The tightening of requirements for the quality of construction and insulation of buildings, as well as the improvement of technologies for the production of insulation made it possible to bring to the market a number of new materials with improved characteristics. Among them is foil insulation, the numerous advantages of which provide high-quality thermal insulation of structures for various purposes. Due to the acceptable cost and ease of installation, the material is in high demand and is used where it is necessary to shorten the time for finishing work.
Description and features of foil insulation
For a long time, the only insulation that had no analogues was mineral wool. Specialists performing finishing and repairs had to put up with its many shortcomings or look for ways to eliminate them. A short contact with water was enough for the mineral wool insulation layer to lose some of its useful characteristics. In addition, prolonged work with such insulation could harm the health of the craftsmen due to the specific structure.
The release of foil-clad insulation made it possible to abandon the use of mineral wool. It is a two-layer material in the form of plates or sheets, one surface of which is reinforced with a thin layer of foil. Insulation materials with outstanding insulating characteristics are used as a basis: penofol, expanded polystyrene, polystyrene and other materials with a foamed structure. Sometimes foil insulation is called the same as its base. But all these additional names are united by a single structure and approximately the same properties.
The presence of thermal insulation foil allows the material to reflect the absorbed thermal energy and direct it back into the room, thereby reducing possible heat loss to a minimum and reducing the cost of heating the premises. In addition, the foil does not absorb water and does not get wet, which excludes damage to the main insulation layer. Depending on the purpose, the sheets have different thicknesses and pore sizes, on which the parameters of thermal insulation depend.
Advantages and disadvantages
The popularity of foil-clad thermal insulation has led to the presence of the following advantages:
- outstanding insulating properties, allowing you to count on high-quality and durable insulation;
- high levels of sound insulation, excluding the penetration of extraneous sounds from the street into the room;
- climatic resistance, the ability to withstand sudden changes in temperature;
- pronounced vapor barrier characteristics;
- zero hygroscopicity, protection of the interior of the house from high humidity and dampness.
Insulation with foil has no restrictions on the field of application, largely due to its environmental safety for humans. It is allowed to use such insulation in children's rooms, in medical, social and educational institutions.
Foil roll insulation based on penofol or expanded polystyrene has special strength characteristics.Its ability to withstand significant mechanical stress makes it possible to use insulation for arranging the floor in rooms with high traffic or heavy furniture. Due to its climatic resistance, foil insulation can be used when arranging a system of underfloor heating. It will provide an additional reduction in heat loss and the penetration of cold air from the street into the room. The costs of purchasing and installing insulation will pay off many times over due to the reduction in heating costs and the ability to abandon the operation of additional heating devices.
Another important advantage of foil insulation is ease of installation, which even a novice craftsman can handle. Sheets and roll fragments can be easily cut and fixed using conventional tools. You should not save on the purchase of insulation, especially since its cost is quite affordable, and the performance characteristics do not deteriorate even after prolonged operation.
Thermal insulation with foil is more expensive than similar materials without a protective layer. The difference in price is due to the costs of manufacturing and laying a metal layer on the sheets. However, the additional costs for the purchase of foil-clad material are fully justified by the consumer properties of the material, several times higher than the similar parameters of heaters without foil.
Application area
Reflective insulation is used in the finishing of all types of surfaces of premises: walls, roofs, floors, ceilings, partitions, ceilings, etc. Its use allows you to solve the following issues:
- improve the efficiency of the underfloor heating system;
- exclude the penetration of cold into the house from the basement;
- achieve reliable thermal insulation of walls and floors;
- insulate the roof and under-roof space;
- equip a glazed balcony, loggia or veranda;
- protect pipes and communications from the effects of wet soil and negative temperatures;
- insulate the premises of swimming pools, baths and saunas, where it is necessary to ensure the preservation of the maximum amount of heat and reduce its loss.
The appropriate type of material is selected depending on the thickness, purpose and insulation characteristics. A prerequisite for high-quality insulation of the building is the use of foil-clad material on the first floors, where it is important to provide reliable protection from cold and moisture in the soil.
The main types of foil insulation
The characteristics of different types of insulating materials differ significantly and depend on the properties of the substrate. This allows you to choose a heater depending on the specific type of room, its actual and desired microclimatic conditions, operating characteristics and other factors. The properties of a shiny insulation are also important: its thermal conductivity, service life, elasticity, mechanical strength and resistance to deformation.
Currently, the range of insulating materials includes:
- Expanded polystyrene. Bulky and thick sheets with pronounced insulating characteristics. The production technology involves the melting of polystyrene granules and their formation into a material with a single structure. Among the advantages are a high degree of strength, biological resistance, and a long service life. Foil polystyrene foam protects properties in a wide temperature range from -180C to + 180C. Scope - floor insulation and water heating systems, where a mechanical effect on the insulation and operation in high humidity conditions is likely.
- Foamed polyethylene. Insulation roll with a foil layer on one or both sides.The basis is the materials penofol, ecofol, isolon and other heaters of the latest generation. Thickness is within 2-10 cm, thermal conductivity is about 0.038 W / (mK). An adhesive layer on one of the surfaces simplifies and speeds up the installation of the material. Scope - insulation of floors, walls, utilities: ventilation, sewerage, etc.
- Mineral wool. Insulation with serious restrictions on use due to the release of phenol into the air. Recommended for use in non-residential premises, provided that a surface protective layer of dense film is provided. It is realized in the form of plates or rolls. Scope - thermal insulation of balconies, roofs and floors in auxiliary rooms. The material is produced with a thickness of 5 to 10 cm.
- Basalt insulation. Mineral wool based material. Differs in climatic resistance, is able to withstand a significant increase in ambient temperature up to +700 C. It can be used for arranging stoves and fireplaces, roofs and walls, interfloor ceilings, etc.
Less commonly, a heat-reflecting material based on foam sheets is used, one of the sides of which is pasted over with foil. It is used to equip the foundation in the construction of buildings and structures from scratch. Another relatively rare material is polypropylene film with metal inclusions, due to which thermal energy is evenly distributed over the surface of the finish and is retained for a long time.
Features of installation work on laying insulation
Laying sheets of foil insulation is carried out using:
- stapler;
- nails with large heads;
- construction tape.
Reflective insulation is laid with the foil side up. Otherwise, the insulating layer will be completely useless, it will not be possible to reduce heat loss with its help. Experts recommend leaving a small air gap between the insulation and the floor covering, due to which the level of thermal insulation of the floor can be increased.
Laying insulation for walls inside the house with overlapping foil is not allowed. The sheets are mounted joint to joint and fixed with nails or tape, depending on the thickness of the base. Adhesive material also requires additional fixation at the edges. After laying, the joints are additionally glued with tape. If the insulation is embedded in a concrete screed, there is no need to waterproof it. For other coatings, it is recommended to additionally protect the insulation against high humidity.
The sequence of laying foil insulation:
- the surface is cleaned of debris and dried;
- the insulation is cut into fragments of the required size and leveled on a flat surface;
- fixation of sheets is carried out along the walls and further across with the help of wooden blocks;
- a crate is laid on top of the insulation, due to which an air gap forms between the insulation and the coating;
- the floor is covered with a coating or poured with a concrete screed;
- if the installation of the underfloor heating system is provided, the work is performed at the final stage.
Compliance with the recommendations for laying foil-clad insulation is the only way to preserve the useful properties of the material and evaluate them in practice. You can clarify the installation features according to the instructions accompanying each of the proposed materials.
