Thermal insulation work is primarily the protection of buildings, structures, pipelines and other structures from unwanted heat transfer. Thanks to thermal insulation, you can save 2-5 times the consumption of gas or electricity to heat the room.
Classification of thermal insulation materials
A large number of materials act as heat insulators, all of them are divided according to different criteria, including density:
- High, over 250 kg/m3.
- Average, within 100-250 kg/m3.
- Low, less than 100kg/m3.
All modern materials for the production of thermal insulation work have quality characteristics, most of them are environmentally friendly. There is a wide range of such products on the market, but before buying them, you need to carefully familiarize yourself with them and their characteristics, areas of application, installation features.
Allmaterials can be further divided into three groups:
- organic;
- inorganic;
- mixed.
By their structure, heat-insulating materials are divided into:
- fibrous;
- cellular;
- grainy.
Also, all materials can be with or without a binder. According to fire resistance, they are divided into:
- Combustible.
- Fireproof.
- Retardantly combustible.
Each material for thermal insulation works has a certain vapor permeability, humidity, water absorption, biostability, temperature resistance. Therefore, when choosing one or another material, you need to compare them and choose the most suitable one that meets all the requirements.
Popular insulation materials
Consider the most popular materials, their advantages and disadvantages. At present, there are a huge number of companies that produce thermal insulation products, and even more of their varieties. Below we describe the most popular materials for thermal insulation.
Mineral wool
Mineral wool is highly porous, has a high thermal insulation capacity. It is considered one of the most common materials for domestic use.
Thermal insulation work with it has the following advantages:
- easy to use;
- cheap;
- off;
- well ventilated;
- noise-insulating and frost-resistant;
- long termoperation.
But in addition to the obvious advantages, mineral wool also has disadvantages:
- after contact with water loses its heat-insulating properties;
- is not a vapor barrier and waterproofing, so additional materials will be required for insulation;
- not strong.
Glass wool and bas alt slabs
Glass wool is sold in rolls. Widely used for pipe insulation. More durable than mineral wool. Bas alt slab is a subspecies of glass wool. It is made from bas alt rocks.
Its Benefits:
- increased strength;
- fire resistance;
- does not deform and is durable.
Facades, panels, foundations, roofs of houses - all this is insulated with bas alt slabs.
Foamglass
Glass powder and blowing agent are sintered, after which foam glass is formed. Its porosity is within 95%.
Advantages of foam glass:
- waterproof and durable;
- easy to work with;
- frost-resistant and fireproof;
- chemically neutral;
Flaws:
- expensive;
- not breathable.
Foam glass is mainly used in industrial plants.
Cork and Styrofoam
Cork is an environmentally friendly material popular all over the world.
Cork has many positives:
- does not rot or settle due tolight weight;
- strong but easy to cut;
- durable;
- smolders in a fire without releasing harmful substances.
But the cost of cork is quite high, so few can afford it.
One of the most popular insulating materials is Styrofoam. You can buy it at any hardware store. The advantages of foam include:
- high thermal insulation, strength;
- practically does not absorb water;
- easy to work with;
- cheap.
Polyfoam cons:
- does not allow air to pass;
- with prolonged exposure to moisture, its structure collapses.
Styrofoam
Durable, consists of closed cells filled with gas. Material Advantage:
- strength and durability;
- low thermal conductivity;
- does not absorb water;
- non-toxic and does not interact with other substances.
But Styrofoam is not breathable and burns.
Liquid thermal insulation
Consists of empty ceramic balls connected with a special solution.
Benefits:
- Minimum thermal conductivity.
- Applied to any surface.
- Resistant to high and low temperatures, as well as to open fire.
- It is enough to apply a layer of 2-3 mm - a small consumption of the substance.
Insulation tools
After choosing the right material, you can start selecting tools. To carry out work onthermal insulation, you will need the following tools:
- wide tape;
- mounting foam;
- polyethylene;
- buckets, spatulas of various widths and brushes;
- fiberglass mesh;
- glue, depending on the insulation;
- dowels;
- self-tapping screws;
- gloves and goggles;
- knife, tape measure;
- anchors.
Stages of wall insulation
In order for the result to justify itself, you need to take every step seriously. Otherwise, no thermal insulation will work, the appearance will be, to put it mildly, ugly. Depending on the insulation, the technology of thermal insulation work will be slightly different. Preparation steps:
- Preparing the walls. Thorough cleaning of their old and peeling coatings, cleaning of cables, drains, plates and other things.
- Sealing cracks, potholes, bump upholstery.
Installation and thermal insulation work during plastering work consists of the following processes:
- Mounting auxiliary profiles.
- Glue insulation and additional fixation on anchors or dowels.
- Slopes and tides are attached.
- Applying a reinforcing coating.
- Sanding and painting.
It is important to make intervals in the work until each layer is completely dry.
Frame systems are attached as follows:
- Marking the axes of the subsystem.
- Division of the facade into small sections.
- Determining reference points, installing screws in them and stretching the cord along them.
- Installation of supporting elements and frame belts.
- Fixing insulation.
- Waterproofing membrane attached on top.
- Exterior heat-insulating plaster used as a finishing coat.
When performing internal work, all the above materials are used. The sequence of all actions is practically the same. Thermal insulation plaster for interior use only as a finishing coat.
General norms of SNiP
Heat insulation work can be carried out at air temperatures from +60 °С to -30 °С. If water compositions are used during operation, then the minimum temperature value is +5 °С.
At the base under the roof and insulation, according to the project, you need to do:
- Sealing joints between prefabricated slabs.
- Installation of temperature shrinkage seams.
- Installation of embedded elements.
- Plastering sections of vertical surfaces of stone structures.
Performance of thermal insulation work must be carried out without any defects, for this all compounds and materials must be applied evenly. After drying, each layer must be sanded.
