Muskoka Insulation Experts

Why is Spray Foam so expensive?

"Why is Spray Foam so expensive?"

This is a question I get from people on almost a daily basis when dealing with insulation inquiries.
It is true that 2lb polyurethane foam (closed-cell) is very expensive compared with other types of insulation (batts, cellulose, rigid foam-board). Why is that?

Heat loss from all parts of a house

With the recent announcement of natural gas cost increases in Ontario (up to 40%), Ontario has now seen increases in Electrical, Propane, and Natural Gas costs after the coldest winter in decades.
Our phones are already ringing with people looking to increase their attic insulation, seal up the floors of cottages, and being pro-active on how they build their new homes and cottages.

You may have a house or family cottage you really love, but your energy bills are causing you to hate opening the mail!

Safe Alternative to Spray Foam Insulation in Ontario

There has been some controversy lately over the safety of Polyurethane Spray Foam. It has become clear in recent months (maybe years) that spray foam in houses is not always a good idea. Foam off-gasses at the time of installation, and people should avoid the spray area for a minimum of 24 hours after install. Many homeowners, contractors, and some spray-foam companies do not abide by these rules, and potentially risk their health by doing so.

I am not against the use of spray foam in construction. I estimate and sell many spray-foam jobs every year. I don't, however, recommend it as the sole insulation in a new home or cottage. It is the very best option for sealing up the floor of a cottage on piers from below and insulating timber-frame roof areas from outside. Framed walls, and ceilings are better insulated with chemical free materials that absorb sound and cost less.

My preference is the Blown-In-Blanket System (BIBS) or Blown In Insulation System like Pro-Pink.
These systems use virgin (chemical free) fibreglass blown into each specially prepared cavity to make a seamless "blanket" of insulation in your walls and sloped ceilings. I recommend loose blown material, usually fibreglass, for flat attics. Regular 6mm poly is installed as vapor barrier.

This type of system is slightly more labor intensive than installing batts, but provides vastly superior results in real life construction. Cathedral Ceilings, Rim Joist areas, Walls, and Sound Floors are where the BIBS system shines. Good value for your dollar vs spray-foam, and no worries about fire-proofing, off-gassing, and huge costs. Since this type of system requires well-trained, specialized installers, Thermo Seal Insulation has a huge advantage over companies that have only started using BIBS in recent years. Thermo Seal Insulation Systems pioneered the system in Canada, and has more BIBS installs than any company in the country.

If you would like pricing on your project, drop me a line here

Muskoka, and Georgian Bay Insulation Services -- Call me for insulation pricing for your project!

I think I should clarify what geographic areas I will travel to for the sake of blog visitors. I have no problem answering questions for anyone who visits this site, but I can not price insulation services for all of Ontario---there isn't enough of me to go around!

I primarily work in the Northern Muskoka, Georgian Bay and Parry Sound areas of Ontario, although I will also price jobs in Magnetawan, Burks Falls and areas north of Parry Sound like Dunchurch as well.
Towns and villages include: Huntsville, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Bala, Port Carling, Lake of Bays, Dorset, Dwight, Rosseau, Seguin, Parry Sound, Whitestone, Burks Falls, Sundridge, Novar, Port Sandfield, Tiny Township, Nobel, McKellar and lots in-between!

I have colleagues within the company that will price jobs in the Greater Toronto Area, North Bay, Sudbury, Wasaga Beach, Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes areas. Virtually anywhere that there is high-end custom cottages and residential construction in Central Ontario, we will insulate projects.

Planning for Weather --Building Projects in the Spring and Winter

It is raining again in Muskoka today. As I write this post, we have had a record amount of flooding in the area this spring, causing tremendous (uninsured) property damage to waterfront properties throughout the District of Muskoka.
Also, with cold weather, the roads have not been accessible to concrete trucks compared to last year, where our early thaw had new foundations starting in late April, early May. In the GTA, there is very weather related delays for construction. In Ontario's Snow belt it is another story!

When you are planning you construction project, it is hard to plan for weather. You need to build in a buffer for late spring, and early snow in the fall. Weather can cause a cumulative delay of a month(or 2) on some jobs. Sometimes an early snow can stop a job completely if the road is not in good shape. On a cottage project a 1 or 2 month delay can ruin a summer with the family.

Also, for a septic permit in Muskoka, you will need to have a flow test done on the soil before the ground freezes, and is covered with snow. If you don't have the septic permit, you can delay a spring-start for months! Permit processes vary from municipality to municipality and the District of Muskoka has 6 different building departments, who all have slightly different ways of doing things.

An experienced builder knows the permit process, and the different idiosyncrasies of local officials. Use their knowledge and experience, pay them properly, and you might actually get your job built on time, and on budget!

Winter boathouse pic from cottageblog.ca

Cottage Life Show, and Building your new Cottage

The annual Spring Cottage Life Show is fast approaching for us in Ontario. This is the most productive and profitable show that I have exhibited at, and attended for the past 15 years.

If you are planning a building project for this season(or planning for a few years ahead), this is a great place to meet builders, real-estate agents, and dream big! But there are a few things to look out for: