The Different Types of Rigid Poly Foam Panels for Home Insulation Requirements

Posted by Andrew Oldroyd on March 18th, 2019

One of the commonly used materials in homes when it comes to insulation is polyurethane or poly foam. As compared to sprayed foam, it has many advantages. Rigid foam insulated panels in Ontario provide you with most of the benefits of sprayed foam, but in a portable solution without creating any mess. The material has high R-value and it is budget-friendly as well. This article talks about the different types of rigid insulated panels in Ontario that you can use for your home insulation requirements and their various features. They are:-

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) -

• EPS is the most versatile material rigid insulation option as compared to the other two types.
• It has multiple applications, for example - roof, walls, floor, etc.
• Ideal for structural insulated panels and concrete forms - over house wrap, or with a material that incorporates a factory laminated option
• Available faced as well as unfaced
• EPS has the highest average R-value (about 4.6 per inch), costs the least, and meets all necessary building and energy codes.
•Can also be used for below grade applications and to resist insects
•The product does not retain water for a long time
•R-value does not degrade over time

Polyisocyanurate (Polyiso) -

• Polyiso insulated panels are generally used in roofing applications.
• The material is relatively more expensive to EPS with R-values as high as R-6.5 per inch.
• The manufacturing process is not eco- friendly and cannot be recycled.
• The material requires you to spray it against a substrate to form a rigid panel, so all ISO panels are faced
• Different facings can affect the performance of the panel in terms of both durability as well as perm rating
• Applying Polyiso products as sheathing creates an exterior vapor barrier, which is why these foil-faced panels are considered impermeable
• The panels can be used without creating a vapor barrier

Extruded polystyrene (XPS) -

• XPS comes unfaced or with a number of different plastic facings
• Easy to recognize because of its blue, green, or pink color
• As compared to the other two types of rigid-foam insulation panels, XPS is an average product in terms of both cost and R-value
• The material is ideal for use in wall insulation requirements and below grade applications
• XPS panels are recyclable, with R-value about R-5 per inch
• XPS is thicker with stronger faced and can have a lower perm rating
• The material is capable of absorbing more moisture than other rigid insulated panels in the long term

Considering rigid poly foam panels for home insulation requirements? Choose from EPS, Polyiso or XPS!