New Construction
“Seal it tight and then ventilate it right!” – Building Performance Institute
If you are in the fortunate position of building new or adding on, make sure to know all of your options regarding energy efficiency. Most people, including contractors, are familiar with rolled fiberglass. Historically, this was the most common way to insulate new construction. Spray Foam Insulation is causing fiberglass to become obsolete.
According to The Building Performance Institute, fiberglass has no air sealing qualities. Fiberglass must have constant contact on all sides to be effective. Over 25% of heat loss in a home is from cracks and voids that non foam products cannot account for. Your brand new house is leaking air from day one and it is going to get worse over time.
There are a number of different ways to apply spray foam insulation to new construction. A Home Seal Energy Consultant will help you determine what and why. The two things that you need to consider preliminarily are whether or not you want a permanent solution and do you want a product that air seals?
Many homeowners are requesting that their builder use spray foam. You only have one chance to maximize efficiency. If you are using a builder or you are the general contractor, be sure to utilize a free energy consultation with The Spray Foam Company of Pittsburgh so that you can make the most informed decision!