For spray foam insulation in Markham – the right products, the expert installation, and superb customer care - Great Northern Insulation is a company worth your consideration. As for our company approach to insulation, it’s straightforward: we work on the fundamentals of sealing tight and ventilating right. Sealing the home tight with insulation, without proper ventilation, is doing a half-job. Our approach is to seal for air leakage, while creating appropriate levels of ventilation for the home – a double-pronged effort that makes for a complete job. In the end, energy efficiencies are enhanced, indoor air quality is improved, and home comfort is enriched.
Spray foam insulation is comprised of polyurethane foam. The compound is “sprayed” into a cavity – a wall, under a floor, or into a ceiling – it’s done with special equipment that is designed for the installation process. Initially, the foam comes out in a liquid form, then quickly turns into a dense, hard substance that is fixed in place as the actual insulation. Essentially, the industry offers two kinds of foam: there is open cell foam (referred to as half-pound) and there is closed cell foam (referred to as two-pound). The open cell product is less expensive, a great air barrier, but does not function as a water vapor barrier. The closed cell product is denser, and offers BOTH a great air barrier AND a great water vapor barrier. Used in outdoor applications, like roofing or siding, the closed cell product is the preferred choice of installers.
Sealing tight and ventilating right is not just a company slogan – this is the way GNI operates. And although spray foam is an effective and efficient product like no other, only doing the insulating is not enough. The experts in the industry agree that the home needs to “breathe”. An installation from GNI makes sure that the home is insulated AND ventilated, and that there exists an optimum exchange of fresh air from the outdoors and stale air from the inside. It’s a tried and tested formula that is proven – reducing indoor condensation and moisture in the air, and lessening the potential for mould.
Across the board, industry professionals are in agreement that spray foam insulation is a superior option when compared to “pink” fiberglass insulation. They are also in agreement that the closed cell product is measurably better when compared to practically all of the other insulation products. Closed cell foam delivers the highest R-value of all materials, and can therefore provide the best long-term dollar value when compared. Installed properly, spray foam insulation, as a finished application, leaves no openings and no holes for any indoor heat or cool to escape – this is a major advantage over other insulation products. At Great Northern Insulation, we consider spray foam to be the ideal insulating product, and a preferred option for new construction, general renovation, or a retrofit. The well-installed application also contributes to the home’s improved indoor air quality, and noticeable improvements in the performance of the HVAC system.
As it is, closed cell spray foam products are the more expensive options, when comparisons are made to other products in the market. But price should not always be the prime consideration, and this premium product delivers the goods – you are getting what you pay for – and this is a product that will deliver substantial long-term benefits. The bottom line: installed spray foam installation lasts a lifetime, and will offer a very reasonable “pay-back” period between 5 and 7 years. As well, energy savings on heating and cooling are substantial, and when considering a major project like home insulation, long-term thinking makes sense.
GNI believes in doing it right the first time. It means having a good understanding of the overall project; it includes choosing products that will suit the project; and during installation it means working according to building codes and standards. We also believe that spray foam insulation should not become a weekend project for the do-it-yourselfer. This is work that should be left to the experts. At GNI, our installers are those experts – they wear the appropriate protective gear; they properly prepare the work area and the surrounding areas; and they take the necessary precautions to avoid danger. Spray foam itself requires expertise – this is a chemical compound that needs precision when mixing, special equipment when installing, and equally special application techniques. This is a good time to use an expert.
In Canada, industry insiders see a growth pattern for spray foam insulation at about 40% a year and increasing. These kinds of growth numbers are indicative of the increasing popularity of the product. And it’s all because of the benefits that are delivered: it’s an insulation option with higher R-value ratings than the others; it’s a complete system that combines air and moisture insulation at the same time; it delivers sound dampening features that are an added bonus; and it delivers the kind of energy savings that can be measured.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon in the industry to find bad installations – incorrectly applied, and inadequately finished. This will not happen with GNI - our installations teams are well trained, professionally licensed, and industry certified; the products we represent, sell and install are all fully warrantied by the manufacturer; and our people are fully insured, and covered by the WSIB. More importantly, your satisfaction as a customer is our top priority.
When considering spray foam insulation in Markham, or in any of the suburbs north of the GTA, consider GNI as your contractor. We always encourage the consumer to carefully choose their service provider, and to make the necessary effort to prevent any of the potential problems or complications. In general, the industry promotes and supports a high level of professionalism for its contractors, and backs spray foam products and the long-term benefits they promise. But in the end, it’s really best to be an educated and informed consumer; to do the necessary research; and to make the best decision possible on both product and contractor.