Mineral cotton wool or polystyrene - in conditions of hard choice

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A quick look at the mineral wool and foam

In general, each name indicates its own, a fairly wide range of materials with common characteristics. So, mineral wool is commonly called wool, obtained from melts of glass mass, rocks or even blast furnace slags. In turn, foam is also called a fairly extensive list of lightweight cellular plastics, with a low density index, obtained by foaming.

Since it is possible to obtain foam from many types of plastics, polyurethane foams, expanded polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, phenol-formaldehyde and other types of foams are widely known. They differ in the indicators of mechanical strength, density, resistance to a variety of impacts.

Warming with mineral wool and polystyrene is widely used in the construction of new buildings and reconstruction of already used. This thermal insulation also provides additional sound insulation. Typically, the expected operating conditions inside or outside the premises, the environmental impact and other factors considered by the design project, determine what is better, polystyrene or mineral wool, as an insulating material.

Thus, different types of mineral wool can have different structure and oriented direction of fibers, as well as fastening agents, which are often used as a variety of phenolic and formaldehyde resin compounds. This somewhat reduces the heat resistance of such cotton wool. In general, mineral wools are highly heat resistant( up to 700 ° C).

On the other hand, the use of foams may be more appropriate if high temperatures, corrosive liquids( gasoline, acetone, etc.) are excluded, since the foams differ in exceptionally low weight, high insulating properties and ease of processing.

The main consumers of insulation: walls and technological systems

Polyfoam or mineral wool is often used for thermal insulation of the enclosing surfaces of buildings, in other words, walls. Depending on the planned designs of thermal insulation, mineral wool mats are more often used in hinged ventilated facades. They work perfectly in conditions of changing humidity, absorbing and giving away moisture, protecting the internal structures from the environment.

Minvata or polystyrene is also ideal for thin-layer plastering of facades for thermal insulation materials. In this case, expanded polystyrene foam is more often used. In addition, the materials are also perfectly suited for the implementation of three-layer wall structures.

They can be in the form of a three-layer, well or laminated masonry, glued or prefabricated panels of "sandwich" design, multi-layer wall reinforced concrete panels.

As is known, in addition to walls and frame structures, a variety of technological systems are widely used in modern buildings and structures. These are water supply, drainage, sewerage, ventilation and other systems and communications. All of them have rather complex designs requiring the use of insulating materials.

And then also widely used mineral wool or styrofoam. Of course, carrying out thermal insulation, the temperature of the object, the presence or possibility of appearance of aggressive substances or the formation of such a medium is taken into account. In this case, the expediency of using mineral wools as more resistant to temperatures and aggressive environments is evident.

Which is better, a mineral wool or polystyrene - we make a choice

When choosing a material for a heater, it is necessary to take into account the probability of undesirable impacts in the future. So, using expanded polystyrene( and other foams), one must remember about its fire hazard, its destruction can be facilitated not only by the direct hit of corrosive substances( all nitro-colors contain such substances), but a pair of these substances. Mindful that all the buildings in the course of operation require external and internal repairs, and the material of the insulation, polystyrene or mineral wool is chosen.

The quality of the materials themselves is of undoubted importance. The structure of a high-quality foam plastic represents an array of identical polyhedra( up to 3-5 mm) interlocked. When the foam is destroyed, the fault goes along the faces of the polyhedra. At the same time, the material of poor quality consists of balls, which easily scatter with light mechanical action.

Among mineral wools, you can also find better quality and less quality. Here, one should pay attention to the looseness of the product, since in time it can shrink and compact. Such cotton wool loses its insulating properties with time and is undesirable in application.

There is no one opinion among specialists that it is warmer: polystyrene or mineral wool. Each material has its own field of application. Of course, the cost of quality mineral mats or rolls, their "wear resistance" is higher. But good foams with proper design and installation ensure a long time of high-quality operation.

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