperature to a lower setting and then in the winter, raise the setting. This will use up less power to heat water in the tank.

EcoLogic Spray Foam believes in efficient energy use in our home and yours.

Tags : air tight, conduction, convection, efficiency, existing walls, savings
Posted in : Common Questions | 7 Comments »

EcoLogic Spray Foam: Next Generation insulation

EcoLogic Spray Foam is a polyurethane foam insulation system made out of recycled plastic bottles and soy bean oil and does not negatively affect the ozone layer.

EcoLogic Spray Foam Insulation Replace traditional hazardous insulation products with renewable natural oils and water and maintains a superior standard of quality performance and service.

EcoLogic is Energy Efficient

EcoLogicFoam has high thermal Resistance with an R-Value of 6 per inch, twice that of competing materials
• EcoLogic Foam is recognized as an Air Barrier because it forms a solid, continuous, air-tight seal which stops convection
• It is also a recognized Vapor Barrier by the Canadian Construction Materials Center
• EcoLogic Foam improves Structural Integrity, increasing racking and sheering strength by 300%
• Homeowners who use EcoLogic Foam enjoy Improved Indoor Air Quality: it prevents dust, mold and moisture from entry, Contains no hazardous chemicals, and is Recommended by doctors and allergists for those who suffer from respiratory ailments
• EcoLogic Foam results in Improved Noise Attenuation
• Because EcoLogic Foam is a superior insulator you can expect to use up to 50% less energy
• According to the Home Appraisers Journal “A homes value increases by $20 for every $1 of annual energy savings.”

Call Ecologic today for your free quote: 1-888-880-8420

Tags : air tight, benifits, certified, efficiency, installer, R-value, spray foam insulation, Video
Posted in : Video | 10 Comments »

EcoLogic Spray Foam now offers an innovative solution to homeowners who have shied away from using foam due to the cost of application.

As shown in this video, we can install R-14 Roxol Batts to your homes walls and then spray onto them as a substrate. The result is a high R value wall system with the advantages of foam including its air barrier and vapor barrier properties as well as its high thermal resistance, at a lower cost.

While not as efficient as a complete foamed wall, this offers an alternative to homeowners who are on a tight budget that has until now precluded the use of foam in their walls.

Call us to see if this application is right for you 1-888-880-8420.

Tags : air tight, benifits, Cost, efficiency, spray foam insulation, Video
Posted in : Cost, R-value, Video | 3 Comments »

If you are considering spray foam, but have questions about it, a picture can be worth a thousand words.  Come join us on our most recent project, (EcoLogic Spray Foam: Onsite, Coquitlam, B.C.) for a short demonstration of how foam is installed.  You will see how well it seals, how entirely it fills the wall cavity.  Sprayed as a liquid, rising over 30 times its original volume, it sets up in seconds, to provide the best air barrier, vapor barrier and thermal insulation (R value) available today.

Spray foam is installed by trained and certified installers.  Here you can see the care that our lead sprayer takes in ensuring our foam is laid down evenly, and precisely to ensure that your home and your energy savings are sealed up permanently.

With locations in Manitoba and British Columbia, we can meet you where you are at.

Tags : air tight, certified, energy efficient, installer, R-value, spray foam insulation, Video, Wiring
Posted in : Video | 10 Comments »