Spray foam insulation has a lot of advantages over other types of insulation. It is rigid and adheres to surfaces, so you don't have to worry about it getting displaced. It's also waterproof, so it won't break down if it gets wet. Plus, it offers a greater insulating value and can help reduce your energy bills. But how do you go about having your home insulated with spray foam? The professionals who you hire will handle the nitty gritty details of applying the foam. However, you should find the following tips handy as a homeowner.

Hire a real spray foam insulation contractor, not a handyman service.

Spray foam is a lot harder to apply than fiberglass or cotton insulation. It needs to be mixed in just the right proportions. Spraying it evenly also takes practice and attention to detail. A mistake could cause the spray foam not to cure properly, which would leave a big mess to be cleaned up. As such, you always want to hire a professional spray foam applicator to apply this type of insulation. A handyman service can handle fiberglass or cotton, but not spray foam.

Let the contractor walk through your home and make recommendations.

You probably have an idea of which parts of your home need to be insulated. Maybe, for example, you know your attic needs insulation or that your crawlspace could benefit from more insulation being placed in the ceiling. This is all well and good, but you should also let the insulation contractor walk through your home, assess it, and recommend other locations where insulation would benefit you. Spray foam can be easily added around doors and windows, around certain pipes, and in narrow wall spaces. Your contractor may save you a lot of money on energy by pointing out a few additional little areas you should have insulated with spray foam.

Stay somewhere else for a day.

Spray foam does need to cure for a little while. In most cases, it is not harmful to be around it while it is curing. However, it can have an unpleasant odor while it's going through this process. So, you may want to find somewhere else to stay for a day or so after your spray foam is applied, especially if you have large parts of your home insulated.

With these simple tips, you should be more than ready to have spray foam applied to your home.

Contact Green Energy Guard Insulation Specialists for spray foam insulation.