How Long Does Spray Foam Insulation Last?

If you’re investing in insulation for your home, you want to know how long it will last. Is this a purchase that you will never have to think about again? If not, how soon will you have to spend more money? Maintenance costs, likelihood of replacement, and effectiveness over time are all things you should consider as you think about insulation longevity.

South Central Services has installed spray foam insulation in hundreds of homes across southern Pennsylvania. These questions directly relate to the service that we provide. Customers need to know if they are working with us for a one-time solution or if we are offering to become their insulation maintenance professionals. This article will share everything you need to know about the longevity of spray foam insulation.

By the end of this article, you will know:

• The lifespan of spray foam insulation
• Whether spray foam insulation involves routine maintenance
• If spray foam can incur maintenance costs
• What situations require spray foam insulation to be replaced
• The effectiveness of spray foam insulation over its lifetime

What Is The Lifespan Of Spray Foam Insulation?

Searching online for how long spray foam will last yields different results. Some claim approximately 90 years, while others insist spray foam can only last about 30 years. Knowing which resource to trust can be difficult. You want an honest answer, not an optimistic one.

Because spray foam is a relatively new insulation product, historical data on its longevity has yet to be readily available. However, we can make estimates based on the science behind spray foam.

Spray foam is not a product that can be recycled. When spray foam is sprayed, a chemical reaction occurs, and the product will not break down unless exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun. If spray foam is left in the sunlight, it will deteriorate. Otherwise, it lasts indefinitely. Additional coatings can be added to protect spray foam exposed to sunlight and prevent deterioration.

Knowing these facts about spray foam, we can estimate that spray foam insulation should last for the lifetime of a building unless it incurs damages from other failures within the building structure.

Does Spray Foam Insulation Involve Any Routine Upkeep?

Some insulation products require you to keep an eye on them. An example would be blown-in insulations like fiberglass and cellulose. Over time, these products can settle. Blown-in insulation products often need additional blown-in installed on top to provide expected R-values.

Spray foam insulation does not require any upkeep. Some sources claim that spray foam should be checked periodically in case of failure. However, spray foam insulation failure would occur during installation, not after. Spray foam does not need to be checked after installation unless the home’s functionality and structural integrity have been compromised.

Could Spray Foam Incur Unforeseen Maintenance Costs?

Most insulation types will only incur maintenance costs if there is the potential for sagging or settling. Blown-in insulations like cellulose and fiberglass are prone to eventually settling and are examples of insulation products with possible hidden costs.

Spray foam insulation does not sag or settle, so it does not have predictable maintenance costs like blown-in insulation. Unless the initial spray foam installation was too thin, you would never need to pay a contractor to top off your spray foam insulation. Too thin of spray foam coverage leads to some spots in your home that are not effectively insulated.

Insulation replacement is the only situation where unforeseen costs may come into play. If spray foam insulation needs to be replaced, there are three possible scenarios:

1. Installation error
2. Home disaster
3. Remodel work

1. Spray Foam Must Be Replaced If Installed Incorrectly.

Spray foam insulation installed off-ratio or not following manufacturer guidelines should be considered a failed foam. A DIY spray foam job, or poor work from a contractor, may result in ineffective spray foam.

Off-ratio foam specifically could pose some health concerns. In this scenario, the spray foam should not have been left as the finished product in the first place and must be replaced.

Regardless of why the foam is deemed ineffective, failed spray foam insulation must be removed and replaced.

2. Spray Foam Will Likely Need Replaced After Home Disaster.

No insulation product is disaster-proof. In tragic cases of flooding or fire, insulation and many other parts of a home will likely need to be replaced due to damages. In these situations, home insurance should cover the cost of replacement.

3. Spray Foam May Need Replaced If the Home Is Being Remodeled.

In some cases, remodeling will require the removal and replacement of insulation. If you open a wall to add an addition, the existing insulation will be removed. The construction process may also disturb other existing insulation. Removal is the case with any insulation during remodeling, including spray foam insulation.

Does Spray Foam Lose Its Effectiveness Over Time?

You may have read about urethane products losing their performance after being manufactured. R-value is the traditional measurement of insulation performance. Urethane products like spray polyurethane foam do drop in performance after their initial installation.

For spray foam, the R-value when the insulation is installed is higher than the R-value after six months. Manufacturers know this, which is why the advertised R-value of spray foam is the aged R-value. You will receive the same amount of performance advertised.

We know the spray foam product won’t break down unless exposed to ultraviolet rays. But does that mean that spray foam still insulates the same from the first year to the fiftieth year?

The science behind spray foam indicates that aging spray foam does lose performance but that the amount of performance loss is immeasurable. While there is a difference in the effectiveness of spray foam over time, it does not noticeably impact performance.

The Bottom Line About The Longevity Of Spray Foam Insulation

So to answer your initial question in short, spray foam insulation is a permanent insulation solution. The insulation should last indefinitely as long as it is not exposed to ultraviolet rays. Spray foam does not require upkeep or maintenance costs.

If you invest in spray foam insulation from a qualified contractor, you will not need to worry about replacement. For readers living in and around Franklin County, Pennsylvania, consider working with our team at South Central Services. We're headquartered in Greencastle and install spray foam locally.

Now that you understand how long spray foam lasts, your next step is to:

• Discover how to evaluate spray foam contractors in your area
• Learn whether or not spray foam is worth investing in
• Find out if spray foam insulation can fail