Spray foam insulation is being used more frequently, not only in houses but also in commercial buildings, in pre-existing as well as brand new structures. Virginia Spray Foam Insulation has been providing spray foam insulation in Hampton, VA for several years to both home builders and homeowners directly. It’s more important now than ever to choose the right type of insulation for you and we can help you do so.
However, the question is if spray foam insulation can be used directly over the mold. Spray foam insulation can be sprayed over mold, but a good spray foam insulation contractor in Hampton VA would advise against doing so.
Most of the spray foam insulation products in Hampton VA that are available in the market today will obviously not support the growth of mold, so spraying the foam over the mold might arrest the further growth of it but this does not solve the problem! Mold is an issue that should be rid of completely before applying any spray foam over it.
First you should find out the main cause for mold in your home. For example is it due to leaking pipes? You need to address the issue of excessive moisture content in the area that has the mold.Suppose you decide to use the spray foam over the mold. There may not be any immediate effects, but down the road you could have severe problems.
Even though the spray foam is covering the mold, the mold will still be present in that area and it could cause structural damage. For example, the basement, wall or roof deck may come apart, settle or shift away from the rest of the house.
Thus, before deciding to go ahead and use spray foam insulation over areas that have mold in your house or building structure, it is always a better idea to get rid of the mold first, fix any leaks and then use spray foam insulation in Hampton to completely prevent the entry of any moisture and recurrence of mold.
A vapor barrier is either made of plastic or a foil sheet and it is used prevent the diffusion of vapor or moisture through the floor, wall, ceiling or roof. If you install spray foam insulation in Hampton VA, you will not need an additional vapor barrier because spray foam acts as a vapor barrier itself. According to most building codes, spray foam insulation cross checks all the pre-requisites of a vapor barrier. In fact spray foam insulation is a good air barrier, vapor barrier; insulator as well provides a high R-value.
Heat is not only lost by the movement of air, but also because of moisture. About 60% of heat is lost when moisture moves as the warmer the air is, the more moisture will be present. Spray foam insulation will not hold moisture and when spray foam is installed, it acts as a vapor barrier.
In simple words, spray foam insulation in Hampton VA acts as a barrier that prevents the loss of moisture as well as the loss of heat. You will not find a better product that serves all purposes at once.
Foam boards or rigid foam is made out of polyurethane, polystyrene or polyisocyanurate. It is found in different thicknesses, facings and lengths and is used to insulate the pole barn walls. Some manufacturers add a foil vapor barrier on one side to prevent the entry of moisture and growth of mold.
Closed cell spray foam insulation in Hampton, Virginia is great for pole barns as it acts as a moisture and air barrier. By adding spray foam insulation, structural integrity can be majorly improved by 200-300 percent. Even if the walls get hit by a forklift or with other tools, it will not get damaged.
Attic insulation is very important because if the attic is not insulated hot air will rise from your home into the attic and escape through the roof if it does not have an air barrier.
Your roof deck should always be insulated because this ensures that there are no drafts in the attic, it protects the roof and gives the attic a conditioned space. When a roof deck is insulated the air from the house moves up into the attic and once it touches the roof, it cools down and it falls back into the house. This creates a conditioned area and air can move freely in and out of the between the rest of the house and the attic.
Suppose you have fiberglass insulation or cellulose already installed on the attic floor, the air that moves up from the living space will not be able to move into the attic because of the pre-existing insulation. In order to create a conditioned environment in your house you need to remove any of the old insulation from the floor of the attic and insulate the roof deck with spray foam insulation.
Other than this hindrance of airflow in your house, there is also the problem of difference in temperature between the attic and the rest of your house. This difference can be slight or as high as a difference of 20 to 30° F between the attic and the living space. If there is a very high difference in temperature, there are chances that condensation can take place and the higher the difference in temperature the more can be the condensation.
Since the old insulation on your attic floor is made of cellulose or fiberglass, it means that it can retain moisture and this can lead to the problem of mould and mildew. Condensation can also move into the drywall on the ceiling and trusses inside the floor of the attic. Once mould grows in the attic, the air which returns to the rest of your house will be contaminated because as the hot air rises, it stops at the drywall because of the old insulation that is already present on the floor of the attic.
When the air moves across the ceiling which has mold and mildew, it moves out the cold air to take its place and this cold air is pushed down to the rest of the house. Thus you will have unhealthy and dirty air that is being circulated in your house.
If you want to insulate your attic floor with spray foam insulation in Hampton VA and not the roof deck, what you will be doing is creating an air seal by cutting the attic off from the rest of your house. In this case you need an attic that is vented. This brings cool air from the outside into the attic and the vents help to maintain a consistent temperature.
When it comes to condensation, if your home in Hampton VA has spray foam insulation on the attic floor, and a big difference in temperature between the house and the attic; as long as the spray foam insulation is at a suitable thickness, enough to create an air barrier the dew point will always remain on the inside of the foam and condensation will not form on the warm side of the drywall like how it does with traditional types of insulation.
However in order to install spray foam insulation on the attic floor in Hampton VA, all of the old cellulose or fiberglass insulation has to be removed and if it is installed over the old Insulation you will not be able to air seal it.
If you need spray foam insulation in Hampton VA installed in your pole barn or the old insulation removed from the attic floor, our team of experts can help you with removing and disposing the old insulation and installing the new spray foam insulation. Contact us today for any concerns and questions regarding spray foam insulation in Hampton VA or if you want to book an appointment today.
