History of Icynene™
ICYNENE™ Open Cell Spray in Place Foam Insulation was invented in 1986 to overcome the problems experienced with closed cell foams of that era, namely out gassing, mold issues and wood rotting when sprayed on wooden framed structures.
ICYNENE™ open cell foam has a long proven track record and is the standard to which others are held. ICYNENE™ is so respected in the architectural and building communities that it has become the name they use when discussing spray foam insulation. Remember there was only one ICYNENE™ and many unproven imitators.
In 2020 the ICYNENE Company was acquired by Huntsman Building Solutions and the ICYNENE™ product line became part of the Huntsman line of open and closed cell spray foam products, rebranding the ICYNENE™ foam products to Huntsman.
Q - What is Huntsman FOAM-LOK 450™ Open Cell Spray Foam Insulation?
A - It is an open cell, 100% water blown, light density, flexible soft foam insulation containing no ozone depleting blowing agents. It is sprayed onto walls, gables, crawl spaces, and the underside of roof decks by trained technicians. It is sprayed as a thick liquid and in seconds it expands to more than 100 times its volume creating a superior insulation and air barrier. Every crack, crevice, electrical box, and exterior penetration is effortlessly sealed to reduce energy-robbing, random air leakage. The building envelope seal remains intact over time and is ideal for residential, commercial, industrial and institutional indoor applications.
Q - Is it safe?
A - Yes it meets all the building codes including, fire test, smoke development and flame spread. Within hours of application VOC emissions is 100 times less than the safe concentration level (TLV).
Q - What’s the difference between open cell and closed cell foam?
A – Huntsman FOAM-LOK 450™ is Open Cell foam is 100% water blown, has an R-Value of 3.7 per inch, Has a nominal weight of 0.5 pounds per cubic foot, is air tight, not a moisture barrier and is flexible and at 5.5” has a water vapor permeance of 11 perm, one less a than a Class III vapor barrier at 10 perm.
Huntsman Closed Cell foams have an R-Value of 7.1 per inch, weigh a nominal 2.0 pounds per cubic foot, are air tight, a moisture barrier, semi-rigid and add structural reinforcement; it is used for both residential and commercial applications and is principally the accepted standard for commercial applications. For the same R-Value, closed cell foam is roughly 2 times the cost of open cell. We do offer both types and each has its place.
Q - What is its R value?
A - We must be careful in using R value as the only acceptance criteria when selecting insulation for your new home. The ASTM C518 test method C1058 is an old standard biased towards fiberglass that does not give a true fit for service rating of insulation’s effectiveness in your home. Spray Foam insulation will outperform fiberglass 2 to 1 in terms of real world energy savings performance in your house. Studies have shown in the Houston area that stuffing higher R values in walls and ceilings with fiberglass still result in almost double the utility bills when compared to spray foam insulation at less than half the R’s. Air tightness along with R’s = double the energy saving performance of insulation.
Q – Can I use it for soundproofing interior walls?
A - YES, sound attenuation is one additional benefit you get with - Huntsman open cell spray foam and air barrier material when used as a component of a wall assembly, eliminating unintentional sound pathways. In a 2x6 stud cavity the use of 3 inches of open cell foam it has a calculated Sound Transmission Class of 32 when coupled with unfaced fiberglass batts with an STC of 38 offers a superior sound wall which has both desirable properties of sound absorption and sound reflection.
Q – What is a conditioned attic?
A – The conditioned attic was invented by Gab Fracas founder of Icynene and has been awarded as a significant improvement in energy efficiency and affirmed by the research by the US Department of Energy using Oak Ridge National Laboratories making a more energy efficient building envelope. It simply moves the insulation barrier from the floor of the attic to the underside of the roof deck and joins the exterior vertical walls making the building near airtight with a continuous insulation seal. It has no ridge vents or soffit vents. The temperature in the attic will be within 3 – 10 degrees of the living area, resulting up to 50% in cooling cost savings. The International Residential Building Code section R806.4 is the detailed requirement for the conditioned attic. To put is simply; the attic becomes another conditioned room in the house, eliminating the hot attic.
Q - Does my house need fresh air?
A – Being airtight does not mean “no ventilation”. A HVAC requirement of an airtight building is to draw in fresh air into the HVAC and mechanical ventilation system from outside the home; this mechanical intake must be done on a controlled basis, whereby you now regulate when the air is brought into the building, filtering, and scrubbing it with a germicidal air cleaner is now possible, eliminating dust, pollen, and other allergens - making for a healthier indoor air quality environment and a quieter environment.
Q - Do I need to do anything differently when using spray foam insulation?
A – YES, there are several things you can do that will make the process easier, save you money and assure that you are in compliance with the fire, safety, and building codes. Contact us and we will show you what they are. We are the experts and we can make the process easier for you.
Q – Will it destroy my asphalt shingles?
A – NO, it will not. In years past some manufacturers of asphalt shingles who offer competing insulation products will tell you this, but the truth of the matter is there are plenty of manufacturers who allow the spraying of foam directly to the roof deck from the attic. It won’t harm your roof nor cause condensation problems. It provides a thermal break, preventing heat from the roof entering the attic. It allows moisture from roof leaks to drain by gravity through the foam facilitating identification and repair.
Q- How much does it cost relative to fiberglass?
A - There is not a true apple to apples comparison. Fiberglass uses your great grandfather’s old fashioned 1940’s hot attic design, allowing heat to build up in your attic which through air flow through the attic floor heats up the living space below. We are providing an airtight building envelope assembly that includes a conditioned attic assembly using 21st century building science. We actually air seal the building insulating areas that fiberglass doesn’t; eliminating many elements of cost required for that out dated hot box called the ventilated attic assembly. We don’t manage the attic heat we eliminate it.
Summary
It just doesn’t make good sense to place your inside AC unit in an attic that can reach 150°F in the hot Texas summer and expect energy efficiency. The hottest attic recorded in Texas was 160°F.
With a conditioned attic, in many cases the HVAC system can be reduced substantially, so, if the standard prescription calls for two units, you probably only need one.
The superior thermal insulating properties of a Huntsman® foam insulation building assembly gives you a significant energy savings each month that can result in monthly positive cash resulting in a favorable return on your Insulation investment and increasing the resale value of your home.
A Huntsman® insulated building will reduce your greenhouse gas emissions with the additional benefit of making your living environment healthier, quieter, and more energy efficient.
Think of it as maximizing your new home investment for continued savings that begins on the day the meter is transferred to your name and continues each and every month thereafter.
Each home is unique, so contact us for a free consultation on your needs and a proposal.