Polystyrene Insulation
Polystyrene is an extremely common material for use in insulation in industrial, commercial and residential settings. This is largely due to the fact it is a very poor conductor of heat, as well as being cheap to purchase and easy to transport and cut to shape. Polystyrene thermal insulation is also waterproof, which obviously is an important quality of any insulating material./p>
Polystyrene Foam Insulation
There are two types of polystyrene foam insulation. The first of these, expanding foam insulation, is based around expanded polystyrene. EPS is the closed cell form of polystyrene, which makes it rigid and strong. Expanded polystyrene insulation (sometimes referred to as rigid polystyrene insulation) has a lower density than extruded polystyrene insulation, which means that it has the lower insulating power of the two. This is because the cells that it is composed of contain only air, as they are coarse cells. Expanded polystyrene insulation is cheaper than extruded polystyrene insulation however, so its usage is more appropriate in certain scenarios.
Extruded polystyrene insulation is considered the more effective of the two kinds of polystyrene insulation boards. This particular kind of polystyrene is manufactured by first melting polystyrene crystals that contain no blowing-agent in an extruder, after which the blowing agent is then added under very high pressure where it dissolves into the polystyrene melt. The melt is then removed from the extruder, and this change in pressure causes the blowing agent to expand, resulting in the polystyrene foaming into a board that possesses a homogeneous closed cell structure. This foam is then cut to the desired dimensions. One of the advantages of this process is that the board produced is smooth and uniform, allowing it to be stacked and aligned in any number of neat and tidy configurations. The foam board is also easily manipulated, so it can be cut as needed in order to route electrical wiring and other cabling through it without compromising its structural integrity. The homogeneous nature of the cells of which it is comprised also mean that this particular kind of polystyrene insulation board suffers from very little heat loss. It is this kind of material that is therefore favoured for polystyrene wall insulation and polystyrene roof insulation, due to its heat retention and stackable nature. Polystyrene floor insulation is also a valid use as its uniform surface allows it to be slotted under flooring with ease.
Polystyrene Insulation Panels
Polystyrene insulation panels are favoured by music studios as their light weight allows them to be manoeuvred with ease, with the studio staff being able to erect them wherever they are needed. They can even be mounted onto walls to provide a more permanent form of sound dampening.
Polystyrene Pipe Insulation
Extruded polystyrene pipe insulation is a favoured kind of pipe insulation due to its high compressive strength, low friability and resistance to water. Polystyrene insulation can also be seen in use as an inner insulator in cold boxes, which are used for transporting goods that are extremely temperature sensitive.