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Halo® rigid foam insulation board is perfectly designed for specific applications. From below grade to above ground, interior to exterior, Halo® covers it all. All Halo® products offer their own unique strengths that outperform typical insulation products while being mindful of your building costs.
So the next question is, how easy is it to switch from traditional XPS to Halo®? The answer is simple, the transition is a seamless process for most builders, but we do have a few tips and tricks to get you started.
Tips for Getting Started with Halo®
General Tips
- When starting with the Halo® Advanced Graphite Insulation System, it’s important to adjust your quantities as we manufacture this high-performance laminate in 4’x8’ sheets, rather than the traditional 2’x8’ size of XPS.
- When installing these flexible sheets, our installers typically prefer blue tuck tape over red tuck tape, as it generally has better adhesion to our laminates. Some Halo® manufacturing plants carry sheathing tapes that are extremely compatible with Halo® – contact your local Halo® plant for availability.
- During construction, care should be taken to protect the exposed foam from reflected sunlight or prolonged solar exposure on the jobsite. Excessive heat-build-up can damage the insulation.
With these tips in mind, we would like to share some of the specific features and tips that can help ease the switch from XPS, providing you the cost benefits and high-performance Halo® is known for.
Quick Tips for Working with INTERRA®
Halo® Interra® features a perfectly designed reflective laminate that, when taped, provides the interior vapor barrier. This eliminates the time and expense to install an additional layer of poly.
There is also the potential energy efficiency boost that can result from the reflective nature of Interra® ’s laminate, but to take advantage of that you need to create a dead air space, usually with 2’ x 4’ framing, and to preserve the dead air space you can’t insulate the openings in the framing with batt insulation.
Quick Tips for Working with EXTERRA®
Halo® Exterra® is rigid insulation that is both breathable and, when taped, a water-resistive barrier, making it the preferred barrier for exterior applications. So it’s important to keep in mind that when you elect to take advantage of Exterra’s water resistive properties, you do not need to install an additional layer of house wrap.
To enhance it’s breathability Exterra is made with a lower density foam than XPS panels typically have. This added breathability helps the wall cavity dry to the outside and stay healthier. Exterra’s lower density also reduces the amount of foam used and this also helps to keep costs down. However, for best results, installers should use 2-inch washers with screws to fasten the lower-density Exterra panels to their wall assemblies.
You’ll also find that Exterra® offers more flexibility and therefore easily conforms to radius walls, making installation easier, and minimizes the cracking and field cuts that you would typically experience with XPS.
Quick Tips for Working with SUBTERRA®
Halo® Subterra® is our incredibly strong and tough board for below-grade applications that also offers a built-in water-resistive barrier for foundation walls. Plus, when taped, Subterra can also act as the under-slab vapor barrier and so you will not have to install an extra layer of poly. This product delivers exceptional quality and durability
You should also find that Subterra® requires less leveling of stone needed before installation than you are used to, and this should save you time and money. Subterra® is also so durable that installers find the lack of breakage and taping directly translates into actual cost savings on the job site.
These are just a few of the tips and tricks our installers and manufacturers regularly use for top performance when starting with Halo® insulation products. You can find even more helpful information on transitioning from XPS, and the entire Halo® Advanced Graphite Insulation System by visiting BuildWithHalo.com.
Join our Build with Halo® Webcast
Building with Halo® means enjoying the benefit of working with world-class educational support and training for you and your team. Our regularly scheduled interactive webcasts provide a quick and comprehensive overview of the Halo® product line and include ample time for questions from the viewers. From these short webcasts, you will understand the unique performance properties of the various Halo® products and value they’ll add to your construction project.
Halo® is available in North America at better building material dealers — contact us at [email protected] to learn where and how to buy Halo® foam board insulation products.
Interra® – How to Insulate a Basement With Rigid Insulation
Exterra® – What Installers Are Saying About Exterra® as a Water-Resistive Barrier
Subterra® – How to Reduce Costs on the Job Site with Subterra® Plus
Share Your #BuildWithHalo
If you have an ongoing Halo® project, we want to share how our rigid insulation board supports your builds! Please share your projects with us by using #BuildWithHalo and by tagging @LogixBrands.
