Mount Airy, North Carolina -- NCFI's InsulStar closed-cell polyurethane spray foam has been used in the construction of new restaurant, Le Foret, in downtown New Orleans, which was left devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
A former 1800s-era cigar factory, the building is in the Central Business District at the corner of Camp and Common streets, and was insulated by Tobias Torjusen and his company Foamman Insulation.
Torjusen said that the entire building had to be super-insulated. "We needed to add structural strength, high R-value, noise abatement, and air and moisture barrier -- all in one product. Floors, ceilings, walls -- the entire envelope had to be spray foam insulation," he said in an NCFI release.
According to Torjusen, his team encountered challenges with crumbling bricks and mortar and filling cracks and crevices whilst trying to maintain the building's original doorways, beams and hardware.
"We have very high humidity here and up to 70 inches of rain per year, all of which affect the sustainability of the structures and the insulation within," Torjusen said, adding, "Closed-cell spray foam insulation is a moisture barrier that allows you to stop vapour drives which threaten to cause rot and mildew, which are quite prevalent here."
Torjusen also pointed out that using closed-cell insulation also blocks the infiltration of dust, pollen and other airborne pollutants, creating a tight seal around the building and providing a healthier living, working, and dining environment.
The Foamman team also used NCFI's Sealite open-cell spray foam to insulate between dining rooms, hallways, bathrooms, stairways and kitchen, to help reduce noise levels, the statement said.
Torjusen added that an NCFI team flew in for the start of the project to make sure things went smoothly and that the insulation was being applied correctly.
"We play as larger a role as our applicators and trade contractors need," said Nelson Clark, senior vice president of NCFI. "We consistently go above and beyond to prove that commitment. Sending in a technical team is the least we can do for Tobias, the owners of Le Foret, and our friends in the city of New Orleans," he added. (RD)
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