How to Get Maximum Spray Foam Yield While on the Job

Getting spray foam yields that are less than expected is one of the most frustrating things that can happen in the course of a spray foam job.

It’s right up there with malfunctioning machinery and clogged spray foam guns.

None of these issues is stand-alone, however. In fact, most problems spray foamers face while on the job are related.

That means the “fix” to these concerns is not just one thing.

Spraying fantastic foam is an act of creating balance – of finding harmony – among all the parts of the spray foam job.

Just like a balanced life includes more than working – healthy eating habits and intentional family time, for example – many things work together to create the perfect conditions for spray foam to cooperate with you.

When we first start spraying foam, many of us struggle with finding the balance of factors that lead to ideal spray foam performance.

But you’re not alone on this spray foam journey! Central Urethane is here to help.

Because we’re foamers, too.

We’ve been frustrated by clogged spray foam guns and malfunctioning machines, just like you.

We know what it’s like to underestimate the amount of spray foam material needed for a job.

And we know heat management is a difficult beast to tame.

Honestly, we’ve seen so many things go wrong while on the job that it’s difficult to imagine…

But we’ve learned our lessons, so you don’t have to make the same mistakes we’ve made!

Central Urethane is not just a spray foam manufacturer – we care about your success in this business!

We want to help you prevent common on-the-job mistakes and drastically increase the yield you get from your spray foam materials (and save you money!). 

How, you ask?

By choosing high-quality spray foam material, ensuring your equipment is clean and well-maintained, and actively managing system and substrate heat while on the job.

Do you need reliable, no-nonsense spray foam material that is formulated to cover as much board footage as possible? Check out X-PRESS Seal products!

Spray X-PRESS Seal Products

If you’re new around here, you may not know about the incredible coverage our X-PRESS Seal products produce – but you are in the right place to find out!

One set of X-PRESS Seal 200 – our certified, 2#, closed-cell foam – covers up to 4000-4500 bdft. That’s right! With proper heat management and clean equipment, you can get up to 4500 bdft of coverage (1” thickness) per set of X-PRESS Seal 200. 

Plus, it can be sprayed in thicknesses of up to 4” per pass!

Need open-cell foam? Get ready for even higher yields!

Our X-PRESS Seal 500XP gets an incredible 19,000 bdft of coverage, with up to 22,000 bdft of coverage in the right conditions! Mind you, that’s per set!

And X-PRESS Seal 500XP is also a no-mix formula, if you are looking to save a bit of extra time! You’ll still get amazing coverage from each set if you decide not to mix your foam.

That being said, to get optimal performance from ANY brand of open-cell foam, we always recommend stirring your open-cell b-side (Important: do NOT stir closed-cell b-side!), no matter what the label says. It’s worth the extra 5 minutes, man! You’ll get more coverage, which means more money in your pocket!

If you have questions about how our X-PRESS Seal spray foam products can make your job easier, give us a call! We will be glad to talk with you.

Now. While spraying X-PRESS Seal products does help you increase your foam yield while on the job (which means money in your pocket!), spraying great material is just one piece of the puzzle when installing great foam.

To ensure optimal performance from even the best spray foam materials, cleaning your equipment is a must!

Clean Your Equipment & Recirculate Your Iso Lines

Yes, yes. We understand that cleaning things is annoying.

But prevention is the best medicine, right? Right.

Seriously.

The very best ways to prevent your spray foam gun from clogging are to clean it after every use – every use – and to always recirculate your iso lines before spraying.

Annoying, yes.

But is it more annoying than dragging all your equipment up several flights of stairs to a hot attic, only to need to stop seconds into spraying to clean that gun that you didn’t take the time to clean after the last job?

No. 

Nothing (well, almost nothing) is more annoying than that.

So always recirulate those lines before you spray, and make sure to clean that spray foam gun before – and after – every use!

While you’re at it, it’s a good idea to clean your machine’s wye screens regularly and wipe off any nasty foam residue that may have gotten onto – or into – your foam machine.

That machine is your livelihood. One thing goes wrong with that – or along the spray hose, or in the spray foam gun, or even with your spray foam mask – and you’re out of a job.

There are a lot of things that can go wrong while spraying foam, but nearly ALL of them are preventable.

Your equipment is the second-most valuable asset – the most important being yourself, of course. 

