By Christine Graf<\/p>\n
With locations in Warrensburg and Niskayuna, North East Spray Foam has been meeting the insulation needs of Capital Region customers for more than two decades. Owner Geoff Konis also operates North East Underlayment, a concrete repair company that has been in business for 40 years, conducting business in 30 states.<\/p>\n
Konis got into the spray foam business after hiring a company to install the product in his late 1800s-era home in North Creek.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI hired someone to insulate my very old home with spray foam, and I was so impressed with the product and so disappointed in the customer service that I started to pursue the idea of starting the business,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cPolyurethane spray foam is one of the most efficient ways to insulate homes from heat and cold. It is very widely used in residential construction and commercial construction as well as in multi-family housing\u2014apartments and condos. It can also be used to improve aging structures, making them more energy efficient,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n North East Spray Foam manufactures their product by combining chemicals in one of five mobile facilities, climate controlled trailers that are taken to job sites. Inside the trailers, chemicals are combined at the proper temperature and pressure using specialized equipment. Immediately after the foam is manufactured, it is transported down a high-pressure hose. An application gun located at the end of the hose is used to dispense the foam.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span>Applied in liquid form, once applied the foam expands and hardens to form a rigid layer of insulation. It is particularly effective at filling spaces that are irregularly shaped as well as small gaps, holes, and cracks. As much as 40 percent of a home\u2019s energy is lost when air escapes through uninsulated gaps, holes and cracks, and the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association estimates that 90 percent of U.S. homes are under-insulated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n According to the American Chemistry Council, homes and buildings equipped with spray polyurethane foam utilize less energy, helping to create a less carbon-dependent society and supporting the fight against climate change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Homeowners who choose to have spray polyurethane foam installed in their homes may also\u00a0qualify for tax credits and rebates from local and federal agencies.<\/p>\n Because improperly installed spray foam can cause swelling or sagging in walls, it should be applied by professionals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe applicators have a very difficult job, and they have to be well seasoned to do the task at hand,\u201d said Konis. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of training, and we take the time and make the investment to train our employees. It takes a person about a year to become familiar enough with the process to be able to do good, clean, safe work.\u201d<\/p>\n Although Konis said the job pays \u201cabout twice the average household income,\u201d his company is struggling to find employees.<\/p>\n \u201cLike many businesses, we are suffering with labor shortages,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n According to industry estimates, spray foam insulation costs for homeowners range from $1,409 to $4,145, with the national average being $2,756.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s incredibly difficult to put a number on it without doing an extensive evaluation of the structure,\u201d said Konis. \u201cWe have two full-time estimators who go out and do estimates and help customers make decisions on what they can do to make their homes more comfortable and to save energy.\u201d<\/p>\n North East Spray Foam services customers within a 100-mile radius around Warrensburg and Albany.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For more information or to receive a free estimate, visit www.northeastsprayfoam.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Christine Graf With locations in Warrensburg and Niskayuna, North East Spray Foam has been meeting the insulation needs of Capital Region customers for more than two decades. Owner Geoff Konis also operates North East Underlayment, a concrete repair company that has been in business for 40 years, conducting business in 30 states. Konis got […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-home-energy"],"yoast_head":"\r\n