Penofol, which has no competitors, has excellent characteristics. Its flexibility allows it to lay down perfectly on any surface. Among all the variety modern materials penofol gained the highest popularity. Penofol, like any building material, has its pros and cons. In this article, we will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of penofol and its scope.

When repairing or building a house, almost all surfaces are finished: ceilings, floors, internal and external walls. This, as a rule, is the insulation of surfaces, as well as their vapor, sound and waterproofing. But, if the “sound” and “steam” do not particularly bother developers, then everyone thinks about heat.

Construction markets offer a huge range of thermal insulation materials, the use of which is determined by their technical characteristics. new material- penofol appeared relatively recently. Let's try to understand whether it makes sense to give preference to this particular material.

Penofol - what is it?

Penofol is a multilayer material based on polyethylene foam. The base is covered with a thin layer of aluminum foil. Penofol is a type of reflective insulation. It is unlikely that an ordinary buyer will become interested in the modulus of elasticity or other technical details of this material. Therefore, we will consider the types, scope, installation basics, the feasibility of use, the advantages and disadvantages of penofol.

What types of penofol do manufacturers offer?

Penofol is offered by manufacturers of the following types:

  • Type "A" - the base is covered with foil on one side.
  • Type "B" - double-sided coating with a protective layer.
  • Type "C" - foil on one side, self-adhesive layer on the other.

In the first option, to preserve heat, the foil side of the penofol should be facing the room. The use of penofol type "B" allows you to prevent excessive heating of the room in summer, and to keep warm in winter. The third option is used for thermal insulation of surfaces in hard-to-reach places.

Manufacturers also offer other types of penofol: with reinforcement, perforation and a number of other features. In any case, the principle of action of penofol creates the effect of a thermos. In a room insulated with this material, you will not have to “drive” the air conditioner in the summer, and the heating boiler in the winter.

Where is penofol used?

  • The material is perfect for insulating walls (external and internal), floors and roofs of buildings.
  • Indispensable for thermal insulation of ventilation systems and air ducts.
  • It is applied to isolation of cars and mechanisms.
  • It is an ideal insulation for balconies and loggias.
  • Installed behind radiators.
  • It serves as a heat insulator for pipes and pipelines, but on top of mineral wool insulation.
  • This material is very convenient for arranging thermal insulation of temporary huts, modules for trade, stalls.

It should be noted that for the thermal insulation of the external walls of buildings, penofol is used as an additional insulation, which, first of all, protects the walls from moisture and reflects thermal energy.

What are the rules for installing penofol?
  • Before starting the installation of insulation, any surface is cleaned, its irregularities and cracks are eliminated.

  • This material is absolutely waterproof. Therefore, between the penofol and additional structural elements there must be a free air space of at least 20 mm. To do this, a frame made of wooden slats, to which penofol is subsequently attached.
  • Aluminum is a good conductor of electricity. That's why contact of penofol with uninsulated or low-quality electrical wires is unacceptable. Before the beginning installation work the quality of the wiring is carefully checked.

  • Using a knife, penofol is cut into strips of the desired length. Further, with the help of a furniture stapler, the insulation is attached to a wooden frame. The stripes are overlapped. Penofol overlap fastening is unacceptable. In the event of steam formation, the accumulated condensate will drain along the overlap lines. The joints of the insulation are glued with aluminum tape.
  • Because an air space of 2 cm should be on both sides of the foam, then again set wooden frame. The slats of the second frame are aligned with special care, because the finishing material will be attached to this structure.

Unfortunately, it is not entirely advisable to use penetrating devices for fixing penofol. Careless work can degrade the thermal insulation qualities of this insulation. For this reason, penofol began to be produced with a self-adhesive surface.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of penofol?

The advantages of penofol are determined by the following qualities:

  • the small thickness of the material provides, however, decent thermal insulation of the premises;
  • ease of installation, when installing penofol are not required professional tools, the material does not crumble and does not break;
  • environmental friendliness, penofol components are used even for food storage;
  • water resistance;
  • fire safety;
  • is an excellent noise and water insulator;
  • ease of transportation, thin material rolls up into compact rolls;
  • affordable price.

