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Rigid Foam Insulation

Rigid Foam Insulation

Rigid foam is a durable, effective insulation material

Your Dr. Energy Saver expert can help you choose the right type of rigid foam insulation for your needs.

When most people think of insulation, they think of fluffy materials that are easily compressed or torn. However, rigid foam board insulation is a unique insulation option that provides excellent durability and insulating capabilities.

Dr. Energy Saver provides quality rigid foam insulation for a variety of purposes, including basement, crawl space, and attic insulation. Our rigid foam options are proven to provide effective insulation and help make your home more comfortable and efficient.

If you're interested in rigid foam insulation for your home, call your local Dr. Energy Saver dealer today to get started with an estimate! Our rigid foam insulation will provide the solution you need for your home's energy loss problems!

What makes rigid foam insulation different

The key difference between rigid foam insulation and traditional insulation is, as you might expect, the strength of the material. Unlike batt and blown insulation, rigid foam won't blow or shift out of place once it's installed. It also is water and pest resistant, making it perfect for basements and crawl spaces.

Rigid foam insulation also offers benefits as air barrier, which can be accomplished when the boards are sealed at joints and edges with tape and spray foam. Rigid foam panels come in a variety of thicknesses and widths, but 2-ft. x 8-ft. and 4-ft. x 8-ft. panels are the most common. Rigid foam cuts easily with a knife or saw to fit unusually shaped areas, and it's typically cut to fit and wedged (friction-fit) into place. If needed, it can also be glued to surfaces with caulk, panel adhesive or spray foam.

Choose the right type of rigid foam for your needs

When choosing rigid foam insulation, you have three main options:

• Polyisocyanurate: Known as polyiso for short, polyisocyanurate foam has the highest R-value per inch (R-6.5 to R-6.8) of any rigid insulation. This type of rigid foam usually comes with a reflective foil facing on both sides, so it can also serve as a radiant barrier. Polyiso board is more expensive than other types of rigid foam, but it offers the most benefits. Our Foamax® polyiso insulation comes with a foil vapor barrier on the back and a white foil finish on the front, providing quality insulation while also adding a clean finished appearance to the space.
• Extruded polystyrene: Extruded polystyrene (XPS) rigid foam is usually blue or pink in color, with a smooth plastic surface. XPS panels typically aren't faced with other material. The R-value is about R-5. Like polyiso, this type of rigid foam won't absorb water and is stronger and more durable than expanded polystyrene, so it's probably the most versatile type of rigid foam. XPS falls between polyiso and expanded polystyrene in price.
• Expanded polystyrene: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is the least-expensive type of rigid foam and has the lowest R-value (around R-3.8 per in.). It's also more easily damaged than the other types of rigid foam. However, EPS foam is a good addition for budget-conscious homeowners in areas where it won't be exposed to a lot of traffic.

Rigid Foam Insulation FAQs

What are the pros and cons of rigid foam insulation?

Benefits of rigid foam insulation include enhanced mosture control, continuous insulation, and its ability to address thermal bridging. Thermal bridging is when components of the home, such as metal or wood, allow heat to enter or escape the home due to their higher conductivity. Rigid foam insulation prevents this transfer and keeps the home at a stable temperature.

One of the only disadvantages of rigid foam insulation is that it must be tightly fitted in order to prevent air from escaping. This can easily be addressed with air sealing measures such as taping or adding blown-in insulation on top.

Can I spray foam insulation myself? How about rigid foam?

There are DIY foam insulation kits available at some hardware stores, but there are a lot of ways it can go wrong. Spray foam application must be done continuously or clogs will occur inside the canister, rendering the rest of the mixture useless. This makes it all too easy to waste expensive materials and valuable time. Spray foam is also incredibly hard to remove, as it sticks to every surface it touches. Experienced contractors will have the skills and precision to ensure that the spray only goes where intended.

Rigid foam insulation is easy to cut, but it takes skill to fit it exactly together. Homeowners who DIY rigid foam insulation installation will have to take extra steps to apply tape or other forms of air sealing to make the foam boards effective. Rigid foam insulation is also ideally applied during new constructions or inside of walls, which is best handled by professionals.

What is the R-value of a 2-inch foam board?

The R-value of rigid foam insulation varies based on the materials used and how many layers are installed. For example, our polyiso rigid foam boards have R-values between 6.5 and 6.8 per inch. If two layers are installed, it doubles the R-value and cuts heat/conditioned air loss in half. For reference, plywood has an R-value of 1.25.

How thick should foam board insulation be?

