When you own a home, numerous weekend projects and home improvements come with the territory. Whether you're winterizing, preventing pests from bothering you, or making general improvements, there are some tools that are just always handy to have around. Flexible expanding foam is one of these all-purpose tools. You can use it for multiple applications, including the following.
Keep Out Pests
Insects and mice can get into your home through tiny holes around pipes, holes in the foundation, or holes in the walls. Some brands of flexible expanding polyurethane foam contain a pest repellant chemical. Filling small cracks and holes around your home with this type of foam will ensure that these pests cannot get into your home. Since mice and other rodents can spread disease, it makes good sense to keep them as far away from your home and family as possible.
Stop Drafts
Expanding foam is also great for stopping drafts around your home. If you regularly use a heating or cooling system, air leaking in from the outside can undermine its functionality. Keep your house comfortable and your energy bills low by using expanding foam to seal up cracks and holes. If you need to seal areas around doors and windows, look for foam that is labeled for this application. The all-purpose expanding foam may push the frame of the window out of place and make it more difficult to open and close.
Firm Up Fixtures
If you have a faucet, pipe, or shower fixture that is loose or a pipe that wiggles, expanding foam can act as a stabilizer. Use masking tape to hold the pipe where you'd like it to be, then carefully spray foam around it, encasing the pipe. This will secure the fixture in the place where it belongs, preventing it from wiggling. This will cut down on wear and tear and limit leaks around the fixture. If there's extra dried spray foam in the area, you can cut it off carefully with a utility knife and then sand the area. Spray foam is a great way to make complicated home repair tasks simpler, allowing you to fill cracks, close off holes, and keep items from moving. When you're working on sealing up your home and making everything work correctly, this is an item that you'll want to have around. The foam can be ordered online or you can purchase it at a home improvement store near you.
