The following are the most used technologies for home insulation in Australia. These all products follow the Australian Insulation standards.
Wet facade technology
This technology refers to external wall insulation. A “Wet” facade implies a three-layer system of insulation, reinforcing layer, and plaster. First, the wall is cleaned and treated with a primer for better adhesion with glue, with which the insulation will be fixed. Thermal insulation is glued to the wall and additionally fixed with facade screws, in some cases only glue is allowed.
Tiled materials are used as insulation, it can be mineral wool, polystyrene foam or a similar material. Then the insulation is further strengthened with a reinforcing mesh, for example, made of fiberglass. It provides additional fastening of thermal insulation, but the main task is to create optimal conditions for adhesion to the plaster mortar, which is applied directly to the insulation.
It is important to note that only a special mortar known as warm plaster should be applied. It contains 75% expanded polystyrene, which ensures the vapor permeability of the mortar after it dries. This is necessary so that moisture is removed from the insulation, otherwise, its properties will drop sharply, and rotting and destruction may begin in the future. Sometimes, with the proper wall thickness, builders limit themselves to only applying a layer of warm plaster, but in order to make such a decision, it is necessary to calculate the heat balance. Such a facade cannot be called “wet” insulation.
Ventilated facade device
For the installation of a ventilated or hinged facade, various types of fastening materials are used, insulation made of mineral wool, polystyrene foam or glass wool, as well as facing material.
First, a frame is mounted on the wall, for this you can use wooden slats, a metal or plastic profile. We select the size of the cells and the thickness of the frame, based on the size of the insulation boards, they must be completely hidden under the crate. Installation is carried out using front self-tapping screws. Then, using self-tapping screws and glue, we lay the insulation in the frame, cover it with a layer of vapor barrier from above. The last stage is the installation of facing panels. Various materials are suitable as cladding, most often it is siding. The task of cladding is to give your facade an aesthetic appearance, and protect the insulation from the environment.
The design is called ventilated, because. an air gap remains between the wall and the cladding. Water and snow do not get there, but the air passes freely, taking with it excess moisture. From a decorative point of view, you can give your home any color or texture, for example: order cladding panels that mimic the texture of natural wood. From a distance, only a specialist can distinguish between board and siding finishes. But in itself, the rectangular shape of the cladding does not look the best in small areas. This facade looks best on buildings with a height of three floors and above.
Polystyrene – universal insulation
It is believed by insulation installers Sydney that polystyrene is a universal insulation that has a small weight. It is easy to use, well-behaved in operation, and at the same time has an affordable price. In practice, this is not entirely true.
This type of insulation is quite hygroscopic, and therefore it absorbs moisture well, undergoes partial freezing, and begins to collapse when several cycles of temperature changes pass. This is due to the fact that this building material is obtained by foaming individual granules and molding in special boxes. The coupling between the granules occurs at the points of contact, pressure pressing or processing with adhesives is not carried out. Therefore, it is not surprising that polystyrene is easily destroyed under the influence of natural factors.
In addition, this material supports combustion well, and mice and rats are very fond of it. As a result, savings on insulation can turn into expensive repairs, which were discussed at the beginning of the article. To create high-quality and durable insulation, it is better to use mineral wool slabs or special polystyrene, which has an additive that prevents combustion and is created using additional technologies that ensure durability.
In conclusion, it should be noted that high-quality insulation is possible only if three conditions are met. First, it is necessary to insulate all buildings, from the roof to the foundation and communications. Second – if the work was not completed at the construction stage, then it is necessary to invite a specialist to assess heat loss and develop a project. Thirdly, the level of thermal insulation and the durability of the structure directly depend on the quality of work.
Conclusion
It is impossible to say unequivocally which insulation of the facade is better, because. different options have different principles. In terms of price, ventilated facades are almost twice as expensive, if we compare only the cost of materials. If we compare average prices, then the “wet” facade will be almost twice cheaper, and the main savings will be achieved through materials. If we consider both technologies, then in both cases it is necessary to use scaffolding or equipment for industrial mountaineering.
The installation of a ventilated facade can be carried out faster, and it is not necessary to have prior experience to install it. The skills of mounting the frame and fastening the cladding panels can be obtained in the process of work, therefore, at a low height, you can handle it on your own, provided that the calculation of the structure is done by a specialist. It is more difficult to work with a “wet” facade, because you must have the skills of plastering, the quality of which will depend on the appearance of your facade.
Working with mortar is not recommended at temperatures below +5 ° C, the mortar may simply not harden. If it is necessary to work at a lower temperature, a dense film canopy is organized, under which a heat gun is installed. Such a design in construction slang is called a “teplyak”. This allows you to raise the temperature near the wall to almost +10 ° C, and plastering without problems. There are cases when the facade was plastered at a temperature below zero, and they worked without special canopies. For normal solidification of the solution, various additives were added to it. After that, such facades normally serve for 5-7 years, but to successfully complete such work, you need to be a high-class professional.