BOTH should be treated with respect!

We only get one body – one set of eyes, one set of hands, one set of lungs. That’s why Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is ESSENTIAL to safely spraying foam.

So don’t try to be Macho Man. 

Wear your mask, your gloves, and your gilly suit, man. 

And know this: when you sport that PPE, you look cool!

You look like ET is investigating your home, and you’re fully prepared to show him who is boss. 

Take that, aliens!

Okay, enough soap box.

Keep that equipment clean, those iso lines clear, and yourself safe to spray the highest foam yields possible – but don’t forget about the last piece of the Maximum Foam Yield puzzle: heat management!

Ensure Proper Heat Management

Remember snow days? 

Those were glorious days, weren’t they? Full of fun, freedom, and flying down hills on a sled, feeling the cold breeze on your face and that satisfying crunch under your feet. 

But it got better, didn’t it!? Somehow, it did!

Remember coming inside after reveling in the joy of a winter wonderland – fingers, toes, and nose red and frosty – to enjoy a delicious cup of hot cocoa? Maybe even with cinnamon toast??

Man, how the yummy, chocolatey heat melted frozen fingers and warmed up the soul!

There’s just really nothing better than a warm mug of cocoa on a winter’s day. (Especially if Christmas is right around the corner, right??)

It’ll cure what ails ya! And if it doesn’t, a steaming cup of chicken soup will.

What wonders a bowl of chicken soup holds in its depths!

What do these comforting, healing things have in common? Heat!

Our point is this: temperature matters.

We, like all things in nature, need a specific temperature to function capably.

And, even being the wonder of science that it is, so does spray foam!

Spray foam needs to be dialed into a specific temperature to work well most optimally.

To perform well, humans need rest, hydration, and healthy meals. (Yes, and cocoa now and then!)

For spray foam to be “healthy” – delivering optimal yields and saving you money! – it needs a good eye on the thermostat.

Every spray foam brand and blend has specific temperature needs. And our foam is no different. 

So here are the specifics we recommend for X-PRESS Seal products:

For X-PRESS Seal 200, we recommend setting your hose/machine heat to 120-125° F for optimal performance.

For X-PRESS Seal 500XP, we recommend a hose/machine heat setting of 130° F to get maximum yield.

But setting your spray foam machine to the correct temperature isn’t the whole picture when it comes to heat management.

You also need to think about the temperature of the air in the location you’re spraying, along with the substrate temperature.

Our foam can be sprayed at most outdoor temperatures, provided the substrate’s temperature, the surrounding air temperature within the space being sprayed, and your hose/machine settings are well-managed.

We recommend spraying foam when the temperature is 40-45° F or higher outside. Obviously, that is not always possible. During those times, you’ll have to take more drastic measures with heat management inside.

Indirect diesel heaters (dry heat!) work wonders on air and substrate temperatures, and following the sun – nature’s very own heater – is to your benefit during cold days on the job.

What does “following the sun” mean? 

Well, when you start – bright and early! – on a spray foam job, get your indirect diesel heater set up to warm the area, and go through your checklist of spray foam preps (like heating your hose, stirring open-cell b-side, recirculating iso lines, ensuring a clean spray foam gun, etc.) your space will be nice and toasty.  

Even after a preheating period, however, the substrate will likely not be the same temperature on every wall of the structure. Where is the best place to start? On the east side – the side the sun touches/warms first!  

Follow that sun, and the substrate heat will be much more potable for the curing foam you spray upon it.

And those are the basics of heat management!

Have questions about how to better manage heat in your spray foam process while on the job? Give us a call! We are always happy to help, and our years of experience spraying foam have led to many tips and tricks for how to get foam sprayed well, regardless of the weather.

Conclusion

With fantastic foam materials (supplied by us, of course!), clean equipment, and proper heat management, you can make your foam spray as far as it was made to spray – and sometimes farther! 

Central Urethane is here to help you spray your foam as efficiently as possible, saving you money on every job you ever spray! When you save money, you make more profit – and that’s a win for you AND a win for us!

Because when you win, we all win.

That’s what it means to be part of the Central Urethane spray foam family!

We are here to answer your questions, so don’t hesitate to give us a call when you need assistance! We will gladly help you in any way we can.

Stay tuned for our next post, when we will explain how to bid a spray foam job!

Until then, may your foam yields surprise you!