Examples of mineral insulating materials are sand, stone or lime. Although they contain mineral raw materials, they are not considered natural insulants because of the way they are manufactured. Examples of mineral insulating materials are glass wool, rock wool, cellular glass, calcium silicate boards and expanded clay.
As their name suggests, synthetic insulating materials are made from man-made substances such as polystyrene, usually based on petroleum. Examples of synthetic insulating materials include expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), polyurethane (PUR) and polyisocyanurate (PIR).
Natural or ecological insulation isinsulation based on materialsrenewable raw materials, i.e. materials of organic origin such as hemp, sheep's wool, cellulose and wood. Compared with synthetic and mineral insulation materials, they have a better ecobalance and good insulating properties. Our comparison table gives you a quick overview:
Insulating material | Gross density in kg/m3 | Class of building materials | Thermal conductivity in W/(m-K) | Resistance to vapour diffusion | Advantages and disadvantages |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cellulose (plates) (blown-in insulation) | 60 - 80 40 - 60 | B2 B2 | 0,040 0,040 - 0,045 | 1 - 2 1 - 2 | Good thermal insulation Good protection against the heat in summer Resistant to mould and parasites Excellent moisture regulation Raw materials come from waste Raw materials available in large quantities Very low energy consumption during manufacture
- non-compostable - subject to decay |
Sheep's wool (carpet) | 20 - 25 | B2 | 0,035 - 0,045 | 1 - 5 | Very good / good thermal insulation Mould resistant Excellent moisture regulation Absorption of pollutants from ambient air
- long transport distances - a lot of detergent required for treatment - susceptible to parasites if no additives - possible pesticide residues |
Hemp (carpet) | 20 - 40 | B2 | 0,040 - 0,045 | 1 - 2 | Good thermal insulation Resistant to mould and parasites Excellent moisture regulation Low energy consumption during manufacture Good acoustic insulation
- difficult to recycle and compost if the fibre is synthetic |
Wood fibre (plates) (blown-in insulation) | 170 - 230 30 - 60 | B1, B2 B2 | 0,040 - 0,060 0,040 - 0,045 | 5 - 10 1 - 2 | Average to good thermal insulation Very good protection against summer heat for panels Resistant to mould and parasites Good moisture regulation capacity Good acoustic insulation of panels Raw materials come from waste
- impregnated panels that are difficult to compost |
* Source: Guide to ecological insulation materials/Benz24.de
Building with wood is not only one of the oldest forms of construction in the history of mankind, it's also an active contribution to climate protection and the preservation of our living space. And that's not all: if you insulate a building withecological wood fibre insulation from Gutexyou protect yourself against heat, cold, noise and mould growth - and against excessive energy costs. Insulated with wood fibre, your home will also give you a great deal of pleasure in terms of design.
By using wood, you are also using the carbon stored in it as a component of the CO2- for at least 40 to 50 years per cycle of use. So when you choose Gutex wood fibre insulation, you're opting for a comfortable and healthy home, and making a contribution to preserving our living space, the earth. As our wood only comes from certified forests around our factories, we can guarantee that more trees grow back than we harvest economically. To maximise this enormous sustainability value, we process it to environmentally-friendly standards.
As the tree grows, it removes CO2(carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere, transforming CO2the oxygen released (O2if you insulate with wood, you fix the carbon sustainably and ensure that the environment is free of CO2is unloaded.
Because of its carbon content, 1,000 kg of wood fixes 1,830 kg of CO2Wood is a building material that is not released into the atmosphere when used for construction.
The tax on CO2-emissions is 0.166 kg per kilometre. To reduce CO2-emissions of our wood fibre insulation materials compared to the kilometres travelled by car (CO2), the amount of the exemption can be divided by 0.166 kg of CO2 be shared.
Trees filter the greenhouse gas CO2from the air and store carbon as a component of CO2we transform this wood into insulation - and building owners and renovators have it installed by our specialist partners in accordance with the rules of the trade, and therefore on a long-term basis.
