Insulation "Penoplex": flammability, classification, characteristics, installation

Penoplex is a popular construction thermal insulator. It appeared on the market in the early 40s of the last century, it was developed by the American company Dow Chemical as a non-sinking material for watercraft. After World War II, its other properties were appreciated, including low heat conductivity. It began to be used in the construction of frame houses in the USA and Canada. It is made from a semi-finished product - polystyrene foam granules using the extrusion method. Penoplex is in demand due to its light weight, ease of installation and affordable price. But how environmentally friendly and fire-resistant is polystyrene foam?

How to produce

The first installation for the production of extruded polystyrene foam appeared in the USA more than half a century ago. In the manufacture of this material, special chemical foaming agents are used - blowing agents. The chamber of special equipment first becomes very hot. Then polystyrene granules are fed into it. After they melt, porophores are added to the mixture. As a result, polystyrene foams and increases significantly in volume.

The resulting mass, which has the appearance of whipped cream, is then fed into an even layer of a certain thickness onto a conveyor belt and cut into slabs of the required dimensions. For example, substances such as ground perlite, citric acid, and sodium bicarbonate can be used as blowing agents in the manufacture of expanded polystyrene.

This technology produces all types of such materials, including Penoplex, Extrol, Technoplex, etc. During the production of such materials, various ingredients can be added to them to change, for example, characteristics such as strength, density, flammability. "Penoplex", which includes such components, has the best technical and operational characteristics.

Material advantages

Consumers consider the advantages of Penoplex primarily to be a low degree of thermal conductivity. In terms of this indicator, such slabs are superior to even mineral wool, which is very popular, for example, among private developers. Another advantage of Penoplex is its light weight. It is very easy to transport such slabs. This material is distinguished by its ease of installation. It is attached to insulated surfaces using an adhesive of a special composition. In some cases, slabs of this material can additionally be attached to walls, partitions or, for example, ceilings using plastic mushroom dowels. This material is also easy to cut.

Another advantage of Penoplex, compared to the same mineral wool, is that it is not at all afraid of water. When moistened, this material does not lose its heat-preserving qualities and does not begin to collapse.

Another undoubted advantage of Penoplex is its ability to withstand significant loads. Dense slabs of this material are often used to insulate floors, for example, under screed. Such sheets cost a little more than mineral wool, but still their price is not too high.

Important points when working

We have already found out that the Penoplex 35 material has excellent characteristics and is quite easy to install.
But it is still worth knowing about some issues that arise during the thermal insulation of walls. So, first you need to secure the sheets, blow out the formed joints with foam, then cover it all with a special heat-reflecting material (preferably foil-coated PET film). It sits on polyurethane-based glue, the joints are taped with metal tape. As a result, you can achieve the notorious “thermos effect”. Remember that the most important thing when thermal insulation is the correct choice of material to be used. For a long time, ordinary polystyrene foam was considered ideal in this case - it was inexpensive and installed quickly enough.

But penoplex 35 gradually replaced polystyrene foam due to its parameters, which significantly exceed the parameters of ordinary foam plastic thermal insulation. All its characteristics - thickness, dimensions and density - ensure maximum heat saving efficiency.

Video - Penoplex insulation

To sum it up. Should I buy or not?

In view of all of the above, we can safely say: Penoplex 35 is one of the best thermal insulation materials of our time. Its thermal conductivity parameters are almost the same as those of air, and it weighs little, thanks to which it can even be installed with glue. No other material will provide such high-quality insulation of a building with such a thin layer.

In short, if your plans include insulating your home, then be sure to pay attention to Penoplex 35 - its characteristics are truly excellent. And even now, when utility bills are constantly rising, you simply have to think about saving energy

Disadvantages of the material

Among the disadvantages of Penoplex, among other things, consumers include a low degree of vapor conductivity. Therefore, it is not recommended to use such slabs for insulating, for example, wooden walls. Otherwise, fungus will form on their surface.

