Kinds of heaters, their characteristics and application. The best insulation: tips, tips

Isolation is a generic name for materials that are designed to reduce the transfer of heat and sound.

Main types of insulation

Consider the types of insulation, their characteristics and application, which will allow you to properly select the necessary materials. There are two main types: heat and sound insulation. The first reduces the heat transfer. This leads to a more stable temperature, lower heating and cooling of indoor air. Sound insulation makes the house more pleasant for life, protects from external noise. To select the best product, you can study the classification of materials, taking into account the R-value, since this is a measurement of the resistance to heat transfer. The higher this indicator, the better.

Thermal insulation materials are used:

• In construction for facade and interior works with application on walls, floors, roofs;
• For technical purposes - heat pipelines and various equipment;
• To special types include infrared, vacuum, reflecting, air - technological insulation, the characteristics of which make it possible to maintain the desired temperature in the room.

Types of raw materials

To organic heaters include a variety of polymer materials, which are small in weight, perfectly maintain the temperature, but easily light up, so must be protected.

Kinds of heaters, their characteristics and application differ in the raw materials from which they are produced. They may be:

• Organic;
• Mixed;
• Inorganic.

Heaters differ in structure and are granular, fibrous, cellular. And also by the form: from rolled materials, plates to figured products. A special indicator is the attitude to fire: from completely resistant varieties to fire-dangerous ones, which are used only for certain, narrow purposes.

Products of wood processing in the form of plates, sawdust, shavings, as well as secondary paper, various types of waste from harvesting fodder in agriculture are called "organic insulation for walls", the price of which is the lowest. Such materials are used for private houses, but they are easily wetted and not resistant to decay.

Inorganic materials include mineral wool and its derivatives, products of concrete and glass, waste metallurgy with special technologies in the form of foam, fiber, cellular structures. They are characterized by an average specific weight, low strength, wetting. Therefore, they are used only in combination with other construction products.

To the mixed insulating insulation are asbestos materials (solid, carpet, foam). They are light, fire-resistant, but can release harmful substances without additional protection or with improper installation.

The basic insulating products

The main types of insulation, their characteristics and application can be considered by the example of the most common insulating products.

Glass wool is made from recycled glass and sand, soda ash and limestone. Then the glass is molded using resin into millions of pure fibers that are connected to each other. Such insulation can be made in the form of rolls and slabs. Mineral wool is made from molten rock in the furnace, through which it is blown with a temperature of about 1600 ° C. Ready-made products are produced in rolls and sheets. The density of a heater of this type can be different. It acts as a good temperature and sound insulator.

Rigid heat-insulating slabs are divided into:

• Polyurethane (PUR) plates, they are filled with gas, but in order to prevent its leakage, processed with aluminum foil.
• Polyisocyanurate (PIR) plates have long fiberglass strands in the structure.
• Polystyrene plates, for example foamoplex insulation, are good materials for protection against extreme temperatures and noise.

Reflective insulation in the form of foil is an environmentally friendly and effective product that is often used in the construction industry. Material with foil reduces heat transfer to 97%. Reflective insulator works as a large shield, which protects from evaporation, and reduces condensation of moisture. Wetting can be a problem for some of the fiberglass materials.

Eco-insulation

Ecological products include ecological types of insulation. These are thermal and acoustic plates and rolls, woolen cotton, hemp and recycled polyester. The dry way of construction implies the lining of plasterboard slabs. They are used as a replacement for wet plasters.

Ventilation membranes, waterproofing materials, adhesives are also necessary components of construction. The density of the insulation used in rooms for roof protection, external facade systems, attic and ceiling, floor, walls can be different, which allows you to compensate for the temperature conditions of different climatic zones.

Roll products

Roll insulation is the most common and affordable type of insulation. It consists of flexible soft threads, most often - fiberglass. Such materials are still made from mineral (stone and slag), plastic and natural fibers, such as cotton and sheep wool.

Plates and coils have the dimensions of a heater, which are suitable for a standard step between nails in the wall, attic rafters or beams, as well as floor overlaps. Continuous rolls can be manually cut or trimmed under any profile of the plane to prevent tears. Insulation is installed with or without lining. Manufacturers often combine roll materials with a protective layer of kraft paper, kraft paper or vinyl to provide a vapor barrier and air barrier. Plates with a special refractory surface are produced in different widths for the walls of the cellars and other places where their layer will remain open. The lining also helps to facilitate fastening during installation. Nevertheless, uncoated boards when using additional insulation are the best insulation for walls, the price of which is quite moderate.