How thick your foam board insulation should be depends on where in the home it is being installed, what climate zone you live in, and sometimes what kind of home heating you have. For example, the minumum R-value for crawl space insulation across the U.S. is R-13. At Dr. Energy Saver headquarters in Connecticut, which is zone 5, the recommended rating for crawl space insulation is between R-25 and R-30 for both gas heating and electric heating set ups. If your rigid foam boards are rated R-6 per inch, you would need between 4.2" and 5" of insulation in your Connecticut crawl space.

Some areas of the home will require more insulation than others. For example, attics in zone 5 require more insulation than crawl spaces (R-49 to R-60 vs R-25 to R-30).

Check your local guidelines for the correct formula to determine how thick your rigid foam board insulation should be. Or, call the experts at Dr. Energy Saver for a free rigid foam insulation estimate and we'll determine what works best for your home.

What kind of rigid foam insulation is best?

The best kind of rigid foam insulation is polyisocyanurate, also known as polyiso. It has the highest R-rating of any rigid foam insulation and comes with a reflective foil on both sides, allowing it to act as a radiant barrier as well. This closed-cell rigid insulation can be used in a variety of applications, including cavity walls, stud walls, masonry walls and vaulted ceilings.

Dr. Energy Saver can provide expert rigid foam installation

If you need insulation for your basement, crawl space, or attic, rigid foam insulation is a good choice. Dr. Energy Saver can evaluate your home and recommend the right materials and services to give you the solutions you need. Call us today to get started on making your home more comfortable and efficient with an evaluation and estimate!

Related Pages

• Insulation Materials
• Cellulose Insulation

When it comes to building up a home&#;s insulation, rigid foam insulation is one of the preferred options to use. There are a variety of different traits of foam board insulation, from its accessibility to its effectiveness, that makes it a key construction component. With this said, there are a variety of different subsets of rigid foam insulation for homeowners, property owners, and construction companies alike to consider. Here is a comparison of all the different options on the table and the different pros and cons of each.

What Does Rigid Foam Insulation Do?

First, let&#;s give a brief explanation of the purpose of rigid foam insulation. Generally, this serves as a continuous insulation layer, generally applied to the roof and exterior walls. This helps contribute to less lost energy through the framing members, which, in turn, leads to lower energy costs and a more comfortable area in general. In some cases, foam is also placed under basement slabs to lower heat loss via the concrete. 

What separates rigid foam insulation from other types? It&#;s all in the name. Compared to, say, batt insulation or blown insulation, rigid foam is stronger and doesn&#;t shift out of place after installation. In addition, it is resistant to water and pests, which is why it is commonly used in crawlspaces and basements. It can also serve as an air barrier if the boards are properly sealed along the edges and joints. Another benefit of it is its versatility. This can easily be cut and glued to fit into areas that have unusual shapes. 

An important term to bring up in this conversation is R-value or thermal resistance. R-value is a metric that determines an insulating material&#;s resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the foam board insulation does at its job. This is generally based on the following factors:

• -Foam insulation board type

• -Thickness

• -Density

Factors like aging, temperature, and the amount of moisture may also be calculated for certain insulation types. 

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The Different Rigid Foam Insulation Options

With a basic explanation of the purpose of rigid foam insulation, we can talk about the various types. Each has its ideal applications, but professionals will need to often choose between one or another based on the project/customer needs.

Expanded Polystyrene

Also known as EPS or beadboard, this is generally the best budget option for people who need rigid foam insulation. While it doesn&#;t have as much R-value as the other options here, you can expect a range of around 3.6 to 4.2 per inch. This makes it a good way to add R-Value in an attic, on top of a roof, or in wall cavities. But if there is a risk of water exposure, invest in a moisture-resistant coating or film.  

Extruded Polystyrene

Also known as XPS or blue board, this is the best fit for any applications below grade. Compared to XPS, it has better moisture resistance, even without coating or films. In addition, it has a higher R-value (roughly 5 per inch) and is denser and more durable. The only drawback is that it generally costs more.

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Polyisocyanurate

Also known as ISO or polyiso, this is considered the eco-friendly option when it comes to rigid foam insulation. This contains roughly 9% recycled materials and has a higher R-value, at 6.5 per inch on average. For those concerned about safety and eco-friendliness, the flame retardant in polyiso is less toxic than the types used for other insulations. The drawback is that this is the most expensive of all the options covered here. In addition, it tends to absorb water, making it unsuitable for below-grade applications.

