Fill Cavities Quickly And Easily With Expanding Foam

By Author: Andrew Richards
Total Articles: 32
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Expanding foam (also known as polyurethane foam) is a form of closed cell foam insulation that is ideal for quickly filling cavities and gaps in the home. Expanding foam insulation has a high r-value and is slow rising which makes it easy to use. This foam will harden within a few hours and provides excellent sound and draft proofing. Expanding foam is also waterproof and contains anti-fungicidal agents to help prevent the growth of mould and mildew.

Expanding foam is a lot more efficient than other insulation such as fibreglass which is non-sealing and allows air to flow from the outside to the inside. Expanding foam seals as well as insulates. This means that the transfer of air from the exterior to the interior can be significantly reduced to improve the insulation of a building. If you are planning to remodel your home or just want to increase the thermal insulation then expanding foam is a useful and practical solution.

Removal

Before you apply new expanding foam insulation you need to clear away any old foam. You can buy special foam removal products which will help to break down the expanding foam ...
... so that you can clear it away more easily. If the area you need to remove is only small then you could just use a putty knife and some fine-grit sandpaper to gently scrape and sand away the old foam.

Application

Expanding foam is relatively easy to use, but in order to maximise its adhesive properties you do need to prepare the area carefully. Expanding foam will not stick well to areas which are damp, dirty or oily. This can make the foam draw back as it is drying. This will cause gaps to form which will reduce the effectiveness of this product as insulation. Therefore it is important that you make sure the surfaces expanding foam is to be applied to are clean, dry and free from oil. Expanding foam is quite adhesive and will stick to most surfaces including fabric and skin. This is why it is important to wear protective clothing and gloves and to cover furnishings and flooring if you are working indoors when you are applying this product. Expanding foam can also produce air borne chemicals as it is curing so you do need to wear a protective mask (the type with proper filters) to avoid any inhalant irritation.

Expanding foam is not cheap so it is important to judge the area you need to fill carefully to avoid over using the product unnecessarily. Small DIY insulation jobs can be carried out with hand held expanding foam canisters. These hand held products will quickly fill gaps and cracks and are easy to use. If you need to fill large cavities then you can also get expanding foam in larger tanks. These are cheaper per square foot for big projects and will make it much easier to fill larger area. The manufacturer will list the tank coverage in square foot or cubic foot. It is important to calculate the area you need to fill so that you do not have too much or too little expanding foam for the job.

Expanding foam is an effective insulation. This is an easy and affordable way in which you can fill and seal cavities, gaps and cracks around the home. Expanding foam will prevent air flow and also dampen sound.