Our most-requested service
Spray Foam Insulation
Closed-cell polyurethane foam seals, insulates and controls moisture in a single application — installed by CAN/ULC-S705.2 certified applicators.
What it is
Spray polyurethane foam is applied as a liquid and expands in seconds to many times its volume, filling every gap, seam and irregular cavity it touches. When it cures it becomes a rigid, continuous layer that is bonded to the surface it was sprayed on — there are no joints for air to slip through and nothing to sag, settle or fall out of place over time.
That matters in Ontario, because most of the heat leaving a house does not pass slowly through insulation — it leaks out through gaps, top plates, rim joists, penetrations and attic bypasses, carrying moisture with it. Traditional insulation slows heat transfer but does nothing to stop that air movement. Closed-cell spray foam is insulation, air barrier and vapour retarder in one step, which is why it consistently outperforms every other product per inch of thickness.
It is the right choice where cavities are awkward, where there is no room for thick insulation, where moisture is a concern, or where you simply want the best result the building will accept. We will tell you honestly when a cheaper product will do the same job.
Polarfoam 7300-0 SOYA — the product we install
- Polarfoam 7300-0 SOYA, made by PFSI, is a 2 lb closed-cell rigid polyurethane foam manufactured with soya-based renewable content in place of a portion of the petroleum-based polyol. It is the product we spray-apply on residential and commercial work.
- It is installed under CAN/ULC-S705.2, the Canadian standard that governs how rigid polyurethane spray foam must be applied on site. S705.2 is not a product sticker — it requires trained, certified installers, controlled substrate and ambient conditions, documented lift thicknesses and a daily quality record. Ask any contractor for their certification number before you let foam into your house.
- It is made of recycled plastics, vegetable oil and soya, and has zero Ozone Depletion Substance (zero ODS).
- Product data sheet figures — R-value per inch, air and vapour permeance and thermal barrier requirements — should be quoted from the current manufacturer sheet: NEEDS: confirm the exact Polarfoam 7300-0 spec figures you want published (R-per-inch, permeance, CCMC number)
In detail
Everything else worth knowing
Why insulate with sprayed polyurethane foam?
- Seals clean air in, keeps moisture out.
- Healthy — stops dust, mould, pollen and pollutants from entering your home.
- Furnaces and air conditioners run less and last longer.
- Environmentally friendly — made from recycled plastic, vegetable oil and soya.
- The most efficient — SPFI has the highest R-value of any insulation we install.
- Comfort — no more drafts, hot spots or cold spots.
SPFI saves on energy costs
Living in a home that is not properly insulated is like throwing money out the window. Air leaks in and out through cracks and openings in your home's structure, and SPFI stops that wasteful air exchange.
Sprayed polyurethane foam expands on contact and completely seals the area being insulated. Your home stays warm in winter and cool in summer while you save up to 50% on energy costs. Because your furnace and air conditioner do not have to work as hard, they cost less to run and last years longer.
A healthier, more comfortable home
SPFI eliminates drafts and cold spots, keeping room temperatures constant and comfortable. Its air-tight vapour barrier keeps moisture, mould and mildew from entering your home.
Because the foam expands to fill all gaps and becomes rigid when dry, it greatly reduces the dust, pollen and pollutants that get in. It also works as a barrier that keeps outside noise, insects and rodents where they belong — outside.
How spray foam insulation works
SPFI is a two-part chemical composition that is mixed at the moment of application and becomes foam insulation on contact. It can be applied to plywood, OSB, cinder block, poured foundation, metal framing and much more.
Once it expands into place it becomes an energy-efficient air and vapour barrier — provided it is applied to manufacturer specifications. The result is a complete, seamless building envelope that creates a more comfortable environment for the life of the home.
Inside or outside — whichever makes less mess
SPFI can be applied from the interior or the exterior of your home, which greatly minimises the mess and the inconvenience to you. We will tell you which approach suits your building when we quote it.
Benefits
Why homeowners choose it
Air sealing and insulation in one pass
Foam expands into the gaps that batts bridge over — around wiring, plumbing, top plates and rim joists — so you stop the draft and the heat loss at the same time.
The highest R-value per inch we install
Closed-cell foam delivers roughly R-6 per inch, so you can hit or exceed code in a shallow cavity where nothing else fits.
Moisture and condensation control
At normal installed thicknesses closed-cell foam acts as a vapour retarder, which keeps warm, humid indoor air from reaching cold surfaces and condensing inside the assembly.
It never settles, sags or shifts
Foam is bonded to the substrate. Twenty years later it is exactly where it was sprayed — no slumping in wall cavities, no thin spots in the attic.
Added rigidity and strength
Closed-cell foam adheres to the framing and sheathing and measurably stiffens the assembly it is sprayed into.
A quieter, more comfortable house
Sealing the air leaks removes the cold drafts and the temperature swings between rooms, and cuts the outside noise that rides in on them.
Where we apply it
Where spray foam goes to work
Attics and roof decks
Spray the roof deck to bring the attic inside the building envelope, or seal the attic floor and its bypasses before topping up.
