Characteristics of wall insulation. Types of insulation, their properties and characteristics. Mineral wool boards and mats

Today the market offers consumers various types of insulation, differing in cost, installation and thermal conductivity. In addition to these indicators, it is necessary to pay attention to other characteristics in order to have an idea of ​​​​the correct use of thermal insulation when building a house.

A comprehensive assessment of the material will help you choose the right insulation for your home. The use of different types of thermal insulation depends not only on their properties, but also on the architectural features of the building, the thermal conductivity of individual structural elements, as well as the expected cold bridges. The insulation of each component of the house is carried out with different materials.
External insulation of a loggia, balcony, basement is made with penoplex. Due to the fact that it can withstand loads of up to 0.5 MPa and is resistant to moisture, the insulation is optimally suited for exterior finishing of basements. Penoplex, being under the ground, is protected from fire and retains all its properties.
Thermal insulators for the external decoration of the walls of a house are selected depending on the material from which the structural element is built. It is best to inflate wooden houses with foam insulation. The foam, applied under high pressure, fills all cracks, and its structure allows the wood to breathe. The high price does not always allow the use of penoizol. As a replacement option, you can lay mineral wool. Walls made of concrete, gas blocks and other similar materials are insulated with penoplex or glass wool. Although, in government construction, they are more inclined to use glass wool due to its resistance to fire.
Inside the house, the walls and ceiling are insulated with non-combustible materials. Usually these are mineral wool mats laid in a frame. They are covered with a vapor barrier on top, which prevents moisture from penetrating the mats and fleecy fibers into the room. If there are lags, the ceiling is covered with ecowool. To insulate the floor, a 100 mm layer of expanded clay is filled, plus foam boards are laid. The concrete screed poured on top prevents the insulation from burning, and the reinforcing mesh gives strength to the floors.
A modern and very practical insulation for roofing is polyurethane foam. It is applied by spraying. But its high price is not affordable for everyone. Most often, traditional insulation - mineral wool - is used for roofing. It is produced in different sizes in the form of mats and rolls.
Correctly selected insulation according to its characteristics will create comfortable living conditions inside the room.

Review of thermal insulation materials

Preventive types of insulation are most often used to finish various structural elements of a house. They have a low thermal conductivity.
Organic-based insulation materials are made from wood and agricultural waste. To improve properties, cement and plastic are added to natural raw materials. The result is insulation that is resistant to fire and moisture. It can withstand heat up to 150 degrees. The scope of application is wide, but is mainly used as internal insulation of a multi-layer roof or facade structure.

• white agglomerate is made from the bark of oak branches;
• black agglomerate is made from bark removed from a tree trunk.

Cork can be used as a base for wallpaper or as a finish. Thin roll material has found its application as a substrate for laminate flooring. The price of such natural material is quite high. Depending on the modifications, the cost ranges from 800 to 4 thousand. rub./m2.

Honeycomb plastic heat insulator

The structure of the material consists of hexagonal cells like a honeycomb. Inside they are filled with fabric or paper filler held together with epoxy resin. Phenolic resins can be used as a fixative. In appearance, honeycomb panels resemble plastic. The characteristics of the material depend on the raw materials used in the production of the base. For example, the sheet density can be from 230 to 500 kg/m2.

Foam-polyvinyl chloride

PPVC heat insulator is made from foamed resins. The porousization method gives them this structure. The material is produced soft and hard, which gives it versatility. PVC is suitable for insulating roofs, floors and walls. Its density is 0.1 kg/m3.

Many people believe that chipboard is just a building material. But as insulation, the slabs have proven themselves to be good. Their base is small sawdust bonded with synthetic resin. The density of the slabs ranges from 500 to 1 thousand kg/m3, and water absorption is 5–30%.
The use of chipboard as insulation is justified for floors, walls and ceilings. The cost of the sheets is quite low and is affordable for every developer. Depending on the size, the sheet can be purchased for 400–900 rubles. The slabs are used as a base for installing soft roofs.

