Polyfoam as a heater, its characteristics and scope + Video

Of all the insulating materials in their arsenal, builders most often choose foam plastic. As a heater, foam plastic has been used for quite a long time for thermal insulation of both large construction projects and individual construction.

Many people believe that this is one of the best materials for thermal insulation of houses and other premises. Virtually every material has its own pros and cons, having considered them, we will understand whether polyfoam is really the best option for insulation of premises.

Characteristics of the foam as insulation

The foam is a foam mass. Foam plates are distinguished by their low weight, since inside it is mostly filled with air. The raw material of which the foam is composed has even greater density than the starting material. The bulk of the foam consists of still air, which is a good heat insulator.

The advantages of foam plastic as insulation

1. According to the manufacturers' hygienic conclusions and in accordance with the state standard, foam plastic is an environmentally friendly material. It is harmless to humans, as it does not emit toxic substances into the air.

2. In addition, this material has almost no shelf life, since it is not attacked by microorganisms and does not decompose. It has low thermal conductivity and is characterized by high vapor barrier properties.

3. Polyfoam is fireproof and fire resistant. When the temperature in the room changes, it does not change its physical and chemical properties. High quality foam contains a fire retardant with self-extinguishing properties, due to which it does not support combustion.

4. The weight of this material is very low, and this is an additional plus, since it does not make the structure heavier and does not affect the shrinkage of the foundation.

5. It should be noted that this is an inexpensive material, easily assembled into a structure, and very durable.

Disadvantages of foam plastic

With all the positive properties of foam plastic, it also has several disadvantages.

1. The foam has low mechanical strength, and therefore, it needs to create additional protection.

2. In addition, it can collapse when nitrocolors or paints and varnishes with such composition get on it.

3. The disadvantages of foam plastic include the impossibility of passing air through it.

4. It may be susceptible to rodent attack, so you need to cover it with a strong layer of plaster.

Wall insulation with foam

Polyfoam is a good insulation for walls. Insulate the walls with foam plastic, both inside and outside. But most often produce insulation just outside. With insulation outside it is possible to move the largest freezing point to the outside of the wall, thereby preventing cold from entering the room.

To produce internal insulation of walls that go out to the street is not correct. The fact is that the wall that comes out must warm up, thanks to the internal heating. When laying the foam on the inner surface of the wall, the wall will be warmed from two sides, that is, the wall will not only be insulated from the outside, but will also be insulated from the inside of the room, which will prevent its heating by heating.

As a result, the “dew point” will shift into the wall, or this point will be between the wall and the foam layer. In these places, moisture will accumulate and permeate the wall, in addition, this moisture can freeze in cold weather, that is, it will all lead to a disturbance of heat transfer, and the walls will gradually collapse.

Therefore, the best option is to warm the walls outside, but be sure to finish the top of the foam with a layer of durable plaster. The foam does not have high mechanical strength, so the strengthening of the walls is necessarily necessary for the durability of the structure.

Warming of the walls outside with foam plastic. Photo lpinists. com. ua

Floor insulation with foam

Floor insulation is also performed using foam plates. The use of foam for floor insulation is a very effective method to keep warm floors and reduce noise when walking on the floor or when moving furniture. In this case, they are used for thermal insulation of the floor of the foam plate, having a thickness of up to 50 mm They are laid on a layer of material with insulating properties. Further seams are hermetically processed, and only then, everything is poured with a tie.

Floor insulation with foam plastic. Photo - epsfoamprodotcom. sharepoint. com

Roof insulation

When insulating roofs in houses and buildings for various purposes, two methods are used: non-ventilated (warm roof) and ventilated (cold) roof.In the first case, when creating a non-ventilated (warm) roof, the entire roof is covered with foam plastic plates with a thickness of 70 mm, and the top is filled with a bitumen layer. When using the second method, foam plates are installed on the back side of the roof, and a ventilated surface remains to prevent the formation of water vapor. It is very important to properly insulate roofs in the attic.

Foundation thermal insulation

The insulation of the foundation with foam plastic requires enhanced protection, since not only the ground pressure occurs, but the load on the foam plastic also increases in the winter during soil heaving, and this happens during freezing. Strong reinforcement is necessary; for this, brickwork is made or concrete is poured.

Warming of the foundation with foam plastic. Photo - plaforamaconstruye. com

Thermal insulation of engineering systems

Polyfoam has become very often used for thermal insulation of engineering systems. For example, for thermal insulation of water and sewage pipes during the winter freezing, the use of foam will be simply indispensable, as it will help to avoid the catastrophe of the breakdown of pipes in the winter. Also use foam for thermal insulation of cold water supply. Thermal insulation foam and ventilation ducts, telephone lines and recessed channels.

Video: Lesson on wall insulation with foam