In recent years, composite thermal insulation systems (ETICS) have been used more and more frequently as facade insulation. Usually these are glued. However, it may also be necessary that dowels are required for the external insulation. There are also components that are to be attached to the ETICS. Here, too, the dowels have to meet very special requirements.
When are dowels required for the external insulation??
In connection with the external insulation of a building, an ETICS, different situations can arise in which dowels are indispensable. This applies to the following situations, among others:
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- Attachment of the ETICS
- Attachment of other components to the external insulation
Dowels for fastening insulation systems (