Homeowners

Spray Foam United States

Spray Foam: It’s More Than Just Insulation

Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation is a versatile and efficient solution that surpasses traditional insulation. It has been used for decades, not only in homes, but in various buildings like hospitals, government facilities, and schools due to its exceptional energy efficiency and ability to improve indoor quality and comfort through its air sealing benefits. In fact, all our SPF systems are GREENGUARD GOLD certified, meeting even stricter VOC emission limits, making it the optimal certification for products used in schools, healthcare facilities, and homes where children’s safety is critical.

Spray foam is highly effective in sealing even the hardest-to-reach areas, eliminating drafts and further helping you control heat loss or gain. It helps keep you warm and cozy in the winter, yet cool and comfortable in the summer. When you choose spray foam insulation, you’re choosing to create a healthier and more comfortable, energy efficient living environment.

Here are just a few of the many advantages of choosing spray foam for your home:

Discover the Benefits of Spray Foam:

Increases Energy Efficiency: Spray foam is known for its exceptional ability to minimize heat transfer (keeping heat from escaping or entering your home), with some of the highest insulation values of any insulation on the market. Its seamless application, fully adhered in those hard-to-reach areas, prevents air leakage and reduces energy waste, resulting in savings on your utility bills.
Enhances Comfort: Sealing any gaps and spaces keeps your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer and also eliminates cold spots and drafts. It creates a more comfortable living environment for you and your family all year round.
Improves Indoor Air Quality: Spray foam insulation seals the cracks and crevices in your walls and roof and keeps the outside elements where they belong: outside. Spray foam insulation helps you build a well-sealed structure, so you can then provide intentional fresh air that is filtered by your HVAC system (and not by dirty, dusty wall and floor cavities).  Stopping random air infiltration reduces the amount of pollen, pollutants, and humidity that enters your home, making the indoor environment healthier and more comfortable.

There are two types of SPF insulation - open-cell and closed-cell - each with their own unique features and benefits. Both provide a seamless application of high-performance insulation while also creating an airtight seal. Check out the products below to learn more:There are two types of SPF insulation - open-cell and closed-cell - each with their own unique features and benefits. Both provide a seamless application of high-performance insulation while also creating an airtight seal. Check out the products below to learn more:

ENERTITE^®

ENERTITE^® is a low-density, open-cell spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation that provides air sealing, sound absorption and thermal insulation, allowing you to better control your indoor environment and create more energy efficient, comfortable and healthier homes and buildings. Applied as a liquid, this water-blown foam quickly expands to many times its original size, completely filling wall and roof cavities. ENERTITE^® easily seals difficult-to-reach areas such as corners and around pipes and wiring to create a seamless seal against air movement.

Learn more about ENERTITE^®

WALLTITE^®

WALLTITE^® is a high-performance, closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation that creates a seamless insulating air barrier to help improve the energy efficiency, comfort, and durability of homes and buildings. Spray-applied as a liquid, WALLTITE^® expands and adheres to most substrates, flowing into cracks, joints, and hard-to-reach areas to form an airtight seal. Its closed-cell structure also adds rigidity and can help reduce air leakage and moisture intrusion, supporting long-term building performance. WALLTITE^® easily seals corners and transitions, as well as areas around pipes, wiring, and other openings.

Learn more about WALLTITE^®

Where Can Spray Foam Be Applied?

From the top to the bottom and everything in between, there's a place for spray foam. Check out some of the areas spray foam can be installed.

Attics and Ceilings

Insulation in attics or ceilings is necessary to regulate temperature, improve energy efficiency, control moisture, reduce noise transmission, and protect the structural integrity of the home. It is an essential component of creating a comfortable and energy-efficient living environment.

For residential

Walls

Spray polyurethane foam provides exceptional insulating values, helps improve indoor air quality and comfort, and improves energy efficiency of the home.

For residential

Basements and Crawlspaces

Closed-cell spray foam is an ideal solution for controlling moisture and regulating temperatures in areas like basements and crawlspaces.

For residential

View All Residential Spray Foam Applications

Have a Question? We Have An Answer!

