Hello Belinda, I've been in the EPS industry for over 35 years and this is one of the top three best explanations of polymeric foams I've seen on youtube. I haven't seen an open-top block fill EPS block mold as you've shown in your video since the late seventies / early eighties. Great Job!
Hello, please I need reference websites that talks about EPS. My project is on EPS and google keeps giving me searches on styrofoams or XPS as expanded polystyrene (EPS) and it's so frustrating
Wow this is the best video I’ve ever seen comparing and describing EPS and XPS...could never fully understand the property differences and manufacturing processes..until now. Thank you!
@@videopipeline6419 could you please elaborate? Would help us viewers.. thank you! Edit: I saw you posted several other comments. If those are what you were referring to, then thank you and you can dismiss my comment!
@@Coolarj10 Yep, those are the key mistakes (feel free to "Like" them if they are helpful). The main source of the misleading info (reiterated by people who have a *little bit* of knowledge like the creator of this video) about polyiso having drastically reduced R-value is Owens Corning, which AFAIK doesn't manufacture any form of Polyiso foam. Also, not all materials cost the same in all parts of the US, because (especially with bulky materials like foam sheathing); it's highly dependent upon the location of the manufacturing plants, which are mostly in the eastern half of the US. Not all Polyiso is created equal. The example she chose, R-Max polyiso, which is stocked at some Home Depot stores in the western half of the USA, has much poorer cell structure consistency than Super Tuff-R or Thermax. Consumer grade polyiso sheathing like R-Max, Super Tuff-R or J-M AP Foil have FSK "Foil-Scrim-Kraft' facers, thus they have only a class C fire resistance rating. Commercial grades like Thermax have class A fire rating.
Once again, loving the information density in your videos! Just as a side note: after about 10 years of using XPS I've often seen sheets of it get too much UV-Radiation and from my experience it does indeed suffer from photodegradation. The outer layers become lighter in color and dissolve into a dust which has an unpleasant chemical odour, sticks to your skin and resists washing off. So make sure to have some sort of UV barrier between it and any gaps in roofing material or it will start to wear out
this video was well researched and intelligently presented. a few comments. one of the things that they do to deter insect intrusion into foam insulation these days is to apply a borate coating on the surface. it doesn't prevent insects from boring into the insulation, but when they ingest the borate, they dehydrate and die. that said, after enough insects have "paid the price", eventually the borate coating is breached. one other feature about the different types of foam insulation is the coefficient of thermal expansion. eps has the lowest, xps is a little greater and polyisocyanurate is the largest (by about 50% as i recall). so, a large board would noticeably shrink in cold temperatures, opening up voids between the panels. since the insulation would sit behind cladding, you wouldn't typically see that. the story about polyisocyanurate losing its thermal properties at low temperatures is sort of a half truth, that got picked up and turned into a "whole truth" along the grapevine. there was a paper written around 2007, or so, entitled "analysis of variables in the determination of lambda/k-factor of construction insulations". what they found was that polyisocyanurate with a felt substrate showed a trend of increasing k-value at low temperatures. they did not observe that trend for polyisocyanurate with a foil substrate. the ultimate conclusion of the paper was that there were general problems with test methodologies for the determination of k-values of insulating materials. any of these foam insulation types can be a vapor barrier, depending on how thick the sheet is. for example, as i recall, xps is classified as a vapor barrier when the thickness is greater than one inch. you typically don't want to put a vapor barrier on the exterior of your wall in a heating climate, but advocates overcome these concerns by declaring that the continuous insulation increases the dew point temperature at the sheathing, with the objective of keeping the sheathing temperature above the dew point temperature so that you don't get condensation at the sheathing (thereby reducing the risk of mold growth). there are some assumptions built into that rationale. as an aside, one of my nits is seeing trademarks getting violated. "styofoam" is not the generic name for either eps or xps. it is a brand name for the blue xps insulation product sold by dow chemical company. in your video, you will notice that only the xps board made by dow chemical bears the name "styrofoam" (for what it's worth, i also get annoyed when people generically call a reciprocating saw a "sawzall").
I've commented this before - I'd love to see you do a whole video on thermal drift in insulation materials. I think this is an under-appreciated topic among Architects and many are fooled by the high initial R-value of materials like polyiso. Thanks this is great!
@@RJG772That would be very interesting. Essentially a rate of R value decay. It would also be interesting to know if polyiso reaches a thermal drift steady state, and if so, how long it takes to reach the steady state.
Extremely helpful. Question: If polyisosyanurate is not stable below 50degreesF, then where is the best use of this produce? Inside a structure? Thank you - great information.
@@BelindaCarr Haha, yeah! Correction: EPS and XPS does not seem flammable. Yes, it loses its form, but as your demo shows on XPS the flame does not propagate, on the contrary, the flame extinguishes itself, this is called flame retardant. On your demo EPS did not even catch fire.
