On the other hand, since the insulation is only one of the elements of a construction part- for example, of a facade — the reaction against fire of the constructive assembly will depend, among other factors, on the covering material that is applied. Thanks to its hygrothermal properties, injected polyurethane meets the requirements of legislation to guarantee indoor air quality inside buildings. Another great advantage in the field of health, compared to other insulators such as mineral wool, is that injected polyurethane does not release fibers, nor is it attractive to rodents, insects and other living beings that could damage the insulation.
In addition to the fact that its use contributes to reduce energy consumption in buildings, polyurethane waste can be reused as a load in high density panels. Injected polyurethane has a high resistance against most chemicals. If we talk about materials used in construction, injected polyurethane supports most of the strong mineral acids and solvents used. It is also resistant to mildew and to the action of the roots, which makes it exceed the useful life of the building as it is a rot-proof material, stable against detritus, odorless and resistant even in the most aggressive industrial environment.
Adherence is one of the main competitive advantages of injected polyurethane compared to other insulating materials such as mineral wool, which can present settlements and detachments. Thanks to its physical properties, polyurethane foam completely adapts to the surface to be covered, creating a layer of continuous insulation, rigid and fully adhered to the walls of the element, without the need for auxiliary elements. Injected polyurethane is easy to apply in areas with difficult access, which explains the rise of its use in the renovation of buildings that do not have any thermal insulation.
The most common application is the injection of polyurethane in the air chamber of facades: with a minimum of injection openings, the polyurethane foam accesses each corner of the air chamber, so that the wall is perfectly isolated and repaired.
All the aforementioned characteristics make injected polyurethane systems an optimum solution for insulation, whether in new or in existing buildings. The Phono Spray I System is an example of this. Did you know that there are also different injected polyurethane systems for industrial applications? Thank you. Epoxies formulated for use in structural and load bearing applications are classified and specified according to the ASTM C specifications of Type, Grade and Class.
Class governs the temperature range in which the epoxy is expected to be installed or used. For crack repair, typically a low viscosity injection resin specifically designed for structural crack repairs is used. Injecting concrete colder than freezing is not recommended, as there is a risk of frost inside the repair, which could compromise the integrity of the job when the temperature rises above freezing.
Employing an epoxy resin system that meets or exceeds ASTM C standards will ensure that resin will achieve minimum bond.
ASTM standards also ensure that the product will meet the claimed strengths, as these products meet strict and rigorous testing requirements relied on by engineers and the U.
Low viscosity epoxy resins are usually best for thin or hairline cracks less than two millimeters. Polyurethane foam also fills the crack or joint with a resin that expands in the presence of moisture. Unlike epoxy, polyurethane foam is flexible enough to accommodate movement in the crack or joint due to changing soil pressures or minor settlement.
Crack injection is also used for commercial applications. This commercial building in Australia used epoxy injection to restore this tilt-up wall to original strength. Since polyurethane resin systems expand during the injection, less resin is required to accomplish the repair and can be much more economical to install—especially in wide cracks and loose soil conditions.
Wet or actively leaking cracks and joints often will have better results being injected with polyurethane foam. In fact, because polyurethane resin systems are moisture reactive, they may actually require the crack to be pre-wet with a small amount of water in order to activate the full expansion of the resin. More on how this is accomplished later. For very wide cracks or joints, the polyurethane expanding foam systems will fill the crack and do so with a fraction of the resin that would be required if epoxy was used.
When encountering unusual repairs such as cold joint type leaks or honeycombing, expanding polyurethane grouts are the material of choice to be able to attack the hidden unknown of these types of repairs. Most of these polyurethane grouts are mixed with an optional catalyst that allows the reaction time to be adjusted to react more quickly if needed to meet the jobsite conditions which can vary job to job. For typical residential applications, either systems can be installed in less than one hour and can be conveniently applied from the inside of the basement.
This eliminates the need for digging up the outside of the foundation which can be disruptive, time consuming and costly.
Both resin systems are available in single ounce caulking style cartridges or dual side-by-side cartridges and injected with low-pressure hand dispensing tools. Still, wondering whether to use polyurethane injection or epoxy injection? In any case, you should consider the characteristics of the cracks and each injection carefully as both would dictate which method to use.
However, the best way to determine which method to use is to ask experienced professionals for help. This would save you time and reduce the risk of your repairs failing. On a side note, it is better to combine different methods of waterproofing, such as drain tiles , with wall crack injections to mitigate or prevent any water damage problems in your basement.
Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Cities We Serve Careers. Polyurethane Crack Injection Typically, polyurethane is used for non-structural cracks such as vertical and diagonal cracks less than a quarter of an inch wide. The high-pressure method of injecting polyurethane allows you to fill very fine cracks and pores associated with concrete.
Meanwhile, low-pressure polyurethane crack injection provides you or the technician with visual confirmation that the crack has been filled completely. Water accelerates the curing process for polyurethane, making it beneficial for actively leaking cracks flooding the basement. Disadvantages Of Polyurethane Crack Injection In some cases where cracks are exposed to excessive tension, unreinforced polyurethane would tear, allowing water to seep inside.
Improper formulation of polyurethane could lead to a powdery or rigid material unsuitable to cracks.
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