Fiberboard

The fiberboard board looks like chipboard. Its base consists of fibers of straw, corn or any wood. It is even possible to use waste paper. Synthetic resins are added as an adhesive. The density of fiberboard compared to chipboard is small, only up to 250 kg/m3, and the thermal conductivity is 0.07 W/m/K, plus low strength.
The scope of application is similar to that for chipboard. Low cost ranges up to 800 rubles. per sheet.

Penoizol

Another name for insulation is mipora. It is obtained on the basis of a whipped water emulsion of urea-formaldehyde resin. Glycerin and sulfonic acid are used as additives. Mipore is delivered to the consumer in blocks or crumbs. It is used in liquid form at construction sites. Mipora poured into prepared cavities hardens at a positive temperature.
Low density up to 20 kg/m3 promotes strong water absorption. The thermal conductivity index is 0.03 W/m/K. Not afraid of fire.

Polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam

These two insulation materials consist of 2% polystyrene and 98% air. The thermal conductivity index is 0.037–0.042 W/m/K. They differ from each other in structure. Polystyrene foam consists of small balls, and expanded polystyrene, when broken, resembles foam rubber.
Polystyrene is flammable and emits toxic smoke. Polystyrene foam is afraid of moisture, so it is more often used for insulating facades. Extruded polystyrene foam can remain in wet soil for a long time, so it is more suitable for external insulation of basements. The cost of the material is low.

Minvata

A common insulation material for walls and roofs is mineral wool. It comes in two types:

• slag wool is made from dissimilar metal casting waste;
• stone wool is made from rocks, for example, basalt, limestone, etc.

The material is non-flammable, resistant to chemical attack, and has a low cost. Produced in slabs and rolls.

Glass wool

The material differs from mineral wool in that it has larger fibers. The basis of production is the raw materials used to make glass. The thermal conductivity index is from 0.03 to 0.052 W/m/K, and the density is no more than 130 kg/m3. Glass wool is also popular for insulating roofs and walls.

Ceramic wool

Produced by blowing zirconium, silicon or aluminum oxide. Cotton wool is resistant to high temperatures and does not deform. The thermal conductivity index at +600°C is from 0.13 to 0.16 W/m/K, and the density is no more than 350 kg/m3. It is used for insulation of facades and roofs of buildings.

Mixed type insulation

Materials are produced from asbestos mixtures with the addition of perlite, dolomite and other components. The initial state of the material resembles dough. They cover the surface prepared for insulation and leave it until completely dry.

Asbestos is resistant to fire and can withstand heat up to 900 °C, but it is afraid of moisture, so such thermal insulation requires mandatory waterproofing.

An example of a mixed type material is vulcanite and sovelite. Their thermal conductivity is 0.2 W/m/K. The cost of insulation is low, but it is dangerous to human health.

Reflective materials

Foil is used as a reflector, and foamed polyethylene creates a thermal barrier. The material has a thin structure up to 25 mm thick, but its effectiveness is equivalent to 100 mm thick fiber insulation. One popular example is penofol.
Reflective thermal insulation simultaneously acts as a vapor barrier, so it is convenient to use in baths and saunas. The cost of the material is low and accessible to everyone.
The main types of insulation materials discussed today and their characteristics will help you make the right choice of material for specific construction needs.
In the following video you can get acquainted with the characteristics of some types of insulation.

Nowadays, the issue of insulation of residential buildings is becoming increasingly relevant. The requirements of building codes in this regard are increasing, and the developers themselves want to reduce heat loss and heating costs. To create effective insulation that is safe for the health of residents, you should study various types of insulation for your home and then use them for their intended purpose.

• reduce the cooling of buildings in winter and their heating in summer;
• protect supporting structures from aggressive atmospheric influences;
• minimize thermal deformation of power elements and extend their service life.

