Spray Foam Insulation R Value

I m not going to dive into the energy code here but these numbers apply to many climate zones the latter being allowed under the ua tradeoffs rule.

Spray foam insulation r value.

Insulation materials run the gamut from bulky fiber materials such as fiberglass rock and slag wool cellulose and natural fibers to rigid foam boards to sleek foils. According to industry publication fine home building the r value for open cell spray foam is between r 3 5 r 3 6 per inch. Bulky materials resist conductive and to a lesser degree convective heat flow in a building cavity. Closed cell spray foam has a far better r value per inch than other less effective insulations like cellulose fiberglass or even open cell foam.

If you want to install spray foam in a stud wall and price is no object then it would seem to make sense to specify closed cell spray foam right. Open cell foam insulation values r3 r4. Rigid foam boards trap air or another gas to resist conductive heat flow. However there are open cell spray foam insulation products actually offer r 3 7 per inch such as icynene classic and.

Open cell spray foam insulation is air impermeable and is applied with a minimum of 3 5 on average and can be used for attics interior floors walls and soundproofing. Closed cell spray foam r values. For 6 inches r 15 or r 19 etc. The r value is r 3 5 to r 3 6 per inch so filling a 2 4 cavity yields about an r 13.

The r value of spray foam insulation is approximately 6 per inch so those using spray foam as their insulator will need about 6 3 inches of thickness to reach r 38. Open cell spray foams are between 5 and 1 lbs per cubic foot and have an r value of 3 0 4 0 per inch of insulation. For example closed cell spray foam depending on brand can offer an r 6 or r 7 per inch. Focusing on spray foam insulation materials there is a difference between the two main types.

R values are additive so you can multiple the number of inches of insulation thickness times the r value to arrive at a total insulation value. Why spray foam insulation is so effective in meeting code requirements is that it has a higher r value per inch of product used than batts. Open cell spray foam has an r value of about r 3 7 per inch while closed cell spray foam has an r value that may be as high as r 6 5 per inch. Closed cell spray foam insulation.

Traditional insulation such as cellulose or fiberglass is not comparable to spray foam insulation in r value as those insulation methods use r value of heat transfer.