What You Should Ask Your Roofer?
Is the Roof Insulation’s R-Value Guaranteed?
Is it the BEST Value?
Many times Polyisocyanurate (Polyiso) roof insulation is specified because it comes standard in NDL (No Dollar Limit) Roof Warranties. No Dollar Limit Roof Warranties sound good but does it guarantee the R-value of the insulation? Would you be surprised if the answer is no, it doesn’t? This can provide a great “Value Engineering” opportunity for your project. NDL Roof warranties using Polyiso are not free. Some believe they are “overpriced extended warranties” that force you to buy all the components from one source, which in turn, drives up the cost of roofing. So ask your roofer what type of insulation he is using and then ask him to give you an option to use Engineered EPS from Plymouth Foam.
The technological advancement for Engineered EPS is truly amazing and the new research is showing why you should insist on using Engineered EPS Roofing Insulation on your project. The real secret is EPS is the best value in roofing. Not only is it less expensive, it is the best value in roof insulation for many reasons.
• EPS’s R-value stays consistent over the life of the product and we guarantee it!
• In cold weather, Polyiso’s R-value goes down, our Engineered EPS goes up.
• Safer product - no offgassing, no CFC OR HCFC and 100% recycable.
• Closed cell that resists moisture but has the ability to expel it faster.
• Compatible with other rigid insulations for mixed systems.
• Available in 12 various compressive strengths
Want to save money on a project? Ask your specifier to value engineer and use Plymouth Foam EPS. The saving will surprise you.
Need more help convincing the specifier that Plymouth Foam’s Engineered EPS is the best product? Ask us for our substitution package.
For more information contact us at
info@goplymouthfoam.com
EPS and the ENVIRONMENT: What are the Facts?
Plymouth Foam wants you to know the facts about Airpop® EPS so that you can sort through misconstrued information; looking at the environmental impact of any material requires considering all the facts. We need to look at how the material functions, what are the total energy costs to produce, and how the material is recycled.
Some people claim EPS is bad for the environment but they have not taken these facts into account:
- EPS is recyclable and recycling rates are climbing especially post-consumer recycling. Chemical recycling increases the ability to recycle contaminated EPS waste. There are more paper cups than EPS foam in landfills.
- Alternatives require more energy to produce, creating an even greater environmental impact. The American Chemistry Council sponsored a study showing the environmental cost of alternatives is 4 to 5 times more.
- EPS alternatives don’t function the same. You’ll see consumers “double-cup” hot coffee in paper cups or use an extra cardboard coffee sleeve. Businesses pay higher transportation costs for heavier packing materials that lack the same cushioning and impact resistance resulting in potential damage to the finished product. Perishable food would be wasted if not for the insulating benefits of EPS.
Contact Plymouth Foam when you need a collaborative solution for your delicate packaging and temperature sensitive storage solutions.
Contact GoPlymouthFoam for Construction questions or solutions.
Reprint from Plymouth Foam - July
Biodegradable versus Recyclable
Recyclable and biodegradable are two terms that can get confused. We’re here to help understand the difference.
Let’s start off with the term: recyclable. The definition from dictionary.com states…
Recyclable: to treat or process (used or waste materials) so as to make suitable for reuse.
YES! Our material EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) is made of 98% air and is an inert material without harmful chemicals that off-gas or leach during its use of disposal. EPS is 100% recyclable. Many EPS users do not know of it’s recycling capability.
By The Numbers (2016 Domestic EPS Recycling):
The EPS Industry Alliance shares Airpop® (EPS) packaging recycling stats.
- 63 million pounds Post-Consumer
- 55.7 million pounds Post-Industrial
Biodegradable: capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.
Biodegradable is a different concept. EPS breaks down slowly making it a non-viable biodegradable product. Common substances that are biodegradable include food scraps, cotton, wool, wood, human and animal waste.
Although EPS is not biodegradable, it can be recycled and reused. We are a proud industry supporter of this initiative in conjunction with our own sustainability efforts.
See our Video by clicking here!
Christmas is the Time of Giving and Recycling
I noticed this year, Home Depot is making a big deal out of trying to reduce EPS (“styrofoam”) out of some of they're packaging and just substituting other plastics. They think it is great, I think it is foolish. That new packaged Home Depot Christmas gift that doesn’t have EPS but cardboard and plastic, where does that packaging end up? After Christmas this year, look though people’s trash and you will discover that much of the paper and cardboard that can be recycled is not. Why? What did Home Depot gain?
Let’s talk about EPS for just a minute. There are recycling centers all over the US just for EPS. In fact, there are over 200 EPS collection centers and growing. Last year in 2016, over 118 million pound of EPS was recycled. That is a ton considering EPS doesn’t weigh that much as 98% of the product is air.
They say, Americans are lazy and we need stuff that is biodegradable to put in the landfills. They don’t think we are smart enough or motivated enough to recycle EPS. I think Americans are smart enough but we certainly could do a better job of educating the public on all these EPS recycling centers. We could do a better job of letting the public know that EPS is a resource rather than garbage. That EPS is 100% recyclable just like aluminum cans. We need to push our local municipalities to add Number 6 to our recycle bins. (Click on the Video below, it is really eye-opening.)
So this Holiday Season, I am adding to the phrase “Peace on Earth” to Peace on Earth and please recycle your EPS.
Learn More Plymouth Foam Recycle Center
Nation Wide Drop Off Centers
Video Recycling EPS
Plymouth Foam Takes on Recycle Challenge
What if you're a contractor and you want to recycle your foam? Plymouth Foam has a program to help with larger quantities of EPS Foam. (Learn More - How to) Plymouth Foam encourages recycling of construction EPS. "The biggest challenge is educating contractors on how to recycle foam."
Plymouth Foam is working on educating the public that EPS is "the Safe Insulation" and is 100% recyclable. In fact, in 2013 over 34% of post consumer EPS was recycled, that is over 127 million pounds. (Learn More about Why EPS is so Green)
Plymouth Foam Recycle Center
1800 Sunset Dr.
Plymouth, WI 53073