Good insulating material should possess the properties such as adequate fire-resistant, termite resistant, moisture-resistant, adequate strength and stability and long life.
Some of the insulting materials which are in use are:
- Blanket insulation
- Bats insulting materials
- Block or slab insulation
- Cement concrete products
- Insulating boards
- Loose fills
- Reflecting sheet materials
1. Blanket Insulation
Blanket insulators are flexible fibrous materials supplied in rolls or otherwise. They are made out of mineral wool, processed wood fibre, cotton and animal hair. They are available in thickness varying from 1 to 8 cm which can be spread directly on the surface of walls and ceilings.
2. Bat Insulating Materials
These materials are similar to the above type but are smaller in size and greater in thickness. Commonly available thicknesses are 5, 7 and 9 cm. For framing purposes they are made in smaller sizes also.
3. Block or Slab Insulators
Block or slab insulators are small rigid small units of 2.5 cm thickness and of sizes 60 cm × 120 cm are available. These boards made out of cork boards, cellular glass blocks, rubber blocks, mineral wood slabs or wood fibre boards together with cement. These small units may be fixed on the walls and roofs for lining purposes.
4. Cement Concrete Products
Cement concrete products in general have less insulation value. However, use of cement concrete with light weight aggregates such as blast furnace slag, burnt clay aggregate, vermiculate, etc., the resistance against can be improved.
5. Insulating Boards
These are the boards which are prepared by reducing wood cane or other materials to pulp and then re-assembling fibres into boards. In order to keep the fibres in the desired position, adhesives are used. These boards, available in different sizes and thickness, are used for interior lining of walls and thickness, are used for interior lining of walls and roofs and for partitions.
6. Loose Fills
These are fibrous materials like rock wool, slag wool, glass wool, cellulose or wood fibre wool. They are loosely placed into the required space for heat insulation purposes.
7. Reflecting Sheet Materials
These materials primarily depend on their surface characteristics for their heat resistant properties. They are used usually along with the air spaces so that the reflecting insulating surface is exposed. These reflective insulations consist of sheet or gypsum boards, steel sheet reflecting materials, aluminium foils, etc.
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