Spray Foam Insulation in West Palm Beach, FL

Spray foam insulation starts as two liquids that mix at the spray gun, expand and cure into a solid layer bonded to wood, block or metal. Batts and loose fill slow heat, but air moves through them. Foam blocks the air too. In West Palm Beach that matters because the cooling load is heat and humidity together: every gap that lets outdoor air in brings moisture the AC has to pull out, and humid attic air leaking into ducts and rooms adds to it. Foam handles the sealing and insulating at once.

Open-cell foam

Open-cell is the lighter, spongier type, about R-3.5 to R-3.7 per inch per HomeGuide, at $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot installed. It expands a lot, so a single pass fills deep rafter bays and wraps around framing and wiring. It lets some vapor through, which allows a roof deck to dry inward if it takes on a little moisture. It also quiets a house, which condo owners and people near busy roads appreciate. Most of our open-cell goes on roof decks for sealed attics and into open stud walls.

Closed-cell foam

Closed-cell is dense and rigid, about R-5 to R-7 per inch per HomeGuide, at $3.00 to $5.00 per square foot. At normal thickness it slows vapor and resists water, and it stiffens what it bonds to. We use it where moisture or space is the issue: steel walls and roofs of metal buildings and warehouses, garage ceilings under living space, shallow cathedral ceilings and rim areas. It costs more per inch, so we do not use it where open-cell or blown-in will do.

Common foam jobs here

• Sealed attics with open-cell on the roof deck and gable walls.
• Garage ceilings and shared walls under or next to living space.
• Walls of additions and remodels while they are open to the studs.
• Metal buildings, workshops and barns, including Wellington-area horse barns.
• Cathedral ceilings in older homes with little rafter depth.

Spray day

We cover floors and furniture, mask windows, fixtures and equipment, and set up ventilation. Foam goes on in lifts to the thickness on the quote; one overly thick pass can cure poorly. Everyone stays out during spraying, and HomeGuide recommends at least 24 hours away while it cures. Foam left exposed in attics may need an ignition barrier, and foam in living space needs a thermal barrier such as drywall. Before foaming a roof deck, we check for leaks and soft decking, since foam over a wet deck traps the problem.

Get a Free Estimate