What is the maximum temperature resistance of Eurothane PUR / PIR building insulation?

PUR-polyurethane for building applications resists to a maximum temperature of +100°C, PIR-polyisocyanurate foam insulation on the other hand resists to +130 up to 150°C.
However, the foam can briefly resist to higher temperatures during the processing, for instance when bonding the roof insulation board Bi3 with hot bitumen.

Does Eurothane insulation absorb water?

All Eurothane products have a product approval ATG/H and generally also an ATG system approval. In the scope of these approvals the product characteristics are continuously inspected. PUR insulation is for over 90% composed of closed cells, entailing only a very small possibility of water absorption. This water absorption is limited to 2 or 3 % measured after a complete water immersion of the foam during 24 hours. The presence of an aluminium or bituminous facing on the Eurothane insulation boards offers an additional protection against moisture/humidity.

How does PUR insulation distinguish itself from other synthetic foams such as XPS?

Eurothane PUR insulation products are produced according to a continuous system based on liquid raw materials. Already during the production process a facing or carrier is needed in order to divide the fluid mixture. The facing also contributes to the stability and functionality of the product. In other words, the nature of the facing can differ according to the application field. PUR insulation for building applications is always provided with a facing on either side of the board and the foam has a light yellow colour.
XPS on the other hand is uncovered and mostly coloured differently.

Why are insulation materials thicker than others?

An insulation material is characterised by its physical quality '-value'. The lower this value, the better the material insulates thermally.
Insulation materials with a higher ' -value', thus need to be used in a greater thickness, if the same thermal resistance or insulating capacity is to be achieved as an insulation layer with the coefficient of low thermal conductivity.

Is it not the case that thick layers of insulation insulate better than thin layers?

The answer to this question is actually incorporated in the former. A correct comparison can only be made after having determined the thermal resistance of every sort of insulation and its thickness. The thickness only cannot be an assessment criterium for the insulation capacity of several kinds of insulations and thicknesses.

What materials are Powerline, Powerdeck and Eurothane made of?

Eurothane insulation boards are synthetic insulation boards based on polyurethane foam, also named PUR. They are obtained by means of a chemical reaction between polyols and isocynates in equal chemical quantities by adding a blowing agent.
Powerdeck / Powerline are insulation materials based on Taufoam by Recticel, a very specific polyisocyanurate foam, also known as PIR.
They are achieved by the simultaneous occurrence of chemical reactions (on the one hand between polyol and isocynate and between isocyanate and isocyanate on the other hand) and a physical reaction (the expansion of a blowing agent).
The Eurothane, Powerdeck and Powerline products are produced by a continuous production system and always equipped with a facing on both sides.

To what extent is the production of Eurothane boards environment-friendly and what about the environment-friendliness of the boards themselves?

During the production of Eurothane no CFC's are used. Recticel has actively co-operated to the development of means to produce CFC-free PUR insulation boards. For this effort, for the production of 'CFC-11'-free boards, Recticel received the First Price Environmental award for Industry in 1994.
Being environmental-friendly goes beyond only not using CFC's. Eurothane insulation boards have a very high insulation capacity (very low 'l-value') and this contributes to an important energy saving. As a consequence the smoke emission of the heating systems is lowered considerably, thus contributing to the improvement of the environment.

To what extent are the Powerdeck and Powerline boards fire-resistant?

Powerdeck and Powerline are products based on Taufoam by Recticel, which is a very specific PIR-foam with an excellent fire-behaviour. Not only do these products obtain good fire reactions in small-scale tests A1 and M1; they also distinguish themselves from other synthetic foams in large-scale tests (A1 according to NBN 521-203; M1 according to NFP 92-501).
The renowned Factory Mutual Institute in America tested Powerdeck in actual roof constructions. As their findings were extraordinary, Powerdeck has accordingly gained the FM Approval Class 1 (best classification for fire behaviour) in divers roof constructions.
The excellent behaviour of Powerdeck and Powerline in these large-scale tests leaves nothing else but certainty concerning the fire safety of these boards: they provide no contribution to fire extension and they completely distinguish themselves from other synthetic foams that also achieved an A1 fire reaction in small-scale tests.

Are there Eurothane boards with sound-suppressing qualities ?

All insulation boards in the Eurothane/Powerdeck range belong to the family of rigid foam insulation boards based on PUR or PIR.
These are especially thermal insulating boards and not initially intended to solve an acoustic problem.
However, Recticel produces soft foams besides rigid foams for application in the comfort sector amongst others. Some derived products such as Recfoam and Recphone have been developed for construction. Recphone is the obvious means to use as the acoustic underlying carpet for loose-lying parquet floors whereas Recfoam is an acoustic absorbing material for floors and walls.

What is the difference between 'K-value' and 'k-value' ?

The k-value, now also called U-value, is the coefficient of thermal conductivity of a wall element. The K (capital) is the global insulation level of a house or building. For a more detailed description we refer to the introduction.

What are the crucial leads to correctly install Eurothane products ?

• Use the right Eurothane board for your application: the right type and size.
• Stack the boards clear off the ground. Store and process them dryly.
• Look out for damages and handle the boards with care. Do not throw them and do not push the board by thrusting it by foot.
• Make sure the foundation is clean, intact, dry and even.
• If necessary especially for flat roofs, install a vapour barrier, a vapour control layer or a waterproofing.
• Push the boards firmly against one another.
• Always cover the boards watertight at the end of each working day and in case of rain.
• Always follow up the placing instructions on the packaging.
• Always use the correct fastener.

How do Eurothane boards react to damp surroundings ?

The water absorption of Eurothane is nearly inexistent. The Eurothane products are tested for liquid admission as part of the ATG control. After a complete immersion under water for 24 hours, the water absorption is restricted to a few %.
In practice, this situation does not occur and furthermore most Eurothane products are equipped with a facing (for instance aluminium) on either side which absorbs hardly or even no moist.
As a consequence, Eurothane products can be used in less favourable weather conditions without contributing to an extra moisture containing in the construction.

What about 'overinsulation' ?

In colloquial speech the term 'insulation' is not only used for 'thermal' insulation but also for the hermetical sealing of cracks and splits. 'Overinsulation' thus means the complete hermetical sealing of a construction without taking the necessity of ventilation into account. To preserve a healthy climate indoors, ventilation is necessary, even with 'thermal' well insulated constructions.

Why partial cavity filling with EUROWALL?

Rigid insulation boards and EUROWALL in particular insulate better than mineral wool. With EUROWALL the required insulation value can be achieved with a limited thickness, whereby an air cavity between the insulation and exterior cavity board can be preserved with the usual dimensions of the exterior wall construction. As a consequence the functions of the cavity wall are completely retained.

Why EUROWALL instead of XPS ?

EUROWALL has a very low l-value and a very high stability. Therefore, a smaller thickness can be used with EUROWALL to obtain the same insulation value.

Is Eurothane G available with a vapour barrier ?

The Eurothane G boards are standard with a moistureproof built-in layer.

Is Eurothane G available with a waterproof plasterboard?

Eurothane G is exclusively composed with a standard plasterboard. These are not suitable for use in wet cells

Is tapered insulation Eurothane Bi3A an economical system ?

Eurothane Bi3A is a light but extremely well insulating board. This tapered system allows you to achieve a high insulation level combined with a 'dry' tapered system. This makes the board extremely fit for the renovation of roofs where extra weight needs to be limited and moisture enclosure needs to be prevented.