Basement walls and rim joists
The rim joist is one of the biggest single air leaks in a Canadian house, and one of the easiest to fix permanently.
Crawl spaces
Seals out ground moisture, cold and pests, and stops the cold floor above it.
Cathedral and vaulted ceilings
High R-value in a shallow rafter cavity, where batts simply cannot reach code.
Cantilevers and bonus rooms over garages
The classic cold-floor problem — a sealed foam layer fixes it properly.
Garages, shops and outbuildings
Makes a heated shop practical to keep warm.
Agricultural and pole buildings
Continuous coverage over steel, wood or irregular framing.
New construction
Sprayed before drywall, foam gives you a documented, code-ready envelope with no gaps to inspect around.
Header spaces
In the basement and between floors — the gaps that are almost never sealed properly.
Doors and windows
Sealing the rough openings, where framing meets frame.
Pipes and ducts
Including underground runs.
Swimming pools, spas and hot tubs
Where heat loss and moisture are both working against you — we have insulated pools, hot tubs and a boat house.
Our process
How the job runs
- 1
Site assessment
We walk the space, measure the cavities, look for the actual air leaks and moisture problems, and tell you what the assembly needs.
- 2
Preparation and masking
Everything that should not be sprayed gets covered. Ventilation is set up before any foam is mixed.
- 3
Application
Foam is applied in controlled lifts at documented thicknesses by certified applicators.
- 4
Trim and inspection
Excess is trimmed flush, coverage is checked, and the work is left ready for the building inspector and the next trade.
- 5
Cleanup
We remove all masking and debris and leave the space clean. That is the part customers mention most in our reviews.
Why us
Why choose Barrie Insulation Systems
Straight recommendations
If a cheaper product will do the same job in your house, we will tell you. We would rather have the referral than the upsell.
Certified applicators
Spray foam is installed under CAN/ULC-S705.2 by certified applicators — not by whoever was available that morning.
Clean, tidy work sites
The thing our customers mention most in their reviews. Floors protected, debris hauled out, space left ready for the next trade.
Four systems, one contractor
Spray foam, BIBS, batt and removal under one roof, so the quote is for the right product in each area of your house.
Local and accountable
Based in Barrie, working across Simcoe County and the Kawartha Lakes area for more than 15 years.
Free, no-obligation quotes
We come out, look at the actual building, and give you a written price.
What customers say
Spray foam customers most often mention the tidy work site and the crew explaining what they were doing. 15 five-star reviews on Google.
Just finished a project with Peter and team on our home. An area of our home was discovered to be un-insulated. Peter consulted with us and in a very timing manner solved our issue. The team did a great job, very personable and a pleasure to work with. Spray foam can be messy, not for the team at Barrie Insulation. Arrived, completed the job and even scraped the area's where over spray occurred. Highly recommend this team - True professionals.
These guys provided a very reasonable quote for some spray foam and blown in insulation, went above and beyond to get it done on our timeline (including working on a Saturday), billed according to the estimate and were great throughout the process. Very happy with their work and would definitely recommend them to others.
Spray Foam Insulation — frequently asked questions
Is spray foam safe once it is installed?
Yes. Cured polyurethane foam is an inert plastic. The precautions belong to the installation itself — the space is ventilated, the crew wears supplied-air respirators, and occupants stay out during application and for the manufacturer's stated re-entry period. We tell you the re-entry time for your job before we start.
Do I have to leave my house while you spray?
For most jobs you need to be out of the work area during application and until the re-entry period has passed. For a basement or attic on an occupied house we schedule it so you are typically back in the same day. We confirm the timing with you in advance.
Does spray foam need to be covered?
Yes — the Ontario Building Code requires spray foam in occupied spaces to be covered by a thermal barrier such as drywall, or by an approved coating where drywall is not practical. We flag exactly what your space requires as part of the quote, so nothing is a surprise at inspection.
Open-cell or closed-cell — what is the difference?
Closed-cell is denser and rigid: higher R-value per inch, acts as a vapour retarder, adds stiffness. Open-cell is lighter and softer, costs less per board foot, and is vapour-permeable, so it is used in different assemblies. We install closed-cell for the applications above and will tell you if your project is a candidate for something else.
Will spray foam actually lower my heating bill?
Air sealing is where the savings come from, and it is the thing most Barrie-area homes are missing. How much you save depends on how leaky the house is now, the fuel you heat with and how you run the thermostat — so we would rather look at your house than quote you a number from a brochure.
Can you spray over existing insulation?
Sometimes, but usually not in an attic — old, contaminated or wet insulation should come out first so the foam bonds to a clean substrate and the deficiencies underneath get fixed. That is why we also do vacuum removal.
Other services
Spray Today, Save Tomorrow
Get a free, no-obligation quote
Tell us what the building is doing and we will come out, get into the space and give you a straight answer in writing.
- Free, no-obligation quote
- Straight answers on what your home actually needs
- Licensed, insured and certified applicators