Which foam is better for insulation at home outside

Selecting the appropriate exterior insulation for your home is essential for both comfort and energy efficiency. Foam insulation is becoming more and more popular among the available options because of its efficiency and adaptability. Two prominent types of foam insulation are expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS).

Beadboard, also referred to as expanded polystyrene (EPS), is lightweight and simple to work with. It is created by expanding polystyrene beads in a mold, creating a network of interconnected beads. Because of its affordability, EPS is frequently utilized and provides good insulation qualities. Because of its adaptability to different surfaces and moisture resistance, it can be used outside in situations where weather exposure is a concern.

Conversely, compared to EPS, extruded polystyrene (XPS) is more rigid and denser. It is produced using an alternative method that involves melting pellets of polystyrene and extruding them into a continuous closed-cell structure. Because of its superior water resistance and higher insulation value per inch, XPS is the material of choice for below-grade applications and damp environments. It is also appropriate for locations where the insulation may be subjected to mechanical stress due to its strength and durability.

EPS and XPS offer benefits based on your home’s unique requirements. While XPS offers better moisture resistance and higher R-values per inch of thickness, EPS is typically more affordable and simpler to install in irregular spaces. Think about your climate, your spending limit, and the particular needs of your project when selecting which type of foam insulation is best for the outside of your house.

Types of Foam	Key Characteristics
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)	Cost-effective, lightweight, good thermal insulation, susceptible to moisture absorption.
Extruded Polystyrene (XPS)	High compressive strength, excellent moisture resistance, more expensive than EPS.

The primary argument of the article "Which foam is better for insulation at home outside" on the website "All about the facades of the house" is that selecting the appropriate foam insulation for your home’s exterior is essential for both durability and energy efficiency. Extruded polystyrene (XPS) and expanded polystyrene (EPS) are two common alternatives, each with special advantages. XPS offers greater strength and resistance to moisture, while EPS is more affordable and lightweight, making installation simple. Selecting the right type of foam to improve the longevity and performance of your home’s exterior insulation system will depend on your climate and unique insulation requirements.

Pros and cons of foam

In daily speech, the term "foam" refers to the shortened form of polystyrene foam. PPS or ESP are the abbreviations used to identify this material. Russian is the first name, and English is the second.

There is no mention of this material’s drawbacks in the information provided by the producers and vendors. There are only virtues mentioned. This makes sense given that the manufacturer and the soldier have a vested interest in making sales; however, consumers have been familiar with foam for over fifty years, and in that time, a wealth of knowledge regarding the real-world uses of PPS has been amassed. Although not very well known, this information is crucial for selecting the right material for the facade’s insulation. You should be aware of the application’s features and limitations.

Among the benefits of foam are its attributes, which include:

• environmental friendliness;
• high -quality soundproofing;
• vapor permeability;
• counteracting the development of pathogenic microorganisms, so that fungus and mold are not formed in the PPS.

Comparative properties of materials used for thermal insulation

The primary drawback of the material is the low fire safety of the foam.

Foam and rodents

The claim that the PPS do not eat its granules as food and disregard rodents is one of this heat insulator’s benefits. The point is moot. The information "for" and "against" is available.

The usage of this material implies that rodents gnaw on PPS out of enjoyment rather than consuming it. Consequently, closing the heat-insulator as much as possible—that is, preventing the rodents from accessing it—is the only sensible course of action. This is a sensible decision made by a responsible owner.

Mice dispersed the polystyrene.

Foam and ultraviolet

The fact that foam is highly unstable to the effects of UV radiation—particularly sunlight—is not disclosed by the manufacturers of the material. The consumer isn’t informed that this kind of radiation damages the PPS’s chemical stability and causes him to "age" more quickly.

Since the polymer structure is polymer-like, it will break down over time just like any other polymer. This process is greatly accelerated by ultraviolet light.

UV light bothers foam.