Hello Belinda, thank you very much! This is very helpful for me in my bee hive insulation materials research. Knowing the differences in material properties is valuable as well as the global impact when it becomes waste material.
This is the second of your videos that I have watched. Thank you for your detailed description of these products and the pros and cons of each. Very helpful. Thank you. And, I am a new subscriber.
I am a person that believes in being very specific with detail. Old school, report who, what ,where, and when and sometimes why. Why is very important. Your doing a good job of reporting.
One of the best videos on this topics. If you could/know to do a video on difference on paints (water, latex, oil...) and thinset in tile instalation it would be great. 👍
Your videos should be part of curriculum for real life application relatability and inspiration - I could see some being used for both highschool and college and trades. This is great. keep making great content!
Hi there, I am also working as an insulator but just from last 8 months in NZ, but from your videos i learn alot about the R value thing and pros and cons of materials thanks and keep it up its good for new comers.
Very nicely done. Be aware that EPS and XPS have not used HBCD since 2016. Also, XPS ("Styrofoam") does not contain air, it contains blowing agents that ARE subject to thermal drift over time. These blowing agents were HFCs such as R134a, but the XPS industry is working to replace these with other gasses.
Great video. Very well put together. A couple corrections. The XPS industry went through a blowing agent change with increased the cost by 20%. Polyiso is now cheaper. Polyiso has no thermal drift unless you are below -40 continuously. It will regain its original r value when temps rise. It has a .002 water absorption rate, same as XP’s,where EPS has a 2% absorption rate.
Thank you for all the excellent details. I am using XPS to insulate our home, and I am more glad now than ever. Seems like the best option for the money. Really appreciate all of your work.
"recyclable" is a misnomer of sorts. Recycling REQUIRES that the plastic be free of contamination. Thus, for example, food containers are not recyclable. In fact, contamination in a food container will turn a batch of polystyrene into useless junk. Similarly, a pizza box will destroy the utility of waste paper. Don't put even slightly dirty paper and/or plastic in the recycling bin.
HI Belinda, Thanks for sharing the video and your analysis. If you consider producing a second video on building insulation, the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA) and other building insulation trade associations would likely be interested in contributing information. The insulation industries have made several advancements in chemistries and technology that are not fully captured in your summary. Best, Justin, President, PIMA
Thanks for these informative videos. It would be interesting to compare these to natural insulators such as cork. I realise that there is not enough cork grown for industrial construction worldwide, but would still be of interest on specialised builds and reworking old buildings that only contain natural materials.
Hi. I've used XPS (Foamular brand) and it is not even slightly resistant to sunlight. Leave it exposed and it will discolor and break down over the course of months. Take a sheet and put it in the sun with the black lettering face up. You'll soon have a three dimensional surface, with raised black lettering over a greyish background
This is the very first video I've watched of yours. I'm subscribing, simply because this is absolutely the best tutorial I've ever seen! Highly informative and entertaining, which my many years as a tutor have revealed are essential to the educational experience. You've got it!
I found this video very educational. Your delivery of the information was on point and I absolutely loved the little jokes you threw in for fun. I can tell you really enjoy making these videos for others. Keep up your good work sharing the good vibes. Much love to you, dear.
I love the information, and the way it's presented. That South Park clip just helped me choose to subscribe. We're buying our first house, and just trying to get hip to the lingo and way things are made. Thank you!
Im 72 and use to build homes. I now build unigue bird houses for Ace hardwares. GREAT INFORMATION. People who dont appreciate you are ignorant non educted in this field of insulation. GREAT INFO in my opinion
I would like to officially volunteer the five people that didn't like this video to be sent on the next missions to mars. Thank you for this video, extremely helpful.
Polyiso can be bought used, often marketed on Craigslist, bringing down the price by a lot. A friend wrapped his house and below grade foundation with it on the cheap.
This was very useful for me. I didn't know about ants, and termites being attracted to it. I was planning on using it in a tropical country where ants and termites are a problem.
It's such a shame that despite its recyclability and huge worldwide usage, most PS is still thrown away rather than being recycled. I presume it's much more expensive to recycle than it is to manufacture. I *can* recycle it locally if I can transport it to a local recycling centre, but it's not collected in the same recycling bins as everything else. I feel that this is something that's often overlooked when mentioning that products are recyclable though - being physically recyclable is different to being practically recyclable.
I completely agree!! The huge disadvantage is the space PS occupies since it's 98% air. There's very little incentive to recycle it because the actual material is insignificant compared to the volume it occupies during transportation.
I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts more on insulation in general, covering the production, transportation, installation methods (some requiring additional structure/support/fire barriers, some being impossible to modify - vacuum panels), thermal drift over time/slump, usability of offcuts/waste, and eventual disposal/recycling. Natural wool insulation is often mixed with recycled plastic fibres making it non-recyclable/biodegradable. Should we be using that when we're gaining so much knowledge about the issue of microplastics? What the heck do we do with fibreglass insulation at the end of its life? Can any blown/loose insulation actually be recycled in any way?
