What is EPS insulation used for?
Expanded PolyStyrene (EPS) is a white foam plastic material produced from solid beads of polystyrene. It is primarily used for packaging, insulation, etc. It is a closed-cell, rigid foam material produced from: Styrene – which forms the cellular structure.
Is EPS insulation any good?
EPS is, in other words, composed of 2% polystyrene and 98% air. Since still air is the best thermal insulator, EPS makes for an excellent insulation material.
What's the difference between XPS and EPS?
XPS is manufactured in a continuous extrusion process that produces a closed cell form of foam insulation. EPS, on the other hand, is manufactured by expanding spherical beads in a mold and then using heat and pressure to fuse the beads together. Each product has proponents claiming one out performs the other.
Is EPS same as Styrofoam?
The foam that you formerly knew as styrofoam is actually expanded polystyrene foam or EPS. This material is made from polystyrene, a plastic that's often used to make clear products like food packaging or lab equipment.
How long does EPS insulation last?
EPS is a durable, rot proof and permanent material when specified and installed correctly. It will remain effective for the life of any application with no deficiency effects to be expected over a 100-year life cycle.
Is EPS weatherproof?
EPS (expanded polystyrene) is not waterproof per se, but does not have a capillary effect. This means that the insulation does not absorb water, and water can only penetrate if forced to do so by external pressure.
Does EPS foam absorb water?
A: EPS is non-hygroscopic and does not readily absorb moisture from the atmosphere. Its closed-cell structure reduces the absorption and/or migration of moisture into the insulation material.
Is XPS more expensive than EPS?
Cost in the Context of R-value EPS is more cost-efficient than XPS, running between 10% – 30% less per R-value equivalent as well as compressive strength.
Is EPS flammable?
As with many other construction materials, EPS is flammable. In all cases, this is only relevant if EPS is evaluated as an exposed insulating material. When a building functions under normal temperature conditions in its daily use, flammable materials and the atmospheric oxygen are naturally in a state of equilibrium.
Is EPS foam toxic?
EPS insulation has traditionally contained the flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) which is highly toxic, persistent in the environment, and bioaccumulative.
Where is EPS foam used?
It is durable, strong and can be used as insulated panel systems for facades, walls, roofs and floors in buildings, as flotation material in the construction of marinas and pontoons and as a lightweight fill in road and railway construction.
What is the R value of EPS insulation?
EPS insulation features an average r-value of 3.6 per inch. In addition to providing energy efficiency, EPS without film facers has a perm rating of up to 5.0.
Is EPS better than PIR?
Unlike other insulation materials, like PIR, EPS does not off-gas, meaning the thermal conductivity stated on the Declaration of Performance certificate is what you'll receive. In addition, EPS is rot-proof, mould, water and moisture resistant due to it's closed cell matrix of 98 percent air and 2 percent EPS.
What is the R-value of EPS insulation?
EPS insulation features an average r-value of 3.6 per inch. In addition to providing energy efficiency, EPS without film facers has a perm rating of up to 5.0.
Is EPS expensive?
Low Cost: When comparing other rigid insulations, EPS is hands down the lowest cost per-dollar. Another way to look at this is that Expanded Polystyrene offers the highest R-Value per dollar over other types of rigid insulation.
Does EPS foam absorb water?
A: EPS is non-hygroscopic and does not readily absorb moisture from the atmosphere. Its closed-cell structure reduces the absorption and/or migration of moisture into the insulation material.
What is EPS insulation Board?
Before discussing the various properties of EPS, it is worth exploring what EPS actually is, its composition, and its uses.
What is the difference between EPS and XPS insulation?
You might have heard of XPS insulation when considering your insulation material options. But what is the difference between EPS and XPS insulation?
Can EPS be used for internal insulation?
Having discussed the various benefits of EPS insulation, you might be wondering if you can use it for internal wall insulation as well as external?
What is HB insulation?
Insulfoam HB (Holey Board) is an engineered insulation consisting of a superior closed-cell, lightweight expanded polystyrene (EPS) with factory-applied holes.
What is InsulLam insulation?
InsulLam ™ is an engineered insulation consisting of a closed-cell, lightweight and resilient expanded polystyrene (EPS) bonded to an APA/TECO-rated oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood.
What is tongue and groove insulation?
Made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) and used as a substrate for stucco in conventional and manufactured housing, Insulfoam Tongue & Groove (T&G) sheathing provides lasting continuous insulation (ci), superior long-term performance, prevents moisture buildup, and is backed by Insulfoam’s 100% 20-year thermal warranty.
What is EPS insulation?
EPS is used under roofing, over foundation walls and beneath siding. Extruded Polystyrene. This foam board insulation is the rigid pink or blue panels that can be found at home centers in many different thicknesses. It is denser than EPS and provides more R-Value with a rating of 5 per inch of thickness. This foam board insulation is available ...
When to use foam board insulation?
Because of its resistance to moisture, foam board insulation is a great choice whenever and wherever there is a chance it could get wet, such as: an exterior foundation, inside a basement against the foundation, and on the outside of a house beneath a house wrap. Foam board insulation is more expensive than traditional batt insulation, so use it only when moisture is a factor and it makes sense with your budget.
What is polyiso foam board?
Polyiso (Polyisocyanurate). This is an even more dense and more expensive foam board insulation. It provides an R-value of 6 per inch of thickness and often comes foil-faced to help reflect radiant heat. Polyiso comes in several thicknesses and is used over house sheathing underneath siding or in attic spaces where its reflective properties are very effective.
What is the best insulation for a batt?