However, this disadvantage of polystyrene can be viewed as relative because it is simple to rule out the harmful effects of UV radiation—all that is needed is to keep the PPS out of the sun. That is, the foam needs to be sealed as soon as possible by finishing material when the facade’s heat-insulating layer is being installed.

About the sound insulation ability of PPS

The PPS implementers’ approval that this material is a superior sound insulator is questionable. Polystyrene heaters are chosen by frame house owners who assert that their material absorbs very little noise.

An illustration of how foam is used in ceiling sound insulation

This fact makes perfect sense when you think about it: the PPP is made up of more than 90% air, which is both a great heat accumulator and a sound conductor. Consequently, it is unrealistic to expect foam to lessen the degree of sound permeability in the home’s walls.

The design of the sound absorption increases with the thickness of the foam blocks.

About the vapor permeability of foam

In actuality, low vapor permeability of polystyrene foam implies that PPS paintings will act as a barrier to the flow of steam from the inside of the house outside. The temperature outside is frequently colder than inside a room. Consequently, the steam will eventually condense, causing water droplets to form at the joints in the wall structure. As a result, there is a greater chance of getting wet on nearby materials.

Remember to consider the materials’ vapor permeability when choosing how best to sheathe the house outside.

One result is produced, which is the accurate determination of the dew point and the necessary insulation thickness, as well as the elimination of the dew point within its bounds. The ventilated facade device is a reasonable solution.

It should be remembered that the specifics of a given design cannot be separated from the steam capacity of any heat insulators. It is important to consider the materials used to build the walls, the height of the foundation, the presence of hydro- and vapor barriers, among other minute details.

The primary attributes of the PPS

Technical properties of polystyrene foam extruded plates

Classes and stamps of foam

Foam classes

Press and unreasonable are the two types of foam. It is evident from the names that these materials are produced in a different manner. The first is created by sintering at high temperatures, while the second is created using press equipment. However, the press equipment is used in this production line. But that’s the classification as it stands.

Polistyle foam suspensional incomprehensible

One can tell visually which class the foam is in. A complex of round and oval-shaped granules that are fairly firmly glued has increased. Such materials have a porous structure, and their density determines their strength.

The press resembles a rather smooth sheet of canvas, the density of which varies based on the product’s brand. Excellent technical and operational qualities characterize this material.

Foam brands

Impressively crafted foam is denoted by the acronym PSB. Pressure is represented by the letter Ps. The product’s name may contain additional letters, each of which stands for a feature.

• A – the canvas has the correct geometric shape of the parallelepiped and the even edge;
• B-the edge of the product has an L-shaped cut;
• P – cutting of the paintings is made with a hot string;
• F – facade or made using special forms;
• C – selfless;
• H – the product is suitable for external use.

The density of the PPS is indicated by the numbers in its name.

Brands of impressive foam

PSB-15

The most affordable item that is also the most fragile. It is easily crumblable and has a low hygroscopicity, making it useful for both thermal insulation and packing. Traditionally, it has been used to insulate home blocks, country homes, containers, and balconies and loggias.

PSB PSB S-15

PSB-25

Foam from various brands

The polystyrene brand "F" is frequently added, indicating that the material is suggested for use in facade insulation. It is used to manufacture the interior and landscape decor elements because of its higher density compared to the PSB-15.

PSB-35

Material that is universal and has a broad range of applications. used for attic and roof heat insulation, production equipment, thermal and gas trunk, and engineering communications insulation. engaged in the manufacturing of multi-layer panels for thermal insulation, which include reinforced concrete.

PSB-50

Features of PSB-S 50 foam

Of the foams that are impressive, this one has the highest density. in high demand for any kind of object as an insulator of sound and heat. Because of its superior ability to withstand cold, it is utilized in the construction of parking lots, garages, and subterranean utilities as well as in the building of roads.

Qualities of outstanding foam brands.

