Polystyrene foam is one of the most suitable materials with which you can perform insulation. wooden house both inside and outside.
The resulting sheathing will provide a high level of insulation, and, if necessary, it can be sheathed on the inside with plasterboard.
House insulated with polyurethane
1 Features of foam plastic as a material for insulation
The foam is presented in the form of gas-filled plastic, painted in White color, which has low weight and low density indicators.
Before you insulate your home with polystyrene foam and cover the wall of a wooden house from the outside or inside with plasterboard, you should familiarize yourself with the basic characteristics of polystyrene foam.
Decorating the walls with this material will allow the walls to gain good soundproofing characteristics. After this, the wall can be covered with plasterboard.
If you correctly line the wall of a wooden house with foam plastic from the outside, or better yet from the inside, then the insulation will be quite effective and reliable.
In addition, reviews of the presented insulation material are mostly positive.
Polystyrene foam is an almost moisture-proof material, so sheathing, insulation and finishing using it from the inside or outside wooden structure must be carried out correctly.
Otherwise, when insulating the walls from the inside (and subsequent covering with plasterboard), condensation may accumulate in the room, which will lead to an increase in the humidity level.
Innovative insulation - Barlight panels
In such a situation, it is better to think in advance about what kind of waterproofing can be used. For example, it would be correct to sheathe the outside of the wall with plasterboard.
1.1 Advantages and disadvantages
It is best to insulate a wooden house from the outside. However, in some cases it is impossible to carry out insulation in this way.
Finishing the insulated surface from the outside is also unacceptable. Good feedback indicate that insulation interior walls The construction of apartments using polystyrene foam is beginning to become increasingly popular among city apartment owners.
Installation work using such insulation can be initiated at any time of the year.
For this you will not need special tools and construction scaffolds. If necessary, it will be possible to selectively insulate living rooms with polystyrene foam.
1.2 Is it worth insulating a house with polystyrene foam from the inside?
Insulating walls with any material from the inside is not recommended by some experts. Insulation with foam plastic is also extremely undesirable in some situations. The fact is that foamed polystyrene has a number of disadvantages.
It is flammable and when it burns, toxic substances are released into the air, which pose a danger to human life and health.
Some residents, when insulating the inner surface of the walls with foam plastic, began to observe the appearance of condensation on them.
In addition, if you decide to insulate the walls with such material, you will need to make sure that a special vapor barrier layer is created.
When insulating with this material on inner dimensions premises are significantly reduced. However, all these consequences can be eliminated by initial stages their occurrence, and therefore we can assume that polystyrene foam is completely suitable material in order to use it to produce internal insulation.
In order to prevent accidental fire, all requirements must be carefully followed. fire safety in interior spaces.
The flammability group is almost always indicated on the product label, and you can also check it yourself.
To do this, you just need to set fire to a piece of polystyrene foam, and if it burns intensely and drips, then its flammability level will be quite high. If it goes out in a draft or wind, then the degree of flammability will be lower.
When condensation occurs, the walls become damp and, with a high degree of probability, mold may appear.
In order to avoid this, you need to identify the location of the dew point. Typically, this is the area where cold meets heat, and therefore condensation forms there.
It is necessary to ensure that the dew point does not appear in the space between the insulation and the wall. To avoid this, the insulation is installed close to the wall, and there should be no gaps or gaps.
If a vapor barrier is used, it will be necessary to ensure ventilation inside the room. It must be of a forced type.
In this case, between the layer vapor barrier material and with insulation you need to form a gap, represented in the form of a ventilation gap.
In this case, there will be no increased air humidity in the apartment. In most cases, when insulating walls with polystyrene foam, a material is used whose layer thickness is on average 2 centimeters.
Then the area of the interior will be reduced slightly. It follows from this that insulating a house with polystyrene foam is quite feasible.
The cost of the presented material is quite reasonable, the low weight of the product makes installation work easy. Almost anyone can insulate walls with this material.
2 Reviews
As mentioned above, reviews of the presented insulation are mostly positive.