Foam board insulation is a great alternative to the very common fiberglass batt insulation that is in most of our homes. It has a higher R-Value per inch of thickness, it’s resistant to moisture and is easy to work with.
How much moisture is in EPS insulation?
The EPS insulation was found to have a 4.8 percent moisture content by volume compared to 18.9 percent found in the XPS portion. That equated to a massive four-fold difference in moisture content.
What is the R value of EPS insulation?
It has the lowest R-value rating at just R-4 per inch. However, its actual R-value of foam insulations varies, depending on the density of each sheet of insulation. The higher the density of the product, then the higher the R-value will be.
How long does XPS insulation hold water?
Additional, researchers found that the XPS insulation held the water longer than its EPS counterpart. After 30 days of being left to dry, the XPS still had moisture levels of around 15.7 percent, whereas the EPS insulation had almost entirely dried, retaining just 0.7 percent of its original moisture content.
What is rigid form insulation?
For situations where the insulation can face exposure to substantial amounts of water, there are types of rigid-form insulations that come with special facers that offer water resistance or pre-cut drainage grooves to help keep moisture from penetrating the insulation itself.
Why is moisture resistant insulation important?
The level of moisture resistance that these different types of insulations offer is critical, especially when it comes to a structure’s insulation. When the insulation product is not very moisture resistant, it is more likely to retain moisture and become damaged over time, which will decrease the effectiveness of the insulation product. Additionally, by retaining moisture, an environment where mold and bacteria can grow is formed, which can cause a multitude of different health issues.
What is the difference between XPS and EPS?
But, that is where the similarities between EPS and XPS end and the differences begin. While they are both made of the same polystyrene resin material , the way these two types of insulation get made differs significantly. EPS uses steam and a blowing agent—a substance used to produce cellular structures via a foaming process—called Pentane to expand the resin beads and then remold them into blocks, to later cut into the necessary sizes.
How to test XPS insulation?
Manufacturers of XPS rigid-foam insulation test their products by performing controlled, underwater tests. These tests occur by submerging the insulation material for short periods of time—usually somewhere between 2 and 24 hours at a time, depending on the type of XPS that is going through the testing process. When tested through this method, XPS is seen as the more resistant option, because it resists water absorption more than EPS. But, at the same time, while it takes in moisture at a slower rate, it also releases it more slowly. Meaning, any moisture that gets retained is present longer in XPS insulation.
What is the moisture permeability of EPS foam insulation?
Two inches of EPS foam board has a moisture permeability rate of between 60 and 75 ng (1 to1.25 perms), which is on the cusp of qualifying it as a type II vapour retarder, but on the more 'breathable' side of the scale which we would probably consider a good thing in most applications.
What is polyiso board?
Polyiso insulation boards are the most widely used low slope, above-deck commercial roofing insulation. As a versatile choice for commercial roofing applications, polyiso is designed to be part of any modified bitumen, built-up, or single-ply roofing system.
What is the name of the foam used in building envelopes?
When building or renovating a high-performance building envelope there are really three main kinds of rigid foam panels you are going to have to choose from - Polyisocyanurate known as Polyiso (PIR), Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) - often called Styrofoam - and Expanded Polystyrene (EPS).
What is PIR insulation?
PIR, polyiso, or ISO, is a thermoset plastic product typically produced as a foam and used as rigid thermal insulation panel - most often with aluminum foil facing. Thermal performance is rated at R6-6.5 per inch, but don't count on that if your winters are cold for the reasons we're about to explain.
What is the most damaging blowing agent for XPS?
Also, rather regrettably for traditionally produced XPS, the hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) most commonly used as blowing agents are far more damaging to the climate than those used with other rigid foam insulation boards. Some manufacturers speak of a transition to more eco-friendly foam insulation blowing agents;
Does EPS foam dry out?
But there is nothing wrong with putting a little effort into keeping it dry if you can. The GWP of expanded polystyrene blowing agents is about 7 times worse than carbon, but that's a lot less than being 1430 times worse like standard XPS is. There is also the potential for a miniscule amount of off-gasing of some chemicals including potentially troublesome brominated fire-retardants from EPS foam products used in construction, but speculation as to whether or not this poses a significant risk to health doesn't seem to be based on any hard facts or testing. We'd be really interested to find any verifiable sources for EPS chemical off-gassing testing - if you find any please post them to the comments section below - as we are starting to think that EPS foam may arguably be the most Eco-Friendly insulation and this may sway our thinking against it.
Does XPS foam absorb moisture?
Above grade XPS foam acts as a vapour retarder (and becomes even less moisture permeable the thicker it is - 1 inch is about 1 perm, 2 inches about .5 perms); when taped it can act as an air barrier; the manufacturers and standardized testing state that it does not absorb moisture, nor is it affected adversely by it.
What is EPS foam?
As we said, Styrofoam™ is a Dow trade, blue in color, and is an extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam made for thermal insulation, construction and craft applications. EPS is an expanded polystyrene available in various densities for insulation, construction and craft applications and so much more.
Is styrofoam EPS?
The white stuff most everyone refers to as “Styrofo am” is actually EPS, expanded polystyrene. Styrofoam™ is a Dow trade name and is actually blue in color. No, we are not kidding, it is blue in color! Don’t feel alone in this misconception, it is very common.
Is EPS foam recyclable?
We have started to partner with local colleges to increase awareness. Now we are continuing to find ways to spread the word online, that YES, EPS is in fact recyclable. We accept clean EPS foam for recycling at our location in Allentown. Check out our RECYCLING RULES for more information.
