The whole truth about SIP houses without marketing and myths

Six major myths about structurally insulated panels, figuring out where the truth is

Country houses made of structurally insulated panels - SIP panels - have both an army of fans and opponents. The first say that the self-supporting insulated wire of the house is an environmentally friendly, economical and inexpensive pre-fabricated dwelling. The second is that living in a house made of SIP panels is dangerous to health. It is stuffy in them, and any sneeze is heard at the other end. We have selected the 6 most important "horror stories" about SIP houses and will tell you about the pros and cons of this technology.

1. What is SIP panel?

SIP-panel is a composite three-layer material - sandwich panel. Between two OSB boards - oriented strand board (OSB), there is a layer of expanded polystyrene (PPS) or polyurethane foam (PPU). Simply put, a layer of insulation is glued between the OSB sheets.

Plus material - SIP panels are manufactured at the factory. It has strictly specified geometric dimensions. Then the panels are brought to the construction site and the house is quickly assembled according to the constructor principle.

2. Is the OSB stove harmful?

In the manufacture of OSB boards, glue based on formaldehyde resins is used. It binds together wood chips. Formaldehyde is a poisonous substance. The more formaldehyde molecules are in the air, the more dangerous it is to be in the room. The degree of toxicity of OSB boards is determined by the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) of a harmful substance in milligrams per 1 cubic meter of air. This parameter is indicated in the hygienic certificate for the product. The maximum permissible concentration of formaldehyde should not exceed 0.003 mg / m³.

Advice: when buying SIP panels, ask the manufacturer for a sanitary certificate for OSB boards. Look in the certificate for the toxicity index of the OSB board. If the numbers are from 70 to 120%, then, according to the sanitary classification, this means that the material is non-toxic.

3. Is styrofoam hazardous to health?

PPS - expanded polystyrene - polymer material. During polymerization, styrene (monomer) molecules are crosslinked into polymer chains. According to GOST 10003-90, according to the degree of impact on the human body, styrene belongs to the third hazard class - moderately hazardous substances. According to the sanitary standards of the Russian Federation, expanded polystyrene can be used as an insulating building material, because its toxic effect manifests itself only when the maximum permissible concentration is significantly exceeded.

In SIP panels, polystyrene foam is closed on both sides with OSB plates - vapor barriers. They prevent styrene from entering the room. Quality SIP panels have a sanitary certificate, which confirms the safety of the product.

4. Are self-supporting insulated wire at home fire hazardous?

In high-quality SIPs, polystyrene foam with fire retardants is used - additives that slow down the ignition and combustion of the insulation. To put it simply, PPS with flame retardant does not burn and does not support combustion. The developers' fears are connected with the myth that a house made of SIP panels will light up like a match. In the event of a fire, first of all, furniture, interior decoration and household appliances burn. This is more dangerous, since when the fire reaches the expanded polystyrene in the sandwich panel, there will be no one to save in the house. Compare the level of fire hazard of the SIP panel and ordinary wood.

• PPS belongs to the flammability group (G3) - normally combustible, and wood - highly combustible substances (G4);
• In terms of flammability, SIP panels are moderately flammable (B2), and wood is highly flammable (B3);
• In terms of smoke generation, the PPS belongs to the group (D3), and the tree (D2);
• According to the degree of toxicity, when burning, the tree belongs to the group (T3), and PPS (T2).

It is more correct to talk about the degree of fire resistance of the enclosing structures. In the self-supporting insulated wire of the house, the fire resistance of the walls is easiest to increase by sheathing them with two layers of gypsum board (GKL) or gypsum fiber sheets (GVL).

5. Do mice eat Styrofoam in CIP homes?

The fact that mice eat Styrofoam is just a myth. They can make moves in any insulation if they need to get to food in the house, or they want to arrange a nest in the insulation for raising offspring. Expanded polystyrene in SIP panels is closed on both sides with OSB sheets, which is an additional obstacle in the path of rodents. It's easier for them to find another way into the house than to gnaw through the entrance to the OSB.

6. Is there poor sound insulation in the CIP house?

Myth - all noises are heard in a house made of SIP panels. Noises in the house should be divided into two types - percussion and those that are transmitted through the air. True - CIP panels poorly dampen impact noise - the sound of footsteps, running on the second floor, slamming doors. You can fight noise in a self-supporting insulated wire if you sheathe the walls by screwing two layers of drywall or gypsum-fiber boards directly onto the OSB sheets, and the floor should be mounted using "floating technology" - to arrange a multi-layer structure, which is decoupled from the overlap and walls.

7. Is the SIP house not "breathing"?

Myth - a house made of SIP panels is a thermos house, since the walls are made of vapor-proof material. Therefore, in such a dwelling it is stuffy and it must be ventilated all the time. True - according to SP 55.13330.2016, in residential premises, the entire volume of air must be completely renewed once an hour.

Therefore, the SIP house, like any other, should not "breathe". It is necessary to mount a ventilation system in it - natural or mechanical, which will provide the necessary level of air exchange in the rooms.

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For SIP facade decoration, a variety of materials are used, including artificial stone that is made by hand. And the paths and the entrance area can be interestingly decorated with LED paving stones. In the video - self-supporting insulated wire at home against frame frames.