Anton, 43 years old, Voronezh:
Before the onset of winter, I decided to insulate the balcony with polystyrene foam, since my apartment is corner and is located on the windy side. Used standard slabs and that's all installation work did it myself. Now the apartment is reliably insulated. The material is excellent and I now recommend it to everyone. It was recommended to me.
Vladimir, 36 years old, Khabarovsk:
I have been selling building materials and insulation for quite some time. Styrofoam always sells out very quickly, and many customers ask for more. Excellent insulation.
Alexander, 55 years old, Ufa:
I've been living in a private house for many years, but here's mine heating system started working intermittently. I didn’t have the money to repair or replace it, but I decided to insulate the walls using polystyrene foam. Now the temperature in the house in winter began to remain high. I am very pleased with this insulation.
2.1 How to cover walls with foam plastic?
Despite the fact that such construction works they do not differ high level complexity, they are associated with a number of their subtleties.
In any case, like any of the thermal insulation methods used, this one should also begin with the stage of processing and preparing the inner surface of the walls.
If the walls of the house are built of brick, then they need to be mandatory plaster.
If the house is built of concrete blocks, this work need not be carried out. After the putty has completely dried, the walls must be primed.
After this is carried out finishing and leveling with putty. For this purpose, it is best to use vertical plumbs.
Thus, the process of preparing walls consists of several stages that successively replace each other.
- The walls are cleaned of old coating and facing materials.
- Surface defects (chips, gouges, cracks) are looked for in the wall.
- Defects are eliminated using plaster or putty.
- Final alignment is performed.
Particularly large cracks can be repaired using polyurethane foam. After the surface of the walls becomes sufficiently smooth, they will need to be subjected to additional primer again.
2.2 How to install insulation?
In order to install polystyrene foam, you will need a number of umbrella dowels equipped with parachute-shaped caps.
In order to begin installing foam plastic in the form of slabs, you will need mastic, which is presented in the form of a special glue.
It should be applied to the corners of the slab in small quantities or applied evenly to all edges.
In most cases, one layer of insulation can reliably protect a house from the cold.
Sometimes during installation the glue is supplemented with special fasteners mechanical type. For this purpose, umbrella dowels equipped with a wide cap are used. They need to be used a few days after the foam is glued to the wall.
That is adhesive composition must dry completely. It is important to remember that laying foam boards should be done from the bottom up.
In this case, each individual sheet must adhere to the adjacent one with the maximum degree of density.
The slabs must be laid out in a checkerboard pattern. After wall covering Styrofoam will do Towards its completion, you will need to start processing the seams. In those joints that will be deep, additional strips of heat-insulating material must be placed using glue.
Small and unnoticeable cracks can be sealed using regular polyurethane foam. It goes well with foam.
Remaining foam can be carefully cut off construction knife and rub with fine sandpaper. As waterproofing material The most ordinary film made using polyethylene can be used.
In order to strengthen internal structure walls and increase their reliability, you can reinforce them. To do this, you need to install a mesh made of fiberglass on the insulated surface.
2.3 How to insulate a house wall from the inside with polystyrene foam? (video)
Many people have encountered the problem of insulating an apartment or private house. There are a lot of materials suitable for this, but the use of polystyrene foam is considered the most popular due to its low price and good characteristics insulation.
Advantages and disadvantages of the material
Before you buy required quantity polystyrene foam for insulation, you need to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of this material. The advantages of polystyrene foam include:
- Light weight. Polystyrene foam is produced by foaming and cooling a substance such as polystyrene. Due to the fact that the final composition of polystyrene foam contains only 2% polystyrene, and 98% are gas bubbles, it can be called one of the lightest materials. Even a child can easily lift large insulation boards.
- Simplicity of cutting and installation, thanks to which even non-specialists can work with polystyrene foam construction industry.
- Direct resistance sun rays, temperature changes, frost, high atmospheric pressure. This makes the insulation so popular.
- Heat capacity. Polystyrene foam is characterized by low thermal pressure.
- The material is characterized by high-quality sound insulation from impact noise.
- This insulation is considered fireproof - yes, it will not be able to extinguish the flame, but it will extinguish it.
