Today in this article we will look at the current issue in our time about the service life of insulation in the table. Typically houses, buildings and other structures insulated on long time, therefore, materials are needed as reliable and of the highest quality as possible. Many people believe that various types of insulation do not last more than 30 years. Taking into account the fact that the wall that is being insulated lasts about 100 years, we come to the conclusion that during this time the procedure must be done 2-3 times. If you calculate the cost of such an update, it may not please you.
As with everything, it is believed that the service life of insulation depends on its cost and quality. Manufacturers of the inexpensive substance claim that it can last at least 50 years. In practice, this figure is not confirmed by anything, so in the footnotes they write that today there is no standard operating time for insulation.
In addition, what the material is made of is important. Experts confirm that artificial fibers cannot provide a guarantee for more than 35 years. During this time they dry out and collapse. But the most important thing is that they lose half of their heat-saving properties. While natural fibers do not lose their original qualities and can serve for a longer period.
According to regulatory recommendations, after completion of construction, each house must be subjected to energy audit. Such checks should be carried out every 25 years so that the current level of heat-saving properties can be assessed. But since we are unable to find out the exact numbers due to verification, we use data that comes to us from Europe.
Comparative characteristics of the service life of insulation materials table
There are many types of insulation, but today we will take a closer look at the most budget-friendly and reliable options. These include:
- Mineral wool.
- Basal wool.
- Styrofoam.
The first type is called stone. He has enough high level quality, since it made from basalt stone. Its cost is much higher, but both the quality and the period of suitability meet expectations. According to statistics, the most commonly used in construction is mineral wool. Duration of operation - about 50 years . But this figure is still disputed, and it has several nuances. At the moment there are two types of mineral wool.
The second one is slag. It means that Water practically cannot penetrate into it, and the material itself is quite dense. Accordingly, it is made from slag from the metallurgical industry. He significantly inferior to the previous one in price, quality, and service life. In addition, it is not resistant to sudden temperature changes and may become deformed after a certain time. But despite this, it is often used as best option in case the construction is temporary or less significant.
Of course, for larger structures it is recommended to use stone wool. It may be more expensive, but when it comes to safety and quality, savings are out of the question.
It is worth noting that this substance has two important advantages:
- Non-flammability. You don’t have to worry that the material is not susceptible to fire from metal tiles, which can heat up to high levels in extreme heat. And also other effects of high temperatures will not pose a threat to the insulation, and therefore to you.
- Vapor permeability. Izover has the ability to “breathe,” which is also important. The material easily passes all vapors through itself, but at the same time they do not accumulate inside. This property makes mineral wool environmentally friendly, and in combination with thermal insulation this is a huge plus. Besides, additional processing no condensation required.
Basal cotton wool is not inferior in the duration of the action of the previous substance. Manufacturers provide a guarantee of over 50 years. A very long time ago, construction began to use insulation made from fibrous material. But the peak of its exploitation has occurred in the last couple of decades. This happened due to intensive construction country houses, as well as rising heating prices. This is where the material is very popular.
Over time, the quality of basal wool has improved significantly. now this environmentally friendly and safe product. The main advantages include several aspects:
- Fire safety. The material can easily withstand high temperature without losing its properties.
- Low hydrophobicity. The substance repels moisture, which significantly increases the service life of the insulation.
- Compressibility. Basal wool is very resistant and does not undergo deformation.
- Chemical resistance. Rotting, fungus, rodents, mold and harmful microorganisms will no longer become a threat to your home.
Despite the coincidence of circumstances, materials are of excellent quality, do not deform or crumble. Substances are used everywhere and have many positive feedback. With such insulation, your walls can last for more than 100 years.
Service life of foam plastic as insulation
Another frequently used insulation material is polystyrene foam. It is generally accepted that the shelf life of expanded polystyrene reaches several decades. Manufacturers guarantee the durability of the material for 50 years. However with the correct insulation procedure, this period can be doubled . This is one of the main reasons why it is so popular.
It should be borne in mind that there are several types of insulation made from polystyrene foam:
- Polystyrene. A material made in the form of foam rubber. Suitable for protecting premises with inside. Has very high performance characteristics.
- Polyvinyl chloride substances are very elastic. They have a very high durability rating.
- Polyurethane foam. It is considered a durable thermal insulation that will last quite a long time. for a long time, hardens quickly, forming a very strong protection that can withstand many external influences.
Based on the above materials, we can conclude that The service life of the foam is very long and fully lives up to expectations.
