HOMESULATE Insulation
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| Posted in Green Products and Materials on
I’m looking for anyone who has used HOMESULATE insulation on existing buildings. Any feedback? Pros, cons? etc.
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One would have to be a fool to use a product from a company that won't divulge its chemical name or offer an MSDS.
This is merely a brand name for Tripolymer® 105, composed of modified phenolic based methylene bound copolymers. It's been around for decades. It is used only for cavity fill applications, rather than open spray. It is a non-expanding plastic foam.
Robert, I believe that many products have their use in certain applications, specially this product in existing buildings. I have read many of the same web reports on HOMESULATE insulation as you have, but if you pay attention to my question… I asked for ANYONE WHO HAS USED this product’s opinion.
Since this is MY QUESTION, let me try to be clearer, I’m NOT looking for anyone’s “moral” values on green building products (I’m getting tired of this).
I AM LOOKING FOR COMMENTS FROM HOMEINSULATE INSULATION USERS ONLY.
IF YOU ARE NOT A HOMEINSULATE INSULATION USER, PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND!!!
I didn't answer your question. I offered information to the rest of the users of this forum. This might be your question, but it's not your forum.
HomeSulate and RetroFoam are two franchise installers of Tripolymer® phenol-formaldehyde foam cavity insulation, and every installer is certified by the manufacturer, C.P Chemical Company, Inc.
HomeSulate has a website that's more hype than information. For authentic information, interested parties should go to http://www.tripolymer.com/tripolymer/index.html
as a remodeler i appreciate this information. i guess i'll be another fool.... and try it out
Call steve at homesulate and he will give you the spec sheet about the material, they hid nothing and told me where the material came from. My energy bill was cut by 35% from the previous year when they installed Homesulate in my home. BTW, RetroFoam is not a Trypolymer distributer, they sell another product.
The Homesulate guys do great work and are really nice. As for the comment from Robert, I am not sure where he is coming from. I was given the MSDS sheet with no questions asked, and Steve also told me where it came from and what it is. Of the choices that are available to houses that are not being built, I felt there was no contest, and I'm really glad I chose them.
Can someone give me a rough idea of pricing? I am looking at options on my existing home to make it more energy efficient -- we really need this in Texas -- and want to get a rough idea on price and ROI. Approximate home sq ft, # stories, and price paid would be a good starting point for me. THANKS.
Similar to Rober Riversong's experience, i could not find a real MSDS for this product on the internet. What they call MSDSs are simply testing reports that have been done by independent labs. OSHA requires that all chemical companies provide Material Safety Data Sheets for all products that they sell. These MSDSs have guidelines as to what needs to be contained. Any ingredients that meet the definition of OSHA as being hazardous need to be disclosed. It does not matter if the finished product is not hazardous, since it would be very rare that none of the starting ingredients would be present in the finished product. If that is the claim of the company, then it is up to them to show that their reaction is 100% complete.
Actually Retrofoam by Polymaster, Inc, is the UFFI that was caught being sold in Canada. It is not made by C. P. Chemical Company.
I have Homesulate installed at my home. One of the best decisions I've ever made. The company is more than happy to provide you with any and all testing information available on the product. Great product and quality work!
I had Homesulate give me a quote for my house, and they gave me a copy of the MSDS. It was after reading the MSDS that I thought it might be reasonable to install it. Homesulate was recommended by another company that gave me a quote for half pound open cell foam in my attic. The information supplied to me by Homesulate was consistent with the information on the tripolymer 105 site listed above. I am planning to go with Homesulate before next summer. Beyond the energy efficiency of the Tripolymer 105, I like the increased fire resistance that it may provide for my exterior walls. I was surprised that having the tripolymer 105 sprayed in my all the exterior walls of my two story home was only twice the cost of the half pound open cell foam in my attic. There is an additional cost to using the attic foam, because I must also pay to vent the two gas furnaces in the attic.
My first preference was to have 3 inches of two pound closed cell foam blown into my walls, but the estimate for the foam was $11,000, which did not include the cost of removing and replacing the drywall. With the closed cell foam, I have concerns about breaks in the foam and its seal if the house settles, and I am afraid of the toxic fumes if it burns.
Is tripolymer 105 a vapor barrier? If I use it in my walls, do I need to need to be concerned about any moisture that enters the wall not being able to get out and causing rot? I do not see this concern addressed at either the homesulate or tripolymer 105 site. I know this is a concern with closed cell foam.