Which is better - a mineral wool or a styrofoam? The better to insulate the balcony - foam or mineral wool?

Intending to equip your balcony, each owner thinks about solving a variety of issues, one of which is the choice of insulation. Most often for these purposes, a mineral wool or foam is used. Each of these materials has its advantages and disadvantages. Which is better - a mineral wool or foam plastic for warming the balcony?

Which of these two materials will be more practical? In order to determine the choice of insulation, you will need to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of each of them.

Pros and cons of the foam

Often, when warming the balconies, the owners prefer to use a plastic foam material having a low thermal conductivity coefficient. They are styrofoam. By its characteristics, it is the best heat insulator on our planet. And concrete figures can serve as proof of this. Thus, it is estimated that the foam board, having a thickness of only 10 cm, has similar thermal properties:

• 60 cm of aerated concrete;
• 40 cm of wood;
• 150 cm of bricks with voids;
• 90 cm of expanded clay concrete;
• 400 cm of reinforced concrete.

Immediately I want to find out what is better - a mineral wool or foam plastic on this characteristic? Calculations indicate the advantages of the foam itself. Thus, a plate of 10 cm thick foam is capable of keeping heat similar to 16 cm of mineral wool. Of course, according to this characteristic, the first material of the two considered should be preferred.

Answering the question about what is better for noise insulation - polystyrene or mineral wool, pay attention to the second heater. Foamed plastic materials are not suitable for noise reduction.

The next characteristic considered is vapor permeability. It directly depends on the density. As for the foam, its vapor permeability is different. It depends on the type of PPP. Thus, low-density expanded polystyrene is similar in this indicator to cotton wool. He easily misses steam. Another matter - high-density foam. He, of course, misses steam, but with great difficulty. That's why such a material is used for insulation of dense walls.

Another important characteristic of the foam, on which the choice of the host will depend in the future, is its environmental friendliness. However, there was no consensus on this issue. So, even by Soviet scientists it was proved that the styrofoam secretes into the environment toxic styrene. Only this process takes place under certain conditions. Other conclusions are drawn from the results of modern studies of the material. They confirm the harmlessness of expanded polystyrene foam. Yes, during the operation, it releases a certain amount of styrene. However, it is so miserly that it has no effect on the human body. Nevertheless, experts advise you to specify the content of residual styrene in the foam before purchasing. In environmentally friendly material, this indicator should be in the range from 0.01 to 0.05 percent.

Depending on the quality of the foam, the life of the foam also varies. The most durable are such non-press brands as PSB-S and PSB. Their main characteristics do not change even with long-term operation (10-40 years). Extrusion foam will last even longer for its owner. It can be operated without changing the characteristics to 80 years.

A significant disadvantage of expanded polystyrene is its low fire safety. Light up such material is capable of practically from one spark. The fire melts the foam. At the same time, toxic black smoke is released. To date, special additives have been added to the foam formulation to eliminate this drawback. They are by themselves incombustible and extinguish the fire that has arisen. Such a foam is called self-extinguishing. His brand is PSB-S. This material does not ignite from a spark, but is not protected from a large fire. That is why it is worthwhile to apply all types of polystyrene in the arrangement of external insulation.

Pros and Cons of Mineral Wool

When choosing the material for the insulation of the balcony, you can consider the second version of the building material. They are mineral, or stone wool. It is a fibrous material that is obtained in the melting process of mountain igneous rocks.

Which is better - polystyrene or mineral wool for balcony insulation? In order to determine the choice, it is necessary to study the basic properties of this material.
Minvata has a number of advantages that are predetermined by the characteristics of the raw materials. The undoubted advantage of this insulation is its fire resistance.

Melting is possible at a temperature of 800 degrees and above. In the event of a fire, it will not only retain its properties, but will also become an obstacle to the spread of fire.

Which is better - polystyrene or mineral wool for balcony insulation? As for fibrous material, it is in second place after its heat conductivity after expanded polystyrene. However, the mineral wool has higher hygroscopicity. This dramatically reduces the heat-shielding properties of this material when it is in a humid environment.

Which is better - a mineral wool or foam plastic according to the characteristics of vapor permeability? The results of laboratory studies convincingly prove that the condensate that falls in the room easily passes through the fibrous material. And this is his clear advantage.

When answering a question about what is best for sound insulation - polystyrene or mineral wool, it is worth paying attention to the second material. The undoubted advantage is its property to create a reliable barrier for a different kind of noise. Vata, made of stone, serves as a reliable barrier to sound waves.

For those who have not decided yet, the better to insulate it with foam or mineral wool, it's worth familiarizing yourself with such a characteristic of the material as its weight. Stone wool significantly loses in this indicator polystyrene foam. In this regard, its purchase will increase the cost of delivery, as well as the volume of handling. The weight of the heater must also be taken into account when calculating the endurance of the structure.

What is better - polystyrene or mineral wool for thermal insulation in terms of environmental friendliness? Only laboratory studies of the material can answer this question. There is evidence that the individual fraction, which is part of the rock wool fibers, has carcinogenic properties. In addition, one of the materials that is used to produce this insulation, produces a very harmful highly toxic substance formaldehyde, which is very dangerous for humans.

