Spray Foam Insulation in Sweetwater, TX

Spray foam insulation suits Sweetwater because it stops air as well as heat. In a county known for wind, a lot of discomfort comes from air moving through gaps rather than heat passing through thin insulation. Foam goes on as a liquid, expands to fill gaps and cracks, and cures in place, so one layer handles both. We use two types, and choosing between them depends on the surface.

Open cell

Open-cell foam cures soft and expands a lot, roughly filling a rafter bay or stud cavity in one pass. HomeGuide rates it at R-3.5 to R-3.7 per inch. It seals air very well, softens sound and costs less per inch. It lets water vapor pass, so it can let a roof deck dry if a small leak happens, and the leak shows instead of hiding. That makes it the common choice for the underside of a roof deck in a home with an attic full of ducts.

Closed cell

Closed-cell foam cures dense and rigid. HomeGuide puts it at R-5 to R-7 per inch. At normal thickness it slows vapor, does not soak up water and adds some stiffness. It costs more, but it gets more R-value into less space and works where moisture and cold surfaces meet: steel buildings, under raised floors, the band joist, and spots that only fit an inch or two.

Where foam goes in a Sweetwater home

The most common foam jobs we do are roof decks above attic ducts, band joists and floors on pier-and-beam houses, garage ceilings below bedrooms, kneewalls around upstairs rooms, and open walls during remodels. In older homes, foam also seals the tops of wall cavities that open into the attic, which stops a lot of wind-driven air movement.

Zone 3 targets

Nolan County is in Climate Zone 3B on OpenEI's list. Texas uses the energy chapter of the 2015 International Residential Code statewide; in Zone 3 its table lists R-38 for ceilings, R-20 or R-13 plus R-5 continuous for wood-frame walls, and R-19 for floors. Those targets decide how thick foam has to be, and thickness drives price. We write thickness and R-value on every quote.

When we steer you away from foam

If a roof, plumbing or window leak is wetting the framing, it has to be fixed before foam goes on. On a wide-open attic floor, sealing and blowing in loose fill usually reaches the same R-value for much less. Knob-and-tube wiring and vermiculite that may contain asbestos have to be dealt with before anything covers them. We tell you about any of these before quoting.

Spray day

We cover floors and belongings, mask what needs masking and set up ventilation. HomeGuide advises staying out of the house for at least 24 hours while foam cures. On windy days we keep doors closed and the work area contained. Foam does not settle, so the thickness we leave stays.

Tell us what spaces you are considering and what bothers you, and we will come look and send a written plan. Get a free estimate