Foam Laminates of Vermont can manufacture panels specifically for your building needs, offering a variety of sizes and laminates. Because of this manufacturing flexibility, the basic component can be utilized in residential, commercial and agricultural buildings as a floor, wall or roof component. This gives greater versatility in design, which translates into an overall savings for you.
SIP’s are Comfortable
An often overlooked feature of a new home is the comfort level of the inhabitants. Recently, homeowners have reported a high level of comfort with their new SIP homes. This is not a surprise since heating and cooling are more evenly distributed in SIP homes as a consequence of the lack of hot and cold spots typically found in conventional stick-framed homes. In other words, SIP homes are less drafty since they are virtually airtight.
Another serious problem facing traditional homes is the lack of adequate vapor barriers. A typical vapor barrier is some material (usually plastic or a foil sheet) that resists the passage of moisture through some medium (usually a wall or ceiling). The barrier helps to prevent interior or exterior moisture from penetrating an area where there is a significant temperature or vapor pressure differential. This is a crucial component in northern climates where there is a great dispersion between heated and unheated spaces.
A vapor barrier must be continuous to work effectively, and this is where conventional stick homes have issues. For instance, most homes have breaks in the vapor barrier at electrical receptacles, switches, lights, window and door frames, and other locations where the ceilings and floors meet. A SIP home provides a continuous foam core that is virtually impregnable to moisture flow.
Dew Points
Inadequate vapor barriers can cause humid air to pass through the surfaces and cause condensation where it reaches the dew point, often within the inside or outer wall surface. This is a serious problem because it can cause rotting of the wood members, mold and fungus growth, and peeling or lifting of exterior paint.
Building with SIPs traps the dew point in the foam where it cannot access moisture-sensitive wood. In this way, there is no need for expensive vapor barrier products. Simply put: SIP homes can prevent the growth of cancer-causing mold and fungus, prevent the rotting of structural supporting wood, and reduce exterior painting.
Healthier Living
Outdoor air quality is becoming an increasing hot topic as individuals and companies strive for a greener community in order to protect ourselves and others from the harmful and disastrous effects of pollution. Many of us already do our part to ensure a safe and pollution-free environment for future generations; we recycle cans, bottles, and paper, and we purchase low-emission vehicles. However, many of us don’t realize that our own homes are contributing to global pollution at an alarming rate.
Fact: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded that the average U.S. Home releases 22,000 lbs of toxic carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere each year. To put this in perspective, this is twice the amount of the average vehicle. To make matters worse, many of today’s tighter and poorly insulated homes are trapping dangerous airborne pollutants such as mold, bacteria, and fungus. These polluting agents can increase our susceptibility to respiratory illnesses and lower our immunity to viruses.
What is the Solution to Pollution?
There is no simple answer to the question: What is the solution to pollution? However, there are several steps that you can take in order to reduce pollutants in the environment. The first step is to purchase a home from Foam Laminates at Vermont. We are concerned about the environment, and we take many measures to ensure our manufacturing facility is as green as possible.
Indoor Air Pollution
The solution to reducing or removing indoor air pollution is to build a tight but well-ventilated home, where the ventilation is under your control. Homes built with SIPs from Foam Laminates of Vermont will easily achieve a tight and superior thermal blanket and an air exchanger can easily repel stale and polluted indoor air as well as bring in fresh air from the outdoors. Just the simple act of opening your windows and doors can greatly increase indoor air quality.
Mold growth is a serious concern for many homeowners. Fortunately, there are no known toxic molds, but there are several species that release micro toxins, which, in high enough dosages, can cause individuals afflicted with hypersensitivities quite ill. As with most indoor pollutants, the best defense is to control moisture, however, this is no easy task since many domestic activities such as bathing, cooking, and doing laundry can release and trap this water vapor. Foam Laminates offers a system that prevents moisture from escaping into wall cavities and attics, thereby effectively eliminating mold growth in those areas.
Outdoor Pollution
We are a globally conscious company so we make sure our facility recycles waste and conserves electricity. If that’s not enough, we manufacture green products. Our structural insulated panels are fabricated from renewable trees that protect old growth forests. They contain no CFC’s – the dangerous gas responsible for the greenhouse effect. Our SIPs can be assembled on the job site with little to no construction waste which reduces space in waste management facilities and landfills. How is that for going green?
Noise Pollution
In addition to air pollution, a Foam Laminates home can also reduce noise pollution. Due to the continuous air sealing and tightness of insulation, SIP homes can reduce and even eliminate much unwanted outdoor clatter. This greatly increases the quality of sleep for homeowners, a crucial component to physical and mental well-being. Simply put: homes built with structural insulated panels by Foam Laminates of Vermont are comfortable, maintain a comfortable living environment, and reduce pollution.