Everything You Need to Know About Spray Foam Insulation Cost in 2024
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To maintain a home’s temperature all year round, consider spray foam insulation. Spray foam insulation cost ranges from $1,409 to $4,145, with a national average of $2,756.
Highlights
- The typical cost range to install spray foam insulation in a home is between $1,409 and $4,145, with a national average cost of $2,756.
- Some of the main factors affecting spray foam insulation cost include the size and accessibility of the area to be insulated, the type of spray foam insulation used, and the cost of labor.
- Installing spray foam insulation has numerous benefits, including lower utility costs, improved air sealing and moisture-blocking, better soundproofing, and resistance to mold and mildew.
- Since improperly installed spray foam insulation can cause swelling or sagging in the walls, it’s best for homeowners to leave this project in the hands of a professional.
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Insulation is vital for helping keep a home’s interior cool in summer and warm in winter. Still, various insulation products come with different thermal reduction values (R-value), and insulation costs vary. Spray foam insulation is dense, and due to its expanding nature, it seals air gaps more thoroughly than other types of insulation, so it’s among the best options for insulating a home. However, it’s not the cheapest option available.
According to Angi and HomeAdvisor, spray foam insulation costs run between $1,409 and $4,145 to have it professionally installed, with a national average of $2,756. Unlike other types of insulation, such as blown-in cellulose fibers or fiberglass batts, installing spray foam insulation isn’t a DIY project. Instead, homeowners will want to hire one of the best insulation contractors, such as Dr. Energy Saver, for this project. Ahead, determine whether spray foam insulation is suitable for the home, and find out what factors will affect the overall cost.
What is spray foam insulation and where can it be used?
Spray foam insulation is typically composed of a polyurethane-type liquid that, when combined with air, expands to fit in the interior of stud walls as well as rafter and joist spaces. This makes spray foam an excellent sealant because it fills even tiny gaps to reduce air leakage. Anyone who has ever lived with drafty windows knows how difficult it is to heat and cool a house efficiently. The drafts result in running up the energy bills while reducing comfort.
Several areas of the home can benefit from the use of spray foam insulation. Since it sprays on as a liquid and then expands to fill gaps, it creates an airtight seal that can eliminate most sources of drafts, and it also dampens sound transfer between rooms. Good spots for spray foam insulation include:
- Exterior stud walls
- Interior walls if sound-dampening is desired
- Roof rafters, in conjunction with a radiant barrier (if desired) for the greatest R-value
- Crawl spaces
- House penetrations, such as vent pipes, water spigots, and gas pipes
- Interior stud walls (for sound purposes)
Key Cost Factors
There are quite a few factors that can affect what a homeowner pays for spray foam insulation, including whether it is open-cell vs. closed-cell, material, thickness, labor, area size, and installation location.
Open-Cell vs. Closed-Cell
While the typical range in cost for having spray foam insulation professionally installed is $1,409 to $4,145, prices vary within that range based on the type of spray foam insulation.
- Open-cell: The cells in this type of spray foam do not form complete encapsulations, resulting in a softer and more flexible foam. Per 1-inch board foot, open-cell spray foam insulation averages $0.44 to $0.65 to have installed.
- Closed-cell: Like open-cell foam, closed-cell foam is also applied by combining a polyurethane liquid with air, which causes it to expand and seal spaces and gaps. Closed-cell insulating foam, true to its name, features completely encased air cells. This does two things: It makes closed-cell foam denser than open-cell foam, making it moisture-resistant. Homeowners can expect to pay an average of $1 to $1.50 per 1-inch board foot to have closed-cell spray foam installed.
Not sure which type of spray foam insulation you need?
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Material and Thickness
While most spray foam insulation is made of polyurethane, material options also include soybean, vegetable oil, and water-based. Spray foam insulation cost per square foot can also range depending on how thickly the insulation is installed. In some areas 1 inch of insulation is sufficient, but some homes require up to 4 inches.
Labor
The cost of labor to have spray foam insulation installed is a sizable portion of the final tally. Most spray foam insulation pros have to be trained to install the specific brand of insulation, and they use a spray rig designated by the manufacturer. Spray foam insulation contractors charge about $1.50 to $4.90 per square foot for labor.
Area Size
The size of the area to be insulated plays a vital role in how much the project will cost. A small project with just 100 square feet of wall that needs insulating will run $44 to $150, on average, to have it insulated with spray foam. However, most projects are more extensive, and homes with 2,000 square feet of wall space would range from $880 to $3,000 to complete the project.
Installation Location
The cost to insulate an attic can differ from the cost to insulate basements, crawl spaces, and other parts of the home. This is because accessibility, square footage, and insulation requirements can vary by room. For example, the cost to insulate a garage is about $930 to $2,100. A larger detached building such as a barn can cost as much as $20,000 to insulate. Alternatively, spray foam attic insulation costs about $1,500 to $3,500.
