15 best heaters for a frame house
The costs of building a frame house, in comparison with concrete structures, look more pragmatic, and the level of heat loss directly depends on the insulation that fills the voids of the walls and floor. In addition, most of the materials in parallel have other properties (fire resistance, sound insulation, moisture resistance, etc.).
The review presents the best insulation materials used in the structures of frame buildings for various purposes. The rating is formed on the basis of the characteristics of these products and the opinions of professional builders who have been working with a certain group of heaters for more than one year. The reviews of the owners were also taken into account, in which invaluable experience of operating a certain material over a long period of time is transmitted.
The best mineral insulation for a frame house
This category of building materials is used by developers most often. Insulation materials are easy to install, have been used for a long time in different conditions and have low heat transfer.
5 Expanded clay
Lightweight porous clay granules are quite suitable for insulation, although they are in less demand (due to the high price) than mineral wool. Carried out according to a special technique, backfilling of frame walls is used much less often than insulation with expanded clay of the floor and ceiling ceilings. This is due to the thermal conductivity of the material (no more than 0.14 W / m * K). To provide better thermal insulation, a layer of 150 mm is required, which is not entirely advisable.
Since this insulation has the ability to absorb moisture and is not very willing to part with it, the inefficiency of the installed vapor barrier materials significantly reduces the thermal conductivity. The simple technology of use and the low price of expanded clay attracts the owners of frame houses who plan to assemble it on their own. In the reviews of those who have already used this insulation, the need for the correct choice of density and fraction is noted, on which, in turn, the performance indicators of the material depend significantly.
4 Slag wool
Possessing the best thermal insulation properties, slag wool is used to insulate walls, roofs and floors in frame buildings. Although the material cannot boast of environmental friendliness, it is very popular, which is largely determined by its special properties. The insulation is made from slag waste from metallurgy, it has a low cost, and at the same time, it is practically not inferior in terms of thermal insulation characteristics to more expensive counterparts. The light weight of the material and the ease of cutting make it possible to carry out insulation work on any surface.
The hygroscopicity of this insulation is not an obstacle to its use for the thermal insulation of a frame house - you just need to provide high-quality vapor barrier. If you follow all the recommendations regarding the installation of slag wool, it can last for a fairly long period of time - at least 50 years. Negative reviews indicate the presence on the market of a low-quality product made in violation of technology and in artisanal conditions. When buying this building material from a trusted supplier, there is no doubt that this insulation provides all the declared characteristics.
3 Foam glass
Judging by the reviews, foam glass has the best insulating and energy-saving properties. To insulate the walls of a frame house, the block form of this material is predominantly chosen. Its use makes it possible to exclude an additional layer of vapor barrier, since this insulation has an increased resistance to moisture.Among other things, foam glass demonstrates the best indicators of strength and durability, which guarantees a high level of comfort in all weather conditions for 100 years.
Choosing this insulation for the house, the owners, first of all, are guided by the indicators of safety and thermal conductivity, which are some of the best in foam glass. This material is non-flammable, absolutely environmentally friendly, biologically stable, and the coefficient of heat conservation is only 0.04 W / m * K. Many people see the only drawback as too high a price. Nevertheless, the owners, when building new frame-type structures, are increasingly making a choice in favor of this insulation.
2 Glass wool
Glass wool is also widely used in construction. The choice of this insulation is primarily due to its affordable cost and the best technical characteristics that provide the necessary comfortable living conditions. The only drawback of this material, judging by the reviews, is its "prickly", but if the recommendations for use are followed, all unwanted moments can be avoided. Glass wool is easy to fit along the logs in the process of warming interfloor ceilings, and in frame walls it qualitatively fills all voids, leaving no room for heat loss.
The low coefficient of thermal conductivity of this insulation guarantees maximum satisfaction of the requirements laid down in the concept of comfortable housing. When erecting a frame house, an important factor when choosing is the incombustibility of materials, and one of the characteristics of glass wool is just its high fire resistance. At the same time, pests (rodents) and microorganisms are not able to survive in the space filled with this insulation. Given the ability of glass wool to absorb moisture, the most serious should be taken to the device of steam and waterproofing - the service life of this material directly depends on the quality of these works.
1 Basalt wool
It is considered one of the most popular insulation materials used in the arrangement of a frame house. Its basis is a variety of rocks and rocks, including basalt. This material is characterized by increased strength and better resistance to fire, which guarantees excellent fire safety. Basalt wool has a low thermal conductivity, which minimizes losses and significantly reduces heating costs.
