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Malta Business Review BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION PROVIDING SHELTER TO OUR During the past 50 years or so we have witnessed a complete reform in the way we build. Gone are the days when wooden beams held roofs made of compressed sand, lime and clay (deffun) resting on stone slabs. Metal and concrete gave a different dimension to the building industry with evermore bigger and higher structures, sometimes at the expense of beauty and creativity. Insulation and waterproofing is also something relatively new to Malta. Our houses are mainly made of stone and tend to be cold in winter and hot in summer if left unprotected. This mostly occurs due to the island’s elevated damp, humidity and heat levels that are absorbed like a sponge by our limestone brick. Why insulation is necessary and what are the best materials to use? The primary function of thermal insulation materials is to reduce the transmission of heat or cold inside buildings, thus making them healthier to live in by keeping them warmer in winter and cooler in summer. What is the best material to use polyurethane expanding foam or EPS (Expanded Polystyrene)? Polyurethane is a relatively new product, roughly around 35 years. EPS has been with us for around 50 years. Polyurethane was produced to replace the shortfalls of expanded polystyrene. Hot sprayed expanding Polyurethane applied on concrete surface The R-value of a building material measures its thermal resistance. Polyurethane has twice the resistance to heat than polystyrene. Polyurethane does not melt, unlike polystyrene. In fact, polyurethane will remain mostly undamaged by heat until temperatures reach 700 degrees, at which point the material begins to carbonise. The density of a product will determine the strength of it. EPS has a density of approx. 450g while polyurethane has a density of approx. 960g. In short 1cm of polyurethane insulates for approx. 1 hour while with EPS you need 2cm of product to insulate for 1hr. polyurethane will remain mostly undamaged by heat until temperatures reach 700 degrees Moisture Resistance - Polyurethane has one of the lowest moisture absorbency ratings of any product manufactured for the building industry today and unlike EPS boards, hot sprayed expanded polyurethane provides a seamless surface with waterproofing properties. Heat is transferred by conduction, convection or radiation, or by a combination of all three. Heat always moves from warmer to colder areas; it seeks a balance. If the interior is colder than the outside air, heat will flow inside. The greater the temperature difference, the faster the heat flows. An average 5cm thickness of expanded polyurethane or EPS is applied in Malta and this is usually sandwiched between the two concrete slabs that form our roof. They can provide a great deal of protection but in most of the times they prove to be insufficient. Many concrete roofs endure more than 12 hours of intensive direct sunlight forcing the concrete to expand and radiating more heat inside than the insulation can hold. This heat will eventually penetrate inside the building creating a hotter environment that needs to be tackled with the use of costly air conditioning. This problem can be solved very easily by applying a second protection in the form of a much needed seamless waterproofing membrane with thermal properties on your roof top. The new S Reflex by NAICI is a resin liquid membrane reinforced with fibreglass that has the ability to reflect all the UV rays and other natural radiations responsible of creating heat, making it unique and hence reduces by far structural heat intake in summer by as much 90%. The other 10% will be easily blocked by the polyurethane expanding foam. A Good Roof methodology thermal reflective resin membrane have must have an SRI (solar reflective index) of at least 111% (ASMT E 1980) and a thermal ability of 91% (ASMT C 1371). DIY is very popular here in Malta and to facilitate its application, a thermal resin membrane with micro fibres is now available thanks to NAICI, thus avoiding the need to implement any fibreglass reinforcing net. Always avoid plastics, acrylics, latex and cement based materials as they lack UV resistance and become brittle, most of them do not last a whole winter. 54
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION Malta Business Review HOMES A good advice if you hire an individual/s or firm to do your waterproofing works is to make sure that they are affiliated and in possession of the Malta Professional Waterproofing and Resin Flooring Association roofers card. This will save you the hassle of improper By Antoine Bonello works by unaccountable or unethical persons which can give way to a serious of unwanted damages. The result could be an endless court case that will take years and prove fruitless. <strong>MBR</strong> All rights reserved - Copyright 2018 Top finish thermal insulation waterproofing membrane that blocks 90% of heat intake The Malta Waterproofing and Resin Flooring Association provide technical knowledge and professional formation to all Maltese installers who wish to improve their workmanship or start a carrier in the waterproofing business. The Association also assists its members by providing the services of a profession advisor when facing challenging situations or other difficulties during their works. The Association also provides its qualified members the Certified Installers Card. This is done to reassure the general public that the person is able to carry out the requested job at its best. All this is being made possible thanks to Resin and Membrane Centre and NAICI International Academy. For further information with regards the Malta Professional Waterproofing and Resin Flooring Association visit our website on www.maltawaterproofing.com or call on 27477647 www.maltabusinessreview.net 55
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