@@BelindaCarr used polystyrene is recycled by compressing and then transporting to a re-blowing plant to make new polystyrene, this way less air is transported.
@@acciid In the UK there are facilities for this and it is used by larger companies that have volume. Sadly smaller waste streams go to land fill because the legislation for circular economies is not enforced. Put simple, most things are recyclable, but the political apatite is not.
Great video! You may want to check pricing on boards larger than 1" thick. In my experience in the roofing industry- XPS is approximately 30+% more expensive than ISO, and EPS is a touch cheaper than ISO (under normal circumstances). ISO usually has a standard cost per bf, but charge more for only 1" board since the cost of production is higher in that process to only produce a 1 inch board. So that and R-value is the primary reason ISO gets put on most roof jobs. It's the cheapest, with the most R value, and has the best approvals(less flammable).
We took out 20 year old EPS foam sheets from our cottage roof space. It was fitted in the rafters. Prior owners didn’t maintain the roof, it leaked and water got onto the foam. Mold grew on the surface, and ants were nesting in it. It’s been removed and rockwool and a vapor barrier going in. We removed it mostly to be able to inspect the roof plywood from inside to check for rot, but after it was out we decided R22 Rockwool would be a better choice. Had the roof not leaked, I’m sure there would have never been ants in it, they need water. But when an ant colony hatches inside your roof on a warm April afternoon, you’re ripping all of it out asap.
Thanks Belinda! I’m going to build an outbuilding and had considered different insulation options, but your thorough examination of a variety of insulation products has really helped me. Thank you!!!
Belinda, just came across your videos. I would say they are informative in depth and the very best I've viewed on TH-cam . You've got me, subscribed. VERY WELL DONE.
Belinda, I have this video on speed dial...(jajajaja), I refer to it so often!!!....a little update info to share: New XPS panels are replacing HFC-134a with HFO blends for a big greenhouse gas reduction. In the case of panels made of extruded polystyrene (XPS)-a closed-cell foam suitable for wet or dry conditions-that gas has been hydrofluorocarbon-134a (HFC-134a). HFC-134a is a good blowing agent, but it has a GWP of 1,430, meaning it traps 1,430 times as much heat as carbon dioxide does over 100 years. As regulations seeking to eliminate HFC-134a take effect this year in Canada and the US, panel makers including Owens Corning and DuPont are switching their blowing agents to blends containing hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs). Additionally, GAF is now manufacturing a non-halogen Polyiso. As always, thank you very much for your channel....Architects are weird, when we walk into a party we are not checking out all the sexy people, we are checking out the alignment of the ceiling can lights and door details. When I pull an all-nighter, for a little break and distraction, I pull up one of your video. Yes, we are weird :)) Thanks again!
Thank you for the insightful information. I wasn't aware that Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is the most environmentally friendly option among the three alternatives, especially due to its production process that involves steaming. The fact that this process can be made even greener by utilizing electricity generated from renewable sources is encouraging. I'm relieved to learn that EPS doesn't contain any chemicals that could potentially leach into the ground, especially as I intend to use it subterraneously in a Ground to Air Heat Transfer System under a greenhouse. The issue of ants being attracted to and consuming polystyrene was unknown to me. Now that I'm aware of this, I can mitigate the problem by laying down a protective plastic sheet. Again Thank you
Belinda, thank you for your explanation of the three foam products that are being used in so many different applications. I got my start in molding EPS foam blocks 59 years ago in Grand Rapids, MI. I recall the block molding machine (Kurtz) that Steve Buchanan commented on that represented old technology compared to today. It was one of the best available in the '70s and was so far advanced from our home-built block molds. By the way, in the 25 years that I was in this business, all our EPS was impregnated with n-pentane as the blowing agent. Wish you well. Mike Allen
Good stuff. Something that gets missed in side by sides like this is that polyiso is much better because of how much pollution is reduced from the extra performance. That is the reason it's used commercially even though it costs about 50% more. Homeowners are simply to cheap to uses it.
watched a few of these, and they are all very informative.. your personality also shines through, so it doesn't feel like i'm listening to a text book. also really enjoyed the little memes you put in here and there. very nice. you got yourself a new sub. cheers!
Quick and straightforward. I’m looking to insulate my hottub. That industry would have me believe that I should just be throwing away my free packaging from all my Costco and Amazon purchases. Not so!! I’d be throwing away additional monies. Go Bubble-boys and Bubble-girls!!!
Good analysis on different insulations. I beg to differ about the claim that polystyrene is 100% recyclable. In foam or expanded form, especially used in packaging, PS causes huge environmental problems. The only plastic that has high recycling rates (above 80%) is PET. PE/PP follow with much lower recycling rates, but PS, PVC and all other plastics have near zero recycling rates; most plastics end up in landfills or, worse, discarded in the environment, polluting soil and water.