Additional Costs and Considerations
No two spray foam insulation projects are the same, so there may be costs that are not accounted for by a spray foam insulation cost calculator. Choosing the best attic insulation can help ensure the home is kept temperate and free from mold.
Think spray foam insulation is right for your home?
A top-rated pro can install it for you. Get free, no-commitment project estimates from experts near you.
New Construction vs. Existing Home
The best time to install insulation of any type is during new-home construction when the wall spaces are open and insulation is easier to install. At this point, the labor costs to install spray foam insulation are going to be less because the spaces are easily accessible to the installer.
However, in an existing home, portions of drywall may need to be removed to access the stud spaces, and specific installers may decline to tackle the job if the spaces are not visible. Having to remove drywall to access the stud and rafter spaces will add about $293 to $875 to the cost of insulating.
Spray Foam vs. Other Insulation
In many cases, a home will need multiple kinds of insulation for different parts of the home. Spray foam insulation is handy for hard-to-reach parts of the house, but it’s typically used sparingly because it is relatively costly. To compare blown-in insulation vs. spray foam insulation, for example, a typical blown-in insulation project costs $1,636, and spray foam insulation costs $2,756 on average. Other types of insulation include fiberglass and Rockwool.
| Insulation Type | Average Cost |
| Blown-in | $1,636 |
| Fiberglass | $1,800 |
| Rockwool | $1,000 |
| Spray foam | $2,756 |
Existing Insulation Removal
If a home’s existing insulation has been damaged by mold or pests, it will need to be removed and disposed of before the new insulation can be installed. In most cases, this will cost between $1.50 and $3 per square foot if the contractor uses a machine. However, if the contractor needs to chip away the insulation by hand, costs may be closer to $5 per square foot. If the old insulation contains asbestos, it is especially important for homeowners to have a professional take care of the removal. Those who live in older homes will want to familiarize themselves with what asbestos insulation looks like in order to stay safe.
Mold Remediation
Moisture can damage some types of insulation, such as fiberglass batts that tend to compress when they get wet and lose their insulating value. Leaks inside wall cavities destroy fiberglass insulation, but they can lead to the growth of mold, which will need to be removed before the wall space is insulated again.
Mold remediation costs an average of $1,125 to $3,345, depending on the size of the area being treated and the going rate of labor in the community.
Vapor Barrier Installation
Some local building codes require installing a vapor barrier in exterior walls to keep moisture from passing through. If so, closed-cell spray foam insulation is suitable for use as a vapor barrier. However, open-cell insulation is not an acceptable vapor barrier, so if the homeowner wants open-cell insulation, but a vapor barrier is required by code, an additional vapor barrier will be necessary and could run an average of $0.65 to $1 per square foot.
Types of Spray Foam Insulation
While the traditional and most common types of spray foam insulation are polyurethane-based, other types are available, and some are more eco-friendly. Choosing an alternative kind of spray foam is unlikely to affect the cost of installation, however, as most of the price variation when it comes to installing spray foam is dependent on the thickness of the product and the going cost of labor in different communities.
| Spray Foam Insulation Type | Cost per Board Foot |
| Polyurethane | $0.44 to $1.50 |
| Soybean | $1.50 to $3 |
| Vegetable oil | $1.50 to $3 |
| Water-based | $0.50 to $2.50 |
Polyurethane
Most spray foam insulation on the market today is made from polyurethane, which offers good insulating value, but tends to off-gas for a few years. Off-gassing is the releasing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may cause a noticeable chemical odor. Off-gassing is strongest in the first year after installation and should end entirely in 4 to 5 years. Homeowners can expect to pay $0.44 to $1.50 per board foot for professional installation of polyurethane foam insulation.
Soybean
Soybeans are grown for various food and non-food sources, and one of those uses is as a component of spray foam insulation. Soybean-based foam contains few or no VOCs, so there’s no objectionable chemical smell that some home residents may find troublesome.
Because soybeans can be planted and harvested on an ongoing basis, those looking for an eco-friendly alternative to polyurethane-based insulation may want to request a soybean-based product. In general, soybean spray foam insulation costs about $1.50 to $3 per board foot.
Considering spray foam insulation for your home?
A top-rated pro can install it for you. Get free, no-commitment project estimates from experts near you.
Vegetable Oil
While some types of spray foam insulation are advertised as being made from vegetable oil, virtually all are still made from soybean oil, which has unique components that make it suitable for creating a long-lasting insulating product. The cost will be competitive with other types of foam, but soy- and vegetable-based foams may not be available in all locations. Vegetable oil spra