Index	PSB-15	PSB-25	PSB-35	PSB-50
Compression strength at 10% deformation (MPa)	0.04	0.08	0.14	0.18
Density (kg/m3)	15.0	15,1-25.0	25.1-35.0	35.1-50.0
Thermal conductivity (W/MK)	0.1	0.43	0.38	0.38
Water absorption during the day in % of the total volume	4	3	2	2

Brands of press foam

Isolation plastics made of hard press foam that is resilient and strong. The substance is radiotransparent. found extensive application across all industrial and agricultural domains. Polyhlorvinyl resin is one of the PVC foams used in the press method.

Brands: PS-1, PS-2, PS-3, and PS-4.

Possess a closed-porous structure with a nearly zero degree of hygroscopicity. the strongest defense against atmospheric effects. Self-constrained and barbaric.

Higher-hardness foam PS-1-350

Utilized in the production of containers and floats for aggressive liquids, as well as in radio electronics as a material prone to electric breakdown.

Unreleased foams in a variety of densities are needed for building facade insulation. To purchase genuinely premium content, you must be able to verify the seller’s and manufacturer’s claims on your own.

Foam P-4-40

These companies are among the biggest producers of foam in Russia:

• "Styroplast" (g. Chekhov);
• Omegaplast (g. Moscow);
• "Center Gamma" (g. Kolomna);
• "Kavminprom" (g. Mineral water);
• "Stav Polyester" (g. Stavropol);
• "Rosplast" (g. Moscow).

Prices for various foam brands

Styrofoam

The rules for choosing foam for insulation of the facade

The best foam for insulation on the facade is PSB-S-25. This is due to a few factors:

• This material has sufficient density and strength for installation for any supporting base;
• It has a degree of thermal conductivity, low enough in order to prevent heat leakage from the interior;
• It has lightweight;
• convenient in transportation;
• differs in low cost;
• selfless;
• Durable.

Foam for the facade’s insulation

Density is the most significant measure of PPS quality. It is dependent upon the foam granules’ characteristics and production process. The polystyrene foam granules swell during the sintering process, and they fuse together during the pressing process. The granules fit together denser under greater pressure. This directly affects the product’s level of thermal conductivity and vapor permissive capacity at the output.

What is the bad foam of a low density?

Given the large spacing between the granules, the structure is relatively loose at low PPS densities. The material’s good steam permissive capacity can be attributed to these intervals. However, the steam is far worse because the polystyrene granules themselves foam because they are denser than the air that separates them.

As a result, moisture builds up inside the insulation and is released more slowly than is necessary. Consequently, the plaster that is applied on top of the foam will absorb moisture and eventually crumble. The same holds true for any other materials that are close to or adjacent to the insulation. Verifying the relatively high density of the foam you buy at the store is crucial, for this reason.

What they sell under the psb-25 brand

Due to the high demand for foam, many big and small manufacturers as well as PPS sales appeared on the market. They are all aware that the main reason this material was selected for use as a heater was its inexpensive cost. Due to intense competition and this reality, producers are compelled to lower their prices in order to dominate their market niche, which inevitably lowers the quality of their output.

As a result, the state of the market is such that goods that cannot stand up to criticism are sold under the PSB-25 brand. This also holds true for foams from other popular brands.

Video-PSB-C 25 PSB-S 25 TU and PSB-C 35 PSB PSB-S

It’s crucial to be aware that GOST hasn’t required the production of foam to be normalized for a long time. The technological process is regulated by the technical conditions (TU) that are developed by individual enterprise manufacturers. This gives the business owner flexibility, and he is free to deviate from the previously established standards.

Plan for producing foam

The manufacturer lowers the cost of materials in order to lower the final product’s price. Producing a product under this brand with a density of 15 to 25 kg/m 3 is permitted by GOST, according to PSB-25.

The result of this is that foam with a density much lower than 25 kg/m 3 is sold in building material stores under the PSB-25 brand. However, as previously stated, this is not a consumer trick. The standards body approves of this.

