Why is spray foam roof insulation relevant to the 21^st Century?

 The adequacy of a building’s thermal insulation has become high on the agenda for the UK Government and new, much stricter Building Regulations were introduced in April 2006 requiring construction companies to build much more thermally efficient buildings than ever before. Given that as much as 50% of the heat produced by a heating system can be lost through the roof of a building it is not surprising that the focus of the construction industry is on low cost and efficient methods for roof insulation.

Good levels of thermal insulation in any building mean that the occupants will be in a much more comfortable environment, will use less energy to maintain room temperatures, will save money on heating bills and will play their part in helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the building and not contribute to green house gases known to cause global warming and climate change. Good thermal insulation of any building makes sense, environmentally, financially and for comfort.

The 2006 Building Regulations ensure that new buildings will be constructed much more thermally efficient than before. But what of the older housing and industrial building stock built at a time when there was none or little focus on being thermally efficient? This is where a versatile product such as polyurethane spray foam is needed; an easy retro fit affording very high standards of thermal efficiency and sealing to prevent air leakage. Spray applied polyurethane foam insulates and seals, bonds and stablilises a roof, and sound proofs.

Roof insulation is the process of incorporating an insulating material under the roof, and between the roof rafters. The insulation material if it is not an air barrier will need top side venting (the cold side) to avoid issues caused by warm air being chilled to its dew point and condensation occurring. Polyurethane foam acts as an air sealer and when applied to tile or slate forms a composite product that does not required venting to avoid condensation problems. This avoids the bulk of installing insulation systems based upon mineral wool which require to be ventilated on the top cold side by a minimum 50 mm air gap that is continuous across the top surface and is open vented. Polyurethane foam requires no such venting.

The scientific studies from the 1970’s to present have indicated that the natural protecting layer of the earth called the ozone layer (oxygen with a third atom attached) had been gradually depleting to the point where ‘holes’ in the ozone layer had occurred. Though now these holes have healed after worldwide political invention in the 1980’s and 19090’s to ban the use of chemicals known as CFC’s, the fact was really shocking since ozone depletion would have resulted in far reaching consequences to the Earth including health hazards and climatic shock changes. The scientist’s pinpointed compounds called CFCs used in products like refrigerators were one of the main culprits behind the depletion of ozone. The good news is that Iso-Spray Foam uses no materials known to harm the ozone layer so it is environmentally friendly. Iso Spray Polyurethane Foam is totally CTC free.

The use of carbon based fuels has increased globally and has accelerated as the tiger economies of India and China have dramatically grown over the past decade. The world’s reserves of carbon based fuels are finite; the world supply will eventually run dry. Conservation and alternative energy have crept up the political agenda. Using less energy and minimising the use of fuels of petroleum origin such as gas and petrol which are non renewable are key to human development over the 21^st century. Polyurethane spray foam will play an important and increasing role in achieving political objectives as it helps reduce the use of energy.

Polyurethane foam used as roof insulation has quite a number of advantages; relatively low depth of material required to achieve a high insulation value, an air barrier reducing and controlling air leakage from a building, low density meaning no fundamental redesign of a structure is required to supports its weight weathering resistance, inertness, low weight, durability, and adaptability with any roofing material. Polyurethane foam roof insulation will help to reduce the air leakage and makes it easier to maintain the indoor building climate; cooler in hot summer days and warmer in the cold winter days. Polyurethane foam will help to reduce the use of energy for heaters and air conditioners and thus help conserve energy. 

Roof insulation using polyurethane spray foam has many benefits and few, if any, drawbacks. It is a 21st century product for tackling energy conservation, lowering buildings’ carbon footprints whilst being quick to install at relatively low cost. Polyurethane spray foam is a solution here and now and for the 21^st Century.