We understand that you may have some questions about insulating your home with spray foam. You're not alone. Check out some of our Frequently Asked Questions from Homeowners below.

What's the difference between open-cell and closed-cell spray foam?

Unlike typical insulation, both types of spray foam provide air sealing and insulation in a single product, which helps make your home quieter, more comfortable and energy efficient. However, closed cell spray foam also has almost twice the R-value (insulating value), adds structural strength, controls moisture vapor and condensation, and is a FEMA approved flood-damage-resistant material. These characteristics improve the resiliency of your home against high winds, storms and moisture damage, and are not provided by open-cell spray foams. Although the open-cell material may be a lower price point for installation, the closed-cell SPF material can help eliminate other materials and provide more value and durability for the home.

Can BASF spray foam be injected into my walls?

No, BASF spray foam is not injectable. Obstructions in the wall could block the flow of the foam material or create pressure buildup of the expanding foam. For these reasons it should be sprayed into open wall, roof, or floor cavities to ensure complete coverage. This makes it more commonly used in new construction, additions and large retrofit projects. If you’re looking to make your existing home more comfortable and energy efficient, unfinished basements and attics are excellent places to consider having spray foam installed. Visit our applications section to learn about the different areas that spray foam can be applied.

Can I install spray foam myself?

No, BASF spray foam is installed by professionally-trained insulation contractors using specialized application and safety equipment for applying high-pressure spray foam. There are canned spray foam sealants (e.g. for doors and windows), and low-pressure spray foam kits that can be do-it-yourself foam options, but those products are design for limited application areas (e.g. sealing penetrations, repairing an insulated wall), smaller than a typical spray foam insulation project.

Do I have to leave my house and for how long?

Yes, the spray polyurethane foam industry recognizes a standardized timeframe of 24 hours after spraying has stopped before a resident should reoccupy a home. For example, if the insulation crew finishes spraying at 3 PM today, the homeowner should not return to living in the home until 3 PM tomorrow. BASF has conducted studies that indicate if the application is contained and the area is power ventilated at a minimum rate of 20 air changes per hour (ACH) during and after the SPF application, re-entry times for other trades (e.g. HVAC, construction workers, others not occupying the home overnight) can be less than 24 hours (as little as 2 hours for BASF formulations).

Does spray foam have a smell?

Fully cured spray foam that has been properly installed in an appropriately ventilated space typically leaves little if any discernable smell. Odors will likely exist during the application process, and exposure is managed through ventilation and the professional contractors should be wearing proper protective equipment to manage their exposure. Open-cell spray foams can retain residual odors if the recommended application and ventilation procedures are not followed. Odor is a fairly subjective property and many products are often used during construction that can emit odors, which should not be confused with the SPF application. Products like caulks and sealants, paints and finishes, cabinets and carpets can all have odors that some may errantly attribute to spray foam after installation. Also during retrofit situations, existing materials may be disturbed that contribute odors to and around the installation area, that are not related to the spray foam.

Does spray foam emit VOCs?

WALLTITE^® and ENERTITE^® spray foam insulations from BASF are all GREENGUARD GOLD certified for low chemical emissions. This elevated standard ensures that the products have been evaluated by a 3^rd party as having been evaluated for limiting emissions of more than 360 VOCs and further meet the requirements of the CA Department of Health’s Section 01350 for VOC emissions and formaldehyde.

If you have additional questions, there are industry associations who provide helpful resources for homeowners and others interested in SPF. For more information, visit the links below.

whysprayfoam.org

Whysprayfoam.org was created by The Spray Foam Coalition (SFC) was formed under the American Chemistry Council's Center for Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) to provide accurate information and resources to homeowners and those considering SPF. As a member of the Spray Foam Coalition, BASF is committed to the continuous improvement in health, safety and product stewardship of spray polyurethane foam products.

Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA)

The SPFA is an excellent resource for spray foam. In addition to providing information for homeowners, they also provide technical resources, training and professional certification (PCP) for installers. BASF is a proud SPFA member.

Spray Foam Solutions For Homeowners