One of the universal thermal insulation materials can be called polystyrene foam, which is used for various types of work. Some people mistakenly consider it short-lived and harmful, but in reality everything turns out to be completely wrong. The service life of polystyrene foam is influenced by various parameters, but their impact is not nearly as detrimental as is commonly believed. Foam boards have the necessary rigidity, resistance to moisture, temperature, and corrosion. They are not susceptible to rotting, which is so important when insulating wooden surfaces. The only downside that should be noted is the fragility of the material. During operation, care should be taken not to damage the slabs. This circumstance cannot prove the fact that the service life of foam plastic is short.
Insulating walls with foam plastic will protect them from moisture, cold and corrosion for a long time.
Types of foam and performance data
For work, foam-based insulation is used, not all of them are slab. Their service life and conditions are different. The following types of heat insulators are known:
Characteristics table various brands polystyrene foam
- PSB-S-15 is a low-density material that can be used for insulating roofs between rafters, where high mechanical strength is not required.
- PSB-S-25 is a universal foam plastic that is most often used for work. It is resistant to moisture and is used to insulate facades, floors, and walls. interior spaces, attics, balconies, i.e. The scope of application is wide. The service life of this material is long, and the operating conditions are not so demanding.
- PSB-S-35 - durable material, which is used to perform waterproofing and insulation of foundations when it is necessary to prevent soil swelling. It is used under the most unfavorable conditions, the service life is significant, as is the stability.
- PSB-S-50 - high mechanical strength, the resistance of the insulation to various types of influences is the best. Aging rate is low.
Polystyrene foam is available in the following types:
Comparison table of polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam.
- Polystyrene, i.e. unpressed and pressed material, which has high performance characteristics. Available in the form of slabs, convenient for work.
Polyurethane new material in the form of foam rubber allows you to perform thermal protection work, which is necessary for interior walls, for cladding structures where rigidity is not important. - Polyethylene is an elastic material that is a film with air bubbles. It is used only for packaging; it is almost never used in construction, since its service life is short.
- Polyvinyl chloride products are similar to extrusion materials, the elasticity is greater, but the service life and conditions of use are sufficient for wall insulation.
- Polyurethane foam is the highest quality and most durable among foams. It is applied only in liquid form by spraying, hardens quickly, after which it forms a very strong film that can withstand almost any impact. The quality of this material is high and its service life is long.
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Rotting and shrinkage
Diagram of thermal conductivity and thickness of materials.
For insulation, it is recommended to use polystyrene foam, since it is not subject to rotting. It is not afraid of mold, fungi, etc.; insects cannot damage the surface of the insulation. Even with prolonged exposure to water, polystyrene foam does not absorb it, damp spots do not form on it, which means that there will be no mold. All this is important for insulating a house, since the service life of insulators is greatly increased, which means that repairs will not be required.
Any construction material Over time, it succumbs to the so-called shrinkage; even metal is not immune from this. This happens under the influence of periodically or constantly repeated various loads, due to which the insulation or other material begins to sag and lose shape.
Wöhler's special tests show that foam insulation is less susceptible to shrinkage than other materials. It does not lose its shape, does not cake, or sag. This is important to consider, since cavities and other defects open the way for heat loss. For example, mineral wool cakes over time, air cavities appear, which negatively affects the thermal insulation characteristics.
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Limit parameters
Service life largely depends on what conditions the material can withstand during use. Such indicators are determined physical properties, chemical, resistance to mechanical stress. It should be noted that polystyrene foam is completely unaffected by the aggressive environment of concrete, plaster, gypsum, lime and others. mortars, which are used during work. And the mechanical strength is usually enhanced by special cladding; the service life is increased by protecting such slabs with plywood and chipboard. The material is enclosed in a shell, where it can perfectly perform its properties without being subject to negative loads at all. This is important, since for foam plastic they can be critical shock loads. Not every type of it is susceptible to them, but ordinary slab materials can collapse.
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Wear resistance
It is necessary to pay attention to how much the material resists wear. Typically, manufacturers independently conduct the necessary research, which includes tests for resistance to certain types of loads. This wear can be associated with various parameters. The most common causes are temperature, moisture and aggressive substances. The results obtained make it possible to conclude that during the entire service life and even more foam boards no signs of wear appear. These periods are 20-50 years depending on the type and type of material. Such conditions are quite sufficient to fulfill high-quality cladding external and internal walls of the house, roof, attic and foundation, where polystyrene foam can be used as waterproofing.
