Insulating exterior walls is an effective way to reduce heat loss and moisture build-up, but only if installed properly. Furthermore, doing this may alter the external appearance of your home so planning permission may be needed before proceeding with insulation installation.
EWI should be installed by an expert and is generally supplied on a supply-and-install basis. When selecting your trader, be sure that they have registered with an insulation guarantee scheme.
Screws
When insulating brick walls, you must select appropriate fixings to ensure the system remains secure and that insulated plasterboard can be attached. Depending on the construction of your wall you may use either the “dot and dab” method, adhesive foam, masonry nails or screws and even plugs to attach insulation boards.
Metal hammer fixings are more reliable and long-lasting than their plastic counterparts, helping reduce thermal bridging while upholding the insulation value of an EWI system.
A hammer in screw makes installation faster and simpler by eliminating the need for a screwdriver and making installation quicker and easier. They’re ideal for fastening Kingspan K5 insulation boards or other forms of mineral wool to timber or steel substrates quickly and securely; its special washer prevents thermal bridging at fixing points; they come in various lengths too!
Spiral Anchors
These plastic spiral anchors are specifically designed to support lighter accessories like washing lines, letterboxes, alarms or wall lighting directly on ETICS plates and completed EWI systems without the need for drilling holes; their quick installation allows for fast set-up without thermal bridges becoming an issue.
These certified* fixings are suitable for both masonry-based ETICS and cement insulated concrete panels (CIC), when combined with the appropriate distribution washer. Each fixing features a white PP plug and black PA nail in various lengths for ease of installation and improved strength of attachment of plaster or other elements to the fixing.
Mechanical fixings differ from screw type fixings in that they are designed to withstand positive and negative wind pressures, structural movements within a building structure and support their own weight. As with all repairs, a comprehensive fixing plan should be devised before carrying out site pull out tests; depending on the substrate or construction layout the type of mechanical fixtures might need to be adjusted as necessary.
Hammered-In Expander Nails
These hammered in anchors are suitable for light duty EWI applications such as metal frames and substructures, wood laths, cladding or any other light duty structural applications. With their mushroom head design for safe finishing and tamperproof properties to prevent unauthorised removal. Furthermore, their corrosion-resistant zinc alloy body offers additional corrosion protection as they come yellow passivated for added corrosion protection.
They’re easy to install; all it takes is drilling a hole slightly smaller than the pin and hammering it in. As soon as it expands it grips onto the wall of its hole and provides a permanent and secure fix – ideal for use in concrete, honeycomb bricks, lightweight blocks and porous walls.
Insulation fixings are an integral component of ETICS systems, acting to counteract shear forces that affect insulation materials and transfer these to substrate surfaces. They also add an additional layer of protection against wind suction forces while helping reduce potential heat loss through fastening positions.
Fire Resistant Fasteners
External wall insulation must be attached to structural sheathing using fasteners that have been certified for this application in order to achieve fire-resistance ratings. A variety of metal EWI fixings such as the INDEX AIS-C plug are available as fasteners that meet this criterion.
EWI fasteners feature an innovative design to ensure facings of cladding systems won’t become loose in a fire situation. A special screw uses its helix to cut diametrically opposed groves into the masonry that can then be worked back and forth using a hammer for maximum resistance against fire damage.
Rigid urethane insulation boards like those found in ETICS systems react uniquely to fire. During a fire test, these rigid boards will slowly melt and shrink before hardening into protective char, slowing the rate of flame spread along their facings.