An insight into the choice of thermal insulation materials

1. Mineral wool

One of the most popular materials is mineral wool. There are two types of wool depending on the ingredients – glass and stone. Rock wool is made from volcanic matter by heating them, then forming them into fibres, and finally adding various binders and allowing them to harden. Glass-wool is similarly produced from quartz sand and recycled glass. Mineral wool is most often chosen for thermal insulation due to its low thermal conductivity. Stone wool is used for the thermal insulation of walls, partitions, attics, roofs, and floors, while glass wool is more often used for the technical insulation of pipelines.

Advantages	Disadvantages
breathable, good sound absorption, thermal stability, good thermal efficiency, easy to process, can withstand high temperatures.	low vapour permeability, causes itching with contact with the skin, rodents tend to live in it.

2. Ecowool

Ecowool is a natural material that is produced from cellulose fibre by recycling wastepaper and adding antipyrines and antiseptics. No harmful or health-threatening additives are used during its production. One of the advantages is that the material fills building structures well, especially hard-to-reach places. Two types of installation are used – dry (horizontal or vertical) and wet. Wet installation of ecowool is used in open wall constructions, while dry installation is used in horizontal (walls, etc.) and inclined (attics, roofs, etc.) constructions.

Advantages	Disadvantages
natural and ecologically clean material, good thermal conductivity (λ = 0.039–0.041W/mK), no residues during laying, anti-allergic material, recyclable, fireproof, good sound insulation.	more expensive material, during the laying process, mechanical processing is required, the installation process is more complicated, specialist help is required, must dry for two weeks after wet application.

3. Lightweight expanded clay aggregate

Lightweight expanded clay aggregate as a material has been known for a long time. It is obtained by heating clay in a rotary kiln up to about 1200 °C. During this process, the organic components of the clay, which are evenly dispersed, are burned. Weight, size, and strength can be precisely controlled during the manufacturing process. Due to its low weight and durability, it is used for light filling in engineering structures, as well as in gardening. Most often, lightweight expanded clay aggregate is used to warm basements, attics, and mezzanine floors. Available both in bulk and as blocks.

Advantages	Disadvantages
natural material, lightweight, rodents do not live in it, can be reused, fireproof.	must not be used in rooms with possible exposure to moisture, lower thermal efficiency compared to other materials, blocks of lightweight expanded clay aggregate are more difficult to process.

4. Fibreboard plates

Fibreboard plates are produced from raw materials of natural origin. The main ingredient is curled chips, to which the binder – Portland cement and mixed water are added. These components make fibreboard plates mechanically strong and also increase fire resistance. The thickness of the curled chips determines the wide and diverse possibilities of the use of the material. They are mainly used for thermal insulation, in enclosing structures, in premises where it is necessary to provide sound insulation, as a decorative element, etc.

Advantages	Disadvantages
ecological, natural material, fireproof, high specific-heat capacity – 2100 J/(kg.K), soundproof, easy and convenient to process, the material does not rot, rodents do not like it.	other materials have better thermal conductivity, heavy material, to ensure better thermal insulation, a thicker layer is required, difficult to use on premises with limited space.

5. Polystyrene foam

Polystyrene foam is a dense inorganic material that is filled with air during processing to obtain the desired properties of the material. As a result, the material contains 2–4% polystyrene foam and 96–98% air. Available in both bulk and panel form. White polystyrene foam is the best known, but grey with graphite particles is also gaining more and more popularity. One of the most available materials in terms of price. It is most often used for external wall and foundation insulation.

Advantages	Disadvantages
low price, lightweight, minimal water absorption, diverse post-processing, high thermal efficiency, durable material, easy to process.	petroleum product, during burning, it produces poisonous gases, does not decompose, direct sunlight damages the material.