All heaters, consisting of individual elements, have their drawbacks. The absence of a continuous layer somehow forms cold bridges, and only one type - foam for wall insulation - is devoid of this drawback. Many have doubts about this method, which are due to lack of information. Today we will correct this gap and analyze in detail all the nuances of such insulation.
Read in the article
- 1 How foam insulation works
- 2 Types of foam insulation and their features
- 3 Pros and cons of foam insulation
- 4 Where can foam insulation be used?
- 5 Popular manufacturers of sprayed polyurethane foam
- 6 Criteria for choosing foam insulation
- 7 How to insulate walls with foam
- 8 Soundproofing in the apartment with the help of mounting foam
How foam insulation works
The name itself speaks for itself. The foam structure contains numerous air bubbles, and this makes the product minimally thermally conductive. For the insulation of structures, a composition is used in liquid form, which, upon contact with air, demonstrates a violent reaction, actively foams and then freezes in this form.
The warming process is quite simple. First, the concentrate is sprayed onto the walls, then it takes some time for a chemical reaction, in which the foam increases in volume.
As a result, you get a continuous coating without gaps, cracks and seams. This insulation has good sound insulation, as well as high rates of heat and waterproofing.
Types of foam insulation and their features
For wall insulation, several types of mixtures and methods of their application are used. Consider the main options:
- Foam in cylinders "Penoizol". This is a mixture based on urea polymers and aldehydes. Before the final polymerization of such a foam, about 3 days should pass. This type of foam is used to fill gaps, relatively small cavities.
- Sprayed polyurethane foam. It consists of two components that are mixed literally before use, which leads to a violent chemical reaction. For wall insulation, polyurethane foam is most often used. The composition increases by a factor of 30–40 during the reaction, forming a mass of isolated air bubbles. This type of insulation is not afraid of moisture and does not attract mice and rats. It can be used not only inside but also outside the building.
- Foam concrete. It is mainly used for insulation of foundations and floors. Walls are not treated with such material, as it gives a significant load to the bearing bases. Foam concrete is produced in liquid form and in the form of blocks.
As a result, the most effective way to insulate walls is sprayed polyurethane foam. It has a minimum weight and practically does not load the load-bearing structures.
Pros and cons of foam insulation
Foam thermal insulation has many advantages, which makes this type of insulation the most popular:
- Powerful adhesion. The composition adheres strongly to any surface, even glass. The foam adheres well to both horizontal and vertical surfaces. Foam can insulate not only floors and walls, but also the roof. Surfaces with complex geometries are not a problem.
- Foam heat insulator can fill deep gaps and holes, which allows you to carry out repairs and effectively insulate walls with defects.
- Foam for insulation has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity due to the high content of isolated air bubbles in its monolithic mass.
- The polyurethane foam coating is continuous, without seams and gaps. This structure completely eliminates the occurrence of cold bridges.
- Insulation is 80% air, so it is the lightest material possible.
- Foam insulation belongs to the category of flame-retardant materials, which ensures the fire safety of the home.
- Fungus and mold do not form on the foam, since synthetic material is not a favorable environment for them.
- Foam can protect the metal parts of the house structure from corrosion, as it resists moisture very well.
But this insulation also has its drawbacks, which must be taken into account for effective thermal insulation:
- foam insulation is destroyed by direct sunlight, so it must always be hidden under the outer skin;
- with prolonged contact with water, the foam can absorb moisture;
- this insulation seals the room without letting air through. On the one hand, this is good, but on the other hand, to create a favorable microclimate, you will need to install forced ventilation.
Where can foam insulation be used?
Foam insulation is a universal tool that can be used to solve various problems. With the help of polyurethane foam, it is possible to reliably fill cracks and cavities in window and door openings, walls. In order for the sealing of defects to retain its qualities, the foam must be protected with plaster from direct sunlight and moisture. Foam is also used as an effective heat insulator for walls. The use of this material in frame construction is especially popular.
Mounting foam allows you to correct small surface defects, fasten and fix cladding parts and elements of solid insulation. Lightweight panels, including finishing ones, can be fixed on it.
Popular manufacturers of sprayed polyurethane foam
Consider the most popular brands of inexpensive foam insulation that can be found on sale. There are proven brands, the quality of which is beyond doubt.
It is intended for warming of walls and engineering communications. Often used for thermal insulation of industrial refrigerators. The quality of adhesion allows it to be used on any, including untreated, surfaces. Excellent resistance to moisture, gives a stable foam and a uniform structure. One bottle is enough to treat an area of 3 m². Polymerization is completed within an hour, if it is necessary to apply a second layer, wait 20 minutes. Service life - 50 years.
One bottle is enough for 2.5 m². It is used for processing residential and non-residential premises, utilities and pipelines. Perfectly fills all the cracks, used for cars. The recommended layer thickness is 20 mm. The composition has good adhesion to any surfaces, including metal and concrete.
