ENSURE THE LONGEVITY OF YARD STRUCTURES
The most important feature of frost protection is reliability, which refers to its resistance against long-term stress it will be subjected to in the ground. Frost insulation cannot compress or absorb water, as that would mean that it no longer functioned as designed.
The importance and implementation of frost insulation should be kept in mind throughout any yard construction project. Proper FINNFOAM frost insulation is a fundamental element of construction and yard construction, as it allows you to ensure that structures maintain their original condition over the longer term. If the frost insulation is constructed poorly, it can lead to uneven paving or asphalt and leaning walls as the result of frost heave.
But what is frost heave? In simple terms, it means that the volume and frost action of the soil layer increase as water in the soil freezes.
Before FINNFOAM frost insulation is installed, the foundation must be prepared properly, any sloping on the yard has to be planned carefully to ensure sufficient sloping away from buildings, and the removal of rain and melt water from the plot must be taken into account. Any subsurface drains required should also be designed and implemented during the frost insulation design process.
If the yard is affected by frost heave, melt water could be directed into the wrong direction, toward the main building or garage, for example. While snow may also function as a form of insulation in areas where it remains untouched, it should not be relied upon in modern designs. Snow is generally removed from access ways on the yard, and the frost insulation should be designed in accordance with the recommendations based on the maximum number of sub-zero hours repeated at least once every 25 years.
The effectiveness of frost insulation can be easily observed paving stones and yard walls. This is due to the fact that the purpose of frost insulation and the chosen coating is to reduce heat loss from the subgrade affected by frost heaving to such extent that frost heave remains limited throughout the winter. Frost insulation is laid evenly on top of well-compacted soil. The insulation must extend far enough beyond the yard structures to ensure that even the edges of the yard or the access way to the yard cannot be damaged by frost.
When your yard has been prepared and insulated with sufficient care, its surface will not become misshapen, nor will your walls lean outward. As the frost pressure is always oriented in the direction of the freezing front, walls that are not supported by FINNFOAM frost insulation will eventually begin to lean outward. You should therefore implement proper frost insulation for your yard because that is one of the key things you can do to ensure that your yard structures retain their functionality and appearance in the longer term.
Frost insulation is most effective when it is installed as close to the ground surface as possible. If the insulation is covered with a 20–30 cm layer of soil, the concentrated load on the insulation is spread over a wider area. The yard is, for example, burdened by vehicle traffic on the plot, which can be withstood by FINNFOAM FI or FL-300 around detached houses and FINNFOAM FI or FL-400 in areas subject to heavier traffic.
When FINNFOAM is used for subsoil frost insulation, the joints between panels do not need to be sealed separately. The soil or concrete pour on top of the panels will keep them tightly next to each other. If you wish to improve the leak-proofing further, you can choose a rabbet edge insulation panel (such as FINNFOAM FL-300) or use two overlapping layers of insulation.