Also, expanded polystyrene, like mineral wool, is considered a material that is not very environmentally friendly. It is also not recommended to line baths with it, for example. At high temperatures, such stoves can begin to emit fumes of toxic styrene.

Another disadvantage of this material is that it does not have a very high degree of resistance to various types of chemicals. For example, this material should never come into contact with toluene.

Well, the main disadvantage of this material is, of course, flammability. “Penoplex” is capable, among other things, of igniting quite easily and quickly. It is for this reason that owners of country houses often refuse to use this material for their insulation, preferring to use mineral wool.

Prices

The table below shows the cost of insulation of various thicknesses.

The price of Penoplex packaging may differ significantly from that shown in the table, as it often depends on the volume of materials purchased. The size of each slab is 600 by 1200 mm.

Consumer Reviews

“We insulated our house with Penoplex back in the early 2000s. Since the size of the house was already small, we decided to mount it outside, under the plaster. To be honest, I thought it would crumble in a couple of years; the slab and the material from which it was made seemed too unconvincing. It turns out that it was in vain, almost 15 years have passed, the plaster has begun to fall off in some places, but the insulation is holding up well.”

Andrey, Kazan.

“Last year I decided to insulate the dacha. The budget is quite modest, so I counted every penny and spent a long time choosing between slabs and mineral wool. I searched the entire Internet, read reviews and opinions of experts. Everything spoke in favor of the slabs, although wool was cheaper. I decided that the miser pays twice. So far I’m completely happy with everything, in winter we even managed to save a little on heating.”

Vasily, Moscow.

“Our construction team switched to Penoplex insulation a long time ago. Since we have been working for many years, we have tried all sorts of materials. It’s especially uncomfortable to look your clients in the eye when you meet them a couple of years later, and they tell you that it’s as cold in their home as it is outside, and what can we do? As soon as we started working with these slabs, the problem immediately disappeared, now we don’t even bother with other insulation materials.”

Konstantin, St. Petersburg.

“About five years ago, my husband decided to convert the loggia into his office. We chose all the building materials together, and when it came to insulation, we decided to go with this brand. We bought the thinnest slabs, since there is already little space on the loggia, but it is still warm there, although there were no heating pipes installed there. Definitely, Penoplex is a good insulation material and we are completely satisfied with it. We recommend it to everyone."

Natalya, Moscow region.

“I never read reviews on the Internet and didn’t believe them, but then I decided to insulate the roof of the bathhouse, all the heat was leaking out into the street - you’d get tired of heating it. I started looking for suitable slabs. Some are more expensive than my bathhouse, others do not inspire confidence just by their appearance. In short, I decided to take Penoplex. The size was just right for the roof, I did everything myself, now it takes half as much wood to light the bathhouse. A great thing, in a word."

Anatoly Sergeev, Novosibirsk.

Classification by degree of flammability

Thus, one of the main disadvantages of Penoplex is flammability. The flammability groups of building materials are currently distinguished as follows:

• NG - do not ignite even when exposed to open fire;
• G1 - burns very weakly;
• G2 - moderately flammable;
• G3 - flammable;
• G4 - flammable.

“Penoplex”, depending on the brand, may belong to group G3 or even G4. When burned, this material emits very caustic, toxic smoke.

Some companies also claim that they produce Penoplex with G1 flammability. However, experienced builders believe that this material cannot be resistant to fire below G3.

Test results

Most of the tests to which penoplex was subjected confirm the fire hazard. The test results are as follows:

• in the absence of a constant source of fire, the insulation begins to self-extinguish;
• deformation of the heat insulator appears only in the place where it was exposed to fire;
• the maximum height of the flame fades during the first 5 seconds, then the burning slows down, the material begins to smolder;
• the insulation is toxic; it emits toxic smoke.