Properties of different types of insulation

High-quality material is selected after a comprehensive assessment of various parameters:

1. Low coefficient of thermal conductivity - the lower it is, the thinner the insulation layer will be. For example, the following types provide the same level of insulation:

• mineral wool – 14;
• basalt wool, ecowool – 8.7;
• foamed polystyrene foam (foam) – 8.3;
• extruded polystyrene foam (Penoplex) – 6.5 cm.

2. Moisture resistant. If the insulation does not absorb water, it is not prone to shrinkage and retains its insulating properties longer. The most moisture-resistant is Penoplex, and the most hygroscopic is mineral wool. To make mineral wool insulation more water-resistant, manufacturers impregnate them with special compounds.

3. Fire resistance. Inorganic fiber insulation materials are completely non-flammable. Polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam are easily flammable, releasing toxic substances. Low-flammable penoizol (urea foam) only chars at a temperature of 200 ° C, but it is non-toxic. To prevent polystyrene foam and ecowool from supporting fire, fire retardants are added to them, changing the flammability group from G4 to G1 (from high to low).

4. Vapor permeability. When insulating the roof internally, the material must remove wet vapors from rooms and building structures. Mineral, basalt and ecowool, penoizol allow steam to pass through well (they have a capillary structure). They are suitable for installation on all types of surfaces and do not allow them to rot. Expanded polystyrene boards do not have these qualities and are recommended for outdoor use.

Thermal insulation overview

Based on the type of raw material, there are three types of insulation materials:

1. Inorganic (natural). This includes materials made from molten glass or quartz sand (glass wool); rocks (basalt). The first variety is light yellow, weighs slightly less and is elastic. Stone wool is more fire resistant. The best brands of insulation have a thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.032 W/m°C (maximum 0.045 W/m°C). The price of mineral wool, depending on thickness and density, ranges from 1,000 to 5,000 rubles/m3.

2. Organic (synthetic).

• Foam plastic and Penoplex. They are made of polystyrene and have low thermal conductivity (0.035-0.045 W/m°C). The average price of foamed polystyrene foam is from 1,000, extruded - from 3,500 rubles/m3.
• Polyurethane foam has better properties than expanded polystyrene and mineral wool. Spraying 1 m2 of a five-centimeter layer of foam costs 500 rubles.
• Penoizol is a liquid foam plastic produced directly on the construction site and pumped into the space between the structural elements of buildings. This type of thermal insulation is superior to traditional insulation in many respects: it is resistant to moisture and at the same time “breathes”, it is low-flammable and does not emit toxic smoke. Its thermal conductivity is 1.5 times lower than that of expanded polystyrene. The average cost of a cubic meter of insulation is 1,500 rubles/m3.

3. Mixed.

• Ecowool. It consists of 80% waste paper, the remaining 20% ​​is fire retardants. The material is presented in the form of loose fiber blown into insulated cavities. Thermal conductivity indicators are the same as those of expanded polystyrene. The price of insulation together with work is from 1,500 (dry method) to 4,500 rubles/m3 (wet blowing).
• Foam glass is highly hard and non-flammable. It sticks well and cuts well. Its disadvantages are poor vapor permeability and cost - from 14,000 rubles/m3.

Sometimes exotic “ecological insulation materials” based on clay, straw, and reeds are offered for insulation. They, like inorganic backfills (expanded perlite, vermiculite and expanded clay), are characterized by high thermal conductivity and are ineffective.

Types of insulation depending on purpose

To properly select insulation, you need a comprehensive assessment of it. Applicability depends not only on the properties of insulating materials, but also on structural elements and the expected location of cold bridges (this is determined, among other things, by architectural features).

Different units of the same building are insulated in different ways.

