GREEN SOLUTIONS: AIRTIGHT INVESTMENT
AN INSULATED BUSINESS PLAN
By Carly Fuller / Photos by Carter Photographics

To say that Rocky Mountain Spray Foam (RMSF) has experienced favorable growth during the past year and a half might be somewhat of an understatement. The growth has truly been quite remarkable.

Since insulating their first home in September of 2006, RMSF has acquired a Front Range spray foam business allowing them to expand their management, equipment and product base, as well as the exclusive sales rights for the Johns Mansville Spider Custom Insulation product in Grand, Summit, Eagle and Routt counties.

They now offer spray foam that has full ICC building code compliance in addition to the only blown-in fiberglass insulation product that does not require netting. Still, many are wondering where this idea came from and if it will be a lasting advance or a fading facade.

Bill Rhodes and Richard Kitzis, co-founders of RMSF, witnessed the superior performance of spray foam insulation firsthand when inspecting roofs for The Roofing Company (TRC) throughout the Rocky Mountain region. During routine inspections of TRC projects it became clear that homes with spray foam insulation performed far better than those insulated with standard fiberglass batt or cellulose insulation. Still the savvy investors and businessmen needed further research to be convinced of spray foam insulation and a green building course laid the foundation for months of thorough research.

A significant amount of heat escapes through the building envelope of a structure – the walls, windows, roof and foundation. This fact becomes particularly pertinent in cold weather climates such as our own mountain community. Even the tiniest of cracks in a structure allow the circulation of air – cold in, hot out – requiring greater amounts of energy to maintain a consistent temperature or comfort level.

Traditional fiberglass batt, rock wall or cellulose forms of insulation, while less expensive to initially embed, do nothing to eliminate or block the flow of air through ever-present construction discontinuities. This is a crucial energy deficiency solved by spray foam insulation.

Spray foam insulation is made from polyurethane. Yes, the same polyurethane used in making surfboards, woodworking glue, tennis grips, watch bands, dashboards, refrigerators and freezers. As an insulation mechanism, liquid polyurethane is sprayed by certified applicators with pressurized equipment. When the liquid polyurethane comes into contact with the walls or ceilings of a structure it expands to 120 times its liquid volume within seconds becoming a semi-rigid mass binding with the building material, effectively sealing off all gaps.

Polyurethane spray foam insulation not only minimizes the permeation of air throughout the building envelope but also seals commonly drafty areas such as window sills, doors, headers and baseboards. Less circulation of outside air means a more energy efficient structure and correspondingly lower heating and cooling costs.

Just how much lower is astounding. Insulating a home with spray foam can reduce heating and cooling costs by as much as 50 percent. With Grand County’s average high temperature a balmy 54 degrees and average low around 14 degrees, escalating heating costs can easily blow a budget. Spray foam insulation, though initially more expensive to apply, provides a solution to the energy cost crunch and serves as an investment in the structure’s future.

Millions of microscopic cells within the spray foam expand, seal and insulate to create barriers throughout the home or structure. These barriers not only eliminate the ability of noises to travel from room to room, but noticeably diminish the amount of dust movement and collection as well. For an individual with allergies or asthma, good air quality is key to a healthy life. Proper spray foam insulation can effectively seal out dust, allergens, odors and pollutants. This type of insulation combined with precise waterproofing eradicates moisture issues and the potential growth of mildew and mold as a structure ages.

Insulating standards and building codes don’t necessarily comply with optimal energy efficiency or air quality controls, but rather provide minimum guidelines for installation. Across the industry insulation is graded or measured based on thermal resistance, or the resistance to heat flow, and assigned an R-value. The higher the R-value, the greater the effectiveness of the insulation material – taking into account the material composition, density and volume. Spray foam insulation’s higher R-value no doubt contributes to its popularity and increasing market share.

Throughout the industry, spray foam represented only six to eight percent of insulation material in 2004. This figure more than quadrupled to a thirtyfive percent market share in 2006 and is forecasted to steadily increase over the next few years; many estimates predict a market share greater than 50 percent by 2010. The material’s market dominance starts in the family home but has a broader base with roots in the green building movement.

By definition, the term “green” is centered in the concepts of energy efficiency, air quality, earth awareness, recyclable materials and eco-friendly sustainable resources. With the increasing concern over carbon footprints and the global shift towards green living and energy efficiency, RMSF is at the forefront of the insulation industry, offering three types of products that are E-Star-, Energy Star- and/ or Built Green™-certified.

RMSF is building a strong foundation for continued success. They’ve aligned themselves with Demilax, a leading spray foam insulation manufacturer, and expanded their services to include energy audits and blower door testing to identify key areas of air leakage. Most recently, Jeff Johnston, owner of The Roofing Company, purchased Rocky Mountain Spray Foam based on the clear connection to his business. A roof is not an isolated component of a structure but rather a building block that relies on the impermeability of the materials below. Quality insulation contributes to a superior roofing system, propelling both companies towards success in cold, snowy climates.


READ MORE STORIES ON GREEN SOLUTIONS IN:
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• Building with a Conscience: Renewable energy survives despite obstacles