Energy prices are increasing every year, and not everyone has the opportunity to constantly heat their homes with energy sources. Therefore, it is necessary to insulate the floor, walls and roof of the house or bath. If the thermal insulation used in the building is not environmentally friendly, it is recommended to consider using eco-insulation from recycled materials when replacing it or when constructing a new building.
Criteria for the selection of thermal insulation material
The operational properties of thermal insulation are more important than the method of its production, therefore it is important to consider when choosing:
- moisture resistance;
- heat protection;
- steam capacity;
- fire safety;
- environmental friendliness.
The optimal combination of these properties with the total purchase and installation cost is the right product. It is necessary to take into account the purpose of the room to be insulated and the material from which it is built in order to identify the priority property of the insulation.
Ecowool from waste paper
Environmentally friendly insulation, which is made from all types of waste paper (paper, cardboard, corrugated board, drywall) with the addition of boric acid and borax. The resulting material has strength, fire resistance, high heat, moisture, and sound insulation. The composition includes an antiseptic that prevents mold.
Over time, a layer of ecowool accumulates moisture and this increases its thermal conductivity. Therefore, when installing ecowool insulation, it should be possible to ventilate so that moisture does not linger inside.
The material tends to settle, so it must be applied with a volume margin. Installation of thermal insulation made of ecowool requires professional skills and equipment, since the material is supplied in the form of a mass that is blown by a compressor onto a dry surface or onto an applied glue.
Ecowool manufacturers: Ecovilla (Finland), Greenfiber (USA), OOO Ekovata Extra (Russia), Equator (Russia). The choice of a domestic manufacturer of ecowool is preferable due to the low price.
Eco-heaters made of cotton and linen
90% cotton insulation made from recycled old jeans. Material absolutely safe for human health. It is easy to do it yourself without the use of protective equipment. Provides excellent sound insulation. For fire safety, cotton is treated with flame retardants. Produced in rolls or slabs. In Russia, eco-friendly cotton insulation for the home is not very popular, but it can be ordered via the Internet.
Environmentally friendly insulation for a house made of flax in slabs is a plant material. Biologically pure after processing, non-toxic, high heat capacity and soundproof. But in order to increase the service life and make it non-flammable, the appropriate chemicals have to be added to the composition - polyester fibers and flame retardants, which reduces its environmental friendliness.
The price of linen insulation is the highest compared to others, since linen is a natural material.
When installing, it should be taken into account that flax has a high caking capacity, therefore, the plates must be quickly installed in place before the material deteriorates.
In Russia, linen insulation is represented by the Ecoteplin brand.
Fiberglass insulation
Fiberglass is the best eco-friendly insulation for a wooden house. The quality of fiberglass insulation and its environmental safety directly depends on the price - the higher it is, the safer the material. Manufacturers of cheap glass wool use formaldehyde and other substances in the production that can harm humans during the installation and operation of insulation.
High-quality glass wool lasts a long time, does not shrink, does not burn, has low thermal conductivity and is not of interest to rodents and insects.
Fiberglass insulation is supplied in slabs and rolls; during installation, protective equipment must be used. Producers of environmentally friendly fiberglass insulation: URSA, Knauf and Isover, the content of hazardous impurities in the products of these brands is minimized.
Polyurethane foam insulation
It is made of rigid polyurethane foam and has a cellular internal structure. During operation, it does not emit harmful substances, the durable one has the lowest moisture and thermal conductivity.
The versatile material can be supplied in slabs that are easy to cut to the desired shape, or applied as foam directly to the surface to be insulated. Water acts as a foaming agent.
A polyurethane foam insulation can even seal the room too much, which is why moisture will accumulate from the inside, contributing to the formation of mold. Also disadvantageous is combustion toxicity. Manufacturers compensate for this by adding fire retardants, the content of which can reach up to a quarter of the mass in the finished product. Producers: Izolan, MAXPOL, POLYNOR, Teplis.
When choosing a material for insulating a house, one should build on its characteristics. If the task is to build an “eco-house” in which each element contributes to the protection of the environment, you should choose an environmentally friendly insulation made of cotton, linen or cellulose ecowool. In Russia, ecowool is the most available.
Fans of ecology may find fiberglass and polyurethane foam unsuitable for the construction of eco-housing, but their functional characteristics are high enough to pay attention to these materials when insulating a balcony, frame house or other living space.
