Non-combustible insulation allows you to prevent heat exchange between the room and the street and guarantees safety: the likelihood of fire and fire in the house is reduced to an absolute minimum. Refractory insulation can be used in industrial and domestic conditions.
Characteristics of non-combustible thermal insulation material
All types of refractory insulation must meet certain criteria:
- when burning, non-combustible thermal insulation should not lose more than 50% of its weight;
- with a visible flame, burning should last no more than 10 seconds - the material can ignite but not burn;
- during combustion, the temperature of non-combustible insulation for walls and floors should not exceed +50 degrees;
The concept of oxygen index deserves special attention. This criterion characterizes the fire safety of the material, which indicates the minimum oxygen content per unit volume of the heat-insulating substance.
In construction, there are several flammability thresholds according to the oxygen index:
- 20% - materials that burn well in air;
- 31% - cellular and fibrous non-combustible materials;
- 40% - composite polymers.
There are several types of non-combustible insulation, the characteristics of which must be familiarized with before buying.
Varieties of fire-resistant insulation
Thermal insulation materials can have a different production technology and basis, which is reflected in the technical characteristics and appearance:
- free flowing;
- cellular;
- fibrous;
- liquid.
Loose
Loose heat-insulating materials are stones of various fractions, which are poured into the cavity of a building structure. To ensure greater thermal efficiency, it is recommended to use bulk insulation of different sizes: large ones provide thermal insulation, and small ones fill the cavities between them.
Non-combustible bulk insulation includes:
- Expanded clay is an environmentally friendly and completely safe material based on clay. It is mainly used for insulating hard-to-reach places. The substance has high thermal insulation characteristics and moisture resistance. Expanded clay is recommended for insulation of fire hazardous objects. It was previously used in the construction of industrial furnaces.
- Perlite is a heat-resistant insulation based on volcanic glass, due to which the material is characterized by low weight and low thermal conductivity. In terms of thermal efficiency, 30 mm of perlite is equivalent to 150 mm of brickwork. The main disadvantage is poor moisture resistance.
- Expanded vermiculite consists mainly of hydromica, which is subjected to high-temperature firing at the production stage. As a rule, vermiculite is used for insulating low-rise buildings, external thermal insulation and attics. Characteristic features are improved indicators of biostability and high environmental friendliness, the inability to withstand the effects of moisture. It is possible to level this significant drawback only with a properly installed waterproofing.
Honeycomb
Visually, these types of insulation are similar to frozen soap foam.The most common material from this group is foam glass. It is produced by sintering coal with glass chips. The characteristic features of the material are durability (the duration of the service life exceeds 100 years), low thermal conductivity and mechanical strength.
Foam glass does not ignite even at record high temperatures. The material melts without emitting toxic substances into the atmosphere.
Fibrous
Visually, the materials are similar to ordinary cotton wool, since they consist of randomly located fibers. A heat insulator is produced in the form of mats and rolls, also non-combustible mineral wool is sheet. Compared to analogs, sheet products have less rigidity.
Types of non-combustible mineral wool:
- Ecowool is 80% recycled cellulose, which has undergone fire retardant processing at the production stage. The material is environmentally friendly, has a low weight and a low coefficient of insulation. The only drawback is low moisture resistance.
- Basalt wool consists mainly of rock fibers, which are preliminarily heated to more than 1300 degrees. Thanks to this, the material does not ignite and does not burn even under the influence of abnormally high temperatures. Mineral wool has a low coefficient of moisture absorption, does not shrink, is biostable and completely environmentally friendly.
- Glass wool can withstand temperatures up to 500 degrees, while maintaining all its technical characteristics: light weight, durability and thermal efficiency. Glass wool also has a drawback - a tendency to shrink and when working with raw materials, you need to use special protection, otherwise damage to the skin cannot be avoided.
Liquid
Liquid non-combustible thermal insulation for walls is sprayed using special equipment. Over time, the liquid solidifies, forming a mass that visually resembles non-combustible polystyrene foam.
The most common and demanded type of liquid insulation is polyurethane. The raw material is environmentally friendly, has improved adhesive characteristics, is evenly distributed over the entire surface, even in the most inaccessible places.
Areas of application of heat-resistant thermal insulation
Non-combustible insulation is used in all areas of construction, including household buildings and industrial facilities. The use of materials in rooms with a low level of fire safety is especially important.
Basalt wool is the most widespread in the domestic market. It is most often used for external thermal insulation of facades. The advantage of the material is the ability to effectively use it under plaster and in the curtain wall system.
Glass wool is also used for this purpose, but much less often. This is due to low vapor permeability and moisture resistance, a tendency to shrinkage.
Criterias of choice
Before purchasing thermal insulation materials, you need to decide what goals are set for the raw material and whether it will meet the standards.
The main selection criteria:
- To achieve maximum thermal efficiency, you need to choose a heater with a low thermal conductivity coefficient. No more than 20-25% of heat loss falls on the walls, therefore, the question must be approached in a comprehensive manner and create the most sealed structure.
- Price policy. High-quality construction materials cannot be cheap. Unjustifiably low cost indicates a violation of production technology and poor quality of raw materials.
The material must be biostable and have excellent moisture resistance. For interior decoration, it is important that the insulation is environmentally friendly and safe.
