If you're an avid DIYer, you might be tempted to insulate your own home with spray foam insulation. After all, paying a professional applicator to apply SPF does come at a cost. But this is one instance in which a DIY application really is not a good idea. You really are better off paying a pro to apply spray foam insulation to your home. Here's why it's worth doing so.

The spray foam has to be applied with specific equipment.

Spray foam insulation starts off as two different liquids. You need a special type of applicator to draw both liquids out of the container at the appropriate rate, combine those liquids, and then spray the resulting foam into the space that needs to be insulated. Spray foam applicators are not small tools that you can buy at a home improvement store. Rather, they are large pieces of equipment that are expensive to purchase. Buying your own spray foam rig will almost certainly cost more than hiring a pro to use their spray foam rig to insulate your home.

Combining the liquids in the correct proportions is key.

The two liquids that combine to make spray foam have to be mixed in specific proportions in order for the insulation to foam and cure properly. It takes training and skill to know how to mix the liquids in the right way. If you were to attempt a DIY application and mix the liquids incorrectly, you could be left with walls full of spray foam that sags, crumbles, or does not adequately block heat. This would be a big mess to clean up and then you'd still have to have new insulation put in place.

You might need a license.

In some areas, you are required to have a license in order to apply spray foam. If you apply it without this license, even in your own home, then you may be charged a fine, or you may even have to remove the spray foam under the guidance of the local building inspector. A reputable spray foam company will have all the necessary licenses to apply the spray foam within legal guidelines. 

Some jobs are well-suited to a DIY approach and others are not. Applying spray foam is not a DIY job. While having pros spray foam on your home will come at a cost, paying that price really is your best choice in almost all cases.

To learn more about an SPF insulation home installation, contact a remodeling contractor in your area.

Share