Spray Foam Insulating the PEX

Well, it is the final week of Bow season in eastern PA, and the bucks are running around like idiots trying to "Hook-up". I had to make a choice hunt or check items off the GARN Install list. I chose to do a little of both.

The PEX requires waterproof insulation in the trench, so after some research, and recommendations from a fellow GARN enthusiast Jim K. I chose to spray foam my PEX lines. The contractor, Terry, of Spray Foam Insulators in Tannersville,PA did a great job.

We had everything ready, with foam board down the entire length of the PEX andTar paper underneath the tubing. All he had to do is connect his sprayer to the 220V line in the barn, and he was up and running. The sprayer sprays the 2-part liquid at approximately 120F and on contact with air and the surface it expand to 30X the liquid volume! The foam hardens in about 10 Seconds and is completely waterproof,airtight and soild as a rock.

Terry said he spayed approximately an R-30 coating. That is far better then any pre-fab insulated PEX you will find on the market. The cost of the spray foam was roughly $6/foot, and the PEX was $2.90/foot, or $5.80/foot for supply and return. So our cost for the complete job worked out to $12/foot for dual PEX insulated. Significantly cheaper with a higher R value than any pre fab solution on the market. Time will tell, but I feel this is the best way to do this phase of the job. After we are up in running the tru test will be if there is any temperature drop from the GARN BARN to the house. The goal is 1 degree or less.