April 06, 2018
A person buying something is always interested in its quality. Good quality, as a rule, determines the longevity of the purchase. When buying clothes, for example, he sensibly estimates how long they will last - from one season to several years. Then it will simply go out of fashion, become dilapidated, or will need to be repaired. Choosing Decoration Materials for repairs, a person also assumes that they will not last forever, and someday they will simply want to be replaced. But there are things when purchasing which we are only interested in their durability. I think it’s unlikely that anyone will want to buy a new drill or lawn mower for their home just because the old ones are out of fashion. Or, following the same principle, change the pump in your own boiler room. Moreover, we wish such things to work forever! Unfortunately this is not possible. At the same time, even a complete breakdown of such mechanisms is not associated with great difficulties in replacing them. But there are materials that are quite difficult to change if they lose their properties and, as a rule, this will be associated with high costs.
Here we will talk to you about the durability of insulation. In particular, insulation with non-extruded, expanded polystyrene foam, or as we usually call it - polystyrene foam. We are not currently considering extruded polystyrene foam as wall insulation for a number of reasons that we will not mention in this article. About service life mineral slab A lot has been written, but on polystyrene foam, it is difficult to find any results of serious research.
When building a house, a person hopes for the reliability of what he is building. He wants his children and grandchildren to use the creation of his hands, and for as long as possible, without any unnecessary repair work.
In Russia, houses are now insulated. And not because it has become accepted, but because it is necessary. There are both economic benefits and comfort. Insulation, as a rule, is located inside, in the layer. IN monolithic construction for insulation, polystyrene foam is placed between various blocks, facing bricks. In private, low-rise housing construction, after appropriate preparation and laying of a special reinforcing mesh, plaster is placed on it, making the so-called “wet” facade. Construction from vulture or sandwich panels involves laying foam plastic at the stage of their production, when a layer of expanded polystyrene sheet is fixed between sheets of OSB or painted rolled steel by gluing. In general, almost always, any insulation is protected, in a layer. Minslab, for example, is afraid of moisture, and after it gets inside, it becomes useless as insulation, so it must be reliably protected from precipitation. They have little effect on foam plastic, but one of its few disadvantages is that it is afraid of the sun, or more precisely, ultraviolet radiation.
In general, it is clear that, given the inaccessibility of the location of the insulation, replacing it if it loses its low thermal conductivity and mechanical strength will not be easy, and sometimes almost impossible. For example, in the case of construction using sip or sandwich panels, this will essentially be equivalent to new construction.
So how long does foam plastic “live”?
One of the authors was puzzled by this question for the first time when he was present in 2004 at the demolition of an old “trailer” for temporary residence of construction workers. When the facing board was torn off, in the interior space, the polystyrene foam was mostly in the state of a foam granule, not fastened to each other in any way. We can’t even talk about the heat resistance of such a home.
But this example does not in any way reflect the durability of polystyrene foam as a material, but rather speaks of the dishonesty of some manufacturers, their violation technological process, the quality of raw materials, the percentage of added secondary raw materials in the manufacture of products and other factors. Despite its apparent simplicity, foam production has many professional subtleties.
Here we will not talk about the correct choice of foam brand for a specific type of insulation, and we will not discuss different manufacturers. By default, we will talk about polystyrene foam produced in accordance with all GOST requirements.
Polystyrene foam is a relatively new material in construction. Almost a hundred years passed from the discovery in 1831 by the French physicist Bonastre of a material he called styrene to the start of industrial production of expanded polystyrene in 1937. In the USSR, its production using the press method began in 1939. But we owe the appearance of expanded polystyrene foam, which we now call “foam plastic,” to the BASF concern, which patented the polystyrene foaming method in 1949. In 1951, BASF began industrial production thermal insulation material under the brand name “Styropor”, which is still produced to this day. And in 1958, the production of pressless expanded polystyrene (PSB) was mastered in the USSR.
That is, the history of insulating houses with polystyrene foam does not even go back a hundred years.
In laboratory conditions, using various tests, we can of course draw conclusions about the durability of the material. But a person always wants to touch with his hands, what condition will this sheet of foam plastic be in, say, in 10, 20, 30 years? This can be understood if you remove this sheet from some old, insulated structure. Which is what BASF did again. In 1986, the concern's employees removed sheets measuring 20x20cm from the flat roof of their production building in Ludwigshafen, installed 31 years earlier. The Munich Research Institute of Thermal Insulation examined them, giving conclusion number 411/86 dated November 7, 1986, from which it follows that:
Hasn't happened in 31 years irreversible change slab dimensions, for example due to shrinkage or compression.
The slabs showed no signs indicating any changes that had occurred since installation.
There was no deformation, settling, or change in length observed at the edges of the slabs.
Fig.1. Removing a sheet fragment from a flat roof. Fig.2. Extracted leaf fragment.
Based on the results of the control inspection, the condition of the expanded polystyrene slabs without any restrictions can be considered very good.