- Long service life when installed correctly.
- Resistance to some chemicals.
- Environmental safety - the foam does not contain any chemical compounds, which makes it very safe for those living in the house.
- Low cost of polystyrene foam. Price is most often the determining factor, and therefore the low cost of polystyrene foam makes it one of the most popular materials.
But it is worth remembering about the shortcomings that everyone has building material. If we talk about this material, its disadvantages include:
- Low mechanical strength. This means that after installation you will have to additionally protect the insulation from damage.
- Foam boards practically do not allow air to pass through.
- The material quickly deteriorates when exposed to paint and varnish solutions and nitro paints.
Polystyrene foam as insulation – where and how?
This material It is used very widely in the construction industry. We will talk about how to carry out insulation using this material, having considered everything possible options. For example, walls are insulated with polystyrene foam, both external and internal. If we talk about external insulation, then in this case it is possible to move the largest part of the freezing to external walls, so that the cold will not penetrate into the room. But here it is important to put a layer of plaster on top of the insulation - this will protect the material from damage.
The use of polystyrene foam is also possible for. In this case, it is best to use the material in apartments, since foam plastic reduces noise when walking. But here you need slabs, the thickness of which should be 0.5 m. The insulation process is simple: we put foam plastic on top of the insulating layer, treat the seams with sealant and fill it with screed on top. Also carried out. IN in this case insulation depends on which method you prefer. If we are talking about an unventilated roof, then the entire roof is covered with slabs of material, and bitumen is poured on top of them. When choosing a ventilated roof, insulation boards are mounted on the back of the roof, leaving a ventilated surface to prevent the appearance of water vapor.
Construction foam is also used for thermal insulation of foundations. It is worth noting that foundation insulation using foam boards requires additional protection.
What do you need to remember about polystyrene foam and insulation with it?
First of all, do not forget that polystyrene foam is one of the favorite delicacies of rodents - their attacks can lead to rapid destruction of the insulation. To prevent this from happening, be sure to cover the foam with a layer of plaster. It is best to use the “Bark Beetle” mixture, which is also characterized by excellent aesthetic properties and protection from direct sunlight.
Advantages and disadvantages. An increasing number of homeowners, frightened by heating bills, decide to insulate their homes and choose polystyrene foam as a thermal insulator.
– pros and cons, how not to make a mistake in choosing, the article is devoted to these issues.
Let us stipulate right away: polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam are produced from the same raw materials, but this different materials. Polystyrene foam is a fragile, flammable material that decomposes in light and cannot withstand mechanical loads and is intended for packaging. For insulation, polystyrene foam is used - a denser material with completely different characteristics, but in common parlance both materials are called the same, which often leads to confusion.
The production process of foamed organic substance styrene is a technical development of the American concern BASF in 1951. The insulation, called “styrofoam,” consisted of 98% air filling a cellular foam base. The material was characterized by low thermal conductivity, low water absorption and vapor permeability.
As a result of improvements in technology, extruded polystyrene foam appeared - self-extinguishing foam. Their main difference is in the structure of the cells: expanded polystyrene has an open structure, while extruded material has a closed structure, due to which water absorption is reduced and fire resistance is increased.
The quality and technical characteristics of foam plastics in Russia are declared by GOST 15588-2014 “Heat-insulating polystyrene foam boards. Specifications" To insulate walls in a system with an external plaster layer, in accordance with this document, it is necessary to use polystyrene foam marked F - facade.
The letter G in the marking of the plates indicates the content of graphite in the composition, which gives lower thermal conductivity and colors the material in the mass in a silver-black color.
We are for it"!
This is what people who have recently insulated their house with polystyrene foam say. Indeed, the material has a lot of positive qualities:
- Low weight.
- Low thermal conductivity.
- Excellent noise absorption performance.
- Self-extinguishing property.
- Ease of use.
- Low cost.
Yes, indeed, polystyrene foam is second only to polyurethane foam in thermal conductivity, volume weight slabs from 10 to 50 kg per 1 m3, while the best materials from mineral wool it starts at 30-35kg/m3, has excellent noise reduction and fades out in 1 second, and can be used by any homeowner.
