The comfort of our living in the house depends on many factors, including the quality of the insulation used in the construction. Thermal insulation materials available on the market today are quite diverse in quality, composition, and technical characteristics. In order to guarantee an excellent result, you should pay attention to modern materials, for example, sprayed polyurethane foam.

Content

1. Area of \u200b\u200buse of sprayed polyurethane foam insulation  video
2. The main positive points when using a sprayed polyurethane foam 
3. Preparation for work 
4. What equipment is used in the process  video
5. Spray technology
6. Do the work yourself or attract professionals?  video
7. Reviews on the use of sprayed polyurethane

Area of \u200b\u200buse of sprayed polyurethane foam thermal insulation

Professional builders consider this type of insulation the most effective today. Foreign builders use this material very actively, domestic - less often, because the bulk of workers at construction sites do not have sufficient training and knowledge to complete the installation of foam insulation.

The interest of developers primarily attracts the long service lines of polyurethane foam, reaching, depending on operating conditions, several decades.

As the second factor, the universality of the material and the ability to use it in the construction of residential and industrial facilities, in the construction of vegetable stores and warehouses, roofs of structures, garages, hangars, pipelines, garages can be noted.

Polyurethane foam can be sprayed on different materials: on a concrete, aluminum or steel surface, asbestos cement, reinforced concrete. The sprayed polyurethane foams produce insulation, both externally and internally, of attic and inter-attic floors, walls, basements, facades, socles, floors and roofs. When using polyurethane foam, you will not need to use additional insulation elements.

The main positive points when using a sprayed polyurethane foam

• Since polyurethane foam is an environmentally friendly product, it can be used to perform external and internal work without fear that it will have a negative impact on people's health. The material is characterized by good sound absorption.

• The technical characteristics of the sprayed polyurethane foam will allow comfortable living in the house throughout the year: moisture will not accumulate indoors, in the summer heat-insulating material will work to keep the house cool, in winter - on the contrary, it will keep warm.

• The technology of applying a foamy heat insulator allows you to get a surface without seams that are the cause of cold bridges.

• As for the combustibility of the material, it is not prone to fire, but when exposed to an open flame, the material will still burn emitting toxic elements.

• To protect yourself, you should cover the sprayed layer of foam with special paint. The material has excellent adhesion, it can hold on any surface, fill even the smallest gaps.

• All components of the sprayed foam are made on a water basis, thanks to special additives the foam is no longer attractive to insects or rodents.

• Additives contained in the mixture prevent corrosion processes.

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But the material has some negative aspects. First of all - this is its considerable cost. When spraying, workers should avoid getting the sprayed mixture in the eyes and respiratory tract - isocyanite is a substance that can cause severe irritation of the mucous membranes. The application of a foaming substance on a surface with a weak structure can lead to the destruction of structural elements under the influence of too actively expanding foam.

Preparation for work

To obtain polyurethane foam, equal parts of ipociol isocyanite are mixed, then sprayed onto the surface with special spray guns.

Polyol is a mixture of blowing agents, polyesters, a fire extinguishing agent and a foam regulator.

Before mixing, the polyol is agitated with a stirrer, then isocyanite is agitated.

Before use, it is filtered through a metal mesh.

When working with the aforementioned materials, precautions should not be neglected: it is not recommended to allow them to come into contact with moist air, and foreign substances should not be allowed into them.

The containers in which they are stored must be carefully closed.

Work should be planned so that the contents of the container are used in a short time.

If contaminated, the materials should be carefully filtered.

What equipment is used in the process

Since large volumes of work will be required when warming the room, then, of course, special equipment will be required: sprayed polyurethane foam is applied using low-pressure devices that are manufactured by both domestic and foreign manufacturers.

We should not forget about taking personal protective measures: it is recommended to wear protective cotton overalls, rubber boots, gloves, a respirator, and protective glasses.

Spray technology

Work should be done in dry, warm weather or in a warmed room. If precipitation suddenly begins, work ceases, it will be possible to resume it only after complete drying of the treated surface and hardening of the previously applied layer. At a surface temperature lower than recommended, the work is performed in two stages: a thin layer is applied, after it is completely hardened, a second, necessary thickness is applied.

The most inaccessible corners begin to work: chimneys and ventilation hatches. The thickness of the applied layer should not exceed 15 mm. For high-quality thermal insulation, you need to apply 3 layers of material. It is recommended to perform all work on one surface within one day. If the work is planned to be performed over several days, then the process of preparing the surface for spraying will have to be done daily. So that the mixture does not contaminate nearby surfaces should be covered with their material.

The process of thermal insulation with polyurethane foam can be carried out during the construction of a new facility and during the repair of an existing one.

Do the work yourself or attract professionals?

Of course, any even the most complex construction work can be done with your own hands. But this may require special training, knowledge of all the subtleties and nuances of its implementation.

Before starting work, thorough cleaning of the treated surfaces is carried out. Their optimum temperature is from 12 to 15 degrees C. The surface must be dry, only this can provide the proper level of adhesion. Any surface defects with a diameter exceeding 6 mm must be previously repaired.

Also, the spraying device itself will be required: cylinders with liquid components of polyurethane foam. When performing work, the components will be pumped to a sprayer equipped with a nozzle and sprayed. After hitting the surface, the foam forms very quickly and solidifies no less quickly, i.e. the applied layer should be uniform. Electronic pressure sensors monitor the pressure in the tanks and hoses, temperature, and other important parameters.

The temperature of the applied mixture should be in the range from +20 to +30 degrees C, otherwise the foaming process will slow down and the consumption of materials will increase. You will also have to independently calculate the thickness of the applied layer, while you should be aware that applying an additional layer to the quality of thermal insulation will not harm.

Given all the difficulties that may arise during the performance of work, we can still recommend turning to professionals. Of course, the sprayed polyurethane foam has a considerable price, but this modern material will provide excellent heat insulation quality. It should also be noted that the larger the area of \u200b\u200bthe insulated surface, the lower the cost of insulation per square meter, made by specialists. Estimated prices for applying 1 layer - from 400 to 800 rubles, depending on the place of work and the density of the applied heat insulator.

The most popular types of polyurethane foam insulation:

• Ecothermix 300, having about 92% of the closed cells, used for outdoor work,
• Ecothermix 600, with open cells, for interior use,
• HEATLOK SOY, universal, for indoor and outdoor use,
• SEALECTION, for indoor work

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Reviews on the use of sprayed polyurethane

In order to verify the effectiveness of the material, it is enough to read reviews about it in popular construction forums. The sprayed polyurethane foam, reviews of which are written by the owners of the houses where it was used, does not contain negative facts.

Author: Sergey and Svetlana Khuentsov

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