EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION - COMMON MISTAKES
· Surface preparation – probably most commonly occurring mistake is the lack of or poor preparation of the surface onto which the EWI system will be applied. Due care must be given to cleaning walls of dirt, dust, paint, old render etc. See our STEP by STEP article for guidline on this stage. You will recognise a good installer by the fact that he will carry out the test on the wall. This will show whether the surface is suitable to accept EWI system (see point 4: Substrate suitability check)
· EPS boards installation mistakes – do not align sheets! Use stretcher bond when installing polystyrene sheets. Othwerise they will not be able to perform as designed by manufacturer. In areas like corners of building, secure polystyrene with additional mechanical fixings. Any gaps over 2mm between boards should be filled with polystyrene. Never use adhesive (foam or mixed compound) to fill the gaps!!! This will lead to the effect of cold-bridging and heat-loss.
· Even surface – buy a polystyrene rasp and a long spirit level. When boards are installed make sure they make a flat area. The surface of EPS must be free of any irregularieties. Since finishing render and reinforcement mesh with adhesive make a thin layer, all uneven spots will show later on and can lead to heat loss.
· Even surface – buy a polystyrene rasp and a long spirit level. When boards are installed make sure they make a flat area. The surface of EPS must be free of any irregularieties. Since finishing render and reinforcement mesh with adhesive make a thin layer, all uneven spots will show later on and can lead to heat loss.
· Fibreglass mesh – make sure the one you buy is the right one. We offer different size and strength rolls of mesh from BUDGET one (145g/m2 and 50sqm) through PREMIUM (158g/m2 and 174 g/m2 – both 55sqm) to EXTREME (335g/m2 – 25sqm). Choose the one that is most suitable for your project.
· Mesh layer – when applying fibreglass mesh on MESH adhesive make sure to overlap at each layer. Usually around 15cm overlap is enough. When calculating for materials required, allow for the actual usage of each mesh roll. 50sqm of roll will cover around 45-46sqm of façade due to overlap.
· Windows/doors openings – when adding mesh in openings corners, use diagonal strips of fibreglass mesh to prevent cracking and enhance strength of reinforcement layer. At WWW.EWISTORE.CO.UK we offer revolutionary product – LINTEL MESH CORNER BEAD 5941 – this will allow to speed up process of mesh application and provide superb quality and strength around openings
· Biggest mistake ever – fibreglass mesh applied directly onto EPS board and mesh adhesive added on top of mesh! This is the worst possible scenario ever!!! Mesh adhesive must be applied evenly onto EPS board, then mesh itself “inserted” into the layer of adhesive and again spreading the adhesive again to achieve consistent and even layer of reinforcement.
· Weather conditions – rain, temperature, even intensity of sunlight – all these factors must be taken into account before even starting EWI project. It is not recommended to work when temperatures fall (or might soon fall) below 5°C. Rain and acrylic render are not best friends! Protect your façade when applying render if you think it might be raining soon. And don’t forget to protect the property you are working on when the sunshine is particullary intense.
These are most common mistakes when installing External Wall Insulation systems on your property. What might seem at first as very complicated process, installation of Solid Wall Insulation is in fact quite straightforward for an experienced installer. If in doubt – ask. Don’t hesitate to contact us at: info@ewistore.co.uk if you are unsure about the work carried out on your house. And if you are looking for a good team to do the job, we will help you to find it!
· Even surface – buy a polystyrene rasp and a long spirit level. When boards are installed make sure they make a flat area. The surface of EPS must be free of any irregularieties. Since finishing render and reinforcement mesh with adhesive make a thin layer, all uneven spots will show later on and can lead to heat loss.
· Fibreglass mesh – make sure the one you buy is the right one. We offer different size and strength rolls of mesh from BUDGET one (145g/m2 and 50sqm) through PREMIUM (158g/m2 and 174 g/m2 – both 55sqm) to EXTREME (335g/m2 – 25sqm). Choose the one that is most suitable for your project.
· Mesh layer – when applying fibreglass mesh on MESH adhesive make sure to overlap at each layer. Usually around 15cm overlap is enough. When calculating for materials required, allow for the actual usage of each mesh roll. 50sqm of roll will cover around 45-46sqm of façade due to overlap.
· Windows/doors openings – when adding mesh in openings corners, use diagonal strips of fibreglass mesh to prevent cracking and enhance strength of reinforcement layer. At WWW.EWISTORE.CO.UK we offer revolutionary product – LINTEL MESH CORNER BEAD 5941 – this will allow to speed up process of mesh application and provide superb quality and strength around openings
· Biggest mistake ever – fibreglass mesh applied directly onto EPS board and mesh adhesive added on top of mesh! This is the worst possible scenario ever!!! Mesh adhesive must be applied evenly onto EPS board, then mesh itself “inserted” into the layer of adhesive and again spreading the adhesive again to achieve consistent and even layer of reinforcement.
· Weather conditions – rain, temperature, even intensity of sunlight – all these factors must be taken into account before even starting EWI project. It is not recommended to work when temperatures fall (or might soon fall) below 5°C. Rain and acrylic render are not best friends! Protect your façade when applying render if you think it might be raining soon. And don’t forget to protect the property you are working on when the sunshine is particullary intense.
These are most common mistakes when installing External Wall Insulation systems on your property. What might seem at first as very complicated process, installation of Solid Wall Insulation is in fact quite straightforward for an experienced installer. If in doubt – ask. Don’t hesitate to contact us at: info@ewistore.co.uk if you are unsure about the work carried out on your house. And if you are looking for a good team to do the job, we will help you to find it!
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