Expanded polystyrene boards used as a thermal insulation layer in unventilated flat roofs, fully retained their consumer properties 31 years after installation. It should be taken into account that the waterproofing layer laid on top of the thermal insulation layer was not protected by either a gravel backfill or a slab flooring, as a result of which the thermal insulation layer was subjected to additional thermal loads.
From the above we conclude: it will definitely be enough for 31 years!
But 31 years is not a long time, especially for our citizens who are accustomed to Lately to build thoroughly and for a long time not only missile launch silos, but also their own homes. And besides, Germany is not Russia, the climate there is milder and there are no such high temperature differences as ours. Where are our, so to speak, domestic research on the material?
In the laboratory of NIISF (Research Institute of Building Physics)
tested Styropor polystyrene foam (trade name for expanded polystyrene), foamed and blocked from BASF raw material granules, for durability.
They rightly reasoned that the most dangerous periods for the material are periods of air temperature transitions through zero, since during such transitions changes occur in the phase state of moisture in the pores of structural materials. This leads to a change in the physical, mechanical and thermophysical characteristics of the foam.
Climatic conditions were considered middle zone Russia. Most temperature fluctuations that cross zero occur, as a rule, in autumn and spring periods. Based on meteorological data, the amplitude of temperature fluctuations during these transition periods and the average annual value of such periods were determined. Temperature data with the characteristics of its continuous duration above or below zero, and the rate of its fluctuation were analyzed. We calculated how many cycles of exposure to samples of structural fragments in a climate chamber followed by keeping them in water are equivalent to one year of operation of a thermal insulation layer in structures in the conditions of central Russia. Below we present the daily cycle of impacts on the material based on the results of this calculation.
The beginning of the daily cycle of influences is a decrease in temperature to minus 40⁰C at a rate of about 60 degrees/hour; exposure at a temperature of minus 40⁰C for 1 hour;
temperature rise from minus 40⁰C to plus 40⁰C at a rate of 53 degrees/hour; exposure at a temperature of plus 40⁰C for 1 hour; temperature drop to minus 40⁰C at a rate of about 50 degrees/hour; exposure at a temperature of minus 40⁰C for 1 hour; temperature rise from minus 40⁰C to plus 20⁰C at a rate of 60 degrees/hour. After the end of the cycle, the samples were kept in water for 16 hours.
A total of 80 such test cycles were carried out on samples of polystyrene foam boards with a density of 19 kg/m3.
Upon completion of testing of slab fragments, the physical and mechanical
characteristics of the samples and comparison of these data with the characteristics of control samples that were not subjected to temperature and humidity influences.
A comparative analysis of the data obtained allows us to draw the following conclusions:
- The thermal conductivity of the samples after 80 test cycles increased by 2.5% compared to the control ones, which is within the measurement error;
- Water absorption by volume increased by 6.3%;
- The decrease in compressive strength at 10% deformation of the samples after 80 test cycles compared to the control ones was 8.3%;
- The static bending strength indicator decreased by 4%;
- No changes in the shape of the slab samples that passed cyclic tests were noted.
Thus, polystyrene foam boards successfully withstood cyclic tests for temperature and humidity influences in the amount of 80 cycles, which can be interpreted as the corresponding number of conditional years of operation in multi-layer enclosing structures with an amplitude of temperature influences of ±40⁰C.
The loss over 80 years of operation of only 2.5% of its main property - low thermal conductivity, in our opinion, is an excellent recommendation for foam plastic for the most demanding consumer in terms of service life.
So, by insulating your homes with polystyrene foam, you are certainly insulating them for a long time and for future generations.
We wish for long years warmth to your home!
What is extruded polystyrene foam? - nothing more than some special dense foam. In our century this synthetic thermal insulation material, more often orange color, quickly gained universal popularity.
Developed in the distant 50s of the last century American company The Dow Chemical Company's extruded polystyrene foam has found widespread use as thermal insulation for foundations and plinths, and there probably isn't enough paper to list all the places where this vibrant, modern material can be installed.
The material is produced using a perfect foaming technique polymer compositions during the extrusion process. This is why we can hear the name of the material as extruded polystyrene foam. After pressing the material through a special high-strength mold, a very durable reliable material with almost unique thermal insulation properties.
Before it was established that freon gas has a destructive effect on ozone layer planet, it was used as a foaming agent.
Since the current 21st century, the so-called “Freon-free” method of manufacturing thermal insulation material has been used all over the world.
