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Testimonials:
We love the spray foam you did for our home. Added 900 square ft, you put 6" foam in our roof 3 years ago over the upstairs addition. Our energy bills didn't go up a penny- just shows how much heat we were losing in the winter and letting in the attic in the summer. Great investment!
- Ernie, Jackson TNI have seen the Spray Foam system before, but only in the home improvement shows on TV. I was introduced to Apex by my contractor, and was convinced to try it. Couldn't be happier! Great return on investment.
- Mike, Nashville TNI was in my house built in 1948 for 3 winters, each year I would add more fiberglass insulation to the floors in my crawl space. My home was never warm until I tried spray foam. Not only is the house warmer, but it has saved me money on the energy bill.
- Michael, Nashville TNApex Building Company provided whole house residential spray foam insulation for my new home. They did an excellent professional job. I would recommend them for any insulation job of any size!
- George, Jackson TNI hired this company to spray insulation into my newly built steel construction home. They came in and did a very professional job enclosing the entire shell with open cell foam, sealing every conceivable leak. I have been very please with the results and ascribe my low utility bills to it!
- Pete, Memphis TNApex was very professional and knew about the product they were selling. I talked to several spray foam contractors and none of them were as knowledgeable as Michael at Apex. They cleaned up well and made sure things were done to suit me. I Highly Recommend them for anything spray foam or insulation!
- Jarrin, Memphis TN
Building Science of Spray Foam Insulation
THE PRINCIPLES OF BUILDING SCIENCE:
Practicing building science, also known as a “systems approach,” means accounting for the ways all building components interact, including the foundation, walls, roofs, doors, windows, insulation and mechanical systems. Doing so is critical to optimize sustainable building performance and prevent commercial building failures. The main principles of building science include:
- Creating a continuous air barrier combined with proper mechanical ventilation • Providing thermal resistance
- Managing moisture
- Improving indoor air quality
- Using appropriate heating and AC systems
APEX Building Company LLC spray foam insulation applications address all of these principles to help commercial building and design professionals practice building science techniques with ease. The benefits are verified through extensive research and testing.
HOW SPRAY FOAM INSULATION PLAYS A KEY ROLE:
Building scientists are now stressing the importance of air barriers like Icynene spray foam insulation in commercial building design and construction. This is partly because many buildings constructed in the past decade without air barriers have already experienced major failures in terms of moisture damage and mold caused by condensation, which stemmed from air leakage.
In addition, research shows that without an air barrier, insulation cannot deliver optimal energy efficiency or comfort. This is why air barriers are now a critical part of code and industry standards such as ASHRAE 90.1. (Learn more.)
LIMITS OF R-VALUE:
R-value measures insulation’s ability to limit conductive heat flow (heat that is transferred through it). The primary method of heat transfer is not conductive heat flow — it’s air leakage (convection or movement), which can account for up to 40% of a commercial building’s energy loss.
In addition, R-value only does so much to prevent even conductive heat flow. Beyond a certain point, increasing insulation R-value makes very little difference.
In fact, the cost of increasing R-value alone can actually far outweigh the energy savings that result, meaning it will take much longer to break even.
Therefore, the best way to increase efficiency is not merely to increase R-value, but rather to combine R-value with an air barrier. Spray foam insulation provides both in a single step.
SPRAY FOAM AS A VAPOR RETARDER:
Approximately 95-99% of the water vapor that travels through a building envelope enters through air leakage. Spray foam insulation eliminates air leakage so effectively that a separate vapor retarder is often not necessary. In fact, when a commercial building code requires it, closed-cell spray foam insulation officially qualifies as a vapor retarder in the U.S..
When open-cell spray foam insulation is used, a separate vapor retarder may or may not be necessary. In U.S. climate zones 1 through 4, a vapor retarder is not required by code, and most building science professionals and engineers do not recommend it. Exceptions include places with high interior relative humidity, such as interior swimming pools.
Important: when a separate vapor retarder is needed, it should be applied to the warm side of the wall. Vapor retarder paint is often the simplest solution. This kind of paint can be applied to the surface of drywall as a primer or sprayed directly onto cured, exposed spray foam insulation.
The following paints have been applied directly over ICYNENE LD-C-50® spray foam insulation and tested. They achieved a permeance rating of less than 1 (< 60 ng/ Pa.s.m2) and qualify as vapor retarders according to building codes in the U.S. and Canada.
• Benjamin Moore® Fresh Start Primer – Product Code K024-00