How to find out the foam density

How to calculate foam density

PPP density is computed in this way: Weighed out of this material is 1 m 3. The resultant value serves as a density indicator. That is, a 1 m 3 PSB-25 needs to be 25 kg heavy. In actuality, this is incredibly uncommon.

The most typical scenario is that polystyrene foam with a density of 16.1–16.5 kg/m 3 is sold under this brand. The outlet where the sample is purchased allows you to verify its density there.

Generally speaking, every building material or market pavilion has weighing apparatus. It is essential to measure the volume of a foam sheet that has the required thickness. Multiply the canvas’s length by its width and height (thickness) to achieve this. Next, you must calculate this sheet’s weight and divide the result into the volume indicator.

A calculation for a sheet that is 2.5 cm thick, 1 m wide, and 2 m long is shown below:

• We calculate the volume of the sheet: 2 m x 1 m x 0.025 m = 0.05m 3;
• weigh the sheet;
• Divide the weight by volume.

Any mobile phone has a calculator, which can be used to perform calculations. Using this method will assist in purchasing insulation that will function flawlessly for many years.

Video – how to determine the density of foam

Extruded polystyrene foam

XPS or expanded polystyrene foam (EPPS) is another material that works well for facade insulation. Compared to PSB-50, EPPS foam has a substantially higher density. As a result, this material’s strength and functional qualities are also at their peak.

The Russian EPS sales market is currently dominated by three major brands:

Foam

Technoplex Polistyle Foam Extrusion XPS

Insulation made of Ursa XPS

These producers all provide goods of nearly identical quality. However, the subtleties exist. For instance, graphite is used as an enhancement additive in "Technoplex." Consequently, this manufacturer’s EPPS slabs are a light gray hue.

Notable is "Penoplex," an extruded polystyrene. The color of Ursa products is beige.

While all EPPS manufacturers adhere to the same quality standard, there are differences in the sheet dimensions. This will be confirmed by the table.

The lines of insulation	Foam	Technoplex	Ursa
Sheet thickness (cm)	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15	3, 4, 5, 10	3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10
Dimensions (length/width in cm)	120×60, 240/60	120×60, 118×58	125×60

Extruded polystyrene foam is, by far, the greatest option for facade insulation. However, this material is far more expensive than foam. thus not as much in demand from private developers. Construction companies that construct residential buildings and production facilities are the primary users of EPPS.

The properties of the foam’s thermal insulation

For many different types of construction tasks, URSA XPS is the best option.

Prices for extruded polystyrene foam

Extruded polystyrene foam

There are a few things to consider when selecting foam insulation for your home’s exterior. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyrene (XPS) are the two primary varieties that are typically found. EPS, also known as beadboard, is inexpensive and lightweight. Although it has good insulation value, if it is not properly protected, it may absorb water. However, because XPS is denser and more moisture resistant, it is appropriate for locations that frequently experience wet weather.

When choosing insulation, take your local climate into consideration. In temperate climates where moisture isn’t a major concern, EPS performs well. Because it’s simple to use and install, a lot of homeowners prefer it. In humid environments or situations where the insulation will come into contact with moisture, XPS is the better choice due to its increased ability to withstand water absorption. It provides steady performance over time and keeps its insulating qualities even when wet.

The effectiveness of foam insulation is largely dependent on its thermal resistance (R-value), in addition to its resistance to moisture. Good R-values are provided by both EPS and XPS, with XPS often providing a marginally higher value because of its denser structure. This means that, in comparison to EPS, which might need thicker applications to achieve the same level of insulation, XPS can offer superior thermal insulation in thinner layers.

The decision between EPS and XPS ultimately comes down to your budget and unique requirements. While XPS offers superior moisture resistance and thermal performance, making it ideal for areas with high humidity or direct exposure to weather, EPS is more cost-effective and efficient in dry climates or protected applications. You can choose the best option based on your local climate, building requirements, and financial constraints by consulting with an expert.

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