Penoizol: characteristics and disadvantages

When building houses or renovating them, the question often arises of effective wall insulation. For these purposes, a variety of materials are produced that differ in their technical characteristics, properties, performance and cost. Recently, penoizol or urea-formaldehyde foam plastic has become increasingly popular in the domestic market.

Penoizol is a modified foam. Its consistency resembles a marshmallow. The material is a foamed plastic with a honeycomb structure. Modified foam is a modern heat insulator for thermal insulation of building structures.

Often, the material is prepared directly at the construction site. With the help of specialized equipment, cavities in walls, ceilings, roofs and attics are filled with a liquid mixture. Thanks to the manufacture of insulation at a construction site, money, time and effort are saved for the delivery of a conventional thermal insulator and its handling. Additional space is not required for storing heat-insulating products.

In the manufacture of penoizol, inexpensive components are used, due to which the finished material has an affordable cost.

For the production of this insulation requires:

• urea-formaldehyde resin;
• foaming component;
• orthophosphoric acid;
• water.

The dosed parts of these components are put into special equipment (foam generator), to which compressed air is supplied. Due to the use of such a device, a foamy mass is formed, intended for sealing voids.

The modified foam is white and jelly-like. With its help, it is possible to quickly seal all air spaces. The applied foam hardens after 10 minutes. After 4 hours the mass becomes solid, and after 3 days it acquires “final” strength. 72 hours is enough for the final drying of the material.

Thermal insulation of structures is made by various types of penoizol. There are three types of them:

• Liquid. The most commonly used type by builders. Its popularity is due to its ease of use. Such a heat insulator is prepared directly on site using specialized equipment. The material can be purchased in cylinders for a small amount of work. Air gaps are closed with liquid foam during the construction, reconstruction or repair of various structures.

• Sheet or in rolls. This insulation material is made by pouring liquid foam into molds. After the mass has hardened, it is cut into sheets with the optimal length, dried and mechanically cleaned. Some manufacturers offer foil-lined foam sheets. Such materials cannot be glued. They should be fixed with dowels, and covered with cladding on top.

• Chit. Penoizol granules are obtained by crushing solidified penoizol into fractions, the size of which does not exceed 15 mm. Granular insulation has a minimum density (up to 8 kg / m2).

Different types of liquid foam can be used for different construction purposes.

Penoizol is widely used in private and professional construction. It is used not only as a heat-insulating material, but also as a sound-insulating component.

It is used for insulation:

• external walls;
• facades;
• roofs;
• pipelines;
• vegetable stores.

The material is also intended for sandwich panels. Granular penoizol has found application in the insulation of horizontal structures: floor surfaces, attics and interfloor ceilings. Foil insulation can be used to insulate water pipes.

You should be aware that liquid foam has some restrictions on its use. For example, it is not recommended for use in areas subject to intense moisture. These include plinths, cellars, foundations. The reason is simple: penoizol is able to withstand multiple freezing and thawing cycles, but at the same time it loses its thermal insulation properties.

By its technical parameters, penoizol surpasses many modern heaters.

The main characteristics of the material:

• Excellent thermal conductivity. Indicators of this parameter range from 0.03 to 0.4 W / mK. To preserve heat and significantly save on heating, it will be enough to install foam insulation sheets 10 cm thick on the walls.
• Good noise absorption (over 65%).
• Fire resistance. Heat-insulating products based on urea-formaldehyde resins belong to the flammability class G-1, and to the flammability group V-2. This means that the material will not catch fire in a fire or even melt. With prolonged exposure to a flame of fire, the insulation will evaporate without emitting toxic substances.

• Moisture resistance. The heat insulator absorbs moisture well and gives it back without losing its performance. The insulation is able to absorb up to 1/5 of moisture and soon evaporate it.
• Strength. Compression under linear deformation is 0.25–0.3 kg / cm2, and under tension is 0.05–0.08 kg / cm2.

Liquid foam has numerous advantages that distinguish it from other types of heat insulators.

This material has the following advantages:

• Low coefficient of thermal conductivity.
• Elasticity and resilience. Thanks to these properties, the foam fills all gaps and voids, eliminating the formation of cold air bridges.
• Resistant to mechanical stress. Under power loads, the hardened material is crushed, and after the cessation of pressure, it quickly returns to its original position.
• Persistence to sudden changes in temperature and resistance to changes in humidity.
• Excellent vapor permeability. Due to this property, condensation will not accumulate on the insulated wall surfaces.

• Good adhesion. The foam quickly and reliably adheres to any of the bases, making it convenient for it to insulate buildings with a complex structure.
• Excellent protection against mold and mildew. There is no need to be afraid that insects will start in the insulation or that rodents will spoil it.
• Favorable price. Raw materials for the manufacture of penoizol are inexpensive, which has a positive effect on the prices of the finished material. Having completed the installation of a heat insulator with your own hands, it is possible to save a significant amount on house insulation.
• Durability. Correctly installed thermal insulation material can last more than 50 years without changing its performance.
• Environmentally friendly. During operation, the heat insulator does not emit harmful substances. It is safe for health.

