Which is better - mineral wool or foam? The better insulation of the balcony - foam or mineral wool?

Intending to landscape your balcony, every owner thinks about the decision of many questions, one of which is the choice of insulation. Most often used for this purpose is mineral wool or foam. Each of these materials has its advantages and disadvantages. Which is better - mineral wool or foam for heat insulation balcony?

Which of these two materials will be more practical? In order to determine the choice of insulation, you will need to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of each of them.

Pros and cons of Styrofoam

Often, the warming of balconies owners prefer to use a plastic foam material having a low coefficient of thermal conductivity. It is a foam. According to its characteristics it represents the best insulator on the planet. And proof of this can serve as specific numbers. So, it is estimated that the slab of foam having a thickness of 10 cm, for its thermal insulation properties are similar:

• 60 cm of concrete;
• 40 cm of tree;
• 150cm brick with voids;
• 90 cm concrete;
• 400 cm of reinforced concrete.

Immediately want to find out which is better - mineral wool or foam for this feature? Estimates indicate the advantages of the foam material. So, the plate of polyfoam thickness of 10 cm, able to keep warm similar to 16 inches of mineral wool. Of course, this characterization should prefer the first material of the two under consideration.

Responding to a question about what is best for soundproofing - foam or mineral wool, should pay attention to the second heater. Foamed plastic materials for noise reduction are not suitable.

Consider the Following characteristic is permeability. It depends on the density. As for the foam, its permeability is different. It depends on the type of IPR. So, low density polystyrene foam according to this indicator, similar to wool. It is easy to pass steam. Another thing is – high-density foam. Pairs of course, he conceded, but with great difficulty. That is why this material is used for insulation of thick walls.

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Another important characteristic of foam, which in the future will depend on the choice of the host is its environmental friendliness. However, in this matter no consensus has developed. So, Soviet scientists have proved that the foam emit into the environment of toxic styrene. Only this process occurs under certain conditions. Other conclusions are the results of modern research material. They confirm the safety of polystyrene foam. Yes, in the process of operation, it allocates a certain amount of styrene. However, it is so scanty, that there is no impact on the human body does not produce. However, experts advise before purchase to clarify the content in the foam of residual styrene. In an ecologically clean material, this figure needs to be in the range from 0.01 to 0.05 percent.

Depending on the quality of the foam varies and the term of its service. The most durable are those bespressovyj brands such as PSB-s and PSB. Their main characteristics do not change even during long-term operation (10-40 years). Extrusion foam will serve its owner longer. It can be operated without changing the characteristics of up to 80 years.

A Significant disadvantage of polystyrene is its low fire safety. To illuminate this material is able to virtually from a single spark. The fire melts the foam. This releases toxic black smoke. To date, to address this deficiency in the composition of the foam include a special additive. They themselves are non-combustible and extinguish the resulting flames. This foam is called self-extinguishing. His brand - PSB-P, This material does not ignite from a spark but from a big fire is not protected. It is therefore necessary to apply all types of foam in the regeneration of the outer insulation.

Pros and cons of mineral wool

When choosing the material for insulation of balcony can be seen a second variant of construction material. It is a mineral or stone wool. It is a fibrous material that is produced during the melting of mountain igneous rocks.

Which is better - foam or mineral wool for insulation of balcony? In order to determine the choice, it is necessary to study the basic properties of this material.
Mineral wool has a number of advantages, which predefined characteristics of the feedstock. An advantage of such insulation is its resistance to fire.

Mineral wool is able to Melt at a temperature of 800 degrees and above. In case of fire, it will not only retain their properties, but will become an obstacle to the spread of fire.

Which is better - foam or mineral wool for insulation of balcony? With regard to the fibrous material, its thermal conductivity is in second place after Styrofoam. However, mineral wool has a higher rate of absorbency. This dramatically reduces the thermal insulation properties of thismaterial when it is being in a damp environment.

What is better - mineral wool or foam characteristics of water vapor? The results of laboratory studies prove conclusively that the drop-down indoors the condensate passes easily through the fibrous material. And this is its obvious advantage.

When answering the question of what is better for sound insulation - foam or mineral wool, you should pay attention to the second material. Undoubted advantage is its ability to create a reliable barrier against various kinds of noise. Wool, made of stone, serves as a reliable barrier for sound waves.

For those who have not yet decided, the better insulation - foam or mineral wool, is familiar with such material characteristics as its weight. Stone wool loses much by this measure, the polystyrene foam. In this regard, when buying it will increase the cost of delivery and the volume of loading and unloading operations. The weight of the insulation must be taken into account when calculating the endurance of the structure.

Which is better - foam or mineral wool for insulation from the point of view of sustainability? This question can be answered only by laboratory testing of material. There is evidence that some fraction, part of the stone wool fibres, to be carcinogenic. In addition, one of the materials used for the manufacturing of this insulation, it generates a highly hazardous substance formaldehyde, which is highly dangerous to humans.

