Proper insulation of a building is one of the things that can be done to a house to improve the overall energy efficiency of the house. For modern housing, the energy used for artificial heating and cooling of the house accounts for almost half of the total energy use. Investing in more efficient heating and cooling technologies, such as air conditioning or floor heating, are desirable methods, but their usage costs are not low overall. Especially for unsealed building structures or insufficient insulation of walls, roofs and foundations, energy consumption will increase. Whether heating or cooling, there will not be very ideal results.
Extruded polystyrene board is a relatively environmentally friendly and thermal insulation product. It is durable, easy to install, and can even be used for the renovation of old houses to improve energy efficiency and thermal performance. If you find that your air conditioning costs are always high, even after adjusting the thermostat and using newer air energy floor heating, the effect is still unsatisfactory, we can consider whether the reason has been found, and whether a renovation focused on improving the insulation environment is needed.
This type of material like extruded boards can reduce the energy consumption of the house for families in heating and cooling. For older houses, using extruded polystyrene boards to improve the thermal envelope of the house can increase the energy efficiency of the house by 70%.
At present in our country, the vast majority of houses continue to use glass fiber and cellulose, which are still popular insulation material alternatives in housing construction. Extruded polystyrene boards are made of strong, dense polystyrene materials. Common foam products for extruded boards include polyurethane, polystyrene or polyisocyanurate. Due to their chemical structure, these types of foams are considered "closed-cell". In contrast, most insulation products are open-cell.
Closed-cell insulation products like extruded boards are usually stronger, more durable, and resistant to natural elements. In addition, they have a higher volume weight than open-cell insulation products. The higher the volume weight, the more insulated your house will be.
Since rigid foam boards are solid boards, for many renovation projects, these products will be installed by themselves in important areas of the home. For example, extruded polystyrene boards can be installed in bedrooms, living rooms, or balconies. Of course, this also includes foundation walls, ordinary walls, roofs and attics. However, due to their natural moisture resistance, this insulation alternative can usually also be used for external insulation or below-grade applications (such as basements). Extruded boards have good moisture resistance and good hydrophobicity, which can prevent deformation from soaking in water.
The standard thickness of extruded polystyrene boards usually ranges from 2-10cm. Areas located in extreme climates can directly choose thicker boards. Obviously, the thicker the extruded board, the higher the insulation capacity.
Due to their sturdiness and waterproofness, rigid foam insulation materials can usually be used for decades or longer. Correct installation is crucial to utilizing the durability provided by this product. For example, if you are installing foam boards in a basement or foundation, water absorption will quickly destroy the product, just like using cellulose or fiberglass mat insulation materials. Therefore, the location of use also has a certain impact on the usage time.
Extruded boards are good insulation materials, but they also have their own disadvantages, that is, flammability. We also provide a corresponding solution for this disadvantage, which is to add flame retardants to suppress the own disadvantages of extruded boards.
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