Name	Price per roll, rub.
Ursa glass wool	900-1300
Uniflex "Technonikol"	1100-1400
Steklovat "Isover"	1100-1300

Standard fiberglass rolls and plates have a high thermal resistance, but in the latter this figure is 1.5 times higher.

Concrete blocks

Concrete blocks are used in the construction of a house for foundation and walls. There are several ways to protect them. If the cores are not occupied by concrete and steel for structural reasons, they can be filled with insulation, which increases the average R-value of the wall. Field studies and computer simulations have shown that the technology of filling any type of protective material offers a low fuel economy, because heat is easily carried through the rest of the solid parts of the walls, joints. It will be more effective to install a heater on the surfaces of the blocks. The price for it is much lower than the cost of heating.

The placement of insulation on the inside of the bearing walls and on the facade has additional advantages, unlike the block containing the thermal mass. In an air-conditioned room, such an installation helps to stabilize the temperature.

Some manufacturers include polystyrene balls in concrete blocks. Which increases the R-indices of products throughout the volume. Other manufacturers make foam concrete blocks. They have more than twice the thermal resistance. Different sizes of insulation help the wide use of blocks in construction.

There are two types of solid prefabricated autoclaved concrete: wall blocks from autoclaved aerated concrete and from autoclaved cellular concrete. This material contains about 80% of air and is widely used in construction.

Autoclave concrete is ten times higher in terms of insulating properties than usual. Large blocks are easily sawed, and the shape is fitted with conventional tools. The material absorbs water well, therefore requires protection from moisture. In the production of prefabricated autoclaved aerated concrete fly ash is used instead of quartz sand. This distinguishes it from cellular concrete. The ash is formed by burning coal in power plants and is practically free material that was previously disposed of.

Also, hollow blocks made of a mixture of concrete and wood shavings are used to create warm walls. They are installed by dry installation without the use of a solution. One potential problem with this type of block is that the tree is exposed to moisture and insects.

For walls of concrete blocks, as a rule, a foam-foam insulation is used during the construction of a new house and major repairs or thermal insulating concrete blocks. Block walls in residential buildings are isolated and indoors.

Foamed rigid plates and non-removable formwork

Rigid insulation panels can be used to insulate virtually any part of the house, from the roof to the foundation. Heater "Penoplex" or other rigid plates provide good heat resistance, and also reduce the thermal conductivity of structural elements. The most common types of materials used in the formation of plates: polystyrene, which include polystyrene, extruded polystyrene foam - Penoplex, polyisocyanurates and polyurethanes.

Insulating structural forms (ICF) are mainly formed for cast concrete structures, which creates walls with the highest thermal resistance.

ICF systems consist of interconnected slabs, built of blocks, which fill a technical insulation, or from foam blocks. The panels are fastened together by plastic bonds. Along with the foam elements, steel bars of the reinforcement are used, which are added before the concrete is poured. When using foam blocks, steel rods are located inside the cavities to strengthen the walls.

Insulation often becomes an easy prey for insects and groundwater. To prevent these problems, some manufacturers make insecticide-treated foam blocks and introduce methods for waterproofing. To properly install the ICF system or insulation (reviews here are unanimous), the help of experienced specialists is necessary.

ICF consumers say that:

• Heater demonstrates high quality of heat and waterproofing.
• It is quite difficult to mount such a system yourself.
• It functions perfectly for several years.

Loose types of heaters

Loose insulation consists of fine particles of fiber, foam or other materials. This mass forms a material that can fill any spaces without disturbing the structure or finish. Such an ability to take any forms for modernization in places where it is not possible to establish traditional types of insulation makes suitable a loose insulation, the price of which is very low. The most common materials of this type are cellulose, fiberglass and mineral fibers. They are produced using recycled waste. Cellulose is made from recycled paper. Fiberglass is 20-30% made of recycled glass. Mineral insulator "Technonikol" is usually produced on 75% of postindustrial materials. Some less common heaters include polystyrene balls, vermiculite and perlite. Loose insulation can be installed in enclosed cavities or in attics. Cellulose, fiberglass and mineral wool, as a rule, require experienced skilled installers, which will ensure the correct density and high R-value. Granules of polystyrene, vermiculite and perlite are usually poured.