• Basements, ground floors, balconies and loggias. Penoplex is used for external insulation. It is stronger than foam plastic, can withstand loads of up to 0.5 MPa, and is not afraid of water. When in the ground, the likelihood of it catching fire is low.
• External wall insulation. For a wooden house, blowing in foam insulation is acceptable. The properties and characteristics of the insulation make it possible to fill all the cavities between the beams, and also allow the wood to “breathe”. For insulation of brick, foam and gas block houses, glass wool and Penoplex are used.
• Roof. If there are enough funds, polyurethane foam is sprayed onto it. Traditional roof insulation is mineral wool, protected by a layer of waterproofing. Manufacturers produce it, varying not only the size, but also the density. Rolled options are good - they do not weigh down the structure.
• Walls, ceiling and floor. When choosing insulation for walls, people often give preference to more environmentally friendly and low-flammability inorganic materials. Mineral wool insulation is placed in a frame onto which drywall is attached. The ceiling is treated in the same way: the slabs are covered with a vapor barrier - this protects them from moisture, and the residents of the house from the penetration of fibers into the respiratory system. If there are logs, you can cover the ceiling with ecowool. The floor in the house is insulated by filling with expanded clay (at least 100 mm) or by laying Penoplex sheets on the base. It is then filled with a finishing screed, laying a reinforcing mesh. Concrete prevents the synthetic material from burning.

Knowledge of the features of various thermal insulators and the use of practical experience of professional builders allows you to create optimal living conditions in your home.

From year to year, energy prices are rising inexorably, while the level of income of the population remains almost unchanged. Looking at the unaffordable bills for heating a house or apartment, you come to the understanding that the problem needs to be solved on your own - by insulating residential premises.

For this purpose, various types of insulation can be used for the walls of the house from the inside and outside.

Let's take a closer look at the possible options for insulation materials, their advantages and disadvantages.

Insulation work is best carried out in the summer, when air humidity is minimal.

The walls for insulation in the room must be perfectly dry. You can dry them after additional plastering and finishing work on leveling the surfaces using construction hair dryers and heat guns.

Stages of surface insulation:

1. Cleaning the surface of decorative elements - wallpaper, paint.
2. Treating walls with antiseptic solutions, priming the surface with deep penetration into the layers of plaster.
3. In some cases, when installing polystyrene foam and electric heating elements, the walls are pre-leveled using waterproof plaster for bathrooms.
4. must be carried out in accordance with the instructions prescribed by the manufacturer for this type of material.
5. Mounting a protective partition for applying the final finish, or covering the surface with a construction mesh, its plastering.
6. Creating a single composition with the overall design of the room.

Insulating walls inside a house is one of the most effective ways to protect your home from the penetration of cold and the negative effects of condensation; the main thing is to follow the technological sequence of steps. You can read more about the technology of insulating a home from the inside in

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Modern types of wall insulation, properties and characteristics:

Tips for insulating walls in an apartment - analysis of common mistakes:

Insulating a house, done using even not the most expensive materials, is not a cheap pleasure. There are now many types of insulation available for interior use, which are presented in a wide price range. Therefore, choosing inexpensive and high-quality material will not be difficult.

A warm home in winter and comfortable coolness in the hot season, as well as a reduction in utility bills will show that the thermal insulation of the room is done well and of high quality.

What material did you use to insulate the walls of your house? What guided your choice and are you satisfied with the result? Please tell us about it in the comments section. There you can ask a question about the topic of the article, and we will try to answer it promptly.

On the modern construction market you can find a huge variety of materials that can be used as insulation. Even professional builders are sometimes unable to understand and make the right choice in so many options. Next, various types of insulation and their characteristics will be considered so that everyone can purchase exactly the product that will create high-quality insulation of the building.

Basic properties of materials

These properties include:

The ability to retain heat or conduct heat. The lower the thermal conductivity coefficient of a material, the better it will be able to retain heat in your home. Materials with a minimum indicator of this characteristic can minimize or completely eliminate heat loss.

This coefficient may be different for different types of insulation, but one pattern has been identified: the lower the value of this indicator, the thinner the insulating layer you will need to create.

Moisture resistance or moisture resistance. All thermal insulation properties of any material are directly related to how strongly it is able to resist moisture, or how quickly this material gets wet.

The ability to pass steam, or steam conductivity. One of the main properties of any insulating material is the ability to remove excess moisture from rooms, so this indicator is extremely important.

