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Hard to reach areas, walls and tiny spaces require the kind of insulation that can be sprayed on, called foam insulation.

Home owners must be familiar with the “R-value” of the material which is the choice of its thermal resistance.

Likewise, it is highly critical for home owners to be conscious of the benefits and disadvantages of the each kind of foam insulation before its utilization. The first form of foam insulation is polystyrene, either extruded (XPS) or expanded (EPS), which is easy to recycle because it may be broken down quickly to develop other products.

Yet a con for this type of insulation is that it contains flame retardants that are thought to be hazardous to man. This may result in respiratory system irritation, fatigue, confusion, liver dysfunctions, and reproductive system complications.

The second kind of foam is polyurethane foam insulation.

A combination of polyisocyanurate and polyol resin are what make up this type of foam insulation. The pro is that it has the ability to create air-tight seals that are water-resistant into openings in a ceiling or wall.

It can take up to 24 hours for this type to cure after spraying. Those products with high R-value are more detrimental to the background as compared to those who have low R-value.

The polyiso, or polyisocyanurate is most often used in places where dampness is less likely to be a problem. It is made up into a hardened board of foam that has a thin foil on its outside to fight against the damp.

Recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles are occasionally used in its production. One pro is that it is more earth friendly than either polyurethane or polystyrene.

Icynene is the fourth form of foam insulation which is a mixture of carbon dioxide and water. It certainly has it’s pros because it does not lose it’s R-value over a long period of time and is made into a malleable foam.

Air krete is created from magnesium oxide and is cement based.

It’s upside is that no hazardous chemicals are used when making this kind of foam insulation.

And beyond that, it’s mold-resistant and fireproof to boot!

A home owner must take into account the potential environmental hazards, manufacturing and disposal practices, and the product’s ability to do the job when buying foam insulation.

Last the not least, go here to check out about waterproofing basement walls.