And we are “against”
This is what people say who have insulated a house without taking into account the specifics of the material. Let's list negative qualities material:
- Low vapor permeability.
- High water absorption.
- Low resistance to mechanical damage.
- Instability to light.
- Rodents love it.
Due to low vapor permeability, it is undesirable to use this material to insulate the outside of a wooden house - without installing two ventilated gaps, which is difficult and time-consuming. A moisture absorption of 4% with low quality work will ensure that the material gets wet and loses its heat-insulating qualities after 2 seasons.
When insulating as part of a light plaster system, any accidental impact can lead to the destruction of the protective layer, and the exposed foam plastic simply crumbles under the influence of sunlight. And finally, the last thing: mice prefer this material for making nests in the thickness of the insulation - it’s warm, it’s easy to gnaw through passages.
In wet plaster systems, metal protects against rodent infestation. perforated corner- a starting profile, but when installing a ventilated façade they easily overcome this obstacle.
Where to use polystyrene foam?
So why, despite everything negative qualities Is polystyrene foam popular? How to use best qualities material to make your home comfortable and reduce negativity to a minimum?
Let's consider. A little bit of thermal engineering in the tape: for the insulation system to work, it is necessary that the vapor permeability of the materials increases from the inside out, and the thermal conductivity of the materials, on the contrary, decreases.
That is, the material on the street side should have greater internal material, vapor permeability and lower heat transfer resistance coefficient.
Comparing the heat transfer resistance of building materials and polystyrene foam, we see that this indicator satisfies the requirement, but when comparing vapor permeability, it turns out that in the case of wood, the indicator of polystyrene foam is lower than that of wood, which means that the dew point will be at wooden structure, which will lead to condensation settling on it, getting wet and rotting.
When insulating a wooden house with polystyrene foam from the inside, the requirement is also not met, since the heat transfer resistance coefficient of wood is greater than that of insulation.
conclusions
Polystyrene foam is not suitable for insulation wooden houses, but will cope perfectly with the task of retaining heat with walls made of brick or light cellular concrete. When choosing an insulation system, it is better to choose a wet (plaster) system if the house is located near crop areas where voles are a common occurrence.
Taking into account everything said above and strictly following the manufacturers’ instructions when performing work, the use of polystyrene foam for insulation is justified and will last longer than the guaranteed 50 years.
Some authors of the Dom Praktika website have already written about how harmful polystyrene foam is or where it cannot be used. However, as an editor, over the last week I have received 4 (four) letters in the mail with reproaches that we are in vain considering this material so one-sidedly.
People write that polystyrene foam is very good as insulation, that it is cheap, and that it is indispensable in private construction. And in order to remain within the bounds of objectivity and present all points of view on our website, I asked two authors from Tver, Anatoly Rudenko And German Shevroshevich, write a full article in which foam plastic as insulation will be considered from all sides and in all respects.
Despite everything, polystyrene foam has every chance of remaining the “most popular” insulation material.
Properties of polystyrene foam as insulation - complete list
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is popularly called “foam plastic” - after the name of the Finnish company that supplied expanded polystyrene to the USSR. Just like “copier”, the name of the company over time was transformed into the name of the material and became a household name.
Currently, hundreds of companies produce foam plastic in Russia and abroad. Equipment for the production of foam plastic is cheap and does not require qualified work force for operation and maintenance.
Let us now consider the main properties of polystyrene foam as insulation:
- Foam is lightweight. This property of foam plastic allows it to be used for insulating light structures, such as facades on light foundations or floors in residential buildings under the screed. Polystyrene foam does not increase the weight of insulated structures at all, and this puts it in first place among all insulation materials when it is necessary to keep the weight of the structure the same or to avoid loading the structure.
- Polystyrene foam is flammable. This property negatively affects all areas of application of foam plastic as insulation. This is especially true for the use of EPS as insulation in ventilated facades. Where there is free access of air to the insulation, polystyrene foam cannot be used. However, in any closed design, such as the system wet facade, it is possible and necessary to use polystyrene foam as insulation - that’s where it belongs.
