VIEWPOINT
FOUR MINERAL WOOL MYTHS BUSTED
Matt Neary, national sales manager at Knauf Insulation
GLASS AND ROCK mineral wool have long been recognised for their thermal, fire and acoustic performance. For decades, they have been relied on by the construction industry as tried and tested solutions for proven performance.
But over time, as with all products, misconceptions or outdated information can creep in. In the worst cases, this could lead to the wrong product being chosen for a project, leading to suboptimal performance or risking other crucial factors such as durability or fire safety. That’s why, in this month’s column, we will bust the four most common myths about glass and rock mineral wool.
Myth 1: Glass mineral wool is unpleasant to use Truth: Glass mineral wool made with ECOSE is low-VOC and easy to handle.
Many installers have
experienced discomfort handling some glass mineral wool products. While it might seem reasonable to assume that this is true of all glass mineral wool, that’s not actually the case. It all comes down to the binder that’s used in the product. Traditional binders are oil based and can contain phenol or formaldehyde, chemicals that can be irritating to skin and emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, there is an
alternative. All Knauf Insulation glass mineral wool products are manufactured with ECOSE Technology, a unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. Products made with ECOSE Technology are soft to touch and easy to handle. They generate low levels of dust and VOCs, and have
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been awarded the Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort.
Myth 2: Mineral wool isn’t suitable for humid environments Truth: Mineral wool is non- hygroscopic and contains water-repellent additives Another myth we occasionally see is that mineral wool cannot be used in humid environments, because it is vulnerable to soaking up water and not drying out, reducing or negating its performance.
However, the reality is that mineral wool products designed for external applications with high weather exposure contain water repellent additives and are non- hygroscopic. Providing the correct product for these applications is used, any moisture from the
installation will dry out and the product’s performance will be maintained for its lifespan.
Myth 3: Mineral wool does not achieve the same thermal performance as PIR Truth: Mineral wool can perform more consistently under real-world conditions.
On paper, certain foam insulation materials can offer lower thermal conductivity across a given thickness than mineral wool, but this doesn’t always translate into superior thermal performance once installed.
Rigid boards are challenging to install correctly. They first need to be cut to exact sizes and taped with precision to ensure a continuous insulation layer. But the real challenge comes from
making them sit flush against the substrate, which is close to impossible if the surface has even minor imperfections such as mortar snots. Even the smallest gaps that result can drastically compromise ‘as-built’ thermal performance. By comparison, mineral wool insulation is flexible, allowing it to adapt to minor imperfections in the substrate and fully fill the cavity. The slabs also ‘knit’ together at abutting edges, minimising gaps and maximising real world thermal performance. This makes it easier to install correctly and deliver the expected performance.
Myth 4: Rock mineral wool is better than glass mineral wool for noise reduction Truth: Glass mineral wool can perform just as well and is more suitable for certain applications Our research shows that, depending on the application and performance criteria, glass mineral wool performs as well as rock mineral wool when it comes to noise reduction and is more suitable in some applications. Glass mineral wool is lighter and easier to handle, making it ideal for acoustic insulation in internal partitions and separating or internal floors. Rock mineral wool is most useful in situations where other properties such as compressive strength are needed, as in warm flat roofs.
Challenging misconceptions As industry experts, merchants are best placed to tackle myths, which can lead to suboptimal product choices that hinder the success of construction projects. By supporting customers with accurate information, merchants can build trust and ensure that the right product is used for every application.. BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net October 2024
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