Closed-cell foam insulation proves to be ultimate
green product for custom homes by Robert Lord Builders
NEW MATERIAL YIELDS ENERGY SAVINGS UP TO 75%

Ask Robert Lord for his verdict on the best material to boost a home’s energy efficiency, structural integrity and mold resistance and he’ll tell you that the case is closed: it’s closed-cell foam insulation all the way.

Long used as the insulation product of choice in freezers and refrigerators, closed-cell foam insulation is a special polyurethane foam that is sprayed into all the usual spaces that fiberglass insulation is installed, quickly drying and expanding up to 20 times its original volume thereafter. The foam surrounds the home’s building shell in a single blanket of air-tight insulation from the foundation up to the walls and across the roof.

Unlike open-cell foam (often used in insulation-in-a-can-type products that can be sprayed into gaps and crevices around your home) in which the surfaces of the tiny bubbles (cell walls) created are broken and filled with air, closed-cell foam bubbles do not break easily. Compacted tightly together, the closed cells remain inflated with a special gas that helps increase the material’s insulation properties.

The result is a higher R-value than traditional fiberglass insulation: up to R-24 in a 2” x 4” wall and up to R-78 in a 2” x 12” attic cavity vs. R-13 and R-38, respectively, for a typical fiberglass brand. And that equates to substantially lower heating and cooling bills, said Robert Lord, owner of Robert Lord Builders, Inc.—a St. Charles-based custom home building firm known for its green building techniques.

“Forty percent of energy loss occurs through the walls due to air intrusion and infusion,” said Lord, who first employed the material in home construction in 2006 and now includes it as a standard amenity in every new custom home he builds. “Addressing this problem head on, the use of closed-cell foam insulation is estimated to reduce home energy costs by up to 75 percent. It’s an amazing product that is a particularly smart choice in climates with temperature extremes like ours.”

In frigid weather, Lord explained, “heated, moist air inside the home escapes through cracks, gaps and holes in the building shell to join the colder, dryer outside air, causing your furnace to work harder to maintain indoor comfort,” Lord said. “In warm weather, meanwhile, hot, humid air enters the home through those same pathways, increasing the burden on the air conditioning system. Because drafts are virtually eliminated with closed-cell foam insulation, it’s easier to maintain a consistently comfortable temperature without hot and cold spots.”

But exceptional energy efficiency and more reliable temperatures aren’t the only perks to the polyurethane material, Lord said. Based on studies by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the space-age insulation material offers two to three times more racking strength in wall construction than traditional framing practices, which increases a residence’s structural integrity.

“What’s more, closed-cell foam insulation can help reduce noise transfer and sound penetration,” said Lord. “The product also does not shrink or settle like other insulation materials are commonly known to do.”

Additionally, closed-cell foam helps prevent uncontrolled outdoor air infiltration and the penetration of dust, pollen and other allergens. Of particular significance to those concerned about mold, “the material resists moisture transmission and condensation,” said Lord. “It eliminates excess moisture in the home that can damage drywall and woodwork, which can lead to mold growth.”

Though it’s more expensive initially, closed-cell foam virtually pays for itself after three to five years in the form of greater energy efficiency savings, said Lord. After that period, the material can help you save 50 to 75 percent in annual energy costs.

Until he made the recent switch to closed-cell foam, Lord had been faithfully using a white formaldehyde-free fiberglass brand that boasted an impressive R-value.

“I had seen a demonstration on closed-cell foam as a home insulation application almost 15 years ago and was instantly impressed,” he recalled. “I did more homework on it and was blown away by the extensive research and favorable test results on this material. But despite searching high and low for vendors and suppliers of closed-cell foam over the years, I had never found any, at least in the Midwest. It seemed like a no-brainer as a home insulation product, but no one was manufacturing or supplying it to local builders until recently.”

To the best of his knowledge, Lord’s company is currently the only home building firm in the Chicagoland market that even uses closed-cell foam insulation—let alone provides it as a standard inclusion.

“I predict that this product will eventually replace fiberglass as the insulation material of choice in new and remodeled homes,” Lord said. “The initial high costs are bound to come down as more suppliers and vendors offer the product. It will also be more readily accepted by consumers as they become more educated about its superior performance, energy efficiency and other benefits.”

Closed-cell foam insulation isn’t the only green building product Lord utilizes in his custom home building business. Earth-friendly options that his buyers can choose from include:

• underground geothermal heating and cooling systems that provide a renewable fuel source to maximize energy efficiency, saving homeowners up to 70 percent in heating costs and up to 50 percent in cooling costs compared to a conventional A/C and gas furnace system;
• DuPont’s Tyvek ThermaWrap and AtticWrap, which can reap energy savings up to 15 percent;
• hybrid septic systems that employ an aerobic digester and a raised sand filter to reduce the size of a home’s septic field and speed up the time it takes for waste matter to decompose; 
• ultra-efficient Energy Star-certified appliances and lighting fixtures;
• environmentally sensitive plumbing fixtures; and
• green flooring materials.

Additionally, every home Robert Lord Builders crafts carries an Energy Star® certification label, which means that the residence meets a rigorous set of energy performance criteria established and regulated by the U.S. government.

Robert Lord Builders, Inc. currently has a number of one-of-a-kind luxury inventory homes for early delivery in St. Charles and other western suburbs. He can also build-to-suit on a customer’s chosen site. For more details, call (630) 584-9009 or visit www.robertlordbuilders.com.