Spray Foam Insulation in Levittown, PA

Spray foam insulation is a two-part liquid sprayed onto framing, roof decks or walls, where it expands and cures into a solid layer that both insulates and seals air leaks. Levittown homes are a good fit for it in specific places: low-slope roofs over back additions, cathedral ceilings in raised or expanded houses, floors over garages and porches, and the rim areas of houses in the older river towns that have basements. In those spots, foam does in one step what would otherwise take insulation plus a separate air barrier.

Open-cell foam

Open-cell foam is soft and sponge-like when cured. It expands a lot, which lets it fill cavities with wires, pipes and odd angles. HomeGuide lists it at R-3.5 to R-3.7 per inch and $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot installed. It blocks air very well, and it also dampens sound, which homeowners notice in bedrooms and home offices. Because some water vapor passes through it, it needs the right setting: interior walls, above-grade wall cavities with a vapor retarder in place, and some unvented roof assemblies when the design calls for it.

Closed-cell foam

Closed-cell foam is dense and rigid, rated R-5 to R-7 per inch and priced around $3.00 to $5.00 per square foot (HomeGuide). It adds racking strength to the framing it bonds to, and at typical thickness it acts as a vapor retarder. Where depth is limited, such as a 2x6 rafter in a low-slope addition, closed-cell reaches a higher R-value than anything else that fits. It is also the usual choice anywhere near moisture: rim joists, crawl space walls, and the underside of floors exposed to outdoor air.

Where we use each in Lower Bucks County

Levitt-era houses were finished in a few short years and expanded one owner at a time. A typical project mixes spaces: an original attic that needs sealing and depth, a dormer or second-floor addition with kneewalls, and maybe a family room addition on a slab with a nearly flat roof. We often use closed-cell on the addition roof and kneewalls, and blown-in over a sealed attic floor in the original section. In Bristol, Morrisville and Yardley, where older houses sit on stone or block foundations, closed-cell on the rim joist is one of the most cost-effective things a homeowner can do.

Safety and re-entry

Spray foam is mixed on site, so the work area is closed off and ventilated while we spray. HomeGuide advises staying out for at least 24 hours. Foam in living space also needs the thermal or ignition barrier that the code and product listing require, usually drywall or a coating. We include that in the plan rather than leaving it as a surprise.

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