Panel Systems, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of Styrofoam insulation, has seen an increase in demand for its products from contractors and installers of underfloor heating systems and swimming pools.
Danny Phelan, Sales Manager at Panel Systems, explains: “Contractors are recognising that Styrofoam is easy to work with and helps them to meet latest Building Regulation requirements in terms of thermal efficiency. With the growth of the heat pump and electric underfloor heating market, there is strong demand for Styrofoam which we can router to make installation of the piping even easier.”
He adds: “Swimming pools are a growing market for Styrofoam as homeowners want them to be as energy efficient as possible with rising fuel bills, which requires the use of high performance insulation. With its excellent moisture resistance and low U-values, Styrofoam is ideal for these applications too.”
Styrofoam insulation has a unique closed-cell structure that makes it resistant to moisture and water vapour. As the material won’t rot or allow the development of fungi or mildew, it permanently retains its insulation properties and will not deteriorate like some other materials.
Styrofoam insulation is strong enough to be used in all applications, such as walls, roofs, ceilings and load bearing areas under the slabs and floors. The material has for a long time been the preferred choice of contractors for its low thermal conductivity and long term durability. They also like the fact that it is quick and simple to cut and shape and requires no specialist cutting tools.
Styrofoam is light in weight and has high compressive strength, as well as offering excellent bonding and lamination properties.
Panel Systems offers a full 3D fabrication service for Styrofoam, which includes use of CNC equipment to cut and shape the material to meet customer needs. Styrofoam can also be hot-wire cut to meet specific customer width, thickness and length requirements with a thickness tolerance of +/- 0.5mm. Panel Systems can CNC Styrofoam sheets up to 3m by 1.2m.
For anyone looking for even closer tolerances, Panel Systems offers sophisticated sanding equipment, which will improve surface finish and thickness tolerance down to +/-0.05mm. This equipment will extend the range of sheet thicknesses below the existing 5.5mm to as little as 2mm.
A Styrofoam ‘A’ foam is now available, which uses recycled carbon dioxide as the blowing agent, making it suitable for applications requiring an enhanced BREEAM or Code for Sustainable Homes rating. The A-foam has an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of zero and a global warming potential (GWP) of one.
