Protecting your home against fire is one of the primary goals of every homeowner. From the wood in the walls to the flooring at your feet, your safety depends on selecting materials that won’t quickly combust. The same is true for your insulation.
While spray foam is a plastic that can combust when exposed to prolonged heat, most modern spray foam insulation products provide considerable protection that’s more than sufficient for first responders to arrive and extinguish the flames before that happens.
In this blog, the pros at Gold Star Insulation explain the fire-resistant benefits of combining spray foam insulation with a thermal barrier to protect your home in the event of a fire.
Understanding Spray Foam & Fire Ratings for Insulation
Spray foam insulation is comprised of two chemical materials: isocyanate and polyol resin. When these are combined, the reaction causes the resulting foam to expand. This fills in cracks and crevices and creates a solid, reliable thermal barrier.
Spray foam insulation is fire-resistant, and most products are treated with flame retardants that allow it to withstand high temperatures and resist combustion in conditions up to 700°F.
As a result, most closed-cell spray foam options come with a Class 1 fire rating, which means the material should resist combustion for up to one hour.
How To Prevent Insulation Fires
We strongly recommend using only recognized, high-quality fire-rated spray foam insulation for construction in California. This ensures the material won’t burn easily and won’t facilitate the spread of fire throughout the structure.
It’s also vital to ensure that the selected material complies with all safety regulations and building codes.
In California, this means for exterior insulation in a single-story building, the material must have a flame spread index of 25 or less and a smoke-developed index that doesn’t exceed 450 and must be applied to a thickness no greater than 4 inches.
The structure may also be required to be outfitted with an automatic sprinkler system.
Do You Need a Thermal Barrier?
Depending on the structure, it may be necessary to install a thermal barrier to add further protection against the spread of fire. This barrier can include drywall, plywood or gypsum board. Naturally, this isn’t an issue in living areas where these types of barriers would also add to the aesthetic and comfort of the room.
However, it does mean you’ll need to install these barriers in attics or garage spaces where you may not need to with other forms of insulation. That said, it’s a cost-effective investment that can help reduce the risk of fire by up to 50%.
Choose Gold Star Insulation for Insulation Services in Sacramento
At Gold Star Insulation, our residential and commercial insulation specialists will help you protect your property or new build. We offer a range of insulation products for your walls, ceilings, sub-floors, attics and more, including:
- Fiberglass batts & blown insulation from Owens Corning & CertainTeed
- Blown cellulose insulation from Green Fiber
- Spray foam from Dow & Demilec
- Foam/rigid board insulation from Dow & THERMAX
- Denim insulation from Bonded Logic
- Radiant barrier insulation from Fi-Foil
It’s our pleasure to help you select the optimal insulation for your property, including fire-resistant solutions that provide exceptional security.
Contact Gold Star Insulation at (916) 229-8445 to speak with our team about your needs and learn more about our superior quality insulation products.
