Great attention is paid to the insulation of private and apartment buildings already at the stage of building construction. Without high-quality thermal insulation, a draft, mold and other negative phenomena will form in the room. Maintaining an optimal temperature in a building without thermal insulation is difficult, so it is important to choose the best insulation material. Foam glass is considered to be an easy-to-install, durable, durable and effective heat insulator. Before use, you should study the advantages of the material, the methods of its installation and the operating conditions.
Main varieties
Foamed glass is a heater that combines the advantages of two materials at once. Strength and fragility are inherent in silicate glass, and lightness in foam.
During production, the silicate mass is heated, after which a gas-forming substance is added to it. Under the influence of high temperatures, melting and the formation of small bubbles in the mass occur. Thanks to this technology, a material with a high level of heat resistance is obtained.
The following types of foam glass are used in thermal insulation works:
- Plate. It is produced in the form of a slab with closed cells in a foam structure. It is used in the insulation of plinths, facades, ceilings, foundations. The standard dimensions of the slab are 45 × 60 cm. The thickness varies from 6 to 12 cm. It can withstand serious loads, does not shrink and does not deform.
- Granulated. It is produced in the form of microporous granules-spheres of various sizes. Granules can be used to insulate interior walls and floors.
Technical characteristics, depending on the type of release, practically do not differ. When choosing granules or slabs, the master relies on the convenience of work and the appropriateness of using one form or another.
The material is universal, therefore it is used for insulation of brick, wood, concrete and other houses.
Foam glass characteristics
Any heat insulator must maintain a comfortable room temperature. For this, the insulation has the following properties:
- Thermal conductivity. It should be low. For foam glass, this indicator is 0.04 W / m * s. Foam glass protects against heat loss better than wood and mineral wool installed from inside the house.
- Strength. The strength index of the foam glass is 0.5 - 1.2 MPa. Falls over time. Resistance to mechanical stress is low.
- Soundproofing properties. Foam glass can extinguish sound waves with a force of 45-55 decibels.
- Temperature characteristics. Works under extreme conditions and withstands from -200 ° to + 300 ° C.
- Water vapor permeability. It can be used as a vapor barrier.
- Moisture resistance. Does not absorb moisture and does not change its properties upon contact with liquid.
- Resistant to microorganisms, insects and rodents. Mold will not form.
- Chemical resistance. Does not interact with acids, alkalis, gases. Only hydrofluoric acid affects foam glass from chemical compounds.
- Environmental friendliness. The material is safe, does not emit harmful substances, does not burn.
All these unique characteristics are achieved by combining the properties of the two materials and foaming them into a single mass.
Various large manufacturers are engaged in the production of foam glass. Among them are Knauf, Penosital (Perm), Penosteklo (Moscow), ICEm Glass (Samara) and others.The material should be ordered from trusted manufacturers, since the product of unknown origin may not correspond to the declared characteristics.
Pros and cons
- Good thermal insulation properties. They are explained by the structure of the material in the form of closed cells.
- Wide range of applications. It can be used for insulation of walls, frame structures, floors, facades, roofs, communication systems.
- Lifetime. Service life reaches 100 years without loss of performance.
- High quality soundproofing. It dampens extraneous sounds well and does not require the installation of an additional layer of noise insulator.
- Ease of installation. The work does not require special skills, abilities and professional equipment.
- Environmental and fire safety. The material does not burn, but can only melt. Does not emit gas, smoke and toxic components.
Due to the advantages, foam glass insulation is one of the safest and highest quality methods of thermal insulation. But there are also disadvantages that need to be considered when choosing a heater and working with it:
- Cost. This is one of the most expensive heat insulators.
- Low impact strength. May crack with strong blows. This indicator is influenced by the glass structure.
- Low vapor permeability. Fungi and other biological elements do not form in the material, but the surface covered with foam glass can become a focus of infection. This is due to the lack of air exchange.
Despite the disadvantages, foamed glass is actively used in insulation.
Foam Glass Applications
Good thermal insulation properties and high strength distinguish foamed glass from other materials. A different form of release allows you to use it for a basement, load-bearing walls, facades, pipelines, foundations. Due to its low liquid absorption, foamed glass can be installed in rooms with high humidity - basements, attics, baths and saunas. Granules can be added to concrete for additional insulation.
The ability to cut with a conventional knife allows you to produce slabs of the desired size. They also hold plaster and wall-finishing compounds well.
In addition to finishing and insulation of residential premises, foam glass is used in industry. They can insulate production halls and equipment that operates at elevated temperatures.
Insulation technology
- The plates are fastened with special glue. It must be applied to the back of the slab and side walls, and then evenly distributed over the entire surface.
- In case of unevenness of the back surface of the sheet, the adhesive is applied with slaps.
- Fixation to the tree is carried out with dowels. This is due to the fact that the tree expands under the influence of moisture and temperature.
- Installation on a vertical surface is carried out using a building level and a bottom bar.
- The first row of the heat insulator is placed on the support profile. After finishing work, you can delete it.
- The slabs are stacked close to each other. After the glue has completely dried, they are reinforced with special dowels.
Compliance with the installation requirements will increase the efficiency and durability of the insulation.
