Foam Insulation or Batt, new construction?

[swamprooter]

Pros and cons Is foam worth the money? average $.sq ft cost in your area? foam the roof and batt the rest? any advice please thanks

[mfalkner]

Definitely would not go with batts. I used blown cellulose and am well please with the performance but my neighbor, who is a retired rocket scientist (really..) used foam in his house. Up front cost was higher but he heats/cools a 3700 SF house for around $200/mo. You can walk in his attic in August and it's in the 70's.

If you really want the lowdown, I can put you in contact but be prepared for a loooong conversation. Or, I can just get the name of the guy who did his....

[JLT]

I would recommend a total enclosure with foam. Exterior walls and roof. Use batt for sound issues where needed. The foam is the real deal......we use it a lot.

[fireplug]

I was doing some research on this because I'm looking at doing the same thing if I build this summer.
Found this. I'm sure it's not the normal thing that happens but this gives you something to think about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hh5MYv7lWc

[SB]

I have some friends who put foam insulation in their houses. Said upfront cost was more but the payback only took a few years. They have been pleased with it. They used Wood Insulation, (601) 941-6315.

[pondman]

Matthew Avery -- Airlock Insulation (601) 906-3060

Tell him Rob sent you. Great guy and super product.

[teul2]

As soon as we can afford it, we will be foaming the underside of our house.

[JLT]

I built my home on a conventional and put down a mud slab in lieu of plastic or dirt. My insulator said that there were a lot of people saying not to insulate the underside. He said that we would get some loss from our hvac plus the ground temp. It has worked out fine as far as I can tell. I can go under my house when its below freezing or 90 deg and the temp doesn't seem to change a great deal. We can always go back and do it, but for now it is uninsulated. All this to say.......some houses have quite a draft. I closed all of my vent holes that I had formed into the walls when I decided not to insulate. You might try closing off any vent holes assuming that you don't have a major moisture issue underneath.

[Deltaquack]

A very high percentage of heat/cold loss out of a home is thru the roof. I researched this at length. The best you can do for your money taking into effect long term efficiency and such...........is blow cellulose in the exterior walls and spray the foam in the attic. The best you'll find at that is Energy Insulation in Madison (they even caulk EVERY seam where materials meet on exterior walls/roof). The blow in cellulose is just a little higher than batt insulation but the R factor in the side walls with 2x6 walls is the same as the open/closed cell foam. The blow in cellulose will not burn....has a chemical in it that repels insects.......and has unbelievable soundproofing characteristics. My HVAC guy saw them blowing it in and said I saw this at a home expo.......watch this. He grabbed a handful off the floor, placed a penny on top of it in the palm of his hand, turned on a blow torch, and melted the penny without his hand ever getting hot.

[swamprooter]

DeltaQuack, so foam the attic and cellouse the exterior walls? Cellouse blown is $$$ as Batt? how thick you blow it in a 2 x 6 wall? i'm liking your set up.

One thing that's scares me about foaming attic is that if roof ever gets a hole, you will never know where the leak is?

[QUACKERS]

I used energy insulation, it was well worth the money!

[JLT]

Open cell foam will show a leak. Closed cell will not. Cellulose has been around a long time, but it seems more apt to break down and compact over time.....especially in a vertical wall.

[Deltaquack]

DeltaQuack, so foam the attic and cellouse the exterior walls? Cellouse blown is $$$ as Batt? how thick you blow it in a 2 x 6 wall? i'm liking your set up.

One thing that's scares me about foaming attic is that if roof ever gets a hole, you will never know where the leak is?

Cellulose ended up being $2000 more total from Energy Insulation vs. batt from the main insulation guy here in my town and that is for 5000 sq ft heated and cooled. I used open cell foam in all the roof joists, eves, etc. I used 2x6's in all exterior walls and cross studs about 36 in high and 72 in high so the cellulose isn't going to move. They put some glue like chemicals in it too so it sticks to everything. This isn't the old cellulose.........look up Nu Wool. I'm very happy with it. So much that a friend just got them to come do a big cabin on the river up here and i'm about to build a cabin and use the exact same setup again.

http://www.yourinsulationsolution.com

[JLT]

Joey,
If you are building a new home just go ahead and use ICF construction for the ext walls and be done with it. 200mph wind proof walls with built in insulation. If you are going to be there for a while you might as well do it right. Jt

[Josh Bright]

Joey,
If you are building a new home just go ahead and use ICF construction for the ext walls and be done with it. 200mph wind proof walls with built in insulation. If you are going to be there for a while you might as well do it right. Jt

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