Spray Foam Insulation in Mexico Beach, FL

Spray Foam Insulation in Mexico Beach is mostly new-construction and rebuild work. Hurricane Michael made landfall here just before 1 p.m. on October 10, 2018, the first Category 5 hurricane to hit the United States since Andrew in 1992, with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph. Wikipedia says nearly all homes in Mexico Beach were totally destroyed. NWS Tallahassee reports 9 to 14 feet of peak storm surge inundation from Mexico Beach to Indian Pass. The town that stands now is largely new.

A smaller, newer town

Mexico Beach was founded in 1946 and incorporated in 1967. It had 1,072 residents in the 2010 census and 916 in 2020, a 14.6% drop, and the 2010 census had counted 1,852 housing units, many of them second homes and rentals. The homes going up now are generally raised, built to current codes, and designed for a mix of full-time living and rental use.

Getting new homes right

New construction has to meet Florida's 2023 energy code, which lists R-38 for ceilings and R-13 for wood-frame walls in Climate Zone 2 and requires a blower door test showing no more than seven air changes per hour at 50 pascals in Zones 1 and 2. Spray foam helps builders and owners hit that air-tightness number. Open-cell foam on the roof deck creates a sealed attic for the air handler and ducts; closed-cell under raised floors seals the underside of the house against humid air and salt.

Raised floors

Most new homes here sit well off the ground. Their floors are exposed to wind-driven humidity from below. Closed-cell foam bonded to the subfloor is the most durable insulation for that spot, with no batts to sag and no wire hangers to rust. Where foam is exposed below the house, we follow the product's requirements for protection.

Rentals and second homes

Many rebuilt homes are rentals. Sealed attics and foamed floors cut humidity in the house between guests and deaden outside noise. We plan foam work around rental calendars, since the house needs to be empty for at least a day while the foam cures.

Building with the next storm in mind

Owners rebuilding here are thinking about the next storm as much as the summer heat. Insulation does not replace roof attachment, impact-rated openings or proper elevation, which are what Florida's building code relies on for wind and flood. What it can do is keep the inside of the house dry and comfortable when the house is sealed up. In a new raised home, foam on the roof deck and under the floor creates an air-tight shell that also limits how much wind-driven humidity gets into the framing day to day.

If you are building now, the best time to plan insulation is before the drywall goes up, so we can coordinate with the framer and the HVAC installer on where the ducts will run.

Building or finishing a home in Mexico Beach? Call (850) 788-8628 or use the form to get the insulation priced in writing.