Maximize Indoor Air Quality

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The Icynene Insulation System®  featured in dotCOM dreamHOME

Icynene^â insulation is a spray-applied foam insulation that is not only energy efficient, but also healthy and environmentally friendly. The foam insulation is sprayed as a liquid and expands 100 times its volume within seconds, permanently adhering to the surfaces of surrounding building materials and filling and sealing all joints, crevices and gaps.

"I am excited about using Icynene^â in a Habitat for Humanity International home because it doesn't let off any gases, is energy efficient and environmentally friendly," say Bill Bartlett, Flower City Habitat for Humanity, Construction manager, Rochester. "It also offers good sound protection as the house is being constructed close to a railway line."

"The family that moves into this home should enjoy improved indoor air quality with reduced energy bills," said John Devitt of Advanced Thermal Technologies, the Icynene Dealer serving the Rochester area who donated Icynene^â insulation for the house. "Icynene^â can reduce energy costs by as much as 30% to 50%."

Indoor air quality can be affected by the level of ventilation and the types of building materials often used in homes, schools and office buildings. Icynene^â is part of a new generation of healthy building materials that were developed to help reduce the pollutants released into indoor air.

"In independent tests, we found that Icynene^â insulation made it much easier to improve indoor air quality," said Bruce Small, director of the Envirodesic^TM Certification Program, which independently tests and certifies building products that contribute to healthy indoor air. "It  is able to create an airtight barrier with no harmful emissions, and in tandem with ventilation, it is a key to avoiding the growth of mold."

Icynene^â dramatically reduces the air movement through walls and attic areas to prevent the condensation that creates a breeding ground for mold. With proper ventilation in the home or building, excess humidity is readily exhausted to the outside. More importantly, Icynene^â does not release any harmful emissions or fibers into the air. With the look and feel of angel food cake, the water-based foam does not emit gases known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and contains no formaldehyde or harmful CFCs or HCFCs.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the Florida Solar Energy Center and the U.S. Department of Energy have all selected Icynene^â for projects demonstrating energy conserving, environmentally friendly technologies. Icynene^â was also featured in the Empire Home, an innovative model home built in Perinton, east of Rochester in 1999. The home, sponsored by the New York State Builders Association and the Rochester Home Builders Association,  showcased the latest technologies available in home construction.