Strength or ability to maintain its size and shape. If the material does not deform or shrink during operation, this means that the insulating system will retain its characteristics for a long time and prevents the formation of cold bridges at the joints of the material.

Non-flammability. This property is of great importance for the fire safety of the building. Those who are concerned about their safety and the safety of their home should give preference to non-combustible materials.

Ecological cleanliness. Laying a layer of insulation during the construction of houses involves using this material for the entire service life of the building, therefore it is very important for future residents that the selected insulation remains safe both at the time of its installation and throughout its entire service life.

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Classification of existing insulating materials

The entire huge range of modern materials of this type can be safely divided into four main groups:

1. Cotton ones. The role of such products can be glass wool, known to everyone since ancient times, or its more modern version, mineral wool, or mineral wool-type blocks and slabs that exist today.
2. Leafy. Products of this kind include children's favorite polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, etc.
3. Foam. Such materials are applied directly by spraying onto the very surface of the structure that needs insulation. Installation of these insulation materials is carried out using specialized equipment.
4. Rest. This group includes materials that are used quite rarely. These are such exotic options as insulation with cellulose, reeds, flax, etc.

There is another classification that divides insulation into groups based on the type of raw materials used for production. These are groups such as:

• organic;
• inorganic;
• mixed.

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Cotton wool as insulation

Glass wool and mineral wool, which are very similar in their fibrous structure, are widely used in the construction of residential and industrial facilities, and in the shipbuilding industry. They are also used as heat and noise insulation, and also as a layer that resists the spread of fire. The advantages include:

• excellent vapor permeability, allowing you to absorb excess moisture;
• dielectric characteristics;
• low thermal conductivity;
• increased fire resistance;
• environmental cleanliness;
• resistance to natural processes such as decay, aging and the activity of microorganisms and insects.

All types of cotton wool have their own disadvantages:

1. Inability to maintain shape, and as a result, low strength and susceptibility to deformation.
2. Hygroscopicity, or the ability to absorb moisture, but modern manufacturers hydrophobize the fibers, which changes this property of the material.

Based on the characteristics of glass and mineral wool described above, it can be understood that this material is most suitable for carrying out insulation work indoors.

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Expanded polystyrene or polystyrene foam: characteristics

Granules of this type of insulation are mixed and sintered by exposing them to high temperature. The result of this process is a material consisting of a huge number of small balls that form fairly homogeneous slabs.

It is this cellular structure that gives foam plastic the properties and characteristics that make it popular among the types of materials for insulating houses. These properties include:

• increased indicators of impermeability to water and non-conductivity of heat;
• resistance to mechanical impacts;
• the property of being environmentally friendly and hypoallergenic is important for the owners of the building;
• resistance to low temperatures;
• ease of working with the material.

Despite all the positive qualities, polystyrene foam is not without its disadvantages:

• this material is not non-flammable, but quite the contrary, during the combustion process it will release dangerous toxic substances;
• It is also impervious to steam, which has led to a ban on its use for insulating wooden structures.

Expanded polystyrene is a material with which any owner can insulate his home with his own hands. Professionals recommend its use in places where there is a high probability of mechanical loads: floors, flat roofs, basements, etc.

There is a wide choice of insulation materials for wooden houses; they can be used to insulate a house outside, and some even inside the house. What types are suitable for a frame house? Which is the best, let's look at their characteristics in this article! If carried out correctly, it will not be superfluous in any climatic conditions.

When it is done correctly, then under its “protection” the house will not only be warmer in winter, but also noticeably cooler in summer.

Installation of insulation will create a comfortable microclimate in a room for any purpose - in a residential building, office or production workshop.

In addition, saving heat means obvious financial savings. It is completely unreasonable to heat the street, given that the technologies used today provide an opportunity to save energy resources already at the initial stage of construction work. Most of all, those parts of the building that are most adjacent to the external environment need to use insulation -, and.

The material produced in this way has excellent properties; moreover, it is not flammable and therefore does not pose a fire hazard. But a huge part of the wonderful qualities of insulation can be irretrievably lost when it gets wet. This should be taken into account.