Extruded polystyrene foam, or rather specifications which it possesses are not the same and differ depending on the manufacturers. On Russian market The most well-known brands with the highest sales volume are:
If the above brands are not available on the market, carefully study the technical instructions. The EPP designation begins with two numbers. Refuse to purchase if the marking value is less than index 28; such a polymer is not suitable for construction and insulation works. It is not beneficial for the seller to mention this, and most likely he will modestly keep silent about it. At facade works For thermal insulation, the PSB-S-40 brand is ideal; in addition, it is a self-extinguishing material.
A quick quality check can be done by breaking a small piece of polystyrene foam. A smooth fault indicates that you are facing an EPP. Otherwise, if the break line is uneven and there are many small balls, then most likely you have ordinary foam plastic in your hands, which is only suitable for packaging household utensils.
You need to understand that manufacturing EPP is a complex process, and different manufacturers do it by different technologies. Some of them are completely safe for health, others cause irreparable harm to humans.
When choosing extruded polystyrene foam, look at large companies that have long established themselves as reliable manufacturers. In this case, we can speak with confidence about an undoubtedly high-quality product. Not famous brands with big names may be initially more profitable, but the risks associated with subsequent rework will cost you much more!
Remember that the poor quality of polystyrene foam will not only not serve as a good heat insulator, but will also affect better side for the health of your loved ones.
Thermal insulating boards made of extruded polystyrene foam
When constructing and renovating a building, the question of its insulation always arises. Warm house is a guarantee of your family’s health, as well as an opportunity to save on utility bills. As soon as you ask yourself this question, you need to decide: what material is better to choose as insulation? Currently, the market offers several options for insulation: glass wool, stone wool, extruded polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam.
You need to choose one of these materials depending on the characteristics of your home and the specific area of work: floor, balcony, walls, etc. Eat certain rules, which must be followed when choosing insulation.
Practically universal material Extruded polystyrene foam boards are used to insulate the premises and the outside of the building. It has the following positive qualities: moisture resistance, strength, high thermal protection, durability and safety for the health of home residents. Let’s take a closer look at why these material properties are important.
MOISTURE RESISTANCE.
The material for insulating a building must be resistant to moisture from environment, and also prevent the accumulation of condensation inside the insulated surface. If during operation the insulation accumulates water, it will lose its heat-shielding properties, and your home will be cold in winter and hot in summer.
In addition, mold will begin to accumulate in damp insulation; it will gradually destroy it and harm the health of the residents, who will have to inhale mold spores. Expanded polystyrene is resistant to moisture and is ideal for insulating walls, foundations, roofs, and floors.
STRENGTH.
When insulating a floor, foundation or basement, you need a particularly durable material that can withstand high pressure. Extruded polystyrene foam boards are such a material, because... they do not settle over time, do not collapse for a long time, and do not sag. These same qualities are also useful when insulating walls, which will increase their strength and prevent shrinkage.
HEAT PROTECTION.
Thermal protection is the main property that we wanted to achieve when choosing the material. Thermal protection is determined by the thermal conductivity coefficient. This component is always indicated by the manufacturer in the accompanying documents for the product. The lower the thermal conductivity coefficient, the higher the thermal insulation properties of the insulation. The thermal conductivity coefficient of expanded polystyrene varies within 0.030. This good indicator, which will allow you to save on the amount of material when calculating the thickness of the insulating layer.
DURABILITY.
The estimated service life of extruded polystyrene foam boards is from 40 to 50 years.
HEALTH HAZARDS.
Extruded polystyrene foam for thermal insulation boards is mainly used in the same brands as children's toys, disposable tableware, medical supplies. When there is a temperature difference, this insulation does not release any substances hazardous to health into the external environment.
But polystyrene foam boards also have their disadvantages. Some consider low vapor permeability to be such a disadvantage, since the walls do not breathe. But this same “disadvantage” is a great advantage when insulating the foundation and floor, as it provides reliable waterproofing. But the flammability of extruded polystyrene foam does somewhat limit its scope of application.
And although some manufacturers have learned to add special substances that increase the material’s resistance to fire, this is still rare. More often, extruded polystyrene foam is found on sale in the form of a slab of flammability group G3-G4. In any case, you will not use such slabs without protective coating, they will be located inside the structure. If there are high fire safety requirements, it is allowed to use heat insulating material flammability group not lower than G3.
The largest manufacturer of extruded polystyrene foam boards in Russia is the company PENOPLEX. The company's factories are equipped with modern European equipment and produce materials High Quality. The choice of products by purpose is also great. You can choose slabs: for the roof, for the walls, for the foundation, etc.
When choosing insulation, pay attention to its purpose, technical characteristics, appearance. If the insulation is of high quality, it will have a uniform structure, an even and smooth edge and resistance to mechanical pressure.