The fire hazard of polystyrene insulation lies in two aspects: the danger of combustion itself and the release of toxic substances. The second factor has a greater impact, since statistics report that only 1/5 of those injured in fires were victims of fire. According to the results of tests carried out at the VNIIPO of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the toxicity of the samples is close to the limit values ​​for the class of highly hazardous materials. This fact confirms the requirements for this heat insulator in some European countries. There, a penoplex thickness of 35 mm is defined as the maximum. In Russia, the requirements are less stringent; in some facilities, insulation reaches 30 cm.

Flammability degree of "Penoplex"

Thus, this insulation cannot be exposed to open fire, otherwise this material will ignite. In order to reduce the flammability of such slabs, during their manufacture, manufacturers add special additives to the granules. Due to the presence of such components in the composition of this material, Penoplex goes out immediately after ignition. However, in terms of fire safety, it is still to a certain extent inferior to mineral wool, which does not burn at all.

When using Penoplex as insulation, experienced builders advise installing the slabs in such a way that the possibility of their direct contact with fire is excluded. For example, it is not worth using such slabs to insulate walls near a stove.

Structures insulated with Penoplex can withstand exposure to open fire for, as practice shows, about 15 minutes. This time may be enough for the safe evacuation of people. Moreover, drops of melting thermal insulation boards of this type are not capable of setting fire even to paper. However, only material made using special fire-fighting additives behaves in this way. This is worth keeping in mind when choosing an insulator.

Is there fire retardant foam?

Since the raw materials from which the heat insulator is made burn well, ordinary polystyrene foam has a high flammability class - fourth. It ignites already at +210 degrees C, and immediately after ignition the temperature begins to rise rapidly, and reaches +1200 degrees C. Penoplex contains a lot of carbon dioxide, so combustion is accompanied by copious smoke. Monomers, blowing agent vapors and oxidation by-products are released into the atmosphere. There are several ways to reduce flammability:

• flame retardants are added to the composition, which envelop the structural units of the insulation;
• smoke-absorbing components are added to penoplex;
• They produce heat insulators using technologies different from conventional methods.

Combustion of extruded polystyrene foam

On a note! If you decide to buy non-flammable polystyrene foam, be prepared to pay more. Its cost increases by the price of additives or implementation of the technology. But as a result, you get a fireproof thermal insulator with high performance characteristics.

Classification by type

Currently, the industry produces several brands of Penoplex, differing in purpose. Eg:

1. "Penoplex 31C" is used mainly for insulating pipes and containers;
2. Grade 35 is universal and can be used for insulation of both pipes and walls of buildings, screeds, and foundations;
3. "Penoplex 45" has a high density and can be used for insulation, for example, of airfield runways, highways and floors in industrial premises.

All these brands belong to materials with a fairly high degree of flammability. The flammability group of Penoplex can be either G3 (with additives) or G4, depending on the variety.

So, for example, the material intended for cladding walls usually has a higher degree of fire resistance than that used for cladding foundations. The flammability of Penoplex 35, for example, is such that it can be classified as class G3. Material 45 belongs to group G4.

There is also a brand called Penoplex Geo. The flammability of this material is also high and it belongs to group G4. Such sheets are used to insulate foundations. Sheets of this type are distinguished by an almost zero degree of moisture permeability and are resistant to biological influences.

Specifications

Thus, Penoplex is a material with excellent thermal insulation properties, easy to use and relatively inexpensive. The technical characteristics of such plates differ in the following:

• service life - more than 50 years;
• operating operating temperature - in the range -50...+75 °C;
• degree of thermal conductivity - 0.030-0.032 (m*K);
• water absorption per day - 0.4%;
• density - 28-33 kg/m3;
• degree of vapor permeability - 0.007 mg/m*h*Pa.

This insulation can provide sound insulation of 41 dB. It has a compressive strength of 25-35 MPa. In terms of flammability, Penoplex, as already mentioned, belongs to group G3 or G4.