Belinda Carr... Absolutely the best video... Wow... Mind blown... Ever video you do makes me one notch better and far more informed... Absolutely love all your videos... You keep doing what you do and all of us will be better off because of you... Love love love them... I subject everyone to subscribe to her asap... Amazing...
That was most comprehensive, thank you. I have need to know these things. I intend building my own Tiny House. (2 x 2.5 x 6 metres) I did start with the shipping container idea and realised it was impractical as it cost so much to be delivered and it's life expectancy was lower than mine. I have heard the other down sides from your videos and others. I thought caravan, but they have little insulation in winter, get damp and are not too stable on their own, plus well - I've tried living in a caravan, okay for the summer months, but you lose money on heating them during winter when the temperature drops and where I live in North West England it drops a lot. So I came up with a modular system based on a caravan base that is expanded on location ( so it complies with Mobile home restrictions). I'm still trying to configure the insulation and work out the heating costs for 5 months of the year which will be cold, 3 bitterly so. Roofing tiles that retain heat, solar panels that aren't an eyesore and land ownership for a small plot, say half an acre - (2023.43 metres). This area allows for the home and room to grow my own food, plus build a shed for working in - (building cycle trailers and campers).
Just some thoughts: Roofing tiles won't help because they are outside of your insulation. Thermal mass is not really something you can achieve, sans something like thick Soviet concrete construction, and that's a problem for THOWs due to trailer capacity.
Great videos! Super informative and well balanced point of view. Also, your pronunciation of the chemical compounds is awesome. I would still be doing retakes to get them right...!
Another great video, really useful background to insulants that I'm specifying all the time but the additional information you give is a real eye opener and I'll certainly be using this information.
Hello Belinda, I've been in the EPS industry for over 35 years and this is one of the top three best explanations of polymeric foams I've seen on youtube. I haven't seen an open-top block fill EPS block mold as you've shown in your video since the late seventies / early eighties. Great Job!
Were those particular foam blocks for surf board blanks?
Hello, please I need reference websites that talks about EPS. My project is on EPS and google keeps giving me searches on styrofoams or XPS as expanded polystyrene (EPS) and it's so frustrating
Wow this is the best video I’ve ever seen comparing and describing EPS and XPS...could never fully understand the property differences and manufacturing processes..until now. Thank you!
She got the basics correct, but made several key mistakes that may mislead people.
@@videopipeline6419 could you please elaborate? Would help us viewers.. thank you!
Edit: I saw you posted several other comments. If those are what you were referring to, then thank you and you can dismiss my comment!
@@Coolarj10 Yep, those are the key mistakes (feel free to "Like" them if they are helpful). The main source of the misleading info (reiterated by people who have a *little bit* of knowledge like the creator of this video) about polyiso having drastically reduced R-value is Owens Corning, which AFAIK doesn't manufacture any form of Polyiso foam. Also, not all materials cost the same in all parts of the US, because (especially with bulky materials like foam sheathing); it's highly dependent upon the location of the manufacturing plants, which are mostly in the eastern half of the US. Not all Polyiso is created equal. The example she chose, R-Max polyiso, which is stocked at some Home Depot stores in the western half of the USA, has much poorer cell structure consistency than Super Tuff-R or Thermax. Consumer grade polyiso sheathing like R-Max, Super Tuff-R or J-M AP Foil have FSK "Foil-Scrim-Kraft' facers, thus they have only a class C fire resistance rating. Commercial grades like Thermax have class A fire rating.
@@AdamA-pm3yn I'm sure that people who have chosen to be dumb*asses don't "GAF"
Great video. It's nice to hear somebody talk about foam who isn't either an installer or a GC.
Wow, I learned more about insulation in these 5 minutes than my whole life. Thank you!
Thank you for watching!
WOW ME TOO - Thank you for this video!
These are simply excellent videos for the average DIY guy. Please keep them coming.
Once again, loving the information density in your videos!
Just as a side note: after about 10 years of using XPS I've often seen sheets of it get too much UV-Radiation and from my experience it does indeed suffer from photodegradation. The outer layers become lighter in color and dissolve into a dust which has an unpleasant chemical odour, sticks to your skin and resists washing off. So make sure to have some sort of UV barrier between it and any gaps in roofing material or it will start to wear out
PIR and PUR aren't that different in this particular aspect. Most polymers are vulnerable to UV.
this video was well researched and intelligently presented.
a few comments. one of the things that they do to deter insect intrusion into foam insulation these days is to apply a borate coating on the surface. it doesn't prevent insects from boring into the insulation, but when they ingest the borate, they dehydrate and die. that said, after enough insects have "paid the price", eventually the borate coating is breached.
