Residential Development Insulated with Open-Cell Spray Foam During Two-Year Project

LIBERTYVILLE, IL – January 16, 2013 – School Street, a new development located just north of Chicago, is currently nearing completion. As it stands, more than 28 homes, including a model home, have already been constructed, and an historic school is also in the process of being converted into lofts. Eco Tec Insulation, Inc. has applied open-cell spray foam to the building envelopes for the entire development and is presently insulating the historic building.

The goal of the development was to enhance residents' quality of life by promoting a new urban lifestyle that is more sensitive to the environment, less excessive, pedestrian friendly and within steps of Libertyville's vibrant downtown area. School Street's builder wanted to facilitate such a lifestyle by, among numerous considerations, using an insulation with a major impact on the buildings' energy efficiency. Eco Tec came on board with the project through a standard bidding process and began the School Street project about two years ago.

"We proposed spray foam to them as an option to build more energy efficient homes and they liked the proposition," said Josh Johnson, Eco Tec's owner.

Eco Tec crewmembers applied Icynene's LD-C 50 0.5 lb. open-cell spray foam to the building envelopes with a thickness of 5.5 inches to the exterior walls (the homes' interior partition walls were insulated with fiberglass bats for sound purposes only). Although this was a thick application, Johnson said the area only required one pass.

"With a closed-cell application, you have a limitation of 1.5 inches per pass," he said. "Open-cell is a little bit more flexible."

The roof deck required 10 inches of open-cell foam and since the application was much thicker than on the walls, Eco Tec crewmembers were required to make several passes to complete these areas.

New doors and windows were already installed, so crewmembers had to mask them off with plastic sheeting to protect them from overspray. The unfinished floors, including the garage floors, were covered with heavier plastic for added protection. During the application process, crewmembers were required to wear fresh air masks. Since the units were not occupied at the time, no additional ventilation was necessary.

Over the course of two years, there have been five three-man crews working three spray foam rigs at the project at any given time. Eco Tec is currently completing the last stages of the project at the historic schoolhouse, which Johnson anticipates to be finished in about two weeks. 

According to Johnson, the three-story school is one of the biggest challenges of the entire project, and not just because its total spray area is about 210,00 square feet.

"The way it's situated doesn't allow us to get into all the accessed areas of the building," he said. "We have to manipulate the truck and bring 300-ft. hoses though the windows."

The residences that have been completed have received only positive reviews, and over 90 percent of them are occupied, according to Johnson.

"The owners of the houses at School Street are delighted at the low operating costs and how comfortable the homes are," he said.

About Eco Tec Insulation, Inc.: Eco Tec brings over 25 years of construction experience and 20 years of advocacy work to benefit families and their homes. Eco Tec professionals work with homeowners, architects and commercial builders to solve even the toughest insulation problems. For more information about Eco Tec, please use the contact details and links provided below.