Rigid foam insulation

When using foam board insulation in residential and commercial properties the most common boards used would be Polyiso (polyisocyanurate), EPS or XPS. Each type of board insulation is very different and carry different R-values and compressive strength. So let's have a deeper look at rigid foam.
 

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Polyiso insulation

Polyiso is short for Polyisocyanurate and can also be called PIR for an even shorter version. Polyiso would be one of the best-performing foam board on the market today giving the highest R-values for the least thickness.

Polyiso insulation can be used in so many different locations and effectively can totally replace glass wool and mineral wool in almost every application. The most common places you will find Polyiso insulation would be stud walls, floors, cavity walls, roof spaces/attics, and external walls. However, we are seeing in the market today a rapid growth in popularity with Polyiso in the flat roofing sector on commercial buildings. Special cloth faced or glass tissue faced Polyiso is being used on high rise buildings when replacing the older asbestos roofing materials that were used in the &#;80s. Polyiso boards are the architect's products of choice for this application. The reason being is first of all the insulation does not absorb moisture, it is strong and its high R-values per inch is currently in today's market best in class for the applications in which it is used.

Polyiso insulation can also be used whereby air-tightness is required. Taping the joints and sealing the edges along with using airtight membranes will create an airtight home while maintaining a AAA rating for your homes insulation values.

If you wish to install this insulation in your stud walls it is easily cut with a box knife of a carpenter's handsaw. If you are using a handsaw it is a good idea if possible to cut the foil face on the insulation before you start to cut the insulation. This is not a necessity rather more of good practice as it will give you a much cleaner edge when you're done cutting. Make sure when measuring the openings in which the insulation will be getting installed into to allow for about 2-3mm  or ¼ &#; wider than required so you get a nice snug fit. The tighter the fit the less chance you have of air leakage and small gaps can be worse than big holes as small gaps can cause a rushing of air effect. This method of installation is also used when working on attic floors, crawlspaces, basements, and external walls.

EPS foam insulation

Polystyrene board insulation would be one of the least efficient rigid board insulations today. However, all is not lost as EPS has a high compressive strength and is great for carparks or floors that are carrying a little more weight than usual. Also, EPS insulation would be widely used in passive housing for the foundations. Insulating the foundations is vital to achieve a passive house rating and EPS is an excellent cost-effective method of insulating your foundations and the good characteristics of strength, light and cheap makes EPS your best friend when insulating your foundations.

Expanded polystyrene board is easy to cut with a box knife or hand saw. EPS insulation does not have a foil attached to it so no need to score the insulation first before cutting it with a handsaw. Be careful however around any naked flames. Fire and EPS get on very well and EPS will burn and will billow out black smoke so if it does go up in flames stay away. Do not breathe in the black smoke. If you take all the usual precautions when using EPS it will perform extremely well and will continue to do so with no depletion in performance over the duration of the life cycle of the building. Other insulations cannot boast such amazing lifetime performance.

XPS insulation board

Much like EPS in its appearance XPS is the big daddy of EPS. A foam board insulation such as Pink insulation foam FOAMULAR 250 XPS is stronger, just as light and far exceeds the compressive strength of its EPS counterpart. XPS foam also gives a higher r-value but of course, with all these fantastic additions to the insulation, there is a price difference. XPS would be in the region of 20-30% more expensive than EPS. However, XPS would be more widely used in the commercial/industrial insulation sector where compressive strength is a real requirement. Once again XPS like the other rigid board insulations is easy to cut and lightweight. XPS and EPS are closed-cell insulation and will not lose their insulation values over time, unlike Polyiso insulation which will deplete over circa 30 year period.

So what are the brands or who are the manufacturers of foam insulation?

Polyiso: R-Max, Hunter, Owens Corning, Johns Manville, and Dow are just some of the biggest Poyiso brands in the US.

XPS: Pactiv, Dow, Johns Manville and Owens Corning all manufacture XPS insulation. Styrofoam insulation from Dow is one of the most recognizable sheet insulation on the market due to its famous blue color.

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Rigid Board Insulation: The Ultimate Guide

Properly insulating your home is one of the most important things that homeowners can do to improve the overall energy efficiency of their homes. The United States Department of Energy estimates that the energy that homeowners use for artificially heating and cooling their homes accounts for almost half of total energy use. Investing in more efficient heating and cooling technologies such as a heat pump or high-efficiency furnace is one way to but back on your heating and cooling bills. However, an unsealed building envelope or insufficient insulation in your walls, roof, or foundation will increase your energy use, regardless of your type of heating and cooling.

Rigid board insulation is a relatively new product. It is long-lasting, easy to install, and can improve the energy efficiency and thermal performance of even the oldest and leakiest homes. If you find that your energy bills are always high, even after adjusting the thermostat and upgrading to Energy Star appliances, a retrofit that focuses on improving your insulation might be in store. In the best of cases, this type of insulation can help homeowners save up to 40 BTUs of energy for each BTU of energy consumed by the home heating and cooling systems. For older homes, improving your home's thermal envelope with rigid board insulation could increase your home's energy efficiency by up to 70 percent. Below, Rise offers a complete guide to the pros, cons, and rigid board insulation installation process.

What Is Rigid Board Insulation?

The vast majority of houses across the country continue to use batts or mats of soft insulation. Fiberglass, cellulose, and even natural sheep wool insulation continue to be the most popular insulation alternatives for homeowners. Rigid board insulation is made from rugged, dense sheets of certain types of foam. The most commonly used foam products for rigid board insulation include polyurethane, polystyrene, or polyiso. Due to the chemical structure, these types of foams are considered to be "closed-cell." In contrast, the majority of insulation products are open cells. 

Closed-cell insulation products like the rigid board are generally stronger, more durable, and resistant to natural elements. In addition, they have a higher R-value than open-cell insulation products. R-values measure the level of insulation capacity of different products. The higher the R-value, the more insulated your home will be.

Rigid foam insulation products are generally sold as 4 foot by 8-foot sheets (the same size as plywood). They come in several different thicknesses ranging from ½ inch to 2 inches.

How to Use Rigid Foam Board Insulation?

Because rigid foam board is sold as solid sheets, many handy homeowners might be able to self-install these products in strategic areas around your home. For example, it is possible to enhance the insulation in an unfinished basement by installing sheets of rigid foam board between the exposed studs or along the basement's concrete wall. After attaching the foam boards to the wall, you can place furring strips over the board. These strips will give a secure base for finishing your basement with drywall, bamboo plywood, or other wall material. For homes with concrete walls in the basement, rigid foam board will be much more durable, especially when compared to the loose rolls of fiberglass or cellulose insulation. Concrete tends to seep moisture. So, most open-cell insulation products (like fiberglass) will absorb moisture and could lead to molds and mildew that compromise your indoor air quality.

Rigid board insulation is an excellent option for every other home area, including foundation walls, regular walls, roofs, and attics. Because they are naturally moisture resistant, however, this insulation alternative is usually recommended for external insulation or below-grade applications (such as basements).

Where Can Rigid Foam Board Insulation Be Used?

Foam insulation board is applicable virtually anywhere that insulation is used in the home. You can use it on foundations, basements, regular walls, roofs, and attics. When used in above-grade applications, such as walls, ceilings, or attics, foam board insulation can reduce thermal bridging and improve the entire home's energy efficiency. When used for the interior or exterior of foundation walls or below-grade basements, this type of insulation can improve insulation while avoiding moisture buildup or leaks.

Foam board made from polyisocyanurate (polyiso) generally offers the best insulation capacity and 6.5 per inch. Water is the primary "blowing agent," making it one of the most environmentally-friendly foams used. Of course, it is still sourced from petrochemical materials, thus increasing the embodied energy footprint of the product. Fortunately, almost all rigid board insulation made from polyiso does not contain any brominated flame-retardant chemicals. Great news, since these chemicals can be hazardous when inhaled. This type of foam, however, will absorb water and is thus not suitable for below-grade applications.

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, some chemical flame retardants are known to cause adverse health effects, including:

• Immune system impacts
• Disruption of endocrine and thyroid
• Reproductive toxicity
• Cancer
• Changes to neurologic functioning, and
• Adverse effects on child and fetal development. 

When searching for the best rigid foam board insulation products, it is always good to prioritize products that use low-toxicity flame retardants like TCPP. You should certainly avoid any product that relies on polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs.

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Quick Comparison of the Best Rigid Foam Board Insulation Products 

Expanded Polystyrene Board (EPS) Insulation

• Pros: Cheapest option and doesn't deplete the ozone layer, water resistance at higher densities
• Cons: Lower density products will not offer complete water resistance, lower R-Value than other types of foam
• R-Value: 3.6 to 4.2 per inch
• Cost: $0.31 per square foot for one-inch thickness

Extruded Polystyrene Board (XPS) Insulation

• Pros: Stronger and more water-resistant than EPS, better for below-grade applications
• Cons: Most products include strong chemical flame retardants. The blowing agents used will deplete the ozone layer
• R-Value: 5 per inch
• Cost: $0.47 per square foot for one-inch thickness

Fiberglass Rigid Board Insulation

• Pros: Higher R-value per inch than traditional fiberglass batt insulation, easier to install
• Cons: Not water-resistant and will require a vapor barrier installation
• R-Value: R-11 for 3.5-inch board
• Cost: $1.25 per square foot

Graphite Polystyrene Board (GPS) Insulation

• Pros: Inclusion of graphite particles increase the thermal performance compared to EPS, increased vapor permeance to reduce the likelihood of trapped moisture
• Cons: Costlier option
• R-Value: 4.5-5 per inch
• Cost: $14 to $16 per board

Mineral Wool Rigid Board Insulation

• Pros: Natural option, fireproof, no off-gassing
• Cons: Dangers when installing. If not correctly installed, tiny slivers can become airborne and be inhaled
• R-Value: 4.2 per inch
• Cost: $0.50 per square foot

Polyiso Rigid Board (ISO) Insulation

• Pros: Highest R-value among foam products, environmentally benign blowing agent, no brominated flame retardant chemicals
• Cons: Cannot be used for below-grade applications due to a lack of water resistance
• R-Value: 6.5 per inch of thickness
• Cost: $0.60 per square foot at a one-inch thickness

Disclaimer: This article does not constitute a product endorsement however Rise does reserve the right to recommend relevant products based on the articles content to provide a more comprehensive experience for the reader.Last Modified: -07-22T17:34:11+