ETICS (external thermal insulationThermal insulationA layer of material that lets heat through only slowly, so a home keeps its warmth in winter and stays cool in summer. composite system) insulates a building from the outside. Boards of expanded or extruded polystyrene, or mineral wool, are glued to the wall, fixed with special anchors and covered with renderRender (plaster)A layer of mortar (sand, cement or lime, and water) spread over brick or concrete to give a wall a straight, sound surface ready for paint or tiles. reinforced with meshReinforcement meshA mesh or fabric, usually glass fibre or polyester, set into render, a coating or liquid waterproofing to hold it together and stop cracks from opening.. A thin finishing coat goes on last, in the colour of your choice.
Because it wraps the whole building, it also cuts thermal bridgesThermal bridgeA spot in a building where heat and cold pass more easily than through the rest of the wall or slab, such as columns, beams and the edges of a slab., the places where columns and beams let heat and cold through more easily. Rooms stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter, and inside corners stop "sweating", which reduces condensationCondensationMoisture in the air turning to water on cold surfaces such as windows, outside corners and ceilings. It is the most common cause of mould indoors. and mouldMouldFungi that grow on damp surfaces, leaving black or greenish spots and a musty smell. It is a symptom of damp, not a problem with the paint..
Quality lies in the details: the right adhesive and anchors, mesh over the whole surface with extra reinforcement at the corners of openings, and careful joins with window sills and balconies. In a block of flats, insulating the facade needs the agreement of the other owners.
Related terms
Thermal insulationThermal insulationA layer of material that lets heat through only slowly, so a home keeps its warmth in winter and stays cool in summer.Render (plaster)Render (plaster)A layer of mortar (sand, cement or lime, and water) spread over brick or concrete to give a wall a straight, sound surface ready for paint or tiles.Reinforcement meshReinforcement meshA mesh or fabric, usually glass fibre or polyester, set into render, a coating or liquid waterproofing to hold it together and stop cracks from opening.CondensationCondensationMoisture in the air turning to water on cold surfaces such as windows, outside corners and ceilings. It is the most common cause of mould indoors.