one other feature about the different types of foam insulation is the coefficient of thermal expansion. eps has the lowest, xps is a little greater and polyisocyanurate is the largest (by about 50% as i recall). so, a large board would noticeably shrink in cold temperatures, opening up voids between the panels. since the insulation would sit behind cladding, you wouldn't typically see that.
the story about polyisocyanurate losing its thermal properties at low temperatures is sort of a half truth, that got picked up and turned into a "whole truth" along the grapevine. there was a paper written around 2007, or so, entitled "analysis of variables in the determination of lambda/k-factor of construction insulations". what they found was that polyisocyanurate with a felt substrate showed a trend of increasing k-value at low temperatures. they did not observe that trend for polyisocyanurate with a foil substrate. the ultimate conclusion of the paper was that there were general problems with test methodologies for the determination of k-values of insulating materials.
any of these foam insulation types can be a vapor barrier, depending on how thick the sheet is. for example, as i recall, xps is classified as a vapor barrier when the thickness is greater than one inch. you typically don't want to put a vapor barrier on the exterior of your wall in a heating climate, but advocates overcome these concerns by declaring that the continuous insulation increases the dew point temperature at the sheathing, with the objective of keeping the sheathing temperature above the dew point temperature so that you don't get condensation at the sheathing (thereby reducing the risk of mold growth). there are some assumptions built into that rationale.
as an aside, one of my nits is seeing trademarks getting violated. "styofoam" is not the generic name for either eps or xps. it is a brand name for the blue xps insulation product sold by dow chemical company. in your video, you will notice that only the xps board made by dow chemical bears the name "styrofoam" (for what it's worth, i also get annoyed when people generically call a reciprocating saw a "sawzall").
Picking up on your last point, going back to the late 70's a friend's mother used to call all computers IBMs.
Best video on rigid foam insulation ever! Thank you!
I've commented this before - I'd love to see you do a whole video on thermal drift in insulation materials. I think this is an under-appreciated topic among Architects and many are fooled by the high initial R-value of materials like polyiso. Thanks this is great!
Yes!
agree. Can you do this? I would like to know Polyiso over 5 winter/summer seasons what the R value is in the 5th summer.
@@RJG772That would be very interesting. Essentially a rate of R value decay. It would also be interesting to know if polyiso reaches a thermal drift steady state, and if so, how long it takes to reach the steady state.
I think us architect's should get education credits for watching your channel!😍
please continue this analyzing other insulators like batts, blown in cellulose, and 🤢spray foam🤢
yes, as well as rock-wool
Yeah this would be fantastic
@@timskufca8039 already has!
@@JohnSmith-kf1fc damn, I missed out on them then
It is a pleasure to listen to somebody who know their subject. Thank you for sharing.
Extremely helpful. Question: If polyisosyanurate is not stable below 50degreesF, then where is the best use of this produce? Inside a structure? Thank you - great information.
I just found your channel; I love the nerd factor. Awesome!
Nerds Unite! :)
Our Indian friends are sharp people.
@@BelindaCarr Haha, yeah!
Correction: EPS and XPS does not seem flammable. Yes, it loses its form, but as your demo shows on XPS the flame does not propagate, on the contrary, the flame extinguishes itself, this is called flame retardant. On your demo EPS did not even catch fire.
@@BelindaCarr awesome job
Hello Belinda, thank you very much! This is very helpful for me in my bee hive insulation materials research. Knowing the differences in material properties is valuable as well as the global impact when it becomes waste material.
This is the second of your videos that I have watched. Thank you for your detailed description of these products and the pros and cons of each. Very helpful. Thank you. And, I am a new subscriber.
I am a person that believes in being very specific with detail. Old school, report who, what ,where, and when and sometimes why. Why is very important. Your doing a good job of reporting.
One of the best videos on this topics. If you could/know to do a video on difference on paints (water, latex, oil...) and thinset in tile instalation it would be great. 👍
Your videos should be part of curriculum for real life application relatability and inspiration - I could see some being used for both highschool and college and trades. This is great. keep making great content!
Hi there, I am also working as an insulator but just from last 8 months in NZ, but from your videos i learn alot about the R value thing and pros and cons of materials thanks and keep it up its good for new comers.
Very nicely done. Be aware that EPS and XPS have not used HBCD since 2016. Also, XPS ("Styrofoam") does not contain air, it contains blowing agents that ARE subject to thermal drift over time. These blowing agents were HFCs such as R134a, but the XPS industry is working to replace these with other gasses.
You have no idea how valuable this video is to me. Thank you Belinda!
Great video. Very well put together. A couple corrections. The XPS industry went through a blowing agent change with increased the cost by 20%. Polyiso is now cheaper. Polyiso has no thermal drift unless you are below -40 continuously. It will regain its original r value when temps rise. It has a .002 water absorption rate, same as XP’s,where EPS has a 2% absorption rate.