Let's summarize

If you want to buy expanded polystyrene boards for building a house, you should understand that the material does not have high fire resistance. Or you will have to purchase expensive, but fire-resistant insulation. This applies to a greater extent to the upper structures: the attic, attic and roof. When purchasing, ask the seller for a certificate, GOST compliance and technical specifications. You can reduce the risk by observing fire safety measures: the insulation should be located far from the source of fire, for example, a fireplace; you should not use this heat insulator in saunas and baths.

Dimensions

The thickness of this material may vary. Penoplex is on sale today from 20 to 100 mm. 20 mm material is usually used for insulating partitions indoors. The thickest “Penoplex” can be used for cladding facades, floors, and in some cases walls. The width of the slabs of this material is always 600 mm. The length of the sheets can be 1200 mm or 2400 mm.

When purchasing such slabs, among other things, you should pay attention to their integrity. “Penoplex” is a material, of course, not as fragile as polystyrene foam. However, sometimes such slabs can break. It is for this reason that experts advise always purchasing this material with a reserve of at least 5-10%.

Where can it be used

The characteristics of Penoplex in terms of flammability, degree of thermal conductivity, and strength determine, of course, among other things, the scope of its use. In most cases, this material, like other brands of extruded polystyrene foam, is used to insulate the facades of residential buildings. This material is very good, for example, for insulating brick and concrete walls from the cold. It can also be used, subject to certain technologies, for cladding facades made of foam concrete.

In addition to walls, this material can be used, for example, for cladding and insulating roofs. With its use, slopes are isolated if you want to equip a residential attic. This material is especially often used for insulating roofs on solid sheathing.

Penoplex can also be used to insulate foundations. In this case, it is considered a much more suitable type of insulator than mineral wool. Unlike the latter, extruded polystyrene foam is not at all afraid of moisture, including soil.

Penoplex is also considered very suitable for floor insulation. Such slabs can be used both for insulating floors along joists and under a concrete screed. Of course, ceilings are also sheathed with such sheets.

Very often this material is used for cladding balconies and loggias when it is necessary to insulate them. In this case, 50 mm Penoplex slabs are most often used.

Buildings for almost any purpose can be sheathed with this material. But since Penoplex has a high flammability class, it is not recommended to use it, for example, for insulating baths or saunas. This material is also not used for insulation of heating mains.

Installation technology without frame

We found out what flammability class “Penoplex” has (35, 31, 45, “Geo”), as well as what technical characteristics this material has. But how to properly install slabs of this type? When installing Penoplex, as already mentioned, special glue is used. This product is usually applied to sheets along the perimeter and diagonally. The insulated surface itself is first cleaned of dirt and dust.

The slabs are glued in a checkerboard pattern. Sometimes Penoplex is installed on facades in two layers. This technology is usually used in cold regions. When installing the slabs of the top layer when using it, make sure that they overlap the joints of the bottom one.

After the surface is completely finished with slabs, they begin to putty the joints. For this purpose, a special type of sealant is used. Next, a special reinforcing mesh is mounted on the polystyrene foam surface. Then, plaster is applied on top of it. At the final stage, the walls are painted.

Briefly about the main thing

Artificial materials always raise concerns in terms of their fire safety. The danger that a particular building material can pose is regulated by regulatory documents, and each building material is assigned certain characteristics: the degree of flammability, toxicity of combustion products, smoke-generating ability.

Initially, EPS had a maximum degree of flammability, but then they began to reduce it using fire retardant additives. Modified (self-extinguishing) insulation is allowed to be used in construction, provided that the installation rules are followed. But even in this case, the surface of the polymer melts under the influence of fire, and toxic substances enter the air.

Frame installation

In this case, Penoplex is installed using the same technology as mineral wool. This technique is used when they do not want to plaster the facades, but cover them, for example, with siding, clapboard or corrugated sheets.

In this case, the lathing is first installed on the walls. Next, the Penoplex slabs themselves are installed between its elements. On top of them, a waterproofing film is attached to the bars to the frame. Then the finishing material itself is installed - siding, lining, etc.