How to Use Spray Foam for Energy Efficient House Construction

Energy efficient homes are designed  to conserve and reduce overall energy usage. To achieve high levels of energy efficiency, homeowners must take elements like appliances, layout and construction methods into account.

For example, in wintertime, cracks around windows can let cold air in and warm air out. The colder your house, the more energy you use to warm it up. And if you have an old, less efficient furnace, you end up using even more resources and face higher utility bills.

Energy efficiency is a win-win: it’s good for the planet and for your wallet, which is why it’s so important to  home construction. Ben Bogie (@benbogie) and his company, BPC Green Buildings, construct new homes regularly, and many of his clients are making sustainability a priority for cost efficiency and environmental protection.

In the video below, Ben and his team are working on an ultra-modern, high performance home construction with rigorous standards for air tightness. Watch how Ben uses spray foam to meet these standards.

Next, we’ll break down some of the spray foam products Ben used, how he used them and why he chose them to enhance this home’s energy efficiency.

Sealing homes from the inside - above ground

First, Ben used a blower door to pressurize the building and stop air from flowing in and out via the doorframe. This makes it easier to detect small air leakage pathways you wouldn’t otherwise notice. Ben then used a tool that blows smoke and fog  to “see” the air and confirm the presence of leaks. He checked both the upstairs area and basement areas.

Once he identified the source of any air leaks, Ben used Loctite® Tite Foam Window & Door to seal them up. This spray foam is  airtight and doesn’t  bow or distort.  The straw attachment also allows Ben to get deep into the assembly to seal up gaps rather than using a less-reliable surface seal.

Sealing homes from the inside - below ground

In the basement, Ben used the same method to seal cracks near the home’s foundation. He then turned his attention to the gaskets around the conduits penetrating the basement wall. The conduits were secured with a primary gasket, but remember, this house has very high standards for air tightness.

For extra security, Ben placed a layer of Loctite® Tite Foam Gaps & Cracks around the primary gasket using the straw applicator. Note he switched from Loctite® Tite Foam Windows & Doors to Loctite® Tite Foam Gaps & Cracks here because the space was less than one-inch wide.

Sealing homes from the outside. 

Now that the inside is sealed up nice and tight, Ben removed the blower door and ventured outside. He started by cleaning loose debris and dust off the outside surface of the home around the top of the foundation. He then sealed the area with Loctite® Tite Foam Gaps & Cracks.

This step is extremely important becauseit allows for durable, healthy and energy efficient construction. A builder who doesn’t pay attention to outside gaps and cracks can end up with accumulations of moisture and air movement for the homeowners down the road.

After the foam has cured, Ben will come back with a blade and cut off the excess before adding siding to the outside of the house. The spray foam stays elastic overtime without breaking down, giving him the freedom to make space for siding without  the foam getting in the way.

With that, the inside and outside are sealed tight and Ben and his team can move forward on finishing the rest of this sustainable home’s construction. That’s right - it’s that easy to increase your home’s energy efficiency and conserve resources over time.

Spray foam is a great tool for new home construction, but it can also help with energy efficiency in existing homes. Seal up cracks around your windows, doors, pipes, and more with Loctite® Tite Foam.