Processing insulation materials in general

Insulation materials are available as insulation mats or felts, insulation panels or bales, or as loose-fill or injected materials.

The following generally applies to processing insulation materials:

While the various components (mats, panels, etc.) are stored on the building site, they must be protected from moisture, direct sunlight, contamination of any kind and damage.

For practically all insulation materials the rule is that only well-matched system components are to be used.

Before a start can be made on installing insulation panels, the substrate must be prepared in line with current regulations, all plumbing work must have been completed, and all breaches must have been made in line with the state of the art.

It is essential that the substrate is dry, free from dust and grease, intact (cohesive) and flat. In the case of interior insulation, existing wallpaper, old paintwork, panels, etc. must be removed entirely. Any mouldy plaster or salt efflorescence must be tracked down and removed entirely.

The substrate is inspected visually, and tested by wiping, scratching, moistening and tapping; flatness and cohesion are also tested. For example, in a wipe test the surface is wiped with a cloth or by hand to check whether the surface is shedding chalky dust. The scratch test shows if the substrate is intact (cohesive), and tapping shows whether there are cavities.