Requirements for insulation

Experts recommend that when choosing insulation materials to pay attention to the following characteristics:

• Weight. The smaller it is, the less severe will be the construction of balcony after the construction work.
• Thickness. Thin materials leave more internal space in the loggia or balcony.
• Thermal Conductivity. Lower values of this indicator in the room will be kept more heat.
• Moisture permeability. When small indices reduces the impact of moisture on the material and decreases its conductivity.
• Soundproofing. Large values of this parameter will protect the premises from excessive noise.
• Fire safety. The material used should not be flammable and to allocate under the influence of fire toxic gases.
• Environmentally friendly. The high levels will allow you to keep health and not to harm the environment.
• The Economy, which is characterised by a cost (the purchase material should be accessible to a wide segment of consumers).
• Durability. The bigger it is, the cheaper the insulation becomes for the buyer.
• Easy installation, which is especially important for those who are going to do the repairs yourself.

Comparison of insulation

So, we got acquainted with the main properties of foam and mineral wool. Now you can compare these two materials in their basic parameters. The choice of any one of them represents the task is multifaceted and complex. Her decision will require consideration of not only specific conditions but also their own priorities.

Resistance to heat loss

The better insulation of the balcony - foam or mineral wool? Having considered the insulating properties of the two materials, come to the conclusion that the polystyrene as this characterization is unmatched. Lose him a lot of insulation, including mineral wool. This is despite the fact that the thermal conductivity values of the considered two materials have almost the same values. The fact that the internal structure of foam – a huge number of closed cells filled with air. This structure and promotes good heat retention. Mineral wool, closed cell does not. It helps to exit out warm air.

So holds heat better - mineral wool or foam? The conclusion is clear. Foam, even one that has not the highest quality and price, it is better to use as a insulator than mineral wool.

The Ability to couple transmission

Mineral wool and foam plastic have different indices of the coefficients indicating their permeability. Polystyrene is it is 0.03 mg. with regard to mineral wool, then it is this figure more than ten times. This indicates that fibrous material better than missing the evaporated water. This can be both a plus and a minus mineral wool. After the accumulation of moisture, this material will lose much of their insulating properties. Foam pairs is not ignored, but at the same time and does not accumulate. Its use provides for the drainage of moisture through the bumps and joints of the insulation layer. Thus, the characteristics of both materials have almost equal opportunity for selection.

Fire Resistance

Consider fire safety. On this feature the better insulation of the balcony, foam, or mineral wool? The fibrous insulation has a high resistance to fire. The foam in this case is clearly losing.

It is Worth noting that modern manufacturers offer such kinds of basalt fiber material, which has the ability to resist temperature up to 1000 degreesC. Polystyrene, in contrast to the stone wool melts easily. Besides, it is able to burn. Experts say the fact that flame retardants are added to foam for greater fire safety, over time, lose their properties.

Price category

People who are wondering about what is better to insulate the walls - mineral wool or foam, is important and the cost of the material. And here wins the Styrofoam. It is the cheapest building material.

Ease of installation

Polystyrene, regardless of its type, more elastic and durable than mineral wool. It is easy to sand and cut. However, this insulation is difficult to glue so that the joints form cold bridges. To solve this problem. You will need to purchase the Styrofoam with l-shaped edge.

Mineral wool can be dense only if laid in the mats laid in the frame. The positive moment of its installation is the lack of thermal bridges in connection with small joints of sheets of this insulation.

Ecology

Before the foam was made from styrene and used in the production of freon. Now environmental building materials places the highest demands. That is why the Russian and European manufacturers stopped using this component. Thus, for outdoor use Styrofoam in any amount is considered completely safe. The same applies to mineral wool. But inside both materials is to use gently, without making it their volume.

Other features

What other abilities should be considered when buying them? When selecting insulation, you should pay attention to its hygroscopicity. If the environment in the wet room, then in this case you should use the foam. In the process they do not lose their consumer properties. Stone wool in these areas will serve a little. It is critical to moisture.

As for weight, in this matter the undisputed leader & ndash; foam. Its weight is considerably lower than mineral wool.

The Important parameters are the chemical and biological immunity materials. Mineral wool is resistant to all the fungi and organic substances. The foam in this plan has the worst performance.

What is insulated with mineral wool and foam?

How to select the material for construction work? You need to know some rules. So, if you decide on what is better to insulate the house with foam or mineral wool, you need to pay attention to the material from which made the building. The wooden walls are “breathable”. Insulate them with foam or in any case impossible. Otherwise, the tree will lose its beneficial properties. In buildings constructed from brick or concrete, fibrous material used for insulation of walls, ceilings, floors, and ceilings. The better insulation of the facade - foam or mineral wool in this case? Special requirements exist for the insulation of exterior walls. Brick and wooden houses insulated with ventilated facade suspended type. An integral part of this design are vapor-proof membrane.

But the Styrofoam as insulation is very successful where there is a high enough humidity. It is the foundations and walls of block and brick houses, roofs non-ventilated type and floor decks. Polystyrene is widely used for production of various packaging. They spread the walls of freezers and refrigerators. In these cases, the foam is an excellent insulator.

So, we considered that it is better - mineral wool or foam, if you plan on warming the balcony.