Reducing your energy consumption and making your home more sustainable are two of the major goals for every homeowner in the past few years.
The housing and construction industries are leaning towards using energy-efficient and eco-friendly materials to reduce initial and long-term costs.
As a consequence, the focus is placed on creating designs that make better use of the energy, resulting in a positive impact not just on the environment but on your budget as well.
Insulation is one of the prime aspects that play a great role in improving your home’s energy efficiency by reducing the chances of losing heat through air leaks and poor ventilation.
While there are many types of insulation today, most of them can’t compete with PIR insulation. PIR insulation blocks like Ecotherm 100mm can be used to insulate roofs, walls, facades and ceilings.
What Is PIR Insulation?
The acronym PIR stands for polyisocyanurate, not to be confused with PUR, which stands for rigid polyurethane.
PUR, just like PIR, has also been used for insulation, and while it has similar properties to PIR, it doesn’t have the same performance.
PIR is considered the improved type of insulation, and besides providing great thermal conductive properties, it also comes with great fire performance. Further, it’s smoke resistant, meaning it slows down the spread of smoke and flames.
If you require insulation with the utmost fire performance, pick a PIR board with a high PIR index or with higher isocyanate content.
How is this possible? Well, if you do get a housefire, the material cools down and won’t melt, providing the necessary prevention to stop the fire.
In short intervals, the material can withstand up to 250 degrees Celsius, and you can safely expect it to serve you well between the range of -30 and 90 degrees.
Moreover, PIR insulation, as briefly aforementioned, comes in a variety of boards that vary in size and thickness. For instance, you can get an Ecotherm 100mm board to ensure a proper fit.
So no matter the project you’re taking on, you won’t have to worry about the amount of work you’ll need to put in.
Besides the aforementioned properties, PIR insulation doesn’t cause irritation and itching, and it doesn’t create harmful dust when cut. All of this makes it a great choice for DIY-ers and professional insulation installers alike.
Benefits of PIR Insulation
There’s more to PIR insulation than what I just talked about, so if you want to get the most value for your money, you should definitely consider getting it. Here’s what else PIR insulation offers.
1. Durable
The main reason most people go for PIR insulation, besides its outstanding insulative properties, is that it’s highly durable.
It keeps its performance even after many years, saving you time and money by not having to replace your insulation.
This is also beneficial for the environment. It produces little to no waste, making it one of the most sustainable materials.
Additionally, if you ever have to get rid of it, you can just have it recycled. All of this makes it perfect for those who are mindful of their carbon footprint.
If you’re not too keen on PIR, but still have an insulation job at hand, look for other insulation materials that offer zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP).
2. Light
The fact that PIR insulation is so lightweight means that you’ll be saving more on materials, load capacity and space.
As a result, you save on building materials, no matter whether foundation or roof, as you won’t need much to get the intended insulation.
This isn’t the case with other types of insulation, such as Rockwool. It also goes without saying that by using more materials, you get fewer design possibilities, forcing you to make compromises.
3. Versatile
No matter what you intend to insulate with PIR, you can rest assured it will be suitable with a myriad of finishes. This applies to flooring, walls, roofing, meaning it’s incredibly flexible and easy to work with.
4. Resistant
PIR insulation is highly resistant to humidity and pressure. It features water absorption properties, allowing less than 2% water permeability.
Moreover, it’s capable of retaining its weight and insulation value, no matter how humid the surrounding environment is and the consequences that typically come from it.
This includes problems with mould, fungi, algae, lichens and mosses. You won’t have to worry about pests and rodents, which are also problematic.
Also, since PIR is capable of retaining its shape even after it’s gone through extensive wear and tear, it’s great for high-traffic areas.
5. Dimensional Stability
PIR insulation boards keep their dimensions even after being applied a long time ago. You won’t have to worry about them shrinking or shifting their shape.
Even after being exposed to the elements and high-temperature variations, they will still look and function as good as new.
6. Easy to Install
This is probably one of the benefits that convinces a lot of people to get the job done. Many are turned off by having to install new insulation because they think it’s a lot of work that takes a lot of time and costs a lot of money.
Well, they’re partially right, because installing most types of insulation can be taxing and expensive. The boards will be difficult to cut and shape, they’ll leave tons of dust when installing, and filling all the materials can take several days.
However, PIR insulation is quite different. For instance, as aforementioned, the boards are light and thin, and they’re easy to cut.
Plus, they don’t leave any dust when being cut, and are safe to handle. You won’t get irritated or itching, which happens with other types of insulation. Lastly, the material is walkable, meaning you can walk on it once you’ve installed it.
Conclusion
Talk to a local installer to see whether PIR insulation is suitable for your home. If it is, ask for a quote and how long it would take to get your home insulated.
Generally, you won’t have to wait more than a few days to get the job done. Look for reputable installers that are certified with one of the regulating bodies for insulation, such as the National Insulation Association (NIA).