Thermal insulation of wall is a popular trend in the UK’s modern construction industry. It is known for keeping the house warm in harsh winters, decreasing energy bills, and increasing the home’s value. Brits also love it for the aesthetics it brings to the houses.
If you are interested in the procedure of applying thermal wall insulation, you are at the right place. This is a detailed guide about how thermal wall insulation (EWI) is applied on a house. Let’s start!
What is External Wall Insulation?
Let’s start from the basics and then move to the external wall insulation guide.
External Wall Insulation means applying an insulation layer over the exterior walls of a house. Usually, that involves applying two different layers. The first one is for insulation, and the other for an outer layer made of either mineral or synthetic render.
The outer layer provides two basic benefits. First, it protects from weather. Second, it enhances the appeal of the house and makes it look beautiful. This layer is also known as rendering. It is a coating applied to the exterior walls of a building, often on top of insulation.
Benefits of Thermal Wall Insulation System: Short Intro
Applying thermal wall insulation comes with numerous benefits. However, the basic purpose is to reduce heat loss. Thermal wall insulation ensures that warm air stays indoors and makes the house comfortable in winters.
Naturally, when your living place stays warm, your heating system has to work less. This results in reduced energy bills. Moreover, it increases the market value of your home and decreases the impact of external noise.
Minimising the load of heating system also makes your house more environmentally friendly and reduces its carbon footprint. It feels great to contribute to the global cause of sustainability.
Materials Used in External Wall Insulation
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), Mineral Wool, and Phenolic Insulation are the commonly used materials. Polyurethane foam, wood fibre, and phenolic foam are also included.
Expanded Polystyrene is one of the most common materials. Small polystyrene balls are packed together to make it. Benefits that make it popular are affordable cost, light weight, and ease of use. Presence of air bubbles keeps its density low and helps prevent heat transfer through the material.
Another great one is phenolic foam, with a reputation of being a top choice. It is a type of rigid board insulation. It is made from an amalgamation of phenol and formaldehyde. Phenolic foam is known for superior thermal performance. No matter how much climate fluctuates outdoors, phenolic foams keep the indoor temperature consistent.
Here are the most common forms of outer layer of rendering. Acrylic, Cement, and Silicone.
Step-by-Step Procedure: How External Wall Insulation is Applied in the UK
Here is the complete process with all necessary steps.
Step 1: Site Assessment and Suitability Survey
The process starts from a comprehensive study.
If your house is already rendered and insulated, first, the suitability of the existing model will be tested by experts. There is no need to apply a new one when the old one is working fine. They properly observe both render and insulation.
If the house currently has no insulation and render, the installation process begins with determining if your property is suitable for thermal wall insulation.
We also assess the property in detail in this step to find out if any additional preparation is needed. For example, there could be fixtures and fittings such as alarm systems, downpipes, and outdoor lights. Sometimes, there are satellite dishes attached to the external walls. Removing or adjusting them is crucial to accommodate the insulation. Entire survey must outline all critical preparations before you begin the installation.
Step 2: Removal of Fixtures/Fittings
There could be many things that need to be removed or extended. Only the person with the relevant skills should be hired. If something must be changed with the gas pipe, only a gas engineer should join the team.
Do not worry. In most cases, your insulation team will take the burden to hire other persons for other skills.
Step 3: Laydown The Plastic Sheet
Some level splashes and spills happen in every case. Plastic sheet helps deal with that problem. Teams lay them down on floors and flat roofs. That helps protect garden areas and patios.
Step 4: Fit Window Protection Film
Glass can also break accidentally. Protection is applied on glass doors and windows.
Step 5: Setting Up Scaffolding
If needed, we set up the scaffolding. That helps ensure that the installation team can safely access all areas of your exterior walls. Proper installation of insulation is not possible without scaffolding.
Scaffolding is a temporary structure that allows workers to access and work at heights. It is typically made by metal poles and planks. Scaffolding is necessary for the safety of workers. It prevents falling and gives a stable surface for working. Workers can reach heights and locations that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Step 6: Installation of Insulation
Finally, we are ready to install the external wall insulation.
Teams cut the boards into required sizes. Then, they are adhered to the exterior walls. Complete coverage of all exposed area is mandatory in this step. Hereafter, team fixes the insulation boards to the wall mechanically.
They are drilled into the place. All insulation material is used according to the policies made in step one.
Step 7: Render Application: Applying Mesh Coat
This is the first step of applying an exterior rendering system. Rendering is a three-layer system that further strengthens the insulation. First, a polymer-modified base coat is applied, and then a glass-fibre reinforcing mesh is fixed onto this base coat.
Step 8: Render Application: Applying Topcoat (Primer)
This is the second step of applying an exterior rendering system. After this, a second coat of polymer-modified render is applied over the top. It is a grain-textured silicon topcoat in many cases. Being a final layer, it also has to give a decorative finish to increase the price of your house in the real estate market. The coating comes in different colours, and only the one selected by the customer is applied.
Silicone, Acrylic, Mineral, & Monocouche are some other popular render materials among UK homeowners.
Step 9: Protecting Corner & Edges with Reinforced Beading
Insulation must not touch other material, because that can affect its performance. That is why beading is used. Beadings also add to the look and feel of the home by providing neat and clean edges around windows and doors.
Step 10: Put Back the Fixtures
Everything taken is installed again, including satellite dishes, lights, and alarm systems. They are all placed back on the outer walls. Protective sheeting is also removed.
Step 11: Final Inspection
Experts conduct it to ensure that everything meets the highest standards and complies with all regulatory requirements.
Step 12: Scaffolding Removal
Since the installation is complete and project is over, team takes down the scaffolding. There are no workers to prevent falling.
Conclusion
Thermal insulation of wall is a complex process that must be handled with care and handled by experts of the field. It is no DIY trick, but knowing the process can definitely help an average person find the best contractors. We hope that this external wall insulation guide find the best vendor for thermal insulation of walls. Exterior Render Systems are one of the reliable rendering providers in the UK. Their specialists deeply understand your walls and their dampness problems. After complete inspection they recommend the best insulation and rendering choice for your house. If you approve, the work is started immediately.
