Poor indoor air quality in your house can develop for a variety of reasons, some of which you may never find the answer to. However, it may not be too late to consider implementing spray foam insulation to mediate this issue.
Spray foam insulation has demonstrated that it can greatly improve indoor air quality. We’ll dive into some reasons for that and the impact it has on your home.
Reduces Stack Effect
The stack effect is air movement into and out of buildings through unsealed openings due to temperature differences between the indoor and outdoor temperatures. For example, it would cause the warm indoor air to rise and escape through openings in the upper areas of the house in cold climates. In this situation, the stack effect results from warm air entering, cooling, then sinking down and out of the building through the crawl spaces.
Since moisture tends to build up in crawl spaces, the hot air rises rapidly through the house and out of gaps in the attic. This causes many issues such as uneven temperature distribution, mold growth, or worse. Installing spray foam insulation helps insulate the building, minimizing air leaks and air flow.
Reduces Air Flow
Spray foam insulation, along with air sealing, creates an airtight environment that prevents air from entering or leaving the building.
- Preserves indoor temperature without fluctuation
- Heated or cooled air spreads evenly throughout the house
- Stops contaminated air from entering the building
- Blocks allergens, pollutants, and dust from entering from outside
- Airtight seals reduce moisture levels and mold growth
- Prevents pests and insects from entering
Spray foam insulation should be combined with air sealing to ensure all leaks are properly sealed. This results in better indoor temperature regulation. Heated and cooled air can spread evenly throughout the house without escaping, and HVAC systems will run more energy-efficiently.
Additionally, spray foam insulation improves your home’s air quality by stopping contaminated air from outside from entering your home. This includes airborne substances like dust, pollutants, and allergens coming in through unsealed cracks or gaps in the building.
Creating airtight seals also blocks the movement of humid air throughout the building, minimizing moisture, condensation levels, and mold growth that primarily derive from crawl spaces. High moisture levels can cause structural damage and poor air quality.
Air contamination can also be eliminated by removing old fiberglass insulation, which can create health risks through its fibers, especially when it’s damaged, disturbed, compressed, or airborne. Aside from complete removal, applying spray foam over fiberglass can keep these loose fibers in place and prevent them from circulating in the air.
Ductwork Spray Foaming
Spray foam is typically less commonly applied to ductwork than other insulation maintenance, but remembering to do so can be vital to improving the overall indoor air quality.
Spray foaming ductwork…
- prevents air leakage from ducts
- minimizes how much dirty air gets sucked into HVAC systems and blown into the home
- blocks the entry of debris, allergens, dust, and pollutants
- acts as a moisture barrier, reducing mold growth and other damages
- improves the HVAC system’s efficiency and reduces dirty particles from circulating in the system
Duct systems are essential for airflow in HVAC systems, helping distribute heated or cooled air throughout a building. Spray foaming ductwork acts as an airtight seal that reduces energy lost through leaks in the system, reduces the burden at which the HVAC system may need to operate, and improves its overall insulation levels.
If you’re looking for spray foam insulation services, contact Josh Lowe’s Dr. Energy Saver at 541-485-2282 and receive a free home energy evaluation today.