subject: Polystyrene Insulation For Comfortable Home And Lower Electricity Bills [print this page] People tend to spend a lot of money every year in keeping their home warmer in winter and cooler in winter. A huge amount of energy is consumed in modulating the temperature to make the house comfortable. Normally if we disregard the external temperature, a closed home maintains a good enough temperature. But as the external temperature becomes extreme, the heat travels from one region to another to form equilibrium. This heat transfers mainly occurs through the walls that act as a membrane between both the regions. I may sound little scientific, but that is what actually happens. So you now understood that the heat transfer occurs through the membrane. Thus we can prevent this transfer by changing the membrane. I dont literally mean to change the walls, but I mean to change to composition of the wall.
We can change the walls to properly insulated walls by erecting walls with a cavity and stuffing the cavity with insulating materials.
To start let me tell you what is this cavity wall?
A cavity wall is constructed with an air gap between two parallel walls. The gap is very small. This gap itself hinders the transfer as the medium of transfer is limited. But to enhance the insulation we will add an extra property that is insulating material between these walls. Insulating material is one that does not permit heat transfer or in other words is a bad conductor of heat.
Insulating material used.
The most popular insulating material used today is polystyrene. Polystyrene comes in form of sheets and boards that will be suitable to be placed in the cavity wall. Polystyrene is thermoplastic, normally exists in solid state at room temperature and melts when heated. Pure polystyrene is colourless, flexible and strong. Owing to its chemical properties Expanded Polystyrene it can be transformed into any shape or form. The insulation property of Polystyrene board is measured in terms of its R value. Polystyrene boards are available in wide range of R-values, each type for different part of a house. For example, roof or attic will require a sheet with higher R value for insulation as compared to the walls. The walls facing the exterior directly will require higher R value insulation boards than the inner walls.
Polystyrene insulation also comes in two types depending on the type of polystyrene: EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) and XPS (Extruded Polystyrene).
Moisture and air leaks challenges insulation
Moisture and air leaks will not increase the heat transfer but they are somehow harmful to the insulation. They tend to lower the insulating property of the core fill, damage the wall and also triggers mould growth. Polystyrene insulation boards can withstand both of these barriers. They are completely water resistant and do not tend to change its form when exposed to moisture.
How does it work?
Insulation works by breaking down the contact between the two mediums. This is done by placing a bad conductor of heat between them. Polystyrene being thermal resistant will not allow heat to transfer through it. But just for your information, there are practical limits to insulating. We can slow down the rate of heat loss, not eliminate it altogether. Good designs can payback for itself by lowering the energy consumed to maintain temperature of the house. We spend thousands of dollars on radiators, air conditioners, ventilators, etc. to make our home comfortable. Proper insulation can cut down this cost and help you save.
