What Time Of Year Is Best For Spray Foam Insulation?

If you're considering spray foam insulation, you may be wondering when the optimal time for installation is. Is there a best time of year to install spray foam? Is there any time during the year when spray foam insulation can't be installed?

South Central Services has installed spray foam insulation in hundreds of homes. We work year-round, with only a few days unsuitable for spraying. If you're thinking about getting spray foam for your home, you need to know when spray foam can be sprayed in your area.

By the end of this article, you will understand:

• What seasons and temperatures are most ideal for spray foam installation
• Which season presents more difficulties to spraying foam successfully
• How contractors determine whether spray foam can be sprayed in less ideal conditions

Don't have time to read right now? Check out everything you need to know at a glance.

Spray Foam Insulation Is Best Installed In Warm Weather

Spray foam is created from a chemical reaction. In that chemical reaction, two liquid chemicals react to create a product and two byproducts. The product is the finished spray foam insulation, and the byproducts are off-gassing and heat.

Since heat is part of the chemical reaction to create spray foam, it makes sense that warmer temperatures would be ideal for installation. Foam reacts best with heat.

In our service area, this means that spring, summer, and autumn all have ideal temperature ranges for installing spray foam. Southern Pennsylvania experiences distinct seasons, but the weather usually stays above 50 degrees Fahrenheit most of the year.

The climate has little bearing on the foam as long as the temperature is above the 50- to 60-degree mark. Since most days in spring, summer, and autumn fall into this category, each of these seasons is ideal for spraying foam.

Warmer weather means fewer variables interfering with a successful spray foam reaction and adhesion.

The seasons and time of year best for spray foam will vary in every climate zone. For our climate zone, Climate Zone 5, temperatures are warm enough for most of the year. Other places have different weather patterns, which can influence what steps are taken to install safe foam. Climate can also affect how many days a year are unsuitable for spraying.

Spray Foam Insulation Can Still Be Installed Safely In Winter

We can spray year-round in our Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia service areas. While spring, summer, and autumn have the warmest days, we can still install spray foam insulation in the winter.

Many winter days have temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite this climate not being ideal for spray foam, competent contractors can still install safe and functional foam.

There are two main reasons why contractors in southern PA are able to spray in the wintertime: actual spraying techniques and winter blend foams.

Let's examine each of these in more detail.

1. Spraying Techniques Enable Wintertime Spray Foam Installations

To the untrained eye, spray foam looks like a simple point-and-shoot operation. You point at the substrate, squeeze the trigger, and the foam expands. In reality, the actual act of spraying foam has a variety of techniques and spraying patterns.

Professional sprayers practice and perfect different spraying techniques to ensure the insulation adheres properly.

For winter applications, sprayers can change their method of spraying to ensure the foam adheres to the substrate and creates an airtight seal. With lower temperatures, the substrates tend to be cooler, meaning adhesion properties can change.

The literal technique of pointing and spraying can make a difference for winter installation jobs.

2. Winter Blend Foams Make Wintertime Spray Foam Installations Possible

The companies that manufacture spray foam insulation components know the chemical reaction's preference for warmer temperatures. To increase the versatility of spray foam, these manufacturers create versions of spray foam components specifically used for colder weather.

These blends of foam, formulated for spraying in colder temperatures, allow contractors to insulate homes year-round. The difference between a "regular" spray foam blend and a winter blend is just a matter of ingredients and ratios.

As long as winter blend foams are installed correctly, no long-term effects or changes will occur due to a slightly different formula.

Spray Foam Cannot Be Installed In Every Winter Circumstance

While we do make an effort to spray product year-round, some days are not suitable for installing spray foam insulation. In our climate zone, certain applications on certain days are a perfect storm of circumstances that will lead to a failed foam.

The two main restrictions for winter applications in our climate zone are dew point and material. Our team carefully monitors these variables and will reschedule a job if the conditions are not favorable.

Let's examine these limitations in more detail.

1. Wintertime Spray Foam Installations Are Restricted By Dew Point

No matter the time of year, spray foam contractors should measure a substrate's moisture content. Even if the weather is warm, a substrate could be too wet for the foam to adhere properly.

In the wintertime, measuring the moisture content of a substrate becomes vital due to a concept called dew point. Dew point is the temperature where air becomes so saturated with water vapor that the moisture condensates. How much vapor the air can hold depends on temperature. Warmer air holds more moisture than colder air.

Since the chemical reaction to create spray foam involves heat, we must see how close a substrate is to saturation. An excess of moisture or a sudden temperature change can cause liquid water to form on the substrate. This moisture would interfere with the adhesion and cause the foam to fail.

2. Wintertime Spray Foam Installations Are Limited By Material

Every substrate reacts differently to foam and to moisture. In our climate zone, closed cell spray foam can be installed almost anywhere, while open cell is mostly restricted to wood.

If the substrate's temperature and moisture content are not suitable, two options are available to contractors. Either the environment can be changed, or the job can be rescheduled.

For example, crawl space encapsulation is a popular spray foam job type in our service area. Crawl spaces are below the ground and will be quite cold. These spaces could even be wet. We may use a heater or fan to raise the temperature or dry out the excess moisture.

However, you can only control the environment you're spraying in to a certain degree. Some situations cannot be remedied. Another example would be installing spray foam in a metal building. If the job is scheduled on a day with below-freezing temperatures, then the job is going to be rescheduled.

A competent spray foam contractor will evaluate their ability to change the environment and will reschedule if that's what is best for the installation.

The Bottom Line About When Spray Foam Can Be Installed

In southern PA, spray foam insulation can be installed nearly year-round. Our team runs into only a few days during the year when we cannot spray due to the weather conditions. Spray foam is easiest to install in warmer weather because the spray foam reaction involves heat.

In other places, spray foam installations may be more limited due to weather patterns and climate. Working with a qualified contractor who is knowledgeable and takes pride in doing the job right is critical.

Now that you know when spray foam can be installed, your next step is to:

• Learn whether open cell or closed cell spray foam is best for your project
• Discover if you can save money by installing spray foam yourself
• Find out what to look for in a qualified spray foam contractor