HomeWise.ie
Ireland's Home & Garden Search Engine
   


Seller Signup...

Quality Service, Seller or Tradesperson? Sign Up Now!




Home & Garden Articles


Spray on Foam Insulation - Ten Tips to Maximize Your Investment

Wed 01 Apr 2009 - 12:47

Spray on Foam Insulation - Ten Tips to Maximize Your Investment
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Gina_Bisaillon]Gina Bisaillon

If you've decided to insulate your home with spray foam, let me tell you that you have made the right decision! Spray foam insulation is by far the best and the most efficient way of conserving energy and saving money. However, it's also the most expensive and the one that requires the most expertise -- it's just not something to undertake lightly! Start by researching the subject thoroughly, and you will be able to approach your spray foam insulation project with peace of mind, and with the knowledge that you have invested your money wisely. I'd like to share with you some of the things that I learned from my own foam insulation project this year.

If you don't know anyone who can recommend a contractor, be sure to ask the ones you talk to to give you the names of clients and call each and every one.

Get two or three estimates and make sure they all include exactly the same areas, with the same amount and the same brand of insulation. Otherwise, you will not be able to compare them.

Make sure that the contract includes all the details of the job, including the R-values and their locations, the kind of material, the brand name and the warranty.

If you're insulating an existing home, your best bet is to strip all the walls and ceilings that you want to insulate.

Ask the contractor if there's any preparation work that you can do yourself and make sure he gives you a discount for it. For example, you could vacuum the cavities, remove the nails from the studs, etc.

Ensure that the plumber and the electrician are done with their roughing-in. You really don't want to have to dig through your new insulation to add pipes or wires.

Do a walk-through with the insulation contractor before the big day, to make sure that everything is ready for him.

Be sure to visit the site during and after the spraying is done. Look for missed areas, check the depth with a wire -- and pay only once you're satisfied that the contract has been entirely carried out. (Do wear a mask!)

If you have close neighbors, notify them in advance that there will be a lot of noise, and tell them for how long, so that they may plan an outing on that day if they wish.

Wait the required time before occupying the premises again. (Each product has its own waiting period for the gases to evaporate.) Then, all you have to do is put on a big smile when the next heating bill arrives!

About the Author: Gina Bisaillon has been passionate about houses since she acquired her first property in the early 1970s. Since then she has owned and renovated houses in Quebec, Ontario, Mexico, and New Brunswick, where she is presently retrofitting a 1950s house to make it highly energy efficient.

She is documenting this project step-by-step and dollar-by-dollar on her website, http://www.my-green-home-project.com

Her recent foam insulation adventures can be found at http://www.my-green-home-project.com/spray-foam-insulation.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gina_Bisaillon http://EzineArticles.com/?Spray-on-Foam-Insulation---Ten-Tips-to-Maximize-Your-Investment&id=2097404


Looking for information on Building, Find a supplier at HomeWise.ie

back to Building articles
back to all home & garden articles