Warming of the attic foam - savings or short-sightedness ?

attic Warming of the foam as a way to save

Nowadays polystyrene or otherwise foam is better known as a packaging material, rather than as a heater.As a result, not very healthy fiberglass and mineral wool are more popular than the widely used foam.Meanwhile, attic insulation foam would save a lot of money.Especially that second life as insulation can get conventional foam packaging, although, of course, it is better to use special insulating panels.The latter include polystyrene plates with pazogrebnevyh compound is very convenient for installation.Thus, inexpensive and widely available, light and durable, the foam can provide excellent thermal insulation to your attic.

Stacked foam plates, designed to insulate the attic, as usual, on the inner side of the roof, between the rafters.Knowledgeable people are advised to lay the foam with a gap of 5 millimeters (unless cam boards of expanded polystyrene), and the resulting gaps to fill the building with foam.This is a reason, the fact is that over time, the roof gives a small shrinkage under its own weight and foam slabs, laid end to end, they can start to press against each other.As a result, seams can vspuchilis.Correctly stacked Styrofoam plates together with mounting foam - this is guaranteed by the absence of bridges cold.

vapor proof polystyrene, which has also an extremely high moisture resistance, does not need additional protective layers as a vapor barrier, for example.

course, what to conceal, have foam and negative sides.For example, polystyrene is easy to be occupied by mold and other fungi, especially in areas with high humidity.In addition, it is important to know - the foam is afraid of fire and no impregnating and coating will not help him to increase the resistance to high temperatures at which it melts, and then flashes.When burning foam releases acrid black smoke (highly toxic), which can considerably reduce the chances of survival during a fire.Think about it, what is the probability of ignition of a wooden house belonging to you and whether to create a thermal insulation of the roof with polystyrene foam, especially if performed wall insulation foam when there are, for example, Basalt mineral wool.

Insulation of attic with mineral wool - the arguments "for" and "Against»

When selecting building materials, many of us put in priority above all price, and already in the second turn on characteristics.And the reason is not so much the recent crisis, many elementary desire to save money.However, with mineral wool you it will not work, to the budget materials, it does not apply.However, just the characteristics of more than justified all that will be spent on mineral wool that is refractory (heat resistant up to 1000 degrees), damp-proof, has a considerable stock of hardness and everything else is an excellent sound insulator.And all this is only in addition to the wonderful insulating properties.

Insulation of attic with mineral wool is performed as easily as described above with polystyrene plates.However, the neglect of other insulating layers such as superdiffuzionnaya membrane, is located directly on the crate with the transition to the rafters.Already on top of damp-proofing layer with a small air gap stacked slabs of basalt mineral wool, which is then covered with a vapor barrier and only then finishing decorative panels or plasterboard.Mineral wool can also be done and the internal wall insulation.

However, it should be noted that mineral wool is not safe material and it is necessary to choose carefully, preferring well-known producers.The fact that the slightest violation of norms and standards in the manufacture of mineral wool makes it extremely dangerous for health .Companies that have long-established in the Russian market, guarantee the quality of its products, but dozens of lesser-known companies involved in the production of mineral wool, provide such guarantees, for the most part, unfounded.

As a result, you risk to acquire mineral wool, which eventually lose their rigidity, becoming dust of the plurality of solid mineral fibers, tiny and often invisible to the naked eye.Once in the respiratory tract and eyes, these particles can cause a variety of diseases.And used as a connecting element formaldehyde resins due to improper production technology over time, begin to give off noxious substances for man: in fact, formaldehyde and phenol.Hence - choose mineral wool with an eye on the reputation of the manufacturer, or give preference to less harmful materials, polyurethane foam, for example.

attic Warming of polyurethane foam as an alternative to other materials

If you have spare cash and the desire to have a high-quality thermal insulation of the attic with low labor costs, consider the option of polyurethane foam.In fact, this is very different from the insulation foam and mineral wool, if only because it does not fit into slabs or mats, and is applied by spraying.Outwardly resembles polyurethane assembly foam, especially after the pour, but does not look like it in its structure, as a kind of gas-filled plastics, ie, a relative of Styrofoam.Harden, the polyurethane foam has a density of mineral wool, and their insulating properties superior to all other insulation, including Penoizol.Moreover, this material is a vapor barrier and the high water resistance, that is, when it is used needs no additional protective layers.

To make polyurethane foam insulation of the attic, you need a special dispenser, heavy work clothes with a hood and sleeves, heavy gloves and, preferably, the mask.The reason for the need for such equipment is not harmful insulation and its excellent adhesion (adhesion to any surface).If your hair gets this foam not only resistant to household chemicals and gasoline, as well as to weak acids, there will be no choice but to take up the shaver and completely get rid of the scalp.Using the same minimum protections, you are very quickly will cover a thick layer of insulation the entire inside of the roof between the rafters ( average speed - up to 500 square meters per day ).Uniform layer eliminates bridges to cold and dampness, as well as high reliability of thermal insulation, which often begins to break down on the seam (if available).

However, there are disadvantages, even in such a wonderful material.The first is, of course, the price, but, taking into account the characteristics of the polyurethane foam is only an indirect disadvantage.Low resistance level ethers and concentrated acids can also be a drawback, which is only partly, because hardly anyone thought to visit the roof to pour sulfuric acid.But the low heat resistance of polyurethane foam - this is really a serious flaw in the material properties, because it even with low flammability, starts to break even at 80-90 degrees, and may ignite at higher temperatures.Therefore, it is worth considering what exactly you want to insulate the attic, and how to minimize the disadvantages of a particular material.