"You sell more homes when you have a reputation for building the best quality with the lowest maintenance requirements".
Although many builders concentrate on selling aesthetic upgrades, a recent survey found that home buyers are willing to invest in high performance. Increased structural strength, improved comfort, energy savings, mold prevention and improved indoor air quality were all respondents listed as priorities. The residential engineered building envelope pays for itself in energy savings. For an added $20 to each monthly mortgage payment, the homeowner can save $60 a month- That's $40 every month that can go toward other living expenses, entertainment or even for paying for those aesthetic upgrades!
Moisture poses the biggest threat to structural integrity and durability. Closed-cell foams like the COMFORT FOAM® insulating air barrier system are approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for flood-prone regions. In a flood, closed-cell foam resists water, helping to protect the wall system and building interior from damage that can include structural deterioration, rotting of building materials and, eventually, mold infestations.
Mold is in the news and in the courts. A single case can ruin your reputation or even bankrupt your business. The residential engineered building envelope helps prevent mold by controlling air migration and eliminating condensing surfaces. Comfort Foam also provides no food source for mold.
The average American homeowner was spending $1,700 a year on energy before prices began to rise so drastically. By combining superior insulation performance with complete air leakage control, the residential engineered building envelope pays for itself in energy savings- to the tune of $600 or even more than a $1000 a year!
Public awareness of the environment, energy consumption and climate change has never been higher. Is it any wonder the demand for sustainable housing is also growing? High performance homes can help you differentiate your product and build your business-even when the housing market is soft. Why? Because the high performance home gives it's owner more. More comfort. More durability. A healthier indoor environment. Lower energy bills. But if you plan to build high performance homes, insulation is not enough. A high performance residential engineered building envelope system.
The building envelope separates the interior living space from the exterior elements. Comprised of the foundations, walls and roof, it's job is to keep the occupants and their possessions safe. The residential engineered building envelope does more. Most conventional envelope systems allow significant amounts of conditioned air to escape through cracks, gaps and holes. In fact, the United States Department of Energy estimates that more than 40 percent of the average energy bill is wasted by uncontrolled air leakage. It also undermines thermal performance and occupant comfort.
When air travels through faulty building envelopes, it takes moisture along for the ride. In northern climates, when the warm, moist air from inside the home meets the cooler outdoor conditions, it condenses, creating moisture problems within the wall that can lead to mold or the early deterioration of structural materials. For southern climates the reverse is true- warm, humid outdoor air infiltrates the home and condenses when it meets the cooler, conditioned indoor space- but the results are the same. Moisture damage and mold.
The residential engineered building envelope system- COMFORT FOAM® closed-cell, spray-applied polyurethane foam using Enovate® zero-ozone-depleting blowing agent technology- creates a single continuos insulating air barrier from the foundations, up the wall and across the roof. It virtually eliminates uncontrolled air leakage while providing superior insulation performance.
For further information, check out our "Spray applied foam" section of our web site.
BASF Polyurethane Foam Enterprises LLC 13630 Watertower Circle Minneapolis, MN 55441