Spray Foam Insulation in Lincoln, NE

Spray foam insulation is a two-part liquid that expands as it is sprayed, sticks to the surface and hardens in place. Unlike fiberglass batts or loose fill, it fills cracks and seams as it goes, so one layer both insulates and stops air from moving through. In Lincoln, where the 1991-2020 normals show a 14.4F average January low and a 78.1F average July day, that air seal matters in both seasons: it keeps heated air in through winter and humid air out through summer.

Closed cell vs open cell

There are two kinds of spray foam, and most houses can use both.

Closed-cell foam is dense and rigid. HomeGuide lists it at R-5 to R-7 per inch, and at normal thickness it also slows water vapor. It adds stiffness to what it is sprayed on and does not soak up water. That makes it the usual pick for rim joists, basement and crawl space walls, metal buildings and anywhere condensation is a risk.

Open-cell foam is soft and spongy, listed by HomeGuide at R-3.5 to R-3.7 per inch. It expands far more than closed cell, filling odd-shaped cavities completely, and costs less per square foot. It is common on roof decks when an attic is brought inside the heated space, and in interior walls where sound is a concern. It lets vapor pass, so it is not used where it could get wet.

Who needs it

Spray foam earns its cost in spaces that are hard to seal any other way. The rim joist, the band of framing that sits on the foundation wall, leaks air all the way around most Lincoln basements. Bonus rooms over garages have floors, kneewalls and sloped ceilings that batts never fill well. Cathedral ceilings and finished attics have no room for loose fill. Pole barns and steel shops drip without a vapor-tight layer. In each of those places, foam does what fiberglass cannot.

How to tell if it would help

Signs that point toward foam: a room that is always several degrees off the thermostat, cold floors over a garage or crawl space, frost or dampness on the rim joist in winter, drafts at baseboards, or a basement you are about to finish. If the problem is simply a thin attic floor, blown-in insulation over a sealed ceiling is often the better value, and we will say so.

Code and safety

Nebraska's 2018 IECC, in force statewide since July 1, 2020, sets R-values for new work such as basement walls at R-19 cavity or R-15 continuous. Foam left exposed inside living or storage space generally needs a thermal or ignition barrier over it, and we will tell you on the quote where that applies. During and after spraying the house needs to be empty and ventilated; HomeGuide advises staying out for at least 24 hours.

Get a free estimate or call (402) 795-8689 and we will come measure.