Wall insulation with polystyrene
Most people appreciate this insulation for its low cost and ease of installation. After all, to fasten the slabs, you don’t have to use guides; you need to glue the material to the wall surface and secure it with special dowels. However, before you start glueing, you must prepare the walls nicely. Insulation Sydney offers comprehensive house insulation services.
They must be cleaned of dust, lime, dirt, traces of grease, and oil paint. Upon completion of installation work, care must be taken to protect the thermal insulation material from water vapour. To do this, the material’s surface is covered with a layer of plaster with water-repellent properties. Then, staining is carried out.
Advantages of expanded polystyrene
- lightweight;
- low vapour permeability;
- ease of installation;
- low price;
- ease of use;
Disadvantages of polystyrene foam
- The main problem of this insulation is flammability. Although polystyrene foam is considered a self-extinguishing material, it is dangerous because it releases toxic substances that are hazardous to human health during combustion. In addition, the insulation is unstable to the action of some chemicals, particularly organic solvents.
- low sound insulation properties;
- the presence of cracks that need to be sealed with expensive materials;
- low strength;
- changes in characteristics during operation.
There is also the possibility of infection with fungal spores, which are attractive to rodents, birds, and insects.
Insulation of the facade with polyurethane foam
Rigid polyurethane foam is a modern insulation material with a closed-cell structure. It is sprayed onto walls using high-pressure equipment. When the material hardens, a film forms on its surface. It protects polyurethane and prevents moisture from penetrating inside. The thermal insulation characteristics of this material are the best among all insulation materials so it can be applied in a thinner layer.
It is enough to spray 5 cm of polyurethane foam to insulate the facade from the outside properly. In this case, the thickness of the polystyrene foam layer would be 10-15 cm, and the mineral wool layer would be as much as 15-20 cm. The difference is all the more significant if we remember that mineral wool weighs a lot. Polyurethane foam, on the contrary, is very light; it does not overload the supporting structures.
Advantages of polyurethane foam
Before applying polyurethane foam, there is no need to prepare the walls specially; it is enough to clean them of dust and grease. Spraying work is carried out relatively quickly while the material is applied layer by layer. The thickness of each layer is no more than 2 cm.
Advantages of polyurethane foam:
high adhesion;no seams or gaps;
lightweight;
excellent sound, heat and waterproofing properties;
long service life (30-50 years);
resistance to fungi, mould, bacteria;
environmental friendliness and safety;
unattractive to insects, rodents and birds.
Disadvantages of PPU
Polyurethane foam must be protected from sunlight because it is not UV resistant. When performing external work, it is necessary to either apply unique protective compounds to the surface of the polyurethane foam or cover the facade with slabs. In the second case, you need to install guides, which will lead to the appearance of cold bridges, as in the case of installing mineral wool slabs.
Polyurethane foam is a self-extinguishing material, but there is one caveat: if the material gets into an open flame, combustion begins, and toxic substances are released. To prevent this, you must use a special fire-resistant paint that protects the polyurethane foam and prevents possible explosion.
Conclusions
PPU is the best insulation for walls; it is ahead of competitors in terms of characteristics, ease of installation and time spent on work. The material has disadvantages but can be easily eliminated by applying protective measures.
