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10 reasons why you should insulate the outside of your home with Rock Mineral Wool products

By Knauf Insulation
February 09, 2022

Our residential expert Benoit Thiry discusses the rise and rise of external insulation systems and why they are proving to be so popular.

Offering a great combination of fire safety, acoustic comfort, money-saving energy efficiency as well as stunning good looks, it is easy to see why external wall insulation systems are growing in popularity across homes in Europe.

To keep up with surging demand Knauf Insulation has stepped up production of Rock Mineral Wool products for these systems at its new plant in Illange in France.

Benoît Thiry, the company’s Group Market Manager Residential, says: “Across many European countries external insulation systems have always played an important role in energy saving and home comfort.

“Now we are seeing growing demand for the systems as issues such as fire safety and well-being become increasingly important to homeowners.”

Here are 10 reasons why Knauf Insulation external wall products with Rock Mineral Wool offer such attractive home benefits.

Non-combustible Rock Mineral Wool installed in wall systems prevents out-of-control fire spreading across facades

1 Putting fire safety first

The first critical consideration of any homeowner is the issue of fire. Knauf Insulation’s external products with Rock Mineral Wool are non-combustible. This means there is no risk of fire spreading and they achieve the highest possible Euroclass A1 Reaction to Fire Classification offering peace of mind to homeowners.

2 Ensuring acoustic comfort

Just as modern windows offer more effective soundproofing than ever before, Knauf Insulation’s Rock Mineral Wool can provide the latest cutting-edge sound solutions for base walls. Thanks to the noise-blocking fibre structure of Rock Mineral Wool, external sound levels can be reduced by up to 10 dB which is perceived by the human ear as cutting noise in half. This means disturbing traffic noise or annoying construction works outside a home are reduced to an indistinguishable hum.

Knauf Insulation Rock Mineral Wool on base walls can significantly reduce the sounds of noisy neighbours

Externally installed Knauf Insulation Rock Mineral Wool offers a level of thermal comfort that feels like an extra layer of clothing wrapped around a house

3 Locking warmth inside in winter

External insulation systems are highly effective at locking warmth inside homes. Rather than allowing heat to permeate walls and vanish into cold exteriors, Rock Mineral Wool provides a warm wrap-around barrier that contributes to thermal mass — like an extra layer of clothing — to keep the heat where it belongs, inside. And that is great news for those in the house who will appreciate the resulting higher temperature of their internal walls and resulting higher level of thermal comfort.

4 Keeping cool when it is hot in summer

Rock Mineral Wool also offers an exceptional barrier against external heat. During hot months, the insulation systems using the Mineral Wool effectively deflect heat such as direct sunlight from the walls of a home ensuring the interior remains cool and comfortable.

When temperatures soar, homes with Rock Mineral Wool benefit from inner cool

Rock Mineral Wool insulation improves energy efficiency

5 Cutting energy bills

Walls can be responsible for up to 35% of heat losses in an uninsulated house. An external insulation system with Rock Mineral Wool makes a significant contribution to reducing these losses which means less energy is needed to heat a home, saving money.

6 Reducing carbon

Using less energy to heat or cool a home thanks to a weathertight external wall system reduces the carbon footprint of the building.

Less energy is used with a weathertight external wall system

Mineral Wool provides effective weatherproof protection for existing walls

7 Improving appearances

Installing an external insulation system with robust Rock Mineral Wool also offers the advantage of providing effective weatherproof protection for existing walls — increasing their life — as well as dramatically improving the appearance of the building. Knauf Insulation products are compatible with a wide range of aesthetically attractive finishes offered by main system holders

8 Saving space

The application of external insulation avoids the need to carry out any internal work which ensures the maximum amount of living space is maintained internally.

Condensation can cause misery for homeowners. Rock Mineral Wool can make a difference

9 Helping homes breathe

Knauf Insulation external wall insulation with Rock Mineral Wool allows the entire system to ‘breathe’ which means that there is no risk of condensation inside the insulation or behind it. This is particularly important in old houses where humidity can creep up brick walls from the ground. Unlike other insulation products, Rock Mineral Wool does not block the path of any humidity forcing it to spread.

10 Avoiding disruption

The installation of external wall insulation system is a straightforward process that is carried out quickly and efficiently. There is no disruption to those living inside the building.