Spray foam and Structural Integrity

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Spray foam and Structural Integrity

Jun 21, 2022

Spray foam adds structural integrity and can be a huge advantage to protect your home against adverse weather conditions. One danger of climate change is the increase in severity and number of storms. By applying a 2lb closed cell spray foam insulation, both existing and new homes can increase their structural strength.

Racking strength is the capability of a square or rectangular area of a wall to uphold its shape under duress. Recent racking strength studies have shown that polyurethane spray foam can add significant structural strength to walls.

When first applied to the interior of walls or under the roof, spray foam sticks directly to the building materials. Where fiberglass insulation acts as a simple buffer, spray foam’s direct contact with the building makes it, for all intents and purposes, part of the structure. Spray foam insulation expands as it comes into contact with the air and hardens as it dries, resulting in a transformation from liquid to a rigid state.

Since the insulation sticks to the building’s surface and hardens, this newly added rigidity to the building increases the structural integrity of the area it is applied to. This means that the structural load is also shouldered by the foam.

Research conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has shown that walls insulated with closed cell spray foam have a racking strength up to 300% greater than walls without it.

When formed and packed into a particular space, the spray foam becomes rigid and can equal the firmness of wood in its consistency. While building codes attend to the structural integrity, more dire events, such as intense wind and other acts of nature can still leave structures compromised. The closed-cell insulation in interior walls and rooflines provides an extra layer of protection to promote more durability and stability.

So although the main benefit of spray foam insulation is its ability to resist heat flow (rvalue), it also has other beneficial properties such as racking strength that add to the durability and ultimate longevity of your home.

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