Also in mid-morning, the insulation guys showed up to insulate the guest cottage. Getting them here has been like pulling teeth and it is costing much more than the original estimate; but we have to put in this insulation, because we decided not to have AC based on its high R-factor (higher R-factor, better insulation).

This type of insulation is used all over the country in cold areas, but in our area is hard to find and expensive. Also, this is the soy-based version, which is more “green” than the petroleum-based version, and of course, more expensive.

The installers quickly covered the floor with plastic sheeting.

This superior insulation is supposedly completely inert once it is installed—in other words, does not off-gas, does not smell, does not create dust or anything else. Also, because they put it on the underside of the roof, rather than the floor of the attic, the whole building is insulated, so you do not have a hot attic space above you on a hot day.

Since we are ready to drywall the cottage, their timing could not have been better.

Here you see the installer hooking up hoses to their pump truck to spray in the insulation.

I couldn’t take pictures while they were spraying, because the foam gives off terrific fumes, but here it is when it is finished.

They use a hose with a nozzle to spray it on and it swells up to fill in all the space between the studs.

Here it is on the underside of the roof, completely encasing the ducting underneath.

Here is a close-up view of the foam when dry.

Once the foam is dry and the building aired out, the crew comes back in to take off the excess.

Here is one of the crew with a giant saws-all (a type of saw with a long, whippy blade) cutting off any foam extending beyond the studs. He shaves it down like cutting a hedge.