There is an ongoing debate as to the use of a closed cell foam or an open cell foam to seal the rim joist area of a basement or a crawl space. It is Emecole’s position that an open cell polyurethane spray foam works well in this application.

The major difference in the properties of a closed cell vs. an open cell spray foam is that a closed cell foam is an air barrier as well as a vapor barrier, while an open cell spray foam is an air barrier but is breathable (it is not a vapor barrier). As a consequence, a rim joist area which is being exposed to moisture coming from the concrete foundation can have the moisture escape through the open cell foam while it would be trapped by a closed cell spray foam which can lead to rotting and mold formation. Further below, you will find articles which lead us to the conclusion that an open cell spray foam is the preferred product to seal rim joist areas. Your comments are welcome.

Due to its superior insulating values, many contractors naturally select a closed cell foam. However, in a basement or crawl space you have to deal with the phenomena of moisture being sucked up the walls via the porous concrete foundation by capillary action and onto the rim joist areas.

Most basement water leakage results from either bulk moisture leaks or capillary action. Bulk moisture is the flow of water through holes, cracks, and other discontinuities into the home’s basement walls. Capillary action occurs when water wicks into the cracks and pores of porous building materials, such as masonry blocks, concrete, or wood. These tiny cracks and pores can absorb water in any direction—even upward.

This moisture entry into the basement through the foundation travels to the wood joists which, if sealed with the closed cell foam acting as a vapor barrier, does not let the moisture or water vapor to escape. If instead you use an open cell foam as your sealer, it is breathable or capable of allowing the vapor to pass through and not giving the wood a chance to feed off of the moisture and rot. Not only is the open cell foam able to allow water vapor to escape through it, it does this quite efficiently and without becoming brittle with time and possibly breaking away from the wall as often is found with rigid closed cell foams. As stated, a closed cell foam is both a vapor barrier and barrier to air flow. An open cell foam acts as a barrier to air but allows water vapor to travel through it and away from wood sitting on the basement foundation.

In addition to open cell foam the contractor should consider using Emecole’s concrete sealer, Pene-Seal-Crete, on the walls of a basement to reduce and even eliminate the porosity of the walls so that little if any water vapor passes through the concrete to the rim joint area.

Additional Information:
- Why the Use of Open-Cell Foam in Sealing Rim Joists Saves Contractors from Making Costly Error
- Inside Story: Open-Cell Foam & What Every Contractor Should Know

Today, Emecole.com launched a new online crawl space materials estimator for use with the EmeSeal Crawl Space Sealing System. The Crawl Space Estimator provides a fast and simple way for contractors to know how much material is needed for a given crawl space.

Contractors can submit the measurements of a crawl space, and within seconds know the material’s quantity, sizing and total cost for the projected job. This significantly shortens the amount of time contractors spend towards preparing estimates and making purchasing.

After using the estimator, registered Emecole Contractors may purchase materials from our 24/7 online store, or by phone during our normal business hours. For more information about becoming an Emecole Contractor and to purchase Emecole products online, please visit our Contractor Information section.

View the crawl space estimator and give it a try!

Tom Saucier, the CEO of the Crawlspace Doctor has written an article about how a properly sealed and insulated crawl space is a game changer for the entire home. An unconditioned crawl space allows humidity to enter during the hot summer months, while allowing cold air in during the winter. This results in increased use of the home’s heat and air conditioning, resulting in higher energy bills for the homeowner.

A sealed and insulated crawl space helps control humidity, which is mandatory when thinking about whole home health. The trapped humidity within a crawl space is an ideal space for the growth of mold spores, which is likely to have a direct impact on allergy and asthma sufferers.

Tom’s full article, “A Green House Starts in the Crawl Space,” has been added to our collection of Crawl Space Sealing Articles on Emecole.com.

We have been anticipating, along with our EmeSeal System contractors and the home improvement industry, that the Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit on qualified energy-efficient home improvement projects would expire at the end of this year. However, after coming across an article last week from Replacement Contractor Magazine’s website, there is reason for some optimism. The article reports that there has been movement within Congress to extend the tax credits and that such an extension could be a component included in negotiations of the Bush tax cuts.

On Dec. 1, a letter bearing the signatures of window, door, and skylight manufacturing executives from 14 companies went out to every member of Congress, requesting an extension of the tax credits created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The letter makes the case that the ARRA credit has allowed manufacturers to save or create jobs during the recession by encouraging consumers to buy qualifying energy-efficient products.

From our vantage point, contractors using our EmeShield Pro Plus Liner for the sealing and insulation of crawl spaces have stayed busy through the last year and a half, while the tax credit has been in effect. The health of our economy unfortunately continues to be a concern, especially with the uncertainty surrounding the Bush tax cuts. Extending such tax credits would be a welcome measure, instilling confidence among contractors and incentive for homeowners.
We will continue to follow this issue closely and keep you updated on any developments via this blog, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

More Information:
Replacement Contractor Magazine – Fingers Crossed on Tax Credit Extension

If your home is built on a crawl space and it is not properly sealed and ventilated, the quality of the air inside your home can be seriously degraded from exposure to moisture, mold, mildew and toxins like radon gas. Left unchecked these concerns can cause or accelerate symptoms such as allergies, respiratory problems and even neurological problems.

