Can You Have Too Much Insulation In A Home In Florida?
As they say, you can’t have too much of a good thing. If you’ve ever heard this, you would be right to remain skeptical. There are just some things that should have a limit. Is insulation one of them? While it’s smart to spray foam your entire house in Florida, this substance should be handled mindfully. Find out what happens when you overdo your spray foam application before calling Foam Bear Orlando for expert installation near you!
Thick or Layered Insulation Can Impede Ventilation
So to answer your question, yes, you can have too much insulation in your Florida home. It might seem like fair logic to assume that extra padding would bring additional thermal properties. Unfortunately, things don’t quite work that way. When your insulation (including spray foam insulation) is layered on too thick, the results can be counterintuitive. What do we mean by that? Let’s review a couple of examples:
Let’s say you hired a professional installer to reinforce your attic with spray foam insulation. They’ve taken every consideration into account to provide you with the most efficient application of foam to effectively insulate your space. Against your expert’s recommendations, you decide to pile on a second layer anyway. Because of the increased thickness of your insulation, your attic will become stuffy and almost unbearable.
Spray foam is already a better insulator than most other materials. Adding more on top of your existing layer can cost you more without any clear benefit. So while high-density foam is good for insulation, applying these dense layers on top of each other can do more harm than good.
Highly-Insulated Walls Can Trap Moisture
Air-sealing your home with spray foam is a great way to combat moisture damage and prevent condensation. That is, when the recommended amount is being used. Piling on insulation can cause you to go full circle, inducing condensation and trapping moisture from not having enough room to breathe. Remember why you got spray foam insulation in the first place and use it as intended for the best results!
Over Insulating Can Backfire Financially
We’ve already touched on cost, but let’s put the full scale into perspective. When you invest in an energy-efficient home upgrade like spray foam insulation, you are faced with a factor known as ROI (or return on investment). Your ROI timer starts at the point of installation. For each month you save on energy usage, the closer you get to earning back the cost of your new insulation.
When you apply a second layer of spray foam, you are practically doubling the amount of time it will take for you to meet your ROI. Trust in your local insulation experts to find the balance in saving energy in a cost-effective way.
Find the Right Balance With a Zero Energy Home
Achieving balance is the equivalent of building a “zero energy” home where the savings from your insulation are enough to counteract your energy costs. For Florida, the ideal R-values for each aspect of the home are as follows:
- 13-20 for framed walls
- 19-38 for roofing
- 8-30 for the floor
The exact values can differ between properties, taking into account the home’s structure and the type of material being used for insulation. For more accurate numbers curated to your exact property, get in touch with one of our spray foam experts!
Insulate the Right Way By Hiring the Spray Foam Professionals at Foam Bear
Worried about going too far with your spray foam insulation? To ensure an energy-friendly home with cost-effective solutions, consult your local insulation professionals at Foam Bear Orlando! Call us today at (727) 580-1090 for a free estimate on our spray foam services.
