Wall Insulation Edmonton

Open Cell or Closed Cell in an Alberta Wall

Closed cell is dense and rigid, gives a higher R-value per inch, adds stiffness and acts as a vapour retarder at thickness. In a heating-dominated climate this cold, that vapour control matters and closed cell earns its place more often here than in milder provinces. Open cell is lighter and cheaper and fills a cavity completely, which suits interior partitions and sound work. We specify by wall, not by habit.

Vapour Control Is the Local Question

Alberta assemblies are built around controlling vapour from the warm side, because for most of the year the drive runs outward. Closed cell foam at sufficient thickness performs that function itself, which changes what else the assembly needs; open cell generally does not. This is the single most common point of confusion on a retrofit and it should be settled in writing before the work rather than argued about afterwards.

New Builds, Additions and Gut Renovations

These are the three moments the cavity is open. We work to the framing schedule rather than the other way round, and the written scope names the product, the thickness and exactly which cavities are covered. If a renovation is opening walls anyway, that is the moment to do them properly.

Existing Closed Walls

Where the walls are already finished, dense-pack through small access holes works in some assemblies and not in others. We look at the construction before saying yes. And if the building's real fault is an unsealed ceiling rather than empty walls, we will say the attic is the better spend, because in this climate it almost always is.