Radon Gas for example is a naturally occurring gas caused by decaying soil. It exists everywhere in the country in varying degrees and is a known carcinogen. Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer. There has been a big push in the past few years by the building trades and the EPA to create broader awareness of the hazards of radon gas which claims more than twenty thousand lives each year from cancer. November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month and there are many resources available to learn more about what you can to do reduce or eliminate your exposure to these toxins.

Emecole has dedicated itself to improving indoor air quality with the development and improvement of products and materials designed to seal out the dangers lurking under your home. These products include sealants and crawl space sealing systems designed specifically to protect the space and eradicate the dangers.

A qualified waterproofing contractor can inspect your crawl space, perform a radon detection test and make recommendations for the best possible solutions for your home and indoor air quality. The Emecole Emeshield Pro Plus sealant system qualifies for the Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit which expires December 31, 2010. If you would like help locating a qualified contractor in your area call Emecole at 800-844-2713. We’d be glad to help.

You can stay current with home health information by joining us on Facebook or visiting our web site at Emecole.com.

Have your crawl space tested and sealed…and breathe easy.

In March 2009, Emecole was featured in a home air quality improvement story that appeared on ForConstructionPros.com, an informational resource website for construction professionals. The article brings attention the idea that many allergies and asthma related conditions can be attributed to what is taking place inside the home’s basement and crawl space – the growth of mold, mildew and the entrance of soil gases.

It’s a valuable article that retains 100% relevancy today – our message to basement waterproofing contractors is to begin thinking indoor air quality and how it relates to their specific services. Sealing cracks in the foundation not only stops potential water leakage, but also is one less potential opening for soil gases. The use of Emecole’s Pene-Seal-Crete, for example, forms a crystalline structure onto the foundation – which minimizes the penetration of both moisture and soil gases.

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In a recent real estate news article, it reports that a clean looking crawl space may actually increase a home sale. When two comparable houses are on the market together, the one with the cleaner crawl space tends to sell faster.  It makes sense. Even if the buyer doesn’t truly understand the energy efficiency and indoor air quality benefits of a sealed and insulated crawl space, they immediately see the difference and the added storage potential.

This is one more point contractors can add to the sales pitch. We find when it comes to selling sealed and insulated crawl spaces, it is about education. Once your customer understands the benefits, they naturally choose the better way—a clean, sealed and insulated crawl space.

It is always refreshing to see a story from another news source back us up and do some of the educating.

For more information about the sealing and insulation of crawl spaces with the EmeSeal System by Emecole, please browse through our crawl space section on Emecole.com

If you ask the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Housing Surveyors, there are over 128 million homes in America. How many of those homes do you think have a crawl space? And how many of those are in your service area?

If you happen to live in the right part of the United States, there may be a lot of crawl spaces in your service area that you could be repairing, sealing and insulating.

Some waterproofers, especially in the southeastern states, are already catching on to the possibilities. Especially in this economy, professionals need to diversify their businesses in order to survive. With research backing the benefits, Emecole has developed some new products to seal and insulate crawl spaces to help you tap into this sector of the market.

For more information, please read our Tips to Insulate the Crawl Space resource article, or visit the Emecole.com crawl space section for more information about the EmeSeal System.

Advanced Energy’s closed crawl space research has sparked contractors across the country to close more crawl spaces.

Breakthrough research in North Carolina, and pilot studies in Flagstaff, Arizona and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have proven closed crawl spaces are more energy efficient than vented ones.

But Cyrus Dastur, Advanced Energy’s building science associate working on the closed crawl space research, says the biggest mistake contractors are making is not insulating the crawl space. “They don’t understand they need to insulate the crawl space to make it energy efficient,” he says. “Not just close it with plastic.”

Emecole understands this. That is why we are developing a new insulating blanket that is a vapor barrier, insulation and radiant heat shield. The EmeShield Pro Plus has closed cell foam between a plastic side and an aluminum side. The aluminum side reflects the heat transfer back in the house.

Additional Reading: Closed crawl space research studies

Emecole, Inc. is currently featured in Plumbing & Mechanical. The article discusses the way contractors can expand their business using Emecole’s basement pre-finishing system.

Installation is easy because it will adhere directly on the concrete walls with no need for studs. Also, its exterior surface looks like white vinyl, which brightens a basement and provides a finished look. Contractors can win points on three fronts by learning to install this product: 1) they create a healthy, dry environment; 2) they give homeowners a friendly, inhabitable space without spending a fortune; and 3) the waterproof insulating blankets can help cut energy costs.

View Article: Expand Your Business With Basement, Crawl Space Waterproofing Systems