Please advise on adhesive to bond polyiso sheets. Desire to make floating dock 16" thick.
Wow. I was aware of everything BUT polyiso not working below 50°f. That's a real eye opener for the build I was planning. Thank you!
'Not working' was overstating it. Something like 25% less effective at 50 than at 75.
Thank you for all the excellent details. I am using XPS to insulate our home, and I am more glad now than ever. Seems like the best option for the money. Really appreciate all of your work.
Outstanding performance! Information that every DYI installer should have before selecting materials. Had to view it twice to fully appreciate.
"recyclable" is a misnomer of sorts. Recycling REQUIRES that the plastic be free of contamination. Thus, for example, food containers are not recyclable. In fact, contamination in a food container will turn a batch of polystyrene into useless junk. Similarly, a pizza box will destroy the utility of waste paper. Don't put even slightly dirty paper and/or plastic in the recycling bin.
Loved the Nerdy part!
Edit: the whole video is amazing too. Just the Nerd part was refreshing
Great job. Keep doing this analysis
HI Belinda, Thanks for sharing the video and your analysis. If you consider producing a second video on building insulation, the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA) and other building insulation trade associations would likely be interested in contributing information. The insulation industries have made several advancements in chemistries and technology that are not fully captured in your summary. Best, Justin, President, PIMA
Beautiful, articulate and knowledgeable. Thank you for the information and superior presentation.
Ok. I just like your work. Second video I have watched. Detailed research and great presentation.
Excellent video, been working as an architect for years, but never really understood the differences, thank you!
FINALLY some real objective information! After months of research this vid has had the best information to help my decision making. THANK YOU.
We really appreciate your nerd-outs, Belinda. This is a discussion well worth having. Thanks for making it so accessible.
Thanks for these informative videos. It would be interesting to compare these to natural insulators such as cork. I realise that there is not enough cork grown for industrial construction worldwide, but would still be of interest on specialised builds and reworking old buildings that only contain natural materials.
Wow this is one of the better channels I've seen on TH-cam. Definitely gained a sub 👍
I really appreciate your work. I send these to clients to help them make informed decisions. I love your delivery thank you
@BuildShow this is an excellent overview of the differences between: XPS, EPS as Poly-ISO foam boards.
Hi. I've used XPS (Foamular brand) and it is not even slightly resistant to sunlight. Leave it exposed and it will discolor and break down over the course of months. Take a sheet and put it in the sun with the black lettering face up. You'll soon have a three dimensional surface, with raised black lettering over a greyish background
This is the very first video I've watched of yours. I'm subscribing, simply because this is absolutely the best tutorial I've ever seen! Highly informative and entertaining, which my many years as a tutor have revealed are essential to the educational experience. You've got it!
Thank you for making this educational video. I would have never thought these marerials would be sensitive to termites and other insects.
I found this video very educational. Your delivery of the information was on point and I absolutely loved the little jokes you threw in for fun. I can tell you really enjoy making these videos for others. Keep up your good work sharing the good vibes. Much love to you, dear.
i've read and listened to numerous comparisons of these materials. This one is perhaps the most succinct and useful.
I love the information, and the way it's presented. That South Park clip just helped me choose to subscribe. We're buying our first house, and just trying to get hip to the lingo and way things are made. Thank you!
Im 72 and use to build homes. I now build unigue bird houses for Ace hardwares. GREAT INFORMATION. People who dont appreciate you are ignorant non educted in this field of insulation. GREAT INFO in my opinion
You are brilliant. I love your explanations. Super informative.
These comparison are great.
Now we know for real what the heck is all about this materials once for all !
BRAVO !
I would like to officially volunteer the five people that didn't like this video to be sent on the next missions to mars. Thank you for this video, extremely helpful.
Only if it's an impact probe.
I recommend poly-iso for the space ship. The sub 50 deg shift should add interest over time making a great plot twist reality show.
Actually, 105,000 people didn't "like" this video even if 50% of them did like it. ;-)
I don’t get why someone would watch this video and be like NO! NO!
I hope you pay your rent here before going to Mars....;)
Thank you for the in-service. Extremely helpful!!!
Polyiso can be bought used, often marketed on Craigslist, bringing down the price by a lot. A friend wrapped his house and below grade foundation with it on the cheap.
This was very useful for me. I didn't know about ants, and termites being attracted to it. I was planning on using it in a tropical country where ants and termites are a problem.
Very concise presentation. I really got a lot of useful information. Thank you.
It's such a shame that despite its recyclability and huge worldwide usage, most PS is still thrown away rather than being recycled.
I presume it's much more expensive to recycle than it is to manufacture. I *can* recycle it locally if I can transport it to a local recycling centre, but it's not collected in the same recycling bins as everything else.
I feel that this is something that's often overlooked when mentioning that products are recyclable though - being physically recyclable is different to being practically recyclable.