Requirements for heaters

Experts recommend that when selecting insulation materials pay attention to such characteristics:

• The weight. The smaller it is, the less severe the balconies will become after completing the construction work.
• Thickness. Thin materials will leave more internal space in the loggia or on the balcony.
• Thermal conductivity. At lower values of this index, more heat will be stored in the room.
• Water permeability. With its small parameters, the effect of moisture on the material decreases and its thermal conductivity decreases.
• Soundproofing. Large values of this parameter will protect the room from excessive noise.
• Fire safety. The material used should not be combustible, and also emit toxic fumes under the influence of fire.
• Ecological compatibility. Its high rates will allow to preserve human health and not to harm the environment.
• The economy, which characterizes the cost (the purchase of material should be available to a wide range of consumers).
• Durability. The more it is, the cheaper the insulation becomes for the buyer.
• Simplicity of installation, which is especially important for those who are going to do repairs themselves.

Comparison of the characteristics of two heaters

So, we got acquainted with the basic properties of polystyrene foam and mineral wool. Now you can compare these two materials according to their main indicators. The choice of any one of them presents a multidimensional and complex problem. Its solution will require taking into account not only specific conditions, but also its own priorities.

Resistance to heat loss

The better to insulate the balcony - foam or mineral wool? Having considered the heat-insulating properties of the two materials, we come to the conclusion that the expanded polystyrene is unrivaled by this characteristic. Many heaters lose to him, including minvats. And this despite the fact that the values of the thermal conductivity of the two materials we are considering have practically identical values. The fact is that the internal structure of the foam is a huge number of closed cells filled with air. This structure also contributes to good heat retention. Minvata does not have any closed cells. This facilitates the outflow of warm air from it.

So what better keeps the heat - minvate or styrofoam? The conclusion is unambiguous. Polyfoam, even one that has not the highest quality and price, is better to use as a heat insulator than mineral wool.

Ability to pass steam

Minvata and polystyrene have different coefficients that indicate their vapor permeability. At polystyrene it is 0.03 mg. With regard to mineral wool, then this figure is more than ten times. This indicates that the fibrous material is better than the evaporated water. This can be a plus or minus mineral wool. After all, with the accumulation of moisture, this material will lose a significant part of its thermal insulation properties. Polyfoam is the same steam is not skipped, but at the same time and does not accumulate. When it is used, moisture is removed through the irregularities and joints of the insulation layer. Thus, according to this characteristic, both materials have practically equal possibilities for selection.

Resistance to Fire

Consider fire safety. According to this characteristic, what is better to insulate the balcony, foam or mineral wool? Fibrous insulation has a high resistance to fire. The foam plastic in this case obviously loses.

It is worth noting that modern manufacturers offer such types of basalt fibrous material, which has the ability to withstand temperatures reaching 1000 degrees Celsius. Styrofoam, unlike stone wool, easily melts. In addition, it is able to burn independently. Experts also note the fact that flame retardants, which are added to the foam for its greater fire safety, eventually lose their properties.

Price category

People who ask themselves the question of how to warm the walls better with a mineral wool or foam plastic, the cost of the material is also important. And here is polystyrene foam. It is the cheapest building material.

Ease of installation

Styrofoam, regardless of its type, is more elastic and durable than the mineral wool. It is easy to grind and cut. However, this insulation is difficult to glue so that the junctions do not form cold bridges. You can solve this problem. To do this, you need to purchase a foam with a L-shaped edge.

Mineral wool can be elastic and dense only if it is laid in mats laid in the frame. The positive moment in its installation is the absence of cold bridges due to the small joints of the sheets of this insulation.

Ecological compatibility

Previously, styrofoam was made from styrene and used in the production process freon. Now the environmental requirements for building materials are very high. That is why Russian and European manufacturers stopped using this component. Thus, for outdoor work, polystyrene foam in any quantity is considered absolutely safe. The same applies to mineral wool. But indoors, both of these materials should be used neatly, without getting carried away with their volume.

Other characteristics

What other abilities of materials should be considered when buying them? When choosing a heater it is worth paying attention to its hygroscopicity. If the environment in the room is wet, then foam should be used. In the process of exploitation, it will not lose its consumer properties. Stone wool in such premises will serve little. It is critical to the action of moisture.

As for weight, in this issue the undoubted leader is polystyrene. Its weight is much lower than that of mineral wool.

Chemical and biological immunity of materials is an important parameter. Minvata is resistant to all fungi and organic substances. Polyfoam in this respect has the worst characteristics.

What is insulated with mineral wool and polystyrene?

How to choose the material for construction work? For this you need to know some rules. So, if you decide the question of what is better to insulate the house - polystyrene or mineral wool, you need to pay attention to the material from which the building is made. Wooden walls are "breathing". Insulate them with foam plastic in no case it is impossible. Otherwise, the tree will lose its useful properties. In buildings constructed of brick or reinforced concrete, fibrous material is used for the insulation of partitions, ceilings, floors and ceilings. The better to insulate the facade - foam or mineral wool in this case? Special requirements exist for the insulation of external walls. Brick and wooden houses are insulated using a ventilated facade of a hanging type. An integral part of this design is vapor barrier membranes.

But the foam plastic as a heater is very well manifested where there is a high enough humidity. These are the foundations and walls of block and brick houses, roofs of unventilated type and interfloor overlappings. Styrofoam is widely used for the production of various packaging. They lay the walls of freezers and refrigerators. In these cases the foam plastic serves as an excellent thermal insulator.

So, we have considered what is better - a mineral wool or foam plastic, if the balcony is to be insulated.