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FUSION'S UNIVERSAL "INSULATION LAW"

"FUSION'S FIRST LAW OF INSULATION"

"If you use the insulation you have always used you will get the results you have always got"

What are those "results" we refer to:

  • Outrageous heating bills
  • Dampness
  • Draughty Rooms and Hallways
  • Uncomfortable Home and Work environment
  • Cough's, Sneezes, and Aches and Pains

Here at Fusion Insulation we are zealot like in our mission to spread the 'insulation' good word. If its any consolation we have lived in homes that were badly insulated or had ineffective insulation. We have also spent way too much on heating bills and we have suffered through draughty and damp accommodation. Then we found the way. It came to us like a revelation. It was SPRAY IN PLACE FOAM INSULATION. The highest performing seamless insulation on the market today. No other insulation can insulate your home and office like  

FUSION SPRAY IN PLACE FOAM INSULATION

can.
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The Ordinary Guy's Guide to "U" Values


Discover why "U" Values are only half the story for Truly Great Insulation
.

If your insulation has a great U value on paper but in practice it doesn't seem to be doing its job , then you're about to discover that U values are only half the picture and why you need the double act of U values and Airtghtedness in your home, office or building for that truly "Bali" Beachouse feeling of warmth and dryness

Let's get the basics covered first; U values are a handy way to simplify what can be a fairly black art. "U" values are a measure of thermal resistance. In other words, a U value rating will give you some idea as to how 'difficult'  that insulation will  make it for heat or indeed cold passing through it, for a given depth of that insulation. To avoid freezing, in the winter you want to keep the heat in and in a baking summer you dont want your home or office becoming like an oven. The better the U value per inch or mm depth of insulation (the lower the figure) the better your home, office or building will retain its temperature. In the USA they use an R value system which is kinda like the reverse of U values, so the higher the R value the better the insulating abilities.

Simple so far? Well here's where the plot thickens. You see a U value is not a real world figure. Its measured in a laboratory and lots of people with pointy heads and lots of letters after their names, write whats know as  'protocols' or proceedural reports as to how they achieved these test results. Now you would be surprised to discover that a lot of insulation types achieved great U values from these laboratory tests, under strict laboratory conditions i.e. pretty much as near non real world conditions as you could imagine. We're not suggesting that these scientists have deliberately done a bad job. Hey, it must be very difficult in fact design just one test thats able to provide a 'universal' value system applicable to dozens and dozens of different types of insulations , but its you the end user that shells out for insulation that you thought would do the job, only to find out afterwards that in the real world, that insulation is not performing.

Let us give you an example. Its blowing a force 5 outside your home and the humidity in the air is 85%, and you have cavity walls and a standard, typical ventilated attic space . Would you want an insulation in your attic that couldnt handle air movement across it, or lost most of its of its U values if it got damp?  Would you want an insulation that sagged when it got damp and compressed down so it became ineffective as an insulation? Well the shocking news is that there are many insulation types out there that achieved excellent U values from lab tests, but cant repeat those results in the real world, of your attic, walls or floors.

What's needed is an insulation that tough, rugged, wont sag , compress, and yet retain its thermal resiistance properties over time. You need and insulation that forms an airthight seal , in situ, in your attic walls and flloors. You want an insulation that will shrug of water, rain, and moisture and will literally cold shoulder force 10 gales into touch. You want all this and a reassuring lifetime warranty. You want Fusion Spray In Place Insulation Foam becasue you never want to second guess the most important element of your enjoyment and satisfaction in your home, office or building.

"Comparing Apples with Apples"

But wait there's one more potential 'pothole' when it comes to comparing U values. There are some insulation brochures out there, that while not being misleading are perhaps a little economical with the facts e.g. Some brochures and literature quote a U value for say a 100mm insulation panel and it looks great.


You're about to place an order but then you read the small print at the bottom of the page (and we're talking 7 font small print here), and you notice that the U values quoted are in fact "typical as built U values" In other words they have calculated the plasterboard, the plaster, the insulation, the typical two course cavity block construction and the typical 20mm of external render that would be on that wall.

Hey why not include that cat sitting on the window cill as well?

So in practice their insulation seems to be performing spectacularly well , but not so well when you subtract the other materials they have thrown in. So the moral of the story is ,

"STUDY THE SMALL PRINT CAREFULLY"

Always compare like with like, Apples with Apples and Oranges with Oranges

Below are our REAL WORLD "U" values and these "U" values will be there in gales force winds, raginging storms or heatwaves. Our insulation is backed by a Lifetime Warranty after all

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Biofoam 800

The Irish Made Wonder Foam That Never Quits Insulating

 

Here's the FUSION GUIDE TO BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL FOAM without the Chemistry Class

 

 

How does it work?

BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM is absolutely unique in that it's the only Irish made foam. Why should I care you ask? Well its a bit like Irish beef and Irish food, its fully traceable and its been manufactured to standards that quite frankly are the best in the modern world. So you mightn't know what ISO 9001 is or for that matter what an Agrement Cert is, but lets just say they don't hand those certs out with your Tesco Club Card. Bottom line is, with an Irish Made Foam you get peace of mind of knowing that this foam insulation has been rigorously checked for things like fire performance, chemical toxicity, breathability, structural integrity , the list goes on and on

 

 

What's the deal with 'open cell'? Well, we're not chemists but the 'pointy heads' chemists that write the formulas for  BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM tell us that when half pound foam is made, the cells are 'permeable' so they can actually 'breathe' . In other words unlike closed cell foam there is no gas trapped in the tiny air holes of the solid foam, its just air and it can move slowly in and out of the cells.

Why is this good idea? Well its a good idea if you want vapor exchange but not draughts or wind movement in your home. So if for example you attic is open and ventilated and you want to allow vapor escape, open cell is ideal for that job.

BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM is a two component formula applied under pressure and using temperature, as a liquid, which then expands into a semi-rigid mass, automatically sealing off drafty areas such as baseboards, headers, sill plates, around windows, doors, electrical outlets, pipes, etc. It also minimizes uncontrolled air leakage throughout the building envelope (wall, ceilings, etc.), thereby reducing energy losses and the possibility of mold, mildew and premature decay.

 

BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM looks different and feels different to  Closed cell foam. First big difference is 'its spongy' and when sprayed on its blows up like crazy - 200 - 300 times the original volume of the liquid and is fantastic for 'filling' in voids and gaps that most other insulations would be useless at.

 

BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM has another great party trick. It's a brilliant acoustic insulator. Customers of ours are amazed at how differently their houses 'sound' once we insulate their attic. One woman told us that she was amazed that she couldn't hear the rain beating on her roof anymore. Biofoam 800 Open cell would also be a wonderful insulator to put between say a ground floor and a first floor especially if the intention was to reduce footfall noise being transmitted from upstairs, to downstairs.


BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM TECHNOLOGY in Detail (the boring stuff)
When observed under a microscope, open-cell foam looks like a web with the tiniest of pathways. These pathways form as a result of the high expansion rate, and there are numerous benefits associated with this technology. While the pathways are small enough so the foam presents an effective air barrier, these lanes still allow the structure to breathe. Technically, the foam is a thermo-set, rigid plastic; however, the very low density makes the foam semi-flexible, which is an advantage in regions vulnerable to earthquakes. The insulation will not crack if the building is shaken. Environmentalists appreciate that the foam is water-blown, meaning the cells are formed by reacting water which forms CO2. Accordingly, Biofoam 800 has a very high percentage of renewable contents and is an effective vapor retarder, suitable for insulation in all but the most extreme climates. The product is not suitable for insulating rooms with excessive interior moisture levels, such as indoor pool areas or indoor hot tub areas. Also, in case of strong, unidirectional vapor drive, such as in commercial cold storage or wine cellars, we recommend using the CLOSED CELL  solution, which is a high density foam made by BIOFOAM, and is engineered to be compatible in mixed applications.

 

...and now we answer some of the questions you have been dying to ask;

 

 

What are the advantages of BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM?

 

Open-cell (semi-rigid) spray foam insulation remains flexible throughout the life of the building. As the building expands and contracts with changes of season and temperature, it will move with the changes without destroying the seal. BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM comes with a lifetime performance warranty. As well as simplifying the construction process for the builder, open-cell spray foam insulation eliminates the major causes of building envelope problems - airborne moisture movement and entrapment. Heating and cooling costs are typically reduced by 30 to 50%, and more money can be saved by purchasing a (properly sized) smaller, less expensive heating and cooling units . Soundproofing is another trump card benefit of BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM, that is quickly appreciated in areas such as plumbing runs, media rooms and offices

 

 

Does BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM stick well to timber, metal studs and is it compatible with other building materials?

 

BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM, adheres well to steel studs and other natural materials such as cement board, wood, etc. Since open-cell insulation will adhere to almost all surfaces, areas that do not require spray foam insulation (such as windows, doors etc.) must be protected from over-spray. It is stable in the presence of most solvents found in binders, bituminous materials, wood preservatives, and sealers. It is resistant to facers containing plasticizers, fuel, mineral oil, weak acid, and weak bases, which are typically found in residential and commercial construction materials. BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM when dry is non-corrosive and neutral (neither acidic nor alkaline) and will not cause corrosion to metal studs and other metals typically found in construction.

 

 

Does it break down, shrink or sag?

 

The reaction that created the BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM is irreversible, preventing the breakdown into its constituent parts. Therefore, open-cell spray foam is stable and will not shrink or sag. We warranty that for the life of the building

 

 

Are there any issues about overheating of electric wiring?

 

There is no special requirement needed when using spray foam in or adjacent to cabling . As with other types of insulation, when the properly rated size and type of electrical wires are used, there is no overheating of those electrical wires . Would we recommend putting cabling in ducting ? Of course .Cabling is always better in a dedicated duct.

 

Does BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM support or encourage the growth of mold and mildew?

 

Open-cell spray foam insulation is inert and offers no food value. Therefore it cannot support bacteria or fungal growth. The effective air-sealing characteristic prevents the movement of hot air to the cold parts of the walls, preventing condensation from taking place within the wall cavities. The elimination of condensation within the wall assemblies prevents the growth of molds and mildew.

 

 

What about mice, rats bugs and creepy crawlies?

 

BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM is completely inert and acts as a physical and odor barrier and has been shown to significantly reduce the number of mice and rats entering structures. It offers no food value, and while it by itself does not present a concrete entry barrier, pests normally do not attempt to go through an area where they cannot detect a food source.

 

 

What is the U-value of BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM (semi-rigid) spray foam insulation.

 

Under tests 175mm (6.9inches) of BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM will give you a U value of .20, while 232mm (9inches) will give you a U value of .15

 

The unquestioned benefits of Biofoam 800 lies in its ability to give you an excellent U vale but also an excellent air tightness

 

 

What are the acoustical properties of BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM?

 

BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM has fantastic  sound absorption properties and sound transmission properties. When comparing BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM to other insulation's, there is a very noteworthy difference. As an effective air seal, BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM eliminates the air gaps through which sound travels easiest. In addition to controlling all frequencies, BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM is superior in controlling mid-range frequencies that include the most common sounds - the human voice and stereo music.

In acoustic testing just 100mm of BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM reduced noise transmission by a WHOPPING 36 decibels

 

 

Does BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM contain urea, formaldehyde, CFCs or HCFCs?

 

No, BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM open-cell spray foam insulation does not contain urea, formaldehyde, CFCs or HCFCs. So you wont smell any nasty fumes

 

 

Are there health concerns associated with the use of BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM (semi-rigid) insulation?

 

BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM is a  "green" product. BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM is non toxic  . In addition, the use of BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM reduces airborne dust and air infiltration, making it the healthy choice for those who suffer from allergies, asthma or chemical sensitivity.

 

 

At what stage of construction is it installed?

 

In new construction, BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM  is installed after the windows, doors and roof are in, the electrical and plumbing inspections are completed, and after any other electrical or mechanical system located behind the drywall is installed. It is the last installation to take place before drywall is installed.

 

 

Can BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM be applied in an existing structure?

 

Excellent results are achieved in using BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM in the attic and in the crawl space (if applicable) without disturbing the walls in a retrofit application. The reason is that a large portion of a building’s energy loss is caused by the "chimney effect" - hot air rising therefore creating air movement within a building. For existing walls, a "pour-in-place" formula of our foam insulation is preferred. Spray foam insulation is used in walls where drywall has yet to be installed.

 

Who is allowed in the general area during application?

 

BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM is supplied and applied by Fusion Insulation trained personnel who have been trained in the proper safety and handling of the chemicals. Other persons should keep away from the immediate area where spraying is conducted.

 

 

Is BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM more expensive to buy?

 

Simple answer - In most cases, Yes. However in reality, BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM cannot be compared to conventional insulation. What are the key differences:

 

 

* BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM actually air-seals the building end eliminates energy robbing air leakage and the associated problems with moisture, mold and mildew and condensation problems inside the walls. Sheet and roll insulations simply cant seal like spray in place Biofoam 800 foam can

* BIOFOAM 800 OPEN CELL AGREMENT CERTIFIED FOAM carries a lifetime performance warranty. Try and put a value on peace of mind

* Ask any builder. They don't like working with sheets and rolls of insulation material . Most insulation types are hard to work with, take up a huge amount of space on site, can be itchy and cause breathing difficulties and are slow and time consuming to try and seal, thus driving up actual and real application costs.

* When calculating the actual cost you need to consider the possible ability to downsize of heating and cooling systems, and eliminate a significant portion of the material and labor costs associated with an air-sealing approach. The investment to upgrade from standard fiberglass is an insignificant part of the overall cost of a home and your long-term energy costs. When you are planning to install an upgraded insulation package, remember that the our spray foam insulation produced by are initially more expensive but provide you with the best performance and comfort value in addition to long-term savings. The additional upfront costs typically pay for themselves in energy savings within three years and will keep on saving you money every year thereafter.

 

BIOFOAM 800 is an insulator for our age. It is made here in Ireland creating Irish jobs, is 100% NSAI AGRÉMENT CERTIFIED and comes with a Lifetime Warranty.