Despite the above advantages, liquid foam is not an ideal insulation. It has some disadvantages. Reviews of those who insulated their home with penoizol indicate material shrinkage (approximately 5%). The disadvantages include the impossibility of preparing and applying a foamy mass without specialized equipment.

The disadvantages of consumers also include a high percentage of moisture absorption, low tensile strength and the inability to work with foam at temperatures below +5 degrees. In addition, during the installation of the material, there are risks of release of phenol-formaldehyde vapors hazardous to health. And yet penoizol is harmful or not, it is worth understanding in more detail.

According to numerous reviews online, most liquid foam consumers complain of its toxic odor during installation and drying. According to experts, such situations are observed when purchasing a low-quality heat insulator. The fact is that some manufacturers, in order to save money, use cheap urea resin with numerous impurities.

A high-quality heat insulator can only give off an unpleasant odor during installation. This is explained by the fact that during polymerization, the substance begins to release formaldehydes. However, their number is insignificant. In comparison, many modern paint and varnish products emit much more harmful substances, while foam insulation made according to standards ceases to emit formaldehyde already upon drying.

Penoizol is a trade name for urea foam and this mark can only be used by NST ("New Construction Technologies"). This material is produced abroad, in each country it has its own name:

• in Great Britain - flotofoam;
• in Germany - animotherm;
• in Canada - insulspray;
• in the Czech Republic - mofotherm.

The basis for the production of liquid foam in Russia is produced by the companies ZAO Metadynea, OAO Togliattiazot, OAO Akron and others.

For the manufacture of penoizol directly at the construction site and its supply, specialized equipment will be required. It includes gas-liquid installations, the function of which is to mix the components that make up the material and supply the finished foam to molds or places of insulation. In addition to mixing units, you will need an air compressor and reagent containers.

The principle of operation of such an installation is simple: all containers with the necessary components and a compressor are connected to the gas-liquid unit by means of hoses. After mixing the reagents, foam forms. It is then fed into molds or air gaps at the construction site.

Consider a number of nuances when selecting equipment.

1. To install liquid foam, two types of installations can be used: gas-liquid and pneumohydraulic technology. The first, budgetary, is advisable to use for insulating small objects, for example, a private house. Pneumohydraulic equipment is distinguished by its large dimensions, productivity and cost.It should be selected when large-scale work is required.
2. It is recommended to give preference to installations with a built-in compressor and receiver.
3. Pay attention to what the plunger pump is made of and its options. Choose a pump made of stainless steel or plastic. It must have a speed control function.
4. It is not worth buying a unit with a foam generator attached to the pumping part.

It is strongly not recommended to purchase penoizol "blindly". Be sure to ask the seller to prepare the material and demonstrate its qualities. The sample must:

• be white in color;
• do not decrease in volume immediately after leaving the installation sleeve;
• withstand hand pressure after 15 minutes of solidification;
• do not have large and heterogeneous pores;
• recover quickly after clicking.

If the prepared mass meets these requirements, you can safely purchase it.

In order to reduce the costs associated with the thermal insulation of the structure, you can not purchase ready-made equipment, but make the installation yourself at home. Such a device must have:

• gas-liquid unit;
• hoses for supplying reagents and foam;
• plastic containers;
• compressor;
• taps.

The scheme of self-assembly of the unit is shown in Fig. 1.

Installers advise working with penoizol according to this scheme:

• assembly of the installation in accordance with the instructions;
• mixing all the necessary components in a barrel;
• preparation of the surface to be treated by dismantling old facing materials (the base does not need to be leveled: a layer of liquid foam is able to hide all the bumps, protrusions and other flaws);
• installation of metal or wooden lathing (a wooden structure must be treated with antiseptic compounds);
• installation of logs from wooden beams;
• applying a uniform layer of penoizol or foaming voids;
• cutting off excess material with a construction knife after it has hardened;
• installation of a reinforcing mesh after insulation polymerization;
• facing work.

Craftsmen are able to quickly insulate any structure and provide a guarantee for the work done.

Thousands of domestic consumers have already used Penoizol. All people who installed this thermal insulation material noted that the room is getting much warmer. Because of this, the cost of energy consumption in the autumn-winter period is reduced. At the same time, a comfortable temperature and air humidity are established in the dwelling.

Consumers noted both the quick installation of the insulation and its low cost compared to other types of thermal insulation products. Using penoizol is a great way to reduce the cost of construction or reconstruction work without losing their quality.

For a comparison of the properties of penoizol and foam, see the following video.