What's a rim joist, and why should you care? It's the band of framing that sits right on top of your foundation wall, running all the way around your home. Most houses in the Jonesboro and Trumann area have zero insulation there โ and in July, when it's 97 ยฐF outside, that gap is pumping heat straight into your floor system.
Rim joists are one of the most under-insulated spots in any home, yet they're also one of the easiest to fix. A two-part closed-cell spray foam kit hits R-6 to R-7 per inch, and most rim joist bays only need 2โ3 inches to meet or beat the IRC R402.2.1 requirement for Climate Zone 3 (that's us). Total material needed on a typical 1,500 SF ranch? Roughly 1.5โ2 board feet per linear foot of rim.
For a professionally sprayed job, expect to pay roughly $1.50โ$2.50 per square foot of rim joist face โ often $400โ$900 total for an average Northeast Arkansas home. That's a small number compared to the 10โ15% reduction in heating and cooling load that building science studies consistently show after air-sealing this zone.
DIY foam cans exist, but they foam out fast and leave gaps. A spray rig with proper tip pressure ensures full adhesion and no voids โ which is exactly where bugs and moisture sneak in during our humid Arkansas summers.
If your energy bill has been climbing and your attic already has plenty of insulation, the rim joist is the next logical place to look. It's a half-day job with payback in one to two heating seasons.
Reply or DM us for a free rim joist estimate โ we serve Jonesboro, Trumann, Paragould, and surrounding areas.