R-Valued Homes

More than 600 R-Valued Homes have been built in over 100 Native Villages throughout Alaska! SIPs are an acronym for Structural Insulated Panels. Structural panels are typically two layers of structural sheathing (skins) separated by an insulated core. The most common skin material used is oriented strand board (OSB). Typically most SIPs are fabrica... ted with two types of foam cores: polyurethane (PUR) and expanded polystyrene (EPS). Structural grade adhesives should be used to bind the skins to the foam core. Poor adhesive qualities can cause panel failure. SIPs replace the standard stud/insulation/sheathing wall system. What type of foam is used for R-Valued Homes? RVH SIPs are manufactured with a specific mixture of resin and isocyanates polyurethane (PUR). This manufacturing process creates one of the highest insulating R-value per inch of all the commercially available products on the market. PUR foam maximizes efficiency, space usage and reduces heating and cooling costs by up to 50%. Polyurethane foam was originally developed as a replacement for rubber and dates back to the beginning of World War II. Today, PUR foams can be found in virtually everything we touch, from footwear and clothes to upholstered furniture. What applications are PUR SIPs used? PUR SIPs are versatile and can be used for the total insulated building envelope including below-grade foundation and frost wall applications, insulated floors, walls, roofs, and cantilevered soffits.Read More