Sold in cans. It has a peculiarity: the surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned and degreased before application.
One-component composition based on polyurethane is designed for insulation of vertical and inclined structures, including for walls and roofs inside and outside buildings. The optimal layer is 25 mm. It can be used at negative temperatures down to -10 ° C, provided that the cylinder itself has not cooled down. The service life of the insulation layer is 50 years. The foam is not afraid of heat and cold, hardens within 12 hours.
A popular composition among professional builders with many positive reviews. Easy to apply, does not allow the formation of cold bridges. The peculiarity of the application lies in the fact that the temperature of the cylinder must not be lower than 20 ° C. Usually, before use, the cylinders are dipped in a bucket of warm water. To achieve good adhesion, pre-cleaned surfaces are lightly moistened. For application, the bottle is turned upside down.
One-component universal composition fits perfectly on any surface, including vertical ones. It fills hard-to-reach recesses well, it is used inside and outside buildings. Application thickness - 25 mm, one cylinder is enough for 2 m². The insulation perfectly tolerates temperature changes from 45 degrees below zero to 90 degrees heat. It polymerizes within 12 hours, it is completely safe for people and animals.
Criteria for choosing foam insulation
When choosing a foam insulation, you need to pay attention to some important characteristics:
- Packaging integrity. The can should not be crumpled, scratched, without other mechanical defects. All these damages can occur during the transportation of goods.
- Expiration date of the composition. Be sure to pay attention to this, do not purchase expired cylinders.
- tightness. To check the balloon, you need to shake it a little: if something falls inside, most likely the tightness is broken and the foam is partially frozen.
- Balloon weight. Some unscrupulous manufacturers fill in less composition, and this will certainly affect consumption.
How to insulate walls with foam
The wall insulation algorithm is quite simple. For example - this is how the author of the YouTube channel insulated the house MYSELF:
| Illustration | Action Description |
 | The author planned to insulate the house from the outside, as professionals recommend. Since the foam is very afraid of direct sunlight, OSB panels will be mounted on top of the insulation, and the facade finish will be attached to them. Guides are ready for mounting the panels |
 | For work, the author chose one of the popular brands of insulation in a can with a tube for distributing foam. These cylinders do not need a special gun. The tube at the end has a nozzle that sprays the composition perpendicular to the surface in a wide strip |
 | The author pre-filled all the attachment points of the racks with foam so that there were no gaps, joints and cold bridges |
 | Foam is sprayed onto a surface cleaned of dust and dirt in even horizontal stripes from a distance of 20-30 cm |
 | The second layer is applied to the wall with a slight overlap on the first, so that the result is a continuous canvas without cracks and gaps. |
 | By the same principle, the entire wall is covered to the height of the floor. The work goes quickly, and after the foam has completely solidified, it is better not to pull with the sheathing so that direct sunlight does not begin to destroy the insulation |
 | The author strongly recommends covering the polymerized foam insulation with a flame retardant. Although foam is a difficult-to-burn material, the decision is right, because additional processing significantly increases the safety of your home. |
 | Fire protection is applied after the foam has completely cured. You can use a regular garden sprayer for this purpose. |
 | Excess foam can be easily removed with a regular saw. You can do this with a construction knife, but with a saw it is less labor-intensive and much faster. |
 | After polymerization and leveling of the insulation, the surface is sewn up with OSB boards. You can use other types of finishes, such as siding |
As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this work, there is no need for a special tool or special skills. The only question is the price: one bottle costs about 400 rubles on average.
Soundproofing in the apartment with the help of mounting foam
You may need sprayed foam not only as a heater, but also as a completely working sound insulator. Of course, there are disputes about this on the Web: skeptics doubt that foam is able to isolate sounds, since it is 80% air. Nevertheless, this is true, and the penetrating ability of this composition will greatly help to isolate extraneous noise in the apartment.
Take, for example, holes for sockets. In many houses, they are literally through, and through the sockets you can be aware of all the details of the life of your neighbors. And you can fill niches with mounting foam and save yourself from such "pleasure".
Foam insulation is also often used for steel bathtubs. These bathtubs cool down quite quickly, and besides, they are quite noisy, and even the noise from the water falling from the tap can get on your nerves. Meanwhile, solving this problem is quite simple: a foam composition is applied to the outer part of the bath. It perfectly isolates the bath from noise and allows, like a thermos, to keep warm for a long time. Strong adhesion securely attaches the foam to the metal surface. You just have to install a screen to hide the processing.
Foam is used for soundproofing window and door openings and even walls. Learn more about how to insulate a bathtub with mounting foam in this short video example:
What do you think about foam insulation? Have you come across such a method of heat and sound insulation? Share your opinion and experience in the comments!
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