Liquid foam insulation materials can be sprayed, foamed-in-place, injected, or poured. Their ability to fill even the smallest cavities gives them twice the R-value per inch than traditional batt insulation.
Types of Liquid Foam Insulation
Today, some foam insulation consists of materials similar to those found in pillows and mattresses. Also, most foam materials can now be used with foaming agents that don’t use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which are harmful to the earth’s ozone layer.
Some types of available liquid foam insulation materials include these:
* Cementitious
* Phenolic
* Polyisocyanurate
* Polyurethane.
Some less common types include Icynene foam and Tripolymer foam. Icynene foam can be either sprayed or injected, which makes it the most versatile. It also has good resistance to both air and water intrusion. Tripolymer foam—a water-soluble foam—is injected into wall cavities. It has excellent resistance to fire and air intrusion.
Urea-formaldehyde (UF) foam was used in homes during the 1970s and early 1980s. It is no longer available for residential use because of health-related concerns.
Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy