Does Spray Foam Insulation Reduce Noise?

You’re considering spray foam insulation for your project but want to understand its benefits and drawbacks well. So far, you may have uncovered information about spray foam’s longevity, performance, and cost. But now you’re wondering about soundproofing. Is spray foam suitable for sound attenuation?

South Central Services has insulated hundreds of homes in and around Martinsburg, West Virginia. We are well-versed in the features spray foam insulation can and cannot offer. While spray foam cannot be used for complete soundproofing, the insulation can offer some sound reduction benefits.

By the end of this article, you will understand:

• Which type of spray foam is best at sound attenuation
• What type of noise spray foam insulation can reduce

Spray Foam Insulation Does Offer Sound Attenuation.

Attenuation is a big word. It might seem easier to say soundproofing because that’s a more common word. However, soundproofing and sound attenuation are two different things.

Sound attenuation refers to the muffling of sound in both volume level and distinctness. When an insulation offers sound attenuation, it will make sounds quieter and more difficult to distinguish.

How much sound attenuation your insulation offers depends on which type of spray foam you invest in.

Open Cell Spray Foam Absorbs Sound Waves Well.

Open cell spray foam is the better option for sound control. Open cell is known for its rapid expansion that is fun to watch. If you were to cut into that expansive foam, you would see large, varied pockets. This is the cell structure of the foam. Open cell gets its name from its open cell structure.

While the open cell structure isn’t ideal for stopping vapor transfer, it is ideal for stopping sound. Sound waves get trapped in the cell structure of open cell, which helps to dampen the noise effectively.

Closed Cell Spray Foam Can Absorb Some Sound.

Closed cell spray foam does offer some sound attenuation, but not as much as open cell. Closed cell doesn’t expand as much as open cell spray foam. When you cut a cross-section of closed cell, you’ll find small and uniform pockets in the foam.

The consistency of the closed cell cellular structure gives it several benefits: racking strength, use for shallow cavities, and vapor barrier potential. However, it is not ideal for trapping sound waves. While closed cell may offer some sound attenuation, it is less effective in this area than open cell spray foam.

What Kind Of Noise Can Spray Foam Help Reduce?

So, if you opted to have spray foam installed in your house, what type of sounds would be reduced? There are two main types of noise pollution that spray foam helps with.

1. Neighborhood noise pollution
2. Home echoes

Let’s examine each of these in more detail.

1. Spray Foam In Your Exterior Walls Can Reduce Neighborhood Noises.

Your exterior walls are known for being part of the thermal envelope. This area of your home needs an effective thermal insulator, being a first line of defense against the temperatures outside.

However, your exterior walls are also the first defense against neighborhood noise. Maybe there’s a shouting match at the house next door or a concert at the nearby fire hall. Your neighbors might like to shoot BB guns to celebrate the Fourth of July, or they might watch movies at a high volume late at night. Maybe you have neighbors who like to mow their lawn before the sun gets too hot.

Whatever the noise in your neighborhood, having spray foam installed in your exterior walls can help to limit some of that noise pollution.

Open cell will dampen the sounds better than closed cell, but both options can help to minimize the noise.

2. Spray Foam In Your Attic Can Minimize Echoing In Your Home.

Without insulation in the attic, the upstairs is like an echo chamber. Sound waves find their way into the attic and bounce around. This can amplify the sounds in your home, even if you have good soundproofing in your interior walls.

Do you have children’s bedrooms on the second floor of the house? One child playing loud music could travel to another’s room simply because the sound can bounce from the attic to another bedroom via the ceiling.

By insulating the attic with spray foam, this echoing effect is limited. Like your exterior walls, open cell will absorb and dampen sound better than closed cell. However, even closed cell in the attic will positively impact sound control in your home.

The Bottom Line About Spray Foam And Noise Reduction

Spray foam insulation does reduce noise. Open cell spray foam specifically has properties ideal for sound attenuation. When insulating with open cell, noises are significantly muffled and indistinct. While closed cell spray foam is not as useful for noise reduction, it does also limit the volume and distinctness of sound.

When you’re concerned about noise reduction, the key areas to insulate with spray foam are exterior walls and attics. Insulating these areas will prevent neighborhood noise pollution and echoing throughout your home.

Now that you understand how spray foam can help to reduce noise, your next step is to:

• Estimate the cost of open cell spray foam for your project
• Compare other attic insulation options
• Discover other options for wall insulation