Top 5 Reasons for Choosing Halo vs. Other Foam Board Insulation

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Are you wondering which rigid insulation product to pick for your next project? In the post below, we’ll show you the top 5 reasons you should choose Halo over leading EPS or XPS brands.

Spoiler alert: It all comes down to Halo’s Neopor 5300 Plus Graphite Polystyrene (GPS) foam core and the various types of laminate used to protect it. Read on to learn more!

#1. Halo Products are Engineered for Specific Applications

Unlike most foam board insulation products, which are used indiscriminately for a range of applications, each of Halo’s product lines is designed for a specific use. This means that each panel type is tailored to meet use-specific demands.

Here’s a breakdown of Halo’s product lines and their applications:

Halo Interra — Interra is explicitly designed to insulate the interior face of a wall assembly. It features a reflective laminate layer, which serves as an integral vapor barrier and can reflect heat into the building as long as a sufficient air gap is provided.

In the US, Halo’s Interra may be used as a compliant thermal barrier, too — meaning you don’t need additional thermal or ignition barriers, such as drywall.

Halo Exterra — Exterra is engineered for use on the exterior face of a wall. Its perforated laminate layer is breathable, allowing vapor to escape from the wall cavity to the outdoors.

Despite its breathability, Exterra serves as a code-compliant water-resistive barrier. And since it can keep water away from the wall cavity, you don’t need any additional house wrap when using Exterra.

Halo Subterra and Subterra Plus — Subterra and Subterra Plus are both designed for below-grade applications. They may be used beneath a slab or to insulate the exterior side of foundation walls.

Apart from the high R-Values these boards share with Interra and Exterra, Subterra panels also offer superb durability and waterproofing protection, thanks to their robust laminate layer.

What’s more, Subterra Plus has been shown to have 7 times more resistance to Radon than the 6 mil poly, which is traditionally used as a Radon barrier.

Each Halo product is designed perfectly for it's specific application.

#2. Halo’s Foam Board Has Higher R-Values Than Regular Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Foam Board Insulation.

Halo’s foam board has higher thermal resistance than equivalent EPS products due to its Graphite Polystyrene composition. While EPS boards typically offer an R-Value of R-4 per inch, Halo’s GPS affords R-5 per nominal inch (1.06”); that’s an advantage of 18% over EPS foam.

#3. Halo’s GPS Is More Vapor Permeable Than XPS and Polyiso

Halo’s GPS is more permeable than its XPS and Polyiso counterparts, and this feature gives it better long-term thermal performance.

While XPS and Polyiso are considered impermeable, measuring less than a single Perm per the Building Code, Halo’s GPS is classified as permeable, with 1.34 Perms.

This means that GPS allows moisture to drain quickly, resulting in better long-term R-Values. This is because air is a much better insulator than water, so when an insulation product becomes soaked, its ability to resist heat transfer drops dramatically.

The faster an insulation board can shed water, the better it will block heat.

On top of the enhanced thermal performance, Halo’s permeability allows its products — like Exterra — to dry a wall assembly by letting vapor escape to the outside.

#4. GPS Contains Less Embodied Carbon

The GPS foam cores used in Halo’s insulation have the lowest embodied carbon of all rigid foam board products on the market. In fact, GPS foam packs approximately 24% less embodied carbon than EPS equivalents and up to a staggering 16 times less than leading XPS brands.

This is great news, whether you’re concerned for the planet and want to lower your buildings’ carbon footprint or are trying to hit a LEED credit.

Embodied Carbon in Halo vs. NGX
Embodied Carbon in Halo vs. NGX

#5. Halo’s Foam Board Insulation is More Durable Than XPS

All of Halo’s insulation products are shielded against damage by their laminate layers. In the case of Subterra and Subterra Plus, this layer is extra tough — designed specifically to resist damage on job sites. Despite the robust outer layers, however, Halo’s foam board is also incredibly flexible, which also helps prevent breakage. The same can’t be said for XPS, which is known to sustain more damage on the jobsite.

Wrapping It Up

Halo’s foam board offers 5 distinct advantages over other types of rigid insulation, such as XPS, Polyiso, and even EPS. By opting to use Halo’s GPS foam boards, you get:

  1. An insulation product that’s optimized for specific applications
  2. 18% more R-Value than EPS
  3. Enhanced ability to drain moisture and preserve long-term R-Values
  4. Lower embodied carbon content
  5. Robust job site durability

Apart from the above, Halo’s products are pretty easy to handle and install and have been proven to perform well in harsh climates.

By Feb 07, 2022
About the author:
President, Logix Brands Ltd.