- Styrofoam is eaten by mice. What is true is true. Rodents love to make their nests in thick foam plastic. It is not uncommon to see, when dismantling basement insulation, entire mouse cities in polystyrene foam, with chambers for storing supplies and long passages between them. You should cover the foam from mice with a metal mesh with a fine mesh to eliminate this incident.
- Styrofoam is cheap. This gives this insulation a big head start over other effective insulation materials. In the conditions of Russian reality, when an individual developer is forced to save every ruble, the cost of insulation sometimes comes first, overshadowing the requirements for fire safety or environmental friendliness.
- The foam is warm. The thermal insulation properties of polystyrene foam are truly excellent. This is one of the most effective insulation materials with a thermal conductivity index of 0.03-0.05 W (m*C), which makes it possible to avoid minimal layer insulation for insulation of enclosing structures. In order to achieve the thermal resistance of enclosing structures required by the new SNiP, for example, for Moscow, you only need 150 mm of foam on the walls and 200 mm of foam on the floor and ceiling.
- Foam absorbs moisture. This property does not allow the use of foam plastic for insulation of pipes laid in the ground. There are other, more suitable heat insulators for this.
Let us now move on to the area of application of expanded polystyrene in modern private low-rise construction.
Polystyrene foam as basement insulation
It will not be possible to use polystyrene foam as basement insulation due to its hygroscopicity. As mentioned above, expanded polystyrene (EPS) absorbs moisture. At the same time, its thermal conductivity increases sharply, and its thermal insulation properties decrease significantly.
In addition, when the foam gets wet in the spring and autumn period, then when it freezes, the water between the foam balls turns into ice and breaks it. After the first cold season, wet polystyrene foam turns into dust - individual balls that do not retain heat.
Polystyrene foam as insulation for the basement of a house
But using polystyrene foam as base insulation is quite possible. In this case, the PPS is covered on top with a layer of plaster, which is applied to a mesh base. The foam is attached to the base using plastic fastenings"fungi" to which it is then attached metal grid with a fine cell from 0.6 to 0.8 cm.
Then plaster is applied over the mesh and mounted on it. decorative layer – wild stone, clinker bricks, facade tiles.
You can also use a metal profile for plaster to attach the foam to the base. But it is better to refuse to use the wooden block system. As practice shows, wooden blocks on concrete base the base begins to rot from below, moisture also gains access to the foam insulation. And rodents are beginning to show increased interest in such a base.
Foam plastic as insulation in a wet facade system
Let us immediately make a reservation that the use of polystyrene foam as insulation for the walls of a house is only possible in a wet facade system. The use of foam plastic in ventilated facades for any facade material prohibited - it is contrary to fire regulations.
Any stray spark from your or a neighboring area from a barbecue or chimney baths or houses can be brought into the ventilation gap by the air flow. There this spark can fall on an open or covered with film waterproofing foam. D.C air in the ventilation gap brings the oxygen required for the occurrence open fire and fanning the source of fire. This is how everyone is respected the necessary conditions for a fire to occur inside the ventilation façade, under the façade cladding. The house will burn “inside the walls”; fire crews arriving at the scene of the fire will not be able to help with such a spread of fire.
Polystyrene foam as insulation for exterior walls of a house - only in a wet façade system.
Thus, the place of foam plastic on the facade modern house– under a layer of plaster and decorative solid non-flammable coatings. When there is no access to open fire and oxygen, and there is no direct exposure to moisture, polystyrene foam as insulation exhibits its best properties - light weight, low thermal conductivity and reasonable cost.
Foam insulation of floors and ceilings
Insulating the floor and ceiling with polystyrene foam is only possible if the foam plastic is covered with a screed on top and a layer of concrete below. That is, The best way the use of polystyrene foam for insulation of floors or ceilings is insulation concrete floors in houses made of blocks, bricks or concrete.
Polystyrene foam as floor insulation - only under screed on concrete slabs.
When using this, it is important to protect the foam from moisture that may enter it from the screed. For this purpose, waterproofing is laid on both sides. There is no need to worry about water vapor from the room in such a cake, since concrete has very low vapor permeability.
