Insulation - Is there more than Kingspan

yop

Lads

have to put down insulation on the floors fo the UFH, everyone seems to use kingspan but is there an alternative??


Also can you get an insulation with the grooves cut out for the piping or would be be as well to head off and route out the groves?


Cheers

rooferPete

Hi Yop,

There are a few alternative insulation products, but kingspan do have a very good quality control department, also they spend a lot of money on research and deveopment.

The best way to compare the products is read the Agrement certs both British and Irish, you could be surprised what the real numbers U value, K value etc mean and how different they can be on boards that appear very similar.

UFH is not my department, I thought the pipes were clipped on top of the board, looks like a new learning experience for me

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kadman

I think Kingspan have the proven track record with regards to insulation, as well as other products. There range is very extensive.

They have always had the product solution for insulation, in both steel and timberframe projects.

Now that they own Century Homes, the ongoing relationship of excellent products, coupled with tf builds seems copper fastened.

kadman

Goll Mac Morna

Try either of the above Vs. KINGSPAN

XTRATHERM--QUINN-- KINGSPAN "there's more than one way to skin a cat"

gregos

You can use Aerobord, but it will need to be, I think, about 30% thicker to achieve the same performance as the Kingspan. No matter who you buy from, your choice is basically between polystyrene and polyurethane.

rooferPete

Hi gregos,

With Aeroboard you have to be careful, the products look the same but the real performance is in the density of the board.

As Goll pointed out there are other products on the market, I recommend checking out the data sheets before placing the order that is the best way to establish value for money.

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Borzoi

gregos wrote:

your choice is basically between polystyrene and polyurethane.

Stay away from polystyrene - over the last few years it has besome increasingly difficult to insure commercial premises that have large amounts of internal polysterene panelling - basicly because it's fireproof rating is crap.

And what happens in commercial buildings usually trickles down to residential sooner or later - go with polyurethane becasue of it's better thermal and fire resistant ratings.

A modern alternative to both is PIR panelling

antoinolachtnai

Also polystyrene reacts in contact with PVC-covered wiring and causes deterioration in the wiring (or so I've read).

Macy

Borzoi wrote:

Stay away from polystyrene - over the last few years it has besome increasingly difficult to insure commercial premises that have large amounts of internal polysterene panelling - basicly because it's fireproof rating is crap

Was thinking of using it to insulate our loft - easy fit as cut to size and push in. That was until I saw some go on a bonfire :eek:

patrido

i used xtratherm (made by hytherm in navan) in the wall cavity, based on a recommendation. I was dubious at first, but when I looked at the specs they seemed to be slightly better than kingspan, and cost it less.

the important thing with floor insulation is rigidity, and expanded polystyrene (aeroboard) isn't nearly good enough. plus as mentioned already, you'll need lots more of it to achieve the same u-value.

celotex seems to be highly regarded in the uk, but i don't know if it's available here.

patrido

Macy wrote:

Was thinking of using it to insulate our loft - easy fit as cut to size and push in. That was until I saw some go on a bonfire :eek:

hehe, i think that's why your plasterboard has to have half hour fire protection or something like that.

qazxsw

couple of points

I did this over the bank holiday w/e with 60mm xtratherm for floor and 30mm quinn against the walls and if doing it again would bear the following points in mind

1. lay white waste pipes -- take photos of these in position for future reference
2. lay insulation cutting out slots where waste pipes are
3. cover exposed waste pipes with edging insulation used at side of walls
4. lay ufh
5. lay insulated hot & cold pipes over the ufh and keep in place with cable ties. -- take photos of these for future reference

I know I'm stating the obvious but if you need to do anything such as bolt a stairs to the floor, mark the position of any pipes with a story stick and keep this in a safe place until needed - also if your ufh crew don't do it for you, make a note of what zones / rooms are covered by each ufh circuit.