8 Things To Know About Spray Foam and Barndominiums

Amarillo, Texas - November 23, 2020 - The rise of barndominiums throughout the country provides spray foam companies with a unique opportunity to maximize sales. As with any home, barndominiums require insulation and spray foam is often the preferred choice.If you are thinking about entering the barndominium market, here are eight things that you should know to attract more customers.

1. Barndominiums Are Becoming More Popular

The popularity of barndominiums is the main reason to market spray foam insulation to barndominium owners. Ignoring this segment of the population limits your potential customer base.Barndominiums are versatile and easy to construct, making them a popular alternative to a traditional wood home. They are also often spacious, with large rooms and tall ceilings. Due to the spacious design of a barndominium, choosing the right insulation becomes more critical. It is difficult to properly heat or cool a large metal building with an open floor plan. By targeting barndominium owners and builders, you can provide the most efficient insulation solution.

2. Building Codes May Require a Minimum R-Value

As you likely know, local building codes often call for a minimum R-value for insulation. Closed-cell spray foam provides the easiest solution for meeting local requirements.You can apply multiple layers of closed-cell foam to increase the thickness of insulation. Achieving an R-value between 6.5 to 7.0 per square inch is not difficult.Batt insulation only offers an R-value of about 4.2 to 4.5 per square inch. The rigid board can provide adequate insulating properties but lacks many of the benefits provided by spray foam. It is not easy to add rigid boards to tight spaces. However, spray foam can reach just about anywhere.

3. Spray Foam Protects Against Condensation

If you mostly work with wood homes, you may not know that spray foam protects metal buildings, such as barndominiums. This is a big selling point for barndominium owners, as metal buildings promote condensation.As warm, humid air rises and reaches the cold metal frame, the moisture condenses to form droplets of water. The condensation then runs down the walls and may pool near the base of the frame or around fasteners.The accumulation of water promotes mold growth and the spread of bacteria. Spray foam protects against these issues by creating a vapor barrier, which prevents condensation from forming.

4. Spray Foam Protects Metal Frames From Corrosion

Along with mold growth and bacteria, condensation and moisture promote corrosion. Rust starts as a cosmetic problem but can quickly become a threat to the structural integrity of the home. It slowly eats through the metal, weakening the structure. Keep in mind that not all barndominiums use metal frames. Some barndominiums are erected with wood post frame designs. While wood does not rust, moisture can promote rot and mildew.Rigid board insulation and batt insulation are less likely to offer optimal protection against moisture for both wood and metal buildings. The spray foam provides greater coverage around crevasses and corners, shielding the frame against moisture.

5. Spray Foam Improves Temperature Regulation

The insulating properties of spray foam provide another unique selling proposition. Metal buildings are not ideal for controlling temperature, as metal is not a good insulator. This becomes more of a concern in regions that experience temperature extremes. For example, the scorching summers in Texas require homeowners to crank up their A/C units. The loss of cool air can dramatically increase the cost of running the air conditioner.Many barndominiums are also designed with large, open floor plans and tall ceilings. Maintaining the temperature in a wide, open space is more difficult. Spray foam insulation helps address these issues by improving the energy efficiency of the property. The superior coverage of spray foam protects against the loss of heat or cool air. This allows homeowners to cut back on heating and cooling costs.

6. Spray Foam Can Be Applied to Almost Any Area

Rigid board insulation and batt insulation are typically placed between studs or posts, depending on the type of frame. While they can also be applied to ceilings, floors, and other difficult to reach areas, they do not offer complete coverage. Providing optimal coverage is also more difficult with batt insulation or rigid board insulation in a metal building. You may not insulate structural areas of the metal frame, such as the beams, girts, and rafters.Remember to explain to potential customers that spray foam can reach almost any area of the property. Spray foam is versatile, lightweight, and able to completely envelop the insides of walls, floors, and ceilings.

7. Provide Existing Barndominium Owners with an Efficient Solution

While new barndominiums are popping up across the country, many existing barndominiums may lack adequate insulation. For example, a barndominium owner may have chosen less expensive batt insulation during construction and now wants a more efficient solution. Do not overlook existing barndominium owners. Inform them of the benefits of using spray foam on existing structures. Unlike rigid board insulation, the installation of spray foam does not require the removal of walls, as you can reach the wall cavities through small holes.

8. You May Need to Add a Thermal Barrier

International residential codes (IRC) and international building codes (IBC) require the use of thermal and ignition barriers. Local building codes may also require thermal barriers when using spray foam insulation.While a half-inch gypsum board is a common choice for providing a thermal barrier, you can give customers a variety of options. Other suitable materials that are often approved as ignition barriers include mineral fiber insulation, particleboard, hardboard, and drywall, depending on the thickness of the material.

In the end, a barndominium is not too different from the metal buildings that you may have worked on in the past. When a potential customer wants to know why spray foam is the best option for their barndominium, explain some of the points discussed. Compared to other types of insulation, spray foam is more effective, providing greater coverage to shield against moisture and improve temperature regulation. If you want to attract more customers, continue to reach out to barndominium owners and builders.

For more information on barndominiums: http://barndominiumlife.com/