Where polystyrene foam cannot be used as insulation
It is not at all worthwhile to insulate the following parts of the house with polystyrene foam:
- You cannot use polystyrene foam as insulation in the attic of a house, when laying insulation between rafters or when covering wooden rafter system. This goes against fire regulations when constructing residential premises.
- Expanded polystyrene cannot be used when insulating a bathhouse, since when heated to 90 degrees and high humidity you will receive the emission of styrene into the interior of the bathhouse. And if you also take into account that polystyrene foam burns excellently, emitting greasy black and very poisonous smoke, then think for yourself whether you need such insulation in your bathhouse.
- It is dangerous to use polystyrene foam when insulating rooms from the inside, when a system of metal or wooden profiles and subsequent plating decorative materials. The only acceptable option when insulating with foam plastic from the inside is to cover it with a layer of plaster and then decorative finishing plaster.
- You should not insulate window slopes from the inside with polystyrene foam - use better than polyurethane foam. This material is more suitable for insulating residential premises from the inside.
The problem of insulating a private house or apartment has always had to be solved, while effective ways arose only after the advent of such building materials as polystyrene foam. Insulating the ceiling, floor and walls with its help allows you to retain heat in your home and at the same time save money.
Polystyrene foam
There is pressed and non-pressed foam; it is not too difficult to distinguish them, even if you are not a professional. If you have ever looked at the structure of a material, you have most likely noticed that it consists of small balls that are interconnected, like a honeycomb in a beehive.
Pressless foam can be seen in boxes with household appliances, since it is actively used for packaging.
By thermal insulation properties And appearance the pressed one is practically no different from the second one, its granules adhere to each other somewhat more firmly, due to which it does not crumble. At the same time, pressed foam is more difficult to produce, which means it is more expensive, which is why it is less widespread.
Technical characteristics of polystyrene foam
This breathable material has low specific gravity, does not accumulate moisture, and is not subject to rotting. His main drawback- this is flammability, although by applying plaster the home can be protected from fire.
Polystyrene foam characteristics:
- biological and chemical resistance to exposure sea water, alkali, salt, soap, cement, bitumen, lime, gypsum;
- low thermal conductivity;
- resistance to temperature changes, due to which the material can be used in different climatic conditions;
- he is not favorable environment for the development of fungi, mold and microorganisms;
- high vapor permeability - thanks to it, the moisture that accumulates in the walls evaporates;
- excellent soundproofing properties.
Basic properties of polystyrene foam as insulation
Expanded polystyrene is popularly called “foam plastic”. This word comes from the name of a Finnish company that supplied expanded polystyrene to the USSR. The name of the company was transformed over time into the name of this material.
At the moment, polystyrene foam is produced abroad and in Russia various companies. The equipment for its production is cheap and does not require skilled labor for maintenance and operation.
Now let's look at the properties of polystyrene foam:
Now let's move on to the use of expanded polystyrene in low-rise private construction.
Foam insulation: simple and easy
It is done very simply. The polystyrene foam is attached to the wall of the building using special screws. Initially, you can level the wall using putty, attach the slab, then apply a layer of putty again and paint it. This way you get a completely flat wall.
Insulation of buildings from outside
Polystyrene foam as wall insulation is most often used outside. This method makes it possible to move the freezing point to the outer part of the wall, while preventing the cold from penetrating inside.
For this purpose, sheets with a thickness of 100 millimeters are used. They are attached using dowels and special glue. Performing these works at height is only possible using special equipment.
Internal insulation of the room
This method is less common than the previous one, although it is also effective. It is very convenient that it can be implemented regardless of the time of year and weather. But before insulating the walls inside, they must be pre-treated with special anti-mold compounds.
It must be taken into account that polystyrene foam as insulation usable area reduces the space. This is explained by the fact that it takes up quite a lot of space, especially considering that drywall is attached to the top.
Insulation of building walls
This method is applicable in the construction of 1- and 2-story houses. A wall 250 mm thick is erected, then foam plastic sheets are laid, which are protected plastic film, then the inner wall. This method has the advantage that polystyrene foam as wall insulation is completely protected from open fire and mechanical damage.