Setting the heating to five is still not a panacea for mould: fungi grow on cold wall surfaces, where moisture from the warm air in the heating system settles. Withgutex wood fibre insulationyou'll keep your walls warm and open to diffusion, and effectively prevent mould and draughts.
How comfortable we feel in a room also depends on the humidity of the air. At a temperature of 20 degrees, we consider a relative humidity of around 50% to be pleasant. Below 40%, we find the air too dry, and above 70%, we find it stuffy.
Given that the humidity of the air between our four walls varies as a result of our breathing, cooking, showers, plants, etc. as well as the weather, the best solution is to live in ecological wood-fibre insulation: not only does it keep the inside of the outside walls warm, but it also absorbs water from the air and releases it as required, regulating the humidity of the air to a comfortable level and protecting against mould formation at the same time.
Compared with petroleum-based insulation such as polystyrene or polyurethane, wood fibre insulation is around 15 to 20 times better at wicking away moisture, thanks to its openness to diffusion.
Construction noise, road noise, aircraft noise: when noise levels rise, quality of life declines. Yet peace and quiet are a prerequisite for feeling at home. Gutex wood fibre insulation absorbs and insulates noise - no matter where it comes from: outside, upstairs, downstairs or in the next room.
Noise is annoying and, in the long run, even dangerous to our health, which is why it's all the more important to give our hearing a rest, especially in the home. Our wood fibre insulation gives it a wonderful break, because it absorbs noise in the best possible way. This applies both to airborne noise, caused by planes, cars or loud music, and to impact noise, which can occur when walking on laminate or parquet floors. It even reduces the sound of pipes considerably.
Used consistently, our systems and products can reduce the noise in your home by around 50 dB. That's huge, because we already perceive a difference of 10 dB as being half as loud.
We can close our eyes, but not our ears, so we have to move away - or turn away from the noise. The pain threshold for our ears is 120 dB, which can be reached in the vicinity of an aeroplane. But street noise at 70 dB can also make us ill over time.
Some fossil fuels drip burning from the facade and produce highly toxic smoke. In the event of a fire, ourwood fibre insulation boardsthis slows the passage of the fire and gives the occupants more time to escape. It has also been proven that wood fibre insulation panels contribute to the fire resistance of building components, as they significantly delay the passage of temperature. And as they burn only slowly, the building component benefits from a longer volumetric resistance than that of certain other insulation materials.
Many buildings are ill-prepared for the increase in heavy rain and hailstorms. And this is how it can happen: first, the storm partially uncovers the roof, then the hail destroys an underroof that is too poorly designed and the protective fabric can no longer absorb the rain that starts to fall. Moisture seeps into the building components and into the rooms.
Gutex roof underlay panels are so stable that they can even withstand high mechanical stresses. And what about rainwater? The panels are hydrophobic, so they drain any rainwater away through their surface. Wind and rainproof roof underlays of this kind are possible for almost all roof structures and designs - and are always a wise investment, because they significantly increase the durability and safety of your roof.
Room comfort is the result of the interaction between the ambient temperature, the temperature of the room surfaces, air movement and air humidity. Wood fibre insulation has a positive influence on all these factors: the heating heat passes through the walls, is temporarily stored by the wood fibres and is released back into the room, so that it cools down more slowly when the heating output is reduced. And you don't just save on heating costs! Because we feel best when the temperature of the walls and the air do not differ by more than 3° C.
If your house is already a few years old, you can make the most of it with a Gutex façade insulation system that's customised, robust and durable. And because it wicks away moisture, protects the structure of the building and prevents vegetation from growing, you'll even be pleasing your grandchildren!
Would you like to find out more about our products and systems? Do you have any questions about our sales conditions and distribution channels? Or would you like to receive a personalised quotation? Whatever your needs, we're here to help.