Expanded Polyurethane

Also known as EPU, this is a specific type of rigid foam insulation that&#;s generally intended for insulated concrete forms. These serve as a replacement to the conventional wooden forms for fresh concrete. These are different from your conventional rigid foam insulation in that they are hollow form blocks, which get left in place as the concrete cures. This allows for insulation as long as the structure&#;s lifespan. This offers an average R-value of 5.9 per inch and is surprisingly durable. 

Mineral Wool 

This is quite different than all the other options mentioned to this point, largely because it&#;s not a petroleum-based foam product. Instead, mineral wool is a recycled item created with stone dust from blast furnaces. This gives it a few unique benefits. It&#;s completely non-toxic and won&#;t create any off-gas into your home as foam products do. This means that it won&#;t lose R-value over time and allows for better air quality. Other benefits of mineral wool are that it helps with soundproofing, is completely fireproof, and isn&#;t impacted by moisture. However, it isn&#;t an air barrier at all. In addition, it costs more than fiberglass.

Photo By Radovan1

At this point, we&#;ve covered the different facets of your rigid foam insulation options. In some cases, there&#;s an obvious case where only one type is appropriate for the job that you are doing. In other cases, though, the best choice is a bit more of a flexible decision. You can have two installations that meet the basic requirements, but your decision is more based on what it will cost you, what type of materials are available, or how long it will take to install.

In these cases, it&#;s important that you fully understand the data on your different insulation choices and what it takes for you to utilize them. The only way for you to gather the data you need for this is through

project management software such as eSub. Trying to figure out how long it will take? Track your employees, equipment, and manhours. Worried about financial costs? Look at your history of bids and actuals to make sure that your quotes still leave a profit for your business.

How eSUB Can Help

eSUB is a cloud-based project management platform built especially for subcontractors. It seamlessly integrates with leading construction software systems so you can easily switch from your current RFI process to a cloud-based system to upgrade RFI process.

eSUB organizes all of your project information in one place, allows for smooth collaboration, and streamlines communication through its intuitive interface. It also works on your mobile, so you can track projects on the go&#;no matter where or when&#;and stay up-to-date.

FAQs: Rigid Foam Insulation Types

1. What is the purpose of rigid foam insulation in construction?

• Rigid foam insulation serves as a continuous insulation layer applied to roofs and exterior walls to reduce energy loss through framing members, leading to lower energy costs and increased comfort. It can also be used under basement slabs to lower heat loss.

2. How does rigid foam insulation differ from other insulation types?

• Rigid foam insulation is stronger, doesn&#;t shift after installation, is resistant to water and pests, and can act as an air barrier when properly sealed. It is also versatile and can be customized to fit unusual shapes.

3. What is R-value, and why is it important in rigid foam insulation?

• R-value is a metric that measures an insulation material&#;s resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation performs. R-value depends on factors like foam board type, thickness, and density, as well as external factors like aging, temperature, and moisture.

4. What are the different types of rigid foam insulation available?

• There are several types of rigid foam insulation, including:
  • Expanded Polystyrene (EPS or beadboard)
  • Extruded Polystyrene (XPS or blue board)
  • Polyisocyanurate (ISO or polyiso)
  • Expanded Polyurethane (EPU)
  • Mineral Wool

5. Which type of rigid foam insulation is the most budget-friendly option?

• Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is generally the best budget option. While it has a slightly lower R-value, it is cost-effective and suitable for various applications.

6. What is the best rigid foam insulation type for below-grade applications?

• Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) is the best choice for applications below grade. It offers better moisture resistance and a higher R-value.

7. Are there eco-friendly options among rigid foam insulation types?

• Polyisocyanurate (ISO or polyiso) is considered an eco-friendly option as it contains roughly 9% recycled materials. It also has a high R-value, but it may not be suitable for below-grade applications due to moisture absorption.

8. What is unique about Expanded Polyurethane (EPU) rigid foam insulation?

• Expanded Polyurethane (EPU) is intended for insulated concrete forms and remains in place as concrete cures. It offers an average R-value of 5.9 per inch and is exceptionally durable.

9. What makes Mineral Wool insulation different from petroleum-based foam products?

• Mineral Wool is non-toxic, does not emit harmful gases, and maintains its R-value over time. It also offers soundproofing, is fireproof, and is unaffected by moisture. However, it does not act as an air barrier and is generally more expensive than fiberglass.

10. How can project management software like eSUB assist in the decision-making process for rigid foam insulation installation?

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Rigid Roof Insulation.

• Project management software such as eSUB helps contractors gather essential data, track employees, equipment, and manhours, and analyze financial costs. This data-driven approach ensures that insulation choices are made efficiently and profitably for construction projects.