Stone wool

This is a fibrous material that is sold in the form of rolls and portioned slabs, and has an extremely low thermal conductivity.

The highest quality product is made from rocks called gabbro-basalt. This non-flammable material is used with equal success in the construction of private facilities and the construction of various industrial facilities. The wide range of uses is also explained by the possibility of its use at extremely high temperatures, reaching one thousand degrees.

The insulation's complete immunity to fire is complemented by its excellent resistance to moisture. This is a hydrophobic material, the peculiarity of which is that it does not absorb water, but repels it.

This ensures that the insulation remains dry even after a long period of time. This, in turn, will allow her to maintain her high performance qualities. The unique properties of basalt wool allow it to be used even in boiler rooms, baths and saunas, where high humidity and high temperature are combined. Strength in this case is not directly dependent on the density of the material.

This is a fairly soft material, but at the same time has a sufficient margin of strength. Its structural stability is determined by the special arrangement of the individual component fibers - chaotic and vertical. The material has high anti-corrosion properties.

It can coexist quite peacefully with concrete and metal, without the occurrence of various kinds of chemical reactions. High biological stability provides it with immunity to various biological pests: damage by insects and rodents, the occurrence of fungal diseases,

Basalt rock is the main raw material for the production of this type of wool.. Treatment with formaldehyde resins gives the material a sufficient level of strength, and the modern technologies used guarantee the complete elimination of harmful phenols at the stage of material production.

The final product reaching the consumer is a harmless and environmentally friendly material with high insulating qualities.

It is actively used for insulating the floors of residential and industrial premises, for thermal insulation of roofs and facades, including as external insulation.

It has found wide application in rooms with extreme levels of humidity and temperature. The best basalt insulation, stone wool made from rocks, is the key to quality for a long time.

Glass wool

The missing 7% comes from specially added flame retardants. Insulation fibers contain lignin, which becomes sticky when humidity increases. All elements included in the insulation are non-toxic, absolutely non-volatile and harmless to health. Cellulose insulation is resistant to combustion and rotting, and has excellent sound and heat insulation properties.

Can hold approximately 20% humidity while maintaining its performance. The material releases moisture to the outside and dries quickly, maintaining all its performance qualities. The disadvantage of ecowool is the difficulty of manually applying it to the surface, as well as the impossibility of arranging a “floating floor” due to its inherent softness.

Penoizol

Another name for the material is urea foam. This is a modern material with high sound and heat insulating characteristics, which is a cheap insulation material. This is a cellular organic foam with particularly low density and low thermal conductivity. The material has high fire resistance, resistance to microorganisms, and a low price. It is easy to process, its air content reaches 90%.

The tests carried out demonstrated the capabilities of the material. It turned out that the time of its operation, as the middle layer of a frame structure, is actually unlimited. Tests of its fire resistance showed that the material can be safely classified as low-flammable.

This is the only thermal insulation material of a polymer nature that is not at all suitable for self-combustion. Its fire resistance index places it in the G2 flammability subgroup.

Even if the highest temperature occurs during a fire, when the metal begins to melt, the carbide foam will simply evaporate, without releasing toxic or harmful substances.

Izokom

This is a special foil material (on both sides or only one). It is made of polyethylene foam fabric, covered on the outside with highly polished aluminum foil. This is a multilayer vapor-sound- and heat-insulating material that combines completely different qualities.

With a minimum thickness of the insulating layer, it provides excellent properties for reflecting heat flow, successfully combined with the highest (almost maximum) thermal resistance indicators. Properly installed material is characterized by exceptionally effective thermal insulation of the building along its entire contour.

This is a harmless, environmentally friendly material that does not pose a threat to the ozone layer. It does not contain glass or other fibers that are unsafe for the health of people and animals.

Without changing its exceptional properties, it serves for about 50 years, without deforming or being damaged during all this time.

Installation is quite simple and very convenient: it does not require special equipment. Excellent protection against steam and moisture. It is used almost everywhere.