Hello dear community,
Our builder has just completed the "white tank" waterproofing and installed insulation on the basement walls.
During the inspection over the weekend, I noticed that two different insulation materials were used – from the basement floor up to about halfway up the wall, pink XPS boards were installed, and from roughly the middle of the basement wall up to the ceiling, white EPS boards were used.
Is this a common practice? I’m concerned that the different materials may have different thermal conductivity values, which could potentially create thermal bridges.
I’m not an expert, but it seems odd to me to see two different materials used on one wall.
Do you have any opinions on this?
Our builder has just completed the "white tank" waterproofing and installed insulation on the basement walls.
During the inspection over the weekend, I noticed that two different insulation materials were used – from the basement floor up to about halfway up the wall, pink XPS boards were installed, and from roughly the middle of the basement wall up to the ceiling, white EPS boards were used.
Is this a common practice? I’m concerned that the different materials may have different thermal conductivity values, which could potentially create thermal bridges.
I’m not an expert, but it seems odd to me to see two different materials used on one wall.
Do you have any opinions on this?
Different compressive strengths (or moisture resistance) are required depending on installation location (below or above ground level). XPS is more expensive, so it is used only where necessary. The U-value, or thermal transmittance coefficient, can still be similar (or sufficient everywhere).
AKO1988 schrieb:
During the site visit over the weekend, I noticed that two different insulation materials were used – from the basement floor up to about halfway up the basement wall, pink XPS boards were installed, and from around halfway up the basement wall to the basement ceiling, white EPS boards were used. Yes, EPS boards are usually only permitted up to about 1–1.5 m (3–5 feet) below ground level. Below that, XPS must be used, typically allowed to be bonded without additional measures down to 3 m (10 feet). The thermal conductivity values are probably the same, at least up to the last decimal place; you don't need to worry about thermal bridges there. Generally, thermal bridges occur where there is no insulation at all, not where different insulation materials or thicknesses meet.
Apart from that, I would generally use only XPS below ground level because its moisture absorption is practically zero over time, whereas EPS is open-pored and can theoretically absorb ground moisture. However, as long as there is no clay soil directly adjacent or no standing groundwater, EPS is permitted.
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