I completely agree!! The huge disadvantage is the space PS occupies since it's 98% air. There's very little incentive to recycle it because the actual material is insignificant compared to the volume it occupies during transportation.
I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts more on insulation in general, covering the production, transportation, installation methods (some requiring additional structure/support/fire barriers, some being impossible to modify - vacuum panels), thermal drift over time/slump, usability of offcuts/waste, and eventual disposal/recycling.
Natural wool insulation is often mixed with recycled plastic fibres making it non-recyclable/biodegradable. Should we be using that when we're gaining so much knowledge about the issue of microplastics?
What the heck do we do with fibreglass insulation at the end of its life?
Can any blown/loose insulation actually be recycled in any way?
@@BelindaCarr used polystyrene is recycled by compressing and then transporting to a re-blowing plant to make new polystyrene, this way less air is transported.
Right, but the average household doesn't have the equipment to compress it.
@@acciid In the UK there are facilities for this and it is used by larger companies that have volume. Sadly smaller waste streams go to land fill because the legislation for circular economies is not enforced. Put simple, most things are recyclable, but the political apatite is not.
I'm studying for the AREs and your videos have been so incredibly heplful! Thank you :)
There is also rock wool insulation boards. RW boards are quite rigid and comes in different weights; it’s nice because it has a nice fire rating.
One of my favorite resources for information
From a fellow Texan , thanks for all these great educational videos. I have learned so much and I’m gonna be utilizing some soon. Thanks again
Great video! You may want to check pricing on boards larger than 1" thick. In my experience in the roofing industry- XPS is approximately 30+% more expensive than ISO, and EPS is a touch cheaper than ISO (under normal circumstances).
ISO usually has a standard cost per bf, but charge more for only 1" board since the cost of production is higher in that process to only produce a 1 inch board. So that and R-value is the primary reason ISO gets put on most roof jobs. It's the cheapest, with the most R value, and has the best approvals(less flammable).
Good to see comments from somebody else with actual experience with these products. This video has too many errors. See my posts above
Excellent video, thanks for the time and effort and research you put into this.
We took out 20 year old EPS foam sheets from our cottage roof space. It was fitted in the rafters. Prior owners didn’t maintain the roof, it leaked and water got onto the foam. Mold grew on the surface, and ants were nesting in it. It’s been removed and rockwool and a vapor barrier going in. We removed it mostly to be able to inspect the roof plywood from inside to check for rot, but after it was out we decided R22 Rockwool would be a better choice. Had the roof not leaked, I’m sure there would have never been ants in it, they need water. But when an ant colony hatches inside your roof on a warm April afternoon, you’re ripping all of it out asap.
Thank you for this video, about to purchase this type of material to insulate my garage door. I found it very helpful!
such an informative video...thank you for your knowledge!!
Very Informative. It helped me make the best decision when I insulated my ceiling.
Excellent presentation of information, straight to the point... Thankyou
Thanks Belinda! I’m going to build an outbuilding and had considered different insulation options, but your thorough examination of a variety of insulation products has really helped me. Thank you!!!
l am a Swiss Mastercraftsman in Spengler/ Master Roofer.🇨🇭⚒
l enjoy your videos, very nicely explained and very correct information.
WOW Excellent presentation, thanks.
Belinda, just came across your videos. I would say they are informative in depth and the very best I've viewed on TH-cam . You've got me, subscribed. VERY WELL DONE.
Belinda, I have this video on speed dial...(jajajaja), I refer to it so often!!!....a little update info to share: New XPS panels are replacing HFC-134a with HFO blends for a big greenhouse gas reduction. In the case of panels made of extruded polystyrene (XPS)-a closed-cell foam suitable for wet or dry conditions-that gas has been hydrofluorocarbon-134a (HFC-134a). HFC-134a is a good blowing agent, but it has a GWP of 1,430, meaning it traps 1,430 times as much heat as carbon dioxide does over 100 years. As regulations seeking to eliminate HFC-134a take effect this year in Canada and the US, panel makers including Owens Corning and DuPont are switching their blowing agents to blends containing hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs). Additionally, GAF is now manufacturing a non-halogen Polyiso. As always, thank you very much for your channel....Architects are weird, when we walk into a party we are not checking out all the sexy people, we are checking out the alignment of the ceiling can lights and door details. When I pull an all-nighter, for a little break and distraction, I pull up one of your video. Yes, we are weird :)) Thanks again!
Thank you for the insightful information. I wasn't aware that Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is the most environmentally friendly option among the three alternatives, especially due to its production process that involves steaming. The fact that this process can be made even greener by utilizing electricity generated from renewable sources is encouraging. I'm relieved to learn that EPS doesn't contain any chemicals that could potentially leach into the ground, especially as I intend to use it subterraneously in a Ground to Air Heat Transfer System under a greenhouse. The issue of ants being attracted to and consuming polystyrene was unknown to me. Now that I'm aware of this, I can mitigate the problem by laying down a protective plastic sheet. Again Thank you
Love your humor and thanks for the education. Great video
Very well made video, concise and informative. Thanks!