Since basalt wool is not capable of absorbing moisture, it is the best choice for filling the skeleton of a house. This material is very simple and easy to install, which is confirmed in their reviews by users who independently insulated walls and floors with stone wool. Also, the environmental friendliness of the insulation, its biological and chemical resistance, as well as the invariability of the initial properties during the entire service life (at least 50 years) are noted.
The best polymer heaters for a frame house
Modern heaters, although they differ in a number of advantages, are still less environmentally friendly compared to heaters on a natural basis, and also require additional costs for installing forced ventilation systems.
5 Penofol
Rolled composite material has a high reflective effect and is used in frame houses mostly for insulation of ceilings and floors, and for thermal insulation of walls, its use is advisable only in combination with another material (the same polystyrene or stone wool). At the same time, penofol also provides sound insulation, does not emit harmful substances and has a high coefficient of thermal resistance. In addition, this material is so easy to install that it does not cause any difficulties when installing it yourself.
In the reviews, the owners point to its practicality - with a small thickness, penofol significantly enhances the effectiveness of the insulation used together with it due to a layer of aluminum foil and polyethylene with bubbles of inert gas frozen in it, which does not conduct heat at all. The ability to reflect not only heat waves, but also radio signals, as well as some types of other radiation, is noted. Among the whole variety of materials for thermal insulation, these properties are only found in penofol, which, together with an acceptable price, only contributes to its popularity in the building materials market.
4 Polyurethane foam
Filling of frame walls with polyurethane foam occurs by spraying, and if it were not for the high cost of the material, it would have easily displaced most of the insulation from the market. Good insulating properties, resistance to fire, pathogenic microorganisms, long service life (at least 50 years) - these are just some of the advantages of this insulation.
Given the absolute resistance to moisture, the walls of a residential building should be insulated in parallel with the installation of ventilation systems. Unique indicators of thermal conductivity (from 0.019 to 0.03 W / m * K) allow not only to significantly save on heating the premises in the winter, but also prevent the penetration of summer heat into the house. The best efficiency has been proven by many years of operating experience by owners from different regions. And judging by their reviews, this insulation is worth the money spent on its installation.
3 Penoizol
This material is one of the fastest insulation materials - with the well-coordinated work of the brigade, the frame walls of the house, including interfloor ceilings, can be easily insulated within one day. The advantage of penoizol is that the monolith fills absolutely all cavities and, after hardening, acquires high thermal insulation properties that will serve the owner for more than a dozen years, since the material is located in the space between the walls and is completely protected from the influence of external factors.
Based on the feedback from the owners, even after five or more heating seasons that have passed after the installation of this insulation, there were no complaints about the properties of penoizol. The artificial ventilation system with such insulation is a prerequisite for residential premises. Of course, the observance of the technology for obtaining the carbamide insulation and the quality of raw materials play a huge role, but with the strict implementation of the regulations, the result is invariably positive.
2 XPS (Extruded Polystyrene Foam)
XPS is most widely used as a material for insulating interfloor ceilings and the floor of the first floor. Its thermal conductivity allows you to effectively cut off the cold coming from the base of the building or the basement located under the residential floor. Its use is no less effective in the attic of the house. The seams between the plates are filled with polyurethane foam, which makes the insulation layer monolithic.
Reviews of owners who used XPS as thermal insulation indicate the high efficiency of the material - 50 mm thick slabs are similar in characteristics to 925 mm brickwork. Such performance indicators will not leave indifferent any owner, and the cost of this material (it is not the most affordable) against this background becomes a secondary matter. A supply and exhaust ventilation system is strongly recommended. In its absence, the inner walls of the house will constantly become damp, since the material does not allow moisture to pass through at all.
1 Styrofoam
One of the most convenient heaters to install is polystyrene, which also has all the characteristics necessary for high-quality thermal insulation. This material is distinguished by the most affordable price and a number of operational advantages, therefore it is quite often used to insulate the frames of private houses.It does not absorb moisture and does not change its original shape over time. Contrary to popular belief, polystyrene is not susceptible to rodent attacks, which is confirmed in their reviews by users who insulated the walls of their house several years ago and during the entire operation did not reveal such damage to the insulation layer.
For an optimal thermal insulation effect, you should follow all installation rules and take a responsible approach to the choice of the manufacturer of this insulation. High-quality foam must, among other things, meet fire safety requirements, for which it is treated with a special substance - a fire retardant. Depending on what will be insulated - the floor or the walls of the frame house, you should choose different types of foam in density. Thermal insulation and foam crumbs are no less successful. It is simply poured into the cavity of the structure. This material is practically devoid of vapor permeability, so living quarters must be equipped with an effective forced ventilation system.