TO shortcomings penofol can only be attributed to its softness. It is enough to press a little on the material, and it will bend, so it is impossible to finish the penofol with wallpaper or plaster.

Having studied the main characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of penofol, we can conclude that the insulation of buildings and structures with the most modern heat insulator is an excellent option. Penofol protects not only from the cold, but also from extraneous noise and moisture. At the same time, the loss free space space and the consumption of thermal insulation materials is reduced to a minimum. This fact will please any owner.

Video: Penofol internal insulation technology

How to choose a gas boiler?

The name Penofol has become so popular that this polyethylene foam with foil is sometimes used where it is not necessary to the detriment of the result with monetary losses. Excessive popularity is promoted by sellers who, for the sake of sales, attribute foamed polyethylene miraculous properties. Consider how Penofol is correctly applied, why sometimes owners get losses with this material ....

What is Penofol

Foamed polyethylene with foil is a soft and elastic rolled material, often from 3.5 to 10 mm thick, for use as a substrate, vapor barrier, wind barrier, insulation layer.

According to the manufacturer, the thermal conductivity of the uncompressed material is in the range of 0.037 - 0.05 W / m ° C. For comparison, foam plastic has 0.035 - 0.04 W / m ° C - the material is slightly warmer ...

The pasted layer of aluminum foil reflects infrared radiation, preventing it from escaping from a heated house to a cold street. It is also impervious to water vapor.

It is produced with a thickness of 3 - 10 mm more often in rolls up to 36 meters long, with a width of 1200 mm.

The material is very light and easy to process, cut with scissors, fastened with glue, or pressed with screws, crate. Convenience and ease of use, as well as a small price, contribute to popularity and ... misuse.

Types of Penofol

Distinguish:


Thermal insulation qualities of Penofol

It should be noted that when compressed by 2–3 times of the initial thickness, air is partially displaced from the material, and the thermal conductivity coefficient increases significantly. At the same time, a decrease in the layer thickness entails a proportional decrease in the resistance to heat transfer. This means, at least, that Penofol, as a heater, should not be used in a compressed state.

On the manufacturer's website you can find the following values:

  • resistance to heat transfer R of the insulation "PENOFOL®" in a design with a closed air gap - 1.175 - 1.362 m2S / W.

Apparently, such a high value for a thin layer of insulation was obtained by adding the resistance to heat transfer of directly foamed polyethylene 5–10 mm thick - only 0.15–0.3 m2C / W, and also adding here the heat saving from the foil (barrier to radiant heat), which completely depends on the radiation power from the inside, the temperature in the room, the presence of heating sources, the degree of absorption of radiation by structures, and also, apparently, also adding the resistance of the "closed air gap» design, which can actually reach 1.0 m2C/W, for example, in a double-glazed window.

Nevertheless, the obvious fact is that Penofol really insulates, it remains only to apply it correctly.

Basic rules for the use of Penofol


Where and how Penofol is mainly used in practice


Experts warn. Large-scale use of shielding with conductive foil can disrupt the natural magnetic background, increase (decrease) electromagnetic intensity, disrupt the operation of transceiver devices, which cannot be called useful and correct ...

Examples of incorrect and dangerous use of Penofol

  • Laying Penfol under a cement (reinforced concrete) screed. The foil is destroyed by the alkaline aggression of concrete, the insulation layer is compressed excessively. There is no warming effect.
  • The use of Penofol as the main layer of insulation in structures that must be insulated in accordance with the standards - in the floors, in the roof, in the walls. At the same time, users are usually guided by the assurances of sellers that the material replaces "5 centimeters of polystyrene" or "6 centimeters of mineral wool." As a result, without the main insulating layer (in most cases it is economically optimal from 10 cm of effective insulation ...), the structures remain cold.
  • Overlay from the side of the living space directly on Penofol, without leaving an air gap, finishing panels, wood trim, wood structures, which entails wetting the finish, mold development, rotting of wood due to condensate accumulated on the vapor barrier-insulation. After a year of such operation, according to the owners, Penofol is “black from mold”.
  • Gasket inside panel structures on the foil side of the wiring.
  • Jointing of Penofol sheets with gaps left, which, in addition to a general decrease in insulation, leaves greater air permeability (drafts) in individual structures, which completely eliminates the presence of an insulating layer.