I have no reason to care about foam and insulation, but these are REALLY GOOD videos! This is like my 6th one.
Belinda, thank you for your explanation of the three foam products that are being used in so many different applications. I got my start in molding EPS foam blocks 59 years ago in Grand Rapids, MI. I recall the block molding machine (Kurtz) that Steve Buchanan commented on that represented old technology compared to today. It was one of the best available in the '70s and was so far advanced from our home-built block molds. By the way, in the 25 years that I was in this business, all our EPS was impregnated with n-pentane as the blowing agent. Wish you well. Mike Allen
Good stuff. Something that gets missed in side by sides like this is that polyiso is much better because of how much pollution is reduced from the extra performance. That is the reason it's used commercially even though it costs about 50% more. Homeowners are simply to cheap to uses it.
A great balance of chemistry and application!
Thanks, Fred. I was worried that it was too chemistry-heavy.
Wow love your video and your voice gives me that euphoric feeling and very informative keep up the great work
watched a few of these, and they are all very informative.. your personality also shines through, so it doesn't feel like i'm listening to a text book. also really enjoyed the little memes you put in here and there. very nice.
you got yourself a new sub.
cheers!
Every one of your insulation videos is exceptional. Very informative, great everything.
Thought Polyiso was gonna be the hero of the story until the last part 😕
Right? With the pentane having 0 global warming and ozone depletion potential, I thought it was going to be the good one.
Very interesting video, I just bought a foam panel and I learned a lot from watching this.☕❄
Finally someone who speaks my language!!!
Excellent and clear presentation
Quick and straightforward. I’m looking to insulate my hottub. That industry would have me believe that I should just be throwing away my free packaging from all my Costco and Amazon purchases. Not so!! I’d be throwing away additional monies. Go Bubble-boys and Bubble-girls!!!
You are quite correct when you say that poli ico is water resistant "when properly installed". When it is exposed to water, disaster ensuse.
Such a professional presentation!
Good analysis on different insulations. I beg to differ about the claim that polystyrene is 100% recyclable. In foam or expanded form, especially used in packaging, PS causes huge environmental problems. The only plastic that has high recycling rates (above 80%) is PET. PE/PP follow with much lower recycling rates, but PS, PVC and all other plastics have near zero recycling rates; most plastics end up in landfills or, worse, discarded in the environment, polluting soil and water.
It's the snipets of movies and shows for me 🤣 really breaks it up. You're a great teacher!
Belinda Carr... Absolutely the best video... Wow... Mind blown... Ever video you do makes me one notch better and far more informed... Absolutely love all your videos... You keep doing what you do and all of us will be better off because of you... Love love love them... I subject everyone to subscribe to her asap... Amazing...
Thanks for posting this. I learned so much just now! It really did answer a great deal of my questions.
Just a fantastic video in every way. Thank you so much
Wow you are the best to explain these product.
That was most comprehensive, thank you. I have need to know these things. I intend building my own Tiny House. (2 x 2.5 x 6 metres) I did start with the shipping container idea and realised it was impractical as it cost so much to be delivered and it's life expectancy was lower than mine. I have heard the other down sides from your videos and others.
I thought caravan, but they have little insulation in winter, get damp and are not too stable on their own, plus well - I've tried living in a caravan, okay for the summer months, but you lose money on heating them during winter when the temperature drops and where I live in North West England it drops a lot. So I came up with a modular system based on a caravan base that is expanded on location ( so it complies with Mobile home restrictions). I'm still trying to configure the insulation and work out the heating costs for 5 months of the year which will be cold, 3 bitterly so. Roofing tiles that retain heat, solar panels that aren't an eyesore and land ownership for a small plot, say half an acre - (2023.43 metres). This area allows for the home and room to grow my own food, plus build a shed for working in - (building cycle trailers and campers).
Just some thoughts: Roofing tiles won't help because they are outside of your insulation. Thermal mass is not really something you can achieve, sans something like thick Soviet concrete construction, and that's a problem for THOWs due to trailer capacity.
I juar want to let you that you do a great explainings and your not a douch, for this reason i have subscribed to your channel.
Thank you 🙏
Thank you. Very informative. Learned a ton!
So informative! Thank you for putting these videos together.
Great videos! Super informative and well balanced point of view. Also, your pronunciation of the chemical compounds is awesome. I would still be doing retakes to get them right...!
What is the process for producing Pre-Expandable beads (Polystyrene)? You mentioned Benzene ring and Styrene (ethylene).
Another great video, really useful background to insulants that I'm specifying all the time but the additional information you give is a real eye opener and I'll certainly be using this information.
Thanks for an informative explanation of these. Video saved; You got yourself a new subscriber 🙂