I advised my neighbor not to insulate the bath with foil. He listened. I tell you why
The neighbor said that he was going to insulate the bath with foil. It's good that I asked for advice on time. We discussed with him all the pros and cons of warming the bath with foil so that he could make the right decision.
A good sauna heats up quickly and keeps it warm for a long time. How is this achieved during construction? Many people insulate the ceiling and walls with foil. In this article, I'll tell you what I think about it.
Foil manufacturers guarantee low heat loss in the steam room and fast heating time. But is it really so? In this case, the houses would be covered with foil in order to increase heat transfer. As a rule, a thin layer of foil is used, on which a special material for insulation is applied.
Yes, foil is a good insulator and protects the bath from water and steam. Steam and heat remain inside the bath, but air does not pass through the foil at all. Feels like you will be steaming in a bath like in a tin can.
The foil will serve for a long time, at least 50-100 years, and will not deform under any temperature loads. Plus, it absorbs noise well and does not burn. But, this is where the advantages of foil end.
But you need to take into account the disadvantages if you plan to sheathe the bath with foil
If the foil is fixed on a cooling wall, then there will be one negative in operation. Without insulation, foil is generally useless and even harmful.
Among the disadvantages of foil is the inevitable appearance of an oxide film, so the material will gradually rust and deteriorate its reflective properties.
It is also worth remembering that condensation will constantly accumulate on the foil, which will inevitably lead to damage to the finish and the appearance of fungus. This can be avoided by using an air gap between the foil and the wall.
In addition, such a reflector can have an inverse proportional effect. It will provide heat transfer not only towards the bathhouse, but also towards the street. It is imperative to provide a gap for air circulation between the foil layer and the wood.
You should not use foil if you do not save on heating the bath or will not heat the bath for several days. Also, it is not at all necessary to lay a layer of foil if you have already installed some other insulation. Without foil, the steam will be much softer, and logs without foil will be great at smoothing out the differences.
And another negative factor in the use of foil is that aluminum accumulates in the human body and can have a bad effect on the health and condition of the lungs. This is why we no longer use aluminum cookware. When heated, it emits ions into the air, and enters the respiratory organs of a person.
Foil opponents generally argue that it will not be useful. It turns out that aluminum has a high thermal conductivity, and therefore does not retain heat in the bath. But, this opinion is incorrect - if you combine the foil with insulation according to all technological standards, it will reflect heat energy inward enough effectively.