Spray-in-Place Foam Insulation

Thirty years ago some government agencies were giving grants to install the new urea formaldehyde insulation (UFFI) into homes as a way to make them energy-efficient. It worked well and the R-values were amazing. However, it use was discontinued when it was found that the gases escaping during its breakdown were causing people to get sick. Because of this unfortunate statistic with UFFI, injected foam insulation got a bad rap.

Today, both open and closed cell foam insulation are getting a real push from - of all people - environmentalists. This is because the many of the new foams are based on the lowly, but friendly, soy bean.

These are the "spray-in-place insulations" which are a two-part soy based with polyurethane.( So they aren't entirely soy-based)

The foam is a semi-rigid insulation that seals the wall in one step and provides a thermal seal which prevents draftfs as wel as producing around R-15 from a cold concrete wall.

These foams give off no volatile organic compounds or CFCs. So they install like the totally petroleum-based foams but without any of the harmful environmental side effects.

It is expensive to have installed but there are online systems available for you to do it yourself. And as the price of heating fuel goes up you can bet that more of these kits will be available.