Is Spray Foam Insulation Fire Retardant?

If you're a property owner who is considering installing spray foam insulation, you may be wondering if it's fire retardant. After all, fires can cause extensive damage, and choosing the right insulation is critical to protecting your home or business.

In this blog post, we'll explore whether or not spray foam insulation can resist fire. We'll also look at what you can do to improve the flame resistance of the spray foam.

What Is Spray Foam Insulation?

When isocyanate and polyol resin mix together, a product known as spray foam, or spray polyurethane foam (SPF), is created. Spray foam expands 30 to 60 times its liquid volume when applied to a surface. This expansion makes spray foam perfect for sealing cracks and gaps in buildings, making them more comfortable and energy-efficient.

Spray foam insulation has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its many desirable characteristics, including its ability to save money on utility bills and provide a more comfortable living environment. As a result, owners of older homes are using spray foam to insulate their attics, walls, basements, and crawl spaces.

Is Spray Foam Fire Retardant?

Because untreated foam is a fire accelerant, almost all spray foam insulation sold in the United States contains some flame retardant. These foam products will burn rapidly if left untreated and exposed to high heat or flame. This issue is addressed in a report from the National Association of State Fire Marshals.

However, just because spray foam manufacturers add fire retardant, it doesn't automatically mean that the product is fire resistant. Fire code requires a 5 or 15 minutes intumescent coating to be painted over the foam. For a coating to be considered intumescent, it must expand when exposed to heat, forming a char that insulates and protects the underlying material from fire.

Are There Non-Flammable Foam Insulation Options?

It's important to note that spray polyurethane foam (SPF) can easily catch fire; however, some SPF products already have an adequate fire rating and don't need to be painted with a flame retardant. Nonetheless, please remember that there is no such thing as fireproof insulation.

Sometimes, the business that installed your foam doesn't have the tools to paint it. Ask them what brand of foam they are using, its density, type, closed cell or open cell, and so on. This information will tell you the type and thickness of the paint you'll need to apply.

Browse Our Selection of Fire Retardant Products

RDR Technologies offers a comprehensive selection of fire-resistant products for spray foam insulation. In addition to creating our own formulae, we also sell a wide range of top-notch products manufactured by other businesses. Our mission is to provide the industry's premier solutions across the full spectrum of substrates and code requirements.

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