Infrared and light reflecting barriers

Most common insulation systems are opposed to conductive and convective heat fluxes. The best insulation forms infrared barriers. They reflect radiant heat energy. This isolation is established with the help of specialists.

Infrared barriers are used in homes, usually in attics. First of all, in order to reduce the heat inflow in the summer, reduce cooling costs. Reflective insulation includes IR barriers from aluminum foil with high reflectivity.

These systems are also a variety of substrates in the form of kraft paper, polyethylene film or balls, cardboard, as well as other thermal insulation products.

Infrared radiation passes in a straight line from any plane and heats a solid surface that absorbs energy. When the sun heats the roof is the action of radiant energy. Most of this heat "travels" through the roof to the attic, conducted along the roof plane.

The heated roof material radiates the received energy to cooler attic surfaces, including air ducts and mansard floors.

The IR barrier reduces the transfer of radiant heat from the lower surface of the roof to others - in the attic. To be effective, the system must be turned into airspace.

An infrared barrier is a heater whose technical characteristics make it more efficient in a hot climate, especially when the cooling air ducts are located in the attic. Some studies show that radiating barriers can reduce cooling costs from 5% to 10% when used in sunny weather. Inflow of heat decreases. This makes it possible to reduce the cost of air conditioning. In a cool climate, as a rule, it is more cost-effective to install a saving thermal insulation.

Rigid fiber insulation

Fiber insulation consists of fiberglass or mineral wool made of stone and slag and is mainly used to protect air ducts in homes. The technology of production of such material is not simple. But the mineral wool insulation "Technonikol" has a complex of unique properties that are difficult to combine in one product. Especially if there is a need for a material that can withstand high temperatures. Installation is usually carried out by specialists in ventilation and air conditioning on the external surfaces of ducts. If the insulator is uncoated, then the assembly works are completed with reinforcement with cement, canvas and water-repellent mastic. Different thickness of insulation provides the desired R-value. Plates are installed in such a way that the seams between them are sealed by a pressure-sensitive tape or fiberglass and mastic.

Foam dispensers and liquid insulators

Liquid foam is sprayed or poured in the right place. Some materials may have twice the R-value than traditional materials. Foam insulation for walls fills even the smallest cavities, creating an effective barrier for air. Today, most such materials use blowing agents that do not use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which are harmful to the ozone layer of the Earth. Available liquid insulation foam is made of cement, phenol, polyisocyanurate, polyurethane. Some less common types include aysinin and a tripolymer. Aisinin can be sprayed or injected, making it the most versatile, and it has good resistance to penetration of air and water. Tripolymer - water-soluble foam, which is injected into the cavity of the wall. This unique insulator has excellent resistance to fire and air penetration.

A liquid heat-insulating foam in combination with a foaming agent is used with small spray containers. Foamed insulation for walls in large quantities poured in place under pressure. Both types expand and solidify as a mixture. They also correspond to the shape of the cavity, filling and sealing it very carefully. Slowly hardening liquid foam is also provided. It is designed to flow around obstacles before expansion and curing. Liquid foam can be poured directly from the container. It is often used for cavities in walls in residential buildings.

Installation work

Installation of most types of insulation from liquid foam requires special equipment and should be done by an experienced installer.

After installation, the thermal barrier of foamed materials for fire resistance is equal to plasterboard. In addition, some building codes do not recognize spraying as a vapor barrier. So such an installation may require additional steam protection.

Some types of insulation materials can be mounted independently, especially roll or foam. Others need a professional installation.

• Special skills require insulating concrete blocks that are laid without a solution. And the surfaces are connected by a configuration or additional structures.
• Insulation works outside the wall blocks inside the conditional space, which can simulate the temperature in the room.
• Stacking of wall blocks from autoclaved aerated concrete and autoclaved cellular concrete creates a 10-fold insulating value compared to conventional concrete.

Maximum thermal performance, or R-value of insulation, types of insulation, their characteristics and application significantly affect the requirements for proper installation.