When people think about insulation, they think of energy efficiency and comfort in the home. Fire safety seldom comes to mind. But this should be a concern because different types of common insulations perform very differently in terms of fire safety.

Fiberglass insulation is naturally non-combustible because it is made from sand and glass fibers. Fiberglass insulation requires no additional fire-retardant treatments. However, most vapor retarders used on fiber glass insulation are flammable. For this reason, faced insulation should be covered with gypsum board or other building code approved finish material soon after installation.

Cellulose insulation is made of primarily ground-up or shredded newspaper, which is combustible. To protect against fire, cellulose insulation is treated with a fire retardant chemical. Several independent tests showed that, over time, cellulose insulation not only failed to meet ASTM’s smoldering combustion resistance requirements but also indicated a trend of decreasing fire retardant chemical content.

Spray Foam insulations contributes no fuel in the event of fire and it will not sustain flame upon removal of the flame source. However, like fiberglass, it will be consumed by flame, and gypsum board or other acceptable thermal barriers are required by applicable building codes.

Spray Foam is safe for both you and the environment. Spray Foams have been extensively tested in both Canada and the United States and found to have no harmful emissions. The products are in fact recommended for use in homes for many environmentally concerned or sensitive people.

The Spray Foam System has been selected for use in the American Lung Association Health House projects.