Soybean-based insulation a hit
By Carol Stender
cstender@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 05/27/2010 9:37 AM
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RENVILLE, Minn. —Tom and Jessica Wertish of Renville planned to remodel their Renville farmhouse someday, but that day came sooner than expected following a severe storm.
The storm that hit more than two years ago tore off shingles resulting in water leaks from the attic to the basement, Jessica said.
Although the roof was fixed, the leaks persisted. They decided to remodel. Besides adding additional living space for their growing family, they planned to install new wiring and insulation. Discussions regarding insulation led to new product discoveries including a spray form made from soy oil.
They were surprised to see how little insulation there was in the house. The older house had newspaper insulation and a thin, one-and-a half inch woolen layer.
They talked over their remodeling effort and insulation possibilities with Tom's father, Gary. Gary, a South Dakota Soybean Processors' board member, knew the company had diversified into urethane soy, which includes a soy insulation product called SoyTherm. It acts much like petroleum-based foam insulation as it fills gaps and crevices.
The selling point was its "green" properties since it was made from soybeans.
The couple chose SoyTherm 50. While its cost, like that of other foam insulation products, is higher than fiberglass insulation, it gives a more complete, tighter insulation coverage. They should see a return on their energy investment within three to five years, they said.
Although several walls aren't yet sheetrocked, the family has noticed a difference. The damp, cold spring air remains outdoors with no cold "leaking" into the house. Noise is also filtered, they said.
Spraying the foam is easy, said Michael Fusco, general manager of Urethane Soy Systems, which makes the product.
A thin layer is first applied ,but the layer quickly grows to 120 times its original size. Any material that goes beyond the studs of the open-faced wall is cut off leaving the foam filled from the outside wall to the end of the stud.
Fusco has worked in the spray foam industry since 1972 and came to the South Dakota company three years ago.
"At the end of the day, even though it's made from soybeans, it's still urethane, but, it's not made with petroleum," he said.
SoyTherm adds little weight to the building, doesn't shrink or settle and is dimensionally stable, he said. It has a high R-value and is great in hard-to-reach places.
The product resists water, chemicals, mildew and fungus. They discovered mold when they removed the old sheetrock in the remodeling project. All areas were thoroughly cleaned before the foam product was applied.
For more information on SoyTherm, prices or application, call 605-690-6105 or check the website at www.soyol.com