What does the external thermal insulation system consist of?

The external thermal insulation system, also known by its acronym SATE, is used to improve comfort and energy efficiency in new and renovated buildings.

It also contributes to the maintenance of building materials and prevents degradation caused by water infiltration, stains, moulds…

SATE: Exterior Thermal Insulation System

The SATE system protects buildings from the cold in winter and the heat in summer, putting an end to drastic temperature changes in the interior of dwellings that force the thermostat up and down, as well as condensation and humidity that may appear.

In this sense, and according to information available in the sector, it makes it possible to achieve savings of more than 30% of the energy consumed by buildings, and, therefore, to reduce at least that percentage of the bill. This is particularly important in the current economic climate.

Our company has various types of insulation:

• COMFORT: enjoy the comfort of the best insulation;
• COMFORT +: maximum comfort with a lower final thickness on your façade,
• SILENCE: insulate your building thermally and from outside noise;
• IMPE: your façade insulated and protected in a damp environment;
• TERM 50: solidity, compactness and optimum insulation;
• CERAM: ceramic coating as a final finish;
• SMOOTH: maximum interior comfort with an elegant smooth façade texture,
• IMPACT: your façade protected from knocks, impacts and damp.

Each one of them has different properties and all of them maintain the objective of facilitating the comfort of each client in their home.

What is external thermal insulation?

There are many home improvements that we can do ourselves, but others – due to their special complexity – require expert advice, as in this case.

To start installing the SATE, the first thing to do is to clean the substrate, it must be stable and clean of dust, paint or oil. If the substrate is old, it must be treated differently than if it is new and the problems must be solved first.

Once everything is clean, we prepare the paste with which the insulating material panels will be glued. The mixture should be mixed with a suitable electric stirrer or mixer to avoid lumps and to achieve a homogeneous mixture.

Once the product is ready, start laying the PROPAM® AISTERM mortar in the form of a cord around the entire perimeter of the panel. Install the panels, leave to dry for 24 hours, and then mechanically fix them with the plugs from the PROPAM® AISTERM FIXING PLUGS range.

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The next step is to make the reinforcement layer, which consists of two layers of PROPAM® AISTERM mortar with fibreglass mesh centred on the thickness, To do this, a first layer of PROPAM® AISTERM mortar will be spread on the surface of the panels, then the PROPAM® AISTERM GLASS FIBRE MESH 160 mesh will be incorporated by pressing it into the mortar and the process of applying the layer of PROPAM® AISTERM will be repeated.

For the last step, once everything is fixed, dry and hardened, we can choose to apply a coating from the REVAT PLAS range, for a CERAMIC FINISH.

Advantages of using thermal insulation in facades

This type of insulation has many advantages such as significant economic and energy savings, reduction of thermal bridges, reduction of the appearance of damp, improves comfort and our quality of life, protects the structure of the building from the different climatic changes…

House values are rising

According to data from ANDIMAC, the association that represents the professional distribution of building and renovation materials, buildings that have these insulation systems installed on the outside can increase in value by more than 20%. Therefore, making this change is no longer an expense but an essential investment.

Improving energy efficiency

A poorly thermally insulated home will require much more energy consumption: during the winter months, it will cool down quickly and may develop condensation problems inside, and we will have to use the heating, resulting in a high cost on the bill. In summer, on the other hand, it will heat up more and in less time, making being indoors worse than being outdoors.

Improving home comfort

This feature is closely related to the previous one, and is probably the one that makes everyone decide to make this reform, because a comfortable house with good temperature during all seasons of the year is the best feeling you can have.

Environmentally friendly

Thanks to the materials and the installation system, SATE insulation is one of the most sustainable on the market today. In addition, it contributes to reducing CO2 emissions, with all that this factor implies in the fight against climate change.

It does not reduce the usable surface area of our home.

As it is a modification on the outside of the house, it should be taken into account that it does not reduce the interior space, which is a great advantage over thermal insulation systems on the inside. For all the reasons explained above, it is important to repeat that the SATE increases the comfort and quality of life in our home. At Molins, we have a team of experts who can answer any questions you may have. Do not hesitate to contact us.