Closed cell and open cell spray foam insulation are two different products for two different jobs, and choosing the wrong one is the most common mistake we are called to fix around Orillia. All of our work is fully insured, and every quote names which product goes on which surface.
Closed cell foam is dense, rigid, about R-6 to R-7 per inch, and a vapour barrier at two inches. Open cell foam is soft, about R-3.5 to R-3.8 per inch, and lets vapour pass. Both are air barriers. That single difference in vapour behaviour decides where each product belongs in a house between two lakes.
Anything that touches concrete, soil or outdoor air gets closed cell: foundation walls, crawl spaces, rim joists, garage ceilings, roof decks and the underside of a cottage floor. It insulates hard in a shallow space, it stops vapour from reaching the cold surface behind it, and it does not care if the wall it is sprayed on is a little damp. In Orillia, with the humidity two lakes provide and a winter that runs to minus twenty-five, closed cell foam is most of what we spray.
Interior partition walls, the floor between the first and second floor, and deep exterior wall cavities that already have a proper vapour barrier plan are where open cell foam fits. It is cheaper per inch, it fills a deep, irregular cavity completely, and it soaks up sound the way closed cell foam cannot. Between a bonus room and the garage below it, or between bedrooms, open cell foam quiets the house as a side effect of insulating it.
Open cell foam on a basement wall lets house moisture through to the cold concrete, where it condenses behind the foam and grows mould you cannot see. Open cell on a roof deck in this climate does the same thing at the sheathing. We have removed both. The reverse mistake, closed cell where open cell would do, wastes money but does no damage. When in doubt we spec closed cell and say why in the quote.
Closed cell foam is a vapour barrier at about two inches and not below. Three inches on a basement wall reaches the code target; two inches on a garage ceiling is a common spec; roof decks usually want more. Open cell foam is sprayed to fill the cavity and trimmed flush. The written quote states the thickness for every surface and the depth gauge checks it as the foam goes on. A quote that lists a product without a thickness is not a quote you can compare.
If a quote you already hold does not say closed or open, or does not give a thickness, send it to us or call +1 (705) 805-5871 and we will tell you what it is missing. The attic page and the basement page show the choice applied to the two most common jobs, and the Orillia Spray Foam Insulation home page covers the rest.
The same closed cell and open cell spray foam insulation goes into every other part of the building.
Attic spray foam insulation seals the air leaks in the ceiling and insulates over them in one visit, which is what stops ice dams and bare roof stripes on Orillia houses. All of our work is fully insured, and the quote is written before anything is sprayed.
View Attic Insulation
Basement spray foam insulation puts closed cell foam directly on the foundation wall, where it insulates, blocks vapour and seals the joint between concrete and wood in one product. The work is insured, and every basement quote names the thickness in writing.
View Basement Insulation
Crawl space spray foam insulation seals the walls and the rim joist with closed cell foam, closes the vents and turns a cold, damp box under the floor into part of the heated house. Insurance covers the work, and the quote covers the ground sheet as well as the foam.
View Crawl Space Insulation
Garage spray foam insulation makes an attached garage stop pulling heat out of the house beside it and above it, and makes a detached garage usable all winter. The work is insured, and the quote separates the ceiling, the shared wall and the outside walls so you can choose what to do.
View Garage Insulation
New construction spray foam insulation seals and insulates a new house, addition or cottage while the framing is open, so the envelope is right once and never has to be opened again. Insurance covers the work, and we schedule around the framer, the electrician and the drywall crew.
View New Construction Insulation
Insulation removal and replacement takes out foam that failed, or batts that got wet or were chewed through, and replaces them with foam installed properly. The work is insured, and we photograph what we remove so the quote shows why.
View Insulation Removal and Replacement
Cottage and waterfront spray foam insulation turns a seasonal building on Lake Simcoe, Lake Couchiching, Bass Lake or the Severn River into one that can be lived in through an Orillia winter. Insurance covers the work, and the quote is written in the order the work should be done so you can do it in stages.
View Cottage and Waterfront Insulation
Commercial, shop and pole barn spray foam insulation sprays closed cell foam straight onto the metal or wood skin of a building, which stops the condensation, stiffens the structure and makes the space possible to heat. The work is insured, and we quote by the square foot at a stated thickness.
View Commercial, Shop and Pole Barn InsulationWe come to the building, measure, and write the quote. There is no charge for the visit and no obligation to go ahead.
Describe the space as well as you can and we will phone to set the visit. The form sends with just a name and a number. If you would rather talk, call +1 (705) 805-5871.