The best chipboard insulation for a frame house
This category of heaters is most in demand by supporters of environmentally friendly materials, and will be the best choice for thermal insulation of residential premises in frame structures.
5 Sawdust
This insulation has an obscenely affordable cost, which is why many treat it with rather high irony. In addition, sawdust can act as a wonderful habitat for both insects and field rodents, if you do not carry out a special antiseptic treatment of the material. The use of different fractions or wood pellets (after special processing) gives a low percentage of shrinkage and a high density of insulation. In this case, the absence of impurities and the moisture level of the building material should be monitored before filling the voids of the frame walls or floor with it.
In the reviews of the owners who chose this most affordable insulation, its high breathability, vapor permeability and low heat transfer are noted, depending on many factors, including the degree of filling the voids and tamping, as well as the type of wood from which, in fact, sawdust is made.
4 Fibrolite
This insulation is a versatile building material that, in addition to everything, provides good noise insulation properties, and also easily maintains the climatic equilibrium in the room. Made from wood wool and Portland cement, this modern composite material has gotten rid of the main drawback of eco-friendly insulation - poor fire resistance. A cubic meter of insulation weighs about 300 kg, which allows insulating not only the floor, but also the frame walls.
Despite the not the best thermal conductivity coefficient (0.063 W / m * K), the demand for fiberboard is steadily growing, since its other characteristics look more advantageous in comparison with other materials in this category. In the reviews of the owners, the durability and wear resistance of fiberboard is also noted. Due to its high rigidity, it can easily withstand structural loads, which can significantly reduce the cost of erecting a frame house.
3 Cork agglomerate
Technical cork, made of natural cork oak using the resin of the same tree, is one of the highest quality and environmentally friendly insulation materials. Agglomerate sheets are available in different thicknesses (10, 25, 50 and 100 mm), allowing you to choose the most suitable mats for walls, floors or ceilings. Due to the high cost of the material, it is rarely used to insulate frame structures. Basically, it is used to insulate flat roofs (simultaneously playing the role of a finishing material) and the floor.
In the reviews of the owners who preferred the cork agglomerate (in fact, a natural and ecologically flawless material), the high performance characteristics of the insulation are noted - it practically does not burn, and rodents bypass it. In addition, the cork has high sound-absorbing properties (it is used for finishing professional recording studios) and does not bear a special load on the structure of the house - one cubic meter of agglomerate weighs no more than 130 kg. In addition, its thermal conductivity is 0.040 W / m * K, which favorably complements all the other advantages of the sinter.
2 FLAXAN
Modern material for insulation of walls, floors, roofs of houses, including frame houses, has excellent insulating properties and has a number of unsurpassed characteristics. Flaksan appeared relatively recently on the market, but has already become in demand among domestic developers of luxury housing. Unfortunately, its cost is such that not everyone can afford it. Nevertheless, its use in residential premises is most consistent with the requirements of eco-safety - it is recognized by the Dutch research institute NIBE as the best insulation with the highest environmental class 1 "A", since it does not have a negative impact on the people living in the room at all.
The thermal conductivity coefficient of a jute-bilge mat 100 mm thick is 0.034 W / m * K, which makes this material quite a worthy insulation for walls and floors of frame structures. Despite the fact that Flaksan belongs to highly flammable materials (category "G" 4), this has absolutely no effect on its steadily growing demand. In addition, in addition to thermal protection of the house, this material provides, judging by the reviews, a fairly good level of sound insulation, and also has a fairly decent service life without losing its characteristics - at least 75 years.
1 Cellulose wool (ecowool)
Despite all its unpretentiousness (ecowool is made from recycled materials) and affordable cost, this insulation has one of the best thermal conductivity indicators - 0.042 W / m * K. It directly depends on the moisture that cellulose wool absorbs like a sponge. This material is applied by spraying a layer of the required thickness (this is much more economical in consumption), and for a frame structure it is one of the most preferred materials - ease of installation, the price of insulation and thermal insulation characteristics have a strong influence on the preferences of domestic developers.
In a frame house, using ecowool, you can also insulate the floors located on the logs. The ability to easily absorb and release moisture creates a self-regulating microclimate in the premises, ideal for a person, and especially for those suffering from various allergic manifestations. In some reviews, in addition to this feature and low thermal conductivity, excellent acoustic properties of ecowool are also noted. The insulation is capable of absorbing up to 63 dB of noise coming from the outside, providing residents of such a house with a level of luxury housing comfort.
