Depends on how the house is vented. Foam may cause issues as houses need to breath a little.
Doing the floors on a raised house is always a good idea with closed cell foam. However, that would lead to problems if you used closed cell foam in the walls and roof if the house was not vented properly
It is where the industry is going. Foam Insulation is 100% efficient in every way. There are two types of foam insulation: Closed Cell or Open Cell. Closed Cell foam can have an higher R-Value with less insulation but can be more expensive. Open Cell is less expensive but you have to provide the full cavity to get the same R-Value.
In addition to spray foam, there is another type of foam that is designed for existing walls. Unlike open or closed cell spray foam, the injectable insulation foam is pumped into wall spaces in a liquid form with the consistency of shaving cream, where it flows freely throughout the wall cavity—getting behind wires, pipes, electrical outlets, and into cracks and crevices that other insulation can’t reach—and then hardens.
If you don’t want to go thru a major renovation, this is the best way to seal and insulate your existing walls.
Foam is definitely 100 percent energy efficient but I see future maintenance problems with this stuff down the road. If you have your house sprayed with foam and 10-20 years down the road have a pipe leak, it is going to be hard to find and will leave a lot of mold and water damage.
OK- there are some great answers here, let’s see if I can add to them:
Lake View Glass Enclosures mentions the two types of sprayed on foam. All homes being built new these days are required to have 2x6 walls as opposed to 2x4 structured walls. I’m told it was to allow the ability to get to the R-15 value with open cell foam, as it has an R-value of approximately 3.5 per inch. Multiply that times the 6 inches and you attain the code regulation in the NAIMA North America Insulation Manufacturers Association for walls. It is important to have the voids slightly overfilled and shaved smooth to allow sheetrock install with no open voids (condensation allowing areas). Where it comes to 2x4 (opened wall,) 2.25 inches of closed cell sprayed in accomplishes this requirement, it has a average R-Value of 6.5 per inch. It has a skin and is a bit more dense to get to this higher R-value. It is best also used in crawlspaces, such as in the area called the sill beam where much air blows in (due to the wood contorting over time and not sufficiently meeting up to the solid foundation). Energy Star homes require the sill beam to be insulated, but they fail to choose spray foam at the homeowner’s peril. Fiberglass is closer to a conductor than an insulator. It is unfairly tested for it’s R-value in a vacuum chamber - don’t get me started on how this happened in the 1950s. Also it’s never installed correctly to my standards to stop air-infiltration (which fully negates the R-value further).
Ken Roque mentions spraying floors. If you spray an attic floor you may create a vapor block in the living spaces below. Expensive air handling is needed for good air quality. In summer months it would need just a couple of open windows during the day, but in winter that would not bold well for the energy efficient homeowner.
Usa Insulation mentions our biggest seller: Existing Wall Injection Foam. We realized years ago that (installed correctly) that fiberglass usually has the paper side facing inward towards the center of the home, or “condition space”. We were the pioneer of shooting the foam through very small holes from the inside of the house because we get a better fill as the foam goes in and has a bigger solid paper surface to compact the existing glass strands. All old school installers shooting into the fibrous side (from outside the home) couldn’t get a fill that homeowners felt was sufficient in value. The foam gets aerated and cures to quick to slide up down and all around!
Finally, CSA construction mentions plumbing issues down the road. This issue can be easily compared to electricians saying that you won’t be able to add outlets or switches later - Preparation & forward minded planning, in advance solves, both of these. The plumbing is done before sprayed on foam is installed, so as long as the pipes on exterior walls are not attached to the exterior sheathing (which is wrong) you can spray the area behind the pipes(directly to exterior sheathing) and leave some opening on the inside most sides of the pipes. This allows the home’s heat to affect the pipes on one side but keeps mother nature away. We tell our clients to install additional pvc pipe in areas that may be upgraded later. Plans matter!
Spray foam in quantity requires a 2 part mix of a gorilla glue liquid and liquid Styrofoam, mixed under high pressure, high heat. It is made up of many plasticized bubbles side by side. Heat and cold can more easily transfer through solid materials. The dead air space in bubbles keeps mother nature out better than any insulation. My website, www.DoctorEnergySmart.com, has a great insulation history that has won awards on Angie’s List, where we are rated right at the top of all insulation contractors. A whole home sprayed can cost 12-20 thousand dollars. A thermal camera we use can prioritize where you aim the foam gun for savings galore. We know that most thermal problems start above and below the home. This feeds the walls and that air tries to enter the living space through receptacles, under baseboard moldings on first floor (exterior walls) . Where window moldings and baseboard moldings meet floors and walls, separations even the smallest should be caulked. Sign up to read my newsletter on my new site because many tips not found elsewhere will be revealed over time. The best will be how to actually completely seal wall plug or light switches
SPRAY FOAM INSULATION - Quoted from our website
The best thermal protection on the planet! Ever wonder why all refrigerators are insulated with foam? Or why all the coolers on earth are made out of foam? Or why the thinnest styrofoam coffee cup can keep you from burning your fingers? Because foam is the best!
Polyurethane spray foam completely separates two environments, much like the styrofoam cup keeps the heat of the coffee on the inside of your cup while keeping your fingers safe at normal temperature.