If you closely follow the market of building materials, in particular, heat-insulating, read various reviews, you could not help but notice the emergence of a new, high-technological means of thermal protection, penofol. This material can be attributed to one of the types of reflective insulation, it consists of several layers - the base and reflective foil.

The basis of penofol, which actually gave it its name, is polyethylene foam, which has a different structure and density indicators. The foil is applied to the base by heat welding.

The foam base has a thickness of 0.2 to 1 cm, a foil thickness of 20 microns, a reflection coefficient of 97%. For use in harsh climates, manufacturers produce a special type of penofol with a main field thickness of up to 40 mm.

If in the field of construction material penofol appeared relatively recently, this does not mean that its high-tech qualities were not known. For interest, I can give a certificate stating that the first spacesuits for NASA astronauts were made using penofol.

To what can this effect be compared? With a vacuum cleaner! If you used penofol to insulate a house or apartment, do not hesitate: in winter you will always be warm and cool in summer. The fact is that penofol does not retain heat emanating from the room, but reflects it.

This modern technological material creates a barrier to direct heat transfer due to polyethylene foam, which contains a large number of pores filled with air or carbon dioxide.

The use of penofol is possible both independently and also in combination with others. It is especially convenient when you, wanting to insulate some surface, do not want to lose the size of the useful area of ​​\u200b\u200byour room.

Penofol foil: specifications material

- heat transfer resistance for double-sided foam foam having a thickness of 4-5 mm is 1.2-1.23 m2xC / W
– vapor permeability is about 0.001 mh/mhh Pa

Penofol foil finds application both as the main heater and as a layer of heat-insulating system.

The photo below shows an example of foil foam foam 10 mm thick.

Penofol foil


Penofol foil and its application

It can be used for:

- insulation of walls inside and outside the premises, attics and basements
– water and vapor barriers for saunas and baths
- roof insulation and
– insulation of water pipes
- heat reflection of heating batteries
– soundproofing and insulation of ventilation and sewer systems
– insulation and soundproofing of cars
- Arrangement of residential and commercial trailers
— isolation of refrigerators

Foil penofol has its advantages and disadvantages, which will have to be taken into account when choosing thermal insulation. I’ll note right away that there are much more advantages from using penofol and I’ll start with a fairly moderate price compared to other materials.

What other benefits does the consumer receive:

- high environmental friendliness
- the material is very thin compared to others
- low vapor permeability
- good sound insulation
- ease of installation
- high fire safety
- ease of transportation
- the material is difficult to reach for rodents

To the main disadvantages I'll take it:

– high deflection at the slightest pressure due to the softness of the material

- some inconvenience when strengthening: needed special formulations glue, etc.

- if you need to insulate the walls outside your home, foil penofol is only suitable as an additional layer of thermal insulation to reflect heat energy and protect against moisture.

We check penofol for strength - watch the video:

So, we decided that we need just this type of thermal insulation.

What types of penofol are on the market and the features of their application

1. Type A- in this type of penofol, the aluminum layer is applied only from the outside.
It is used more often with foam and styrodur.

2. Type B- Coated on both sides.
Suitable for independent use.

3. Type C- self-adhesive foam.
Its outer side is covered with a layer of aluminum foil, and on the inside it is covered with polyethylene foam with contact adhesive.

4. ALP type.
A polyethylene film is glued on top of the aluminum layer. This type of penofol is called laminated. Effectively used for the needs of rural areas.

5. Type R and M- one-sided foil embossed foam.

6. Super NET, which means "network".
Used to isolate networks.

7. Penofol AIR for air outlets.

If on the counter of the store you see penofol brand Penofol-2000, be aware that this insulation is the most inexpensive type of penofol, i.e. worse in all technical characteristics and, above all, in strength.

The main methods of mounting foil foam

- the reflective layer of the material is always laid in the direction of the heat transfer source
- it is necessary to leave an air space of 10-20 mm on both sides of the insulation
– for 100% waterproofing and tightness, all joints are glued with foil tape
- most importantly: remember that foil is a very good conductor electric current, carefully check the insulation of the electrical wiring

As mentioned above, one of the remarkable qualities of penofol is ease of installation. Therefore, even without having any special knowledge, you can use it yourself when warming the house with your own hands.

Insulation with penofol walls from the inside

As a fastener, you will need a stapler or self-tapping screws. Indoors, as a rule, penofol 4-5 mm thick is used. If you have ordinary apartment or house, take one-sided material. If the walls are very cold, you will have to additionally insulate them with wool or.

Insulation with penofol walls from the inside


Procedure:

- roll out a foam foam roll and cut a strip from it, the length of which will be equal to the length of the wall

- using a stapler, nail it to the wall, starting from the ceiling

- if the wall is wooden, take a screwdriver, if it is concrete - put it on glue or nail it with staples

- cover the entire wall with penofol so that there are no overlaps

- glue the board with aluminum tape

- nail a frame made of river or a layer of plywood 2 cm thick onto the penofol

- place drywall or chipboard on top of the crate

In order to insulate the ceiling with penofol, cut it and attach it along the wall, starting from the middle. When you get to one corner, nail the side closest to the wall. Further from the middle, move in the opposite direction and fasten the strip further.

Then move perpendicular to the web of material to the corners, while smoothing the penofol along the ceiling all the time.

I want to remind you that penofol is a very unpretentious material to use. During its installation, you can do nothing to process the surface and even not pre-prepare it for work.

It should be noted that steam entering the building structure can lead to the appearance of mold and fungus. But when using penofol indoors, your walls will not accumulate moisture.

Choose foam types A, B, C for installation inside the house.

Now let's try them insulate the walls of the room from the outside.

By the way, many professionals claim that this method of insulation is much more effective than internal insulation especially if you have a wooden house.

For work on warming the house from the outside, use perforated penofol, it will protect the walls from precipitation and wind, and also keep the area of ​​\u200b\u200byour home intact without reducing it.

Wall insulation with penofol outside


The insulation is mounted between the wall and the cladding of the house. Better work for wall insulation from the outside to carry out in the summer, because. there are no sharp fluctuations in temperature and the walls are already dry enough.

The procedure for warming the house with penofol from the outside

- remove all coatings from the walls and perform antiseptic treatment, be especially careful and meticulous when processing corners and the bottom of the walls, because. it is these areas that are prone to freezing and putrefactive processes

- build a frame from the bars and attach it with self-tapping screws

- lay penofol, not forgetting to leave a gap for air

- Seal all seams with foil tape

- mount the outer frame and begin to clad the room

So, today we have studied in sufficient detail the properties of penofol, one of the most popular modern heat insulators. If you want to protect your home not only from cold and moisture, but also from noise, if you are interested in preserving the maximum useful area of ​​​​the room and still be in financial gain, give your preference to this magnificent material.

Compare penofol with other analogues, watch the video

Penofol foil is a new environmentally friendly heat-insulating material, very soft, light and quite easy to install. No odor, non-toxic.

It is made of aluminum foil applied to a polyethylene base with special equipment.

It has a number of advantages compared to fiberglass and epispathic materials. Safe for the environment and harmless to humans. It also resists ultraviolet radiation that can penetrate sheet metal, concrete, wood and other general thermal insulation materials.

Self-adhesive penofol is a new insulating coating that has not only good thermal and waterproof insulation, but also protection against various types radiation. The material has been widely accepted in construction industry thanks to latest technology production with a one-sided self-adhesive side, which significantly increases the speed of installation of such a heater

Can be installed on the roof and retain more than 80% internal heat buildings, protects walls, prevents obvious effects of thermal shock in summer period and sudden frost in winter. Penofol has a thickness of 3 mm to 10 mm, the width of the roll is from 20 mm to 120 mm. The common size of self-adhesive polyethylene is: width 58 cm, thickness 3-5 mm.

Shielding properties, moisture protection, retain heat and provide overall energy savings - all this is affected by the thickness of the foam

.
Penofol has characteristics similar to foam boards, while its dimensions are much smaller, the coating is very thin. Consider a few basic properties of penofol:
  1. Lack of smell and toxicity.
  2. Lightweight, soft, no dust.
  3. Easy to install.
  4. Heat reflection, thermal insulation, sound insulation, anti-radiation, anti-vibration and shielding.
  5. Sun barrier, waterproof, energy saving.
  6. Keeps warm in winter and cool in summer.
  7. Saves heat and electricity.

Penofol specifications:

  • resistance to extreme temperatures from + 0 °С to 150 °С;
  • due to the "mirror" reflection of the surface, thermal air flows arise, providing convection in the room;
  • uniform distribution of heat throughout the heated space;
  • thermal reflection coefficient up to 95%;
  • waterproof material that expands the range of use of insulating foil (walls, ceiling, floor);
  • ease of installation allows you to do the installation work yourself;
  • the thermal conductivity of penofol is 0.037-0.051 (for various types).

Penofol insulation has technical characteristics that are ideal for thermal, hydraulic and steam insulation. Penofol is good for use both for insulating an apartment, a private house, and for storage facilities, hangars, and workshops.

The properties of self-adhesive polyethylene foam can be used for shielding rooms with high humidity: baths, showers, changing rooms in swimming pools, saunas. Those. This material is in high demand construction work for warming various objects where there will be constant moisture or steam.

In addition, polyethylene foam perfectly absorbs sound waves and mechanical vibration. These properties are used in the construction of operator cabins (for example, boiler rooms or steelmaking). The advantage of using penofol in this case is just perfect: it eliminates sound, absorbs vibration, creates a thermal shield.

Foil self-adhesive penofol is often used to insulate boiler equipment, shield various cables, and insulate pipes. Such insulation will be useful when laying networks below ground level, where there is high humidity, and the insulating material does not absorb moisture.

Penofol types

There are three types of penofol, depending on the design, thickness and various thermal characteristics. Penofol insulation, depending on the type, is indicated by Latin letters: A, B, C, which are indicated on the package.

First type A- it is a polymer insulation different thickness with foil on one side. Aluminum foiling is present on all types of insulation, but also differs in thickness. This material is widely used for complex thermal insulation of various construction projects. In combination with penofol type A, glass wool or mineral wool. Below is a photo of penofol with foil on one side.

The latest innovation in the production of polymeric insulation was perforated foam. Such material can "breathe" due to the large number of holes. Often used for insulation wooden structures, for example log cabins.

Next type B- covered with foil on both sides. Thus, the maximum effect of warming any room is achieved both from the inside, and isolation from heat loss from the outside. This type of polymer is used for insulation load-bearing structures attic, basement waterproofing, floors and walls. In heat engineering and housing, such material is used for thermal insulation of transit pipelines through the basements of multi-storey residential buildings or elements of a heating system with roof wiring. The photo clearly shows the difference from type A.

Penofol self-adhesive refers to type C. As in the previous types, foil is applied on one side of the polyethylene foam, and on the other side a thin layer of glue covered with a film. Depending on the size of the foam roll, this type is very easy to mount on almost any surface, which increases productivity and saves time. For preparatory work it is only necessary to cut the roll into strips of the required width or square (rectangular) segments. It is easily cut with scissors and does not require special working skills.

Photo of self-adhesive foil foam:

There are several more types of penofol, which have a narrow application or are not very popular in construction.

Type R- This is a one-sided foil foil with a relief pattern on an aluminum surface. Absolutely repeats type A, but is often used as a decorating element for finishing work or multi-layer insulation, where it is necessary to create an air gap.

Penofol without aluminum foil also exists, it does not have a specific type, builders call it a “substrate for laminate”. A fairly cheap material, mainly used for thermal insulation of flooring.

Narrowly directed heaters: ALP type - a heat-insulating material with a high degree of reflection, used in animal husbandry to insulate incubators; penofol type NET - similar in characteristics to type B, manufactured in narrow rolls or coils of strips of a certain width. It is used for insulation of pipelines.

Often on the building materials market you can find penofol 2000 type C. It has reduced thermal characteristics of type C, the quality of the glue leaves much to be desired. Before buying, you should think about whether such minimum properties will be enough for high-quality thermal insulation. It is important not to forget that the miser pays twice.

Just put in the heater

The use of penofol is extensive. To install insulation with a foil layer, it is necessary to perform a number of preparatory operations, depending on the type of work and the material that will be insulated.

The use of penofol in wooden house as a heater is the most frequent. For high-quality gluing, it is necessary to pre-treat the surface with a grinder.

Fastening to penoplex penofol is carried out using polymer glue, which is applied to a denser surface.

It is an erroneous opinion that penofol is attached to a soft surface with staples or an industrial stapler. This will violate the integrity of the coating and the material will lose its insulating properties.

It will be easier to glue isolon on metal if you use self-adhesive insulation. However in a simple way will press the insulation against the metal surface with rigid foam plates.

The main thing is to follow the basic rules for installing penofol: do not use in flooring under concrete screed, do not sew or wire, do not use a stapler, do not glue the joints with adhesive tape.

For high-quality installation, overlap one sheet to another, accurately measure the required length to save material, always lay out the insulation in a thin layer, without forming an "accordion". For the highest quality organization of butt joints, use a special adhesive foil.

We glue penofol to various surfaces

Insulating foil material without a layer of glue applied to it is much cheaper than self-adhesive penofol. Penofol glue may be needed if the budget for insulation work is limited.

In order to fix penofol on a sheer surface, you will need moisture-resistant glue, because. Initially, such insulation provides for the presence of moisture and ways to isolate it.

This adhesive, which hardens quickly without releasing water, can be applied to the entire surface of the insulation or wall. The insulation function is ensured around the entire perimeter, even in the event of temporary or permanent exposure to moisture from the outside. Also, such glue is not susceptible to mold and various fungi.

This adhesive does not contain solvents: it consists of three parts by weight of a liquid component made from a polymer-bitumen emulsion and one part of a powdered component based on cement. The adhesive mixture makes it easy to attach the insulation to the surface of brick, concrete, limestone, tile.

Flaws

The main disadvantage of penofol as an insulating material is that it practically cannot be used as the main insulation. In 90% of cases, for installation, it will be necessary to stuff the film on an existing frame, in the cells of which there is the main heat-insulating material (for example, foam).

The surface of the penofol cannot be processed- mechanical impact will break the thin aluminum coating.

Doesn't keep its shape. Such a heater should either be laid between several layers of dense material, or sheathed with a facing layer.

Low hardness and density. The material is very soft, quite easily torn from any mechanical impact.

Insufficient thermal insulation properties for use as the main insulation.

May cause a short circuit when the foil film comes into contact with faulty electrical wiring.

Analogues

Like all Construction Materials, penofol has analogues, which include the following heaters: aluf, isofol, stizol, energy flex. Tepofol or penofol with a metal coating, also a common analogue. Adheres very well to any metal surface.

Each of the materials has its own, albeit insignificant, features: density, shape, coating, etc. Some have multiple layers of metal film and some different types used plastic for foaming. Often there is a type of insulation where the foil element is located between two layers of oilcloth.


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