Enhancing the insulation specification at the base of masonry cavity walls, below damp proof course (DPC) level, can reduce thermal bridging and ensure there is no risk of surface condensation occurring. At the same time, it can also help to guard against ingress of moisture from the ground, thereby satisfying multiple requirements of building regulations. … Read more
Polyfoam XPS has seen increased interest in the use of extruded polystyrene (XPS) in masonry cavity walls below damp proof course (DPC) level. The use of XPS in this way is a relatively new development, aiming to maintain an existing insulation specification above DPC level, but take advantage of XPS’s moisture resistance in a location … Read more
Thermal insulation materials used in cavity walls “should be the subject of current certification from an appropriate body”, as per Approved Document C in England. Cavity wall solutions typically feature a single product type throughout the whole wall construction. Because that product continues below DPC, it may seem as though the requirement for third-party certification … Read more
External walls below DPC require specific detailing. The junction of the wall with the ground floor construction must achieve continuity of insulation to meet the energy efficiency requirements of national building regulations, such as Part L 2021. At the same time, the choice of insulation solution must not compromise the building’s ability to resist moisture. … Read more
The insulation thickness needed to meet building regulations requirements for swimming pool basin U-values depends on a variety of factors. The nature of the swimming pool construction, together with the type of insulation used will have an affect on how the target U-value is achieved. In addition, the calculation method for swimming pools – which … Read more
Heating swimming pools to maintain a consistent water temperature consumes energy. As part of reducing energy consumption and limiting the associated carbon emissions, national building regulations can require that swimming pool basins (the walls and floors of a pool) meet a certain threshold U-value. To meet the U-value given in regulations, swimming pool basin design … Read more
Does extruded polystyrene (XPS) use HFCs in its manufacture? Extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation boards made and sold in the UK don’t use hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) blowing agents as part of their manufacture. They may have done in the past, but it is no longer the case. A series of international agreements, drawn up as a result … Read more
Many different loads and forces act on a building and the materials/components that make up its fabric. Different loadings demand different characteristics from the materials that have to bear them. For example, while thermal insulation manufacturers declare compressive strength values for their products, the long-term action of loads has a separate effect called compressive creep. […]
Extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation is most known for, and used in, floor and roof applications. Compared to other commonly used rigid insulation boards, its higher compressive strength, lower water absorption and overall robustness makes it the ideal choice for ground floors and inverted flat roofs in particular. Alongside these two main applications, there are a […]
Key to understanding compressive strength, as with any characteristic of a construction product, is being aware of the units used to express the performance. In fact, it could be argued that it’s especially important to understand the units for compression behaviour in order to avoid confusion when dealing with loadings. Loads, the forces they exert, […]