Insulation of floors
If we consider polystyrene foam as a floor insulation (reviews about this use can be seen mostly positive), it is important to take into account that its sheets are laid in cement-sand liquid solution while performing the screed. Air bubbles are expelled using vibration. A 50 mm screed is also made on top of the material.
These measures are especially necessary for residential buildings with damp basements. But in middle-floor apartments, foam plastic as floor insulation will also provide good sound insulation. In addition, this procedure is performed when laying a water-heated floor.
Insulation of ceilings
Such insulation is performed in the same way as with walls. The difference lies in the thickness of the sheets used: it should be no more than 50 mm. In a typical residential building, most apartments have low ceiling heights. Of course, if possible, you can increase the thickness of the foam.
This measure allows you to insulate the apartment, while reducing the noise level and making the home more comfortable.
Basement insulation with foam plastic
It will not be possible to use polystyrene foam in this case due to its hygroscopicity. At the same time, its thermal conductivity increases sharply, and its thermal insulation greatly decreases.
When polystyrene foam in autumn and spring period gets wet, the water in it turns into ice when it freezes, after which it breaks the material. After the first frost, wet polystyrene foam turns into dust, turning into separate balls that are unable to retain heat.
Base insulation with polystyrene foam
But for this it is quite possible to use this material. In this case, foam plastic as insulation is covered with a layer of plaster on top. The foam is attached to the base using plastic “fungi”, to which a fine metal mesh is then attached. Then plaster is applied to it and a decorative layer is applied on top - clinker brick, wild stone, facade tiles.
In this case, you can also use a metal profile for plaster to attach the foam. In this case, it is advisable to abandon the use of a system of wooden blocks. Practice shows that on the concrete base of the base, wooden blocks begin to rot from below, and moisture also gains access to the insulation.
Foam plastic for insulation of a wet facade system
On the facade of the house, the place of foam plastic is located under a layer of continuous decorative non-combustible coatings and plaster. When there is no access to oxygen and open fire, and there is no direct exposure to moisture, this material exhibits its best properties. Don’t forget about the reasonable cost, low thermal conductivity, and light weight.
Roof insulation
Here you need to understand where and what width of material to use. The “non-ventilated roof” is covered with 70 mm thick foam plastic, then a bitumen waterproof layer is laid on its surface. “Ventilated roof” involves installing slabs on reverse side roof, the ventilated cavity remains, preventing condensation.
Attic spaces can be great living rooms. At the same time, thermal insulation gable roof brings great benefits at low cost. To do this, you need to install foam plastic in the cracks between the rafters.
Thermal insulation of pipelines
Until recently, thermal insulation engineering communications was not given special significance, while due to them the share of heat loss is about 30%. For pipelines of ventilation ducts, cold water supply, buried cables and telephone lines, foam plastic is now increasingly being used as insulation. This material is also used to protect sewer and water pipes from freezing. The undoubted advantage of using polystyrene foam for these purposes is the ability to give this material various shapes.
Where is it prohibited to use polystyrene foam as insulation?
- Expanded polystyrene cannot be used to insulate a bathhouse, since increased humidity and heating result in the emission of styrene.
- There is no need to insulate window slopes from the inside - for this it is advisable to use polyurethane foam. This material is more suitable for insulating rooms from the inside.
- This material when insulated interior spaces It is dangerous to use when using a system of wooden or metal profiles and further covering with various decorative materials.
It is important to know
Laying foam sheets directly on the ground is not allowed: you must first waterproofing works, then pour a layer of screed. Otherwise, the floor may be damaged by rodents.
If all rules of use are followed, the service life of foam plastic as insulation reaches 100 years. This is its undoubted advantage.
Compliance with the rules for using polystyrene foam as insulation makes it possible to save money on heating your home, and also get rid of excess noise. It can also protect from the sun's hot rays, while preventing the outside walls from heating up. Therefore, there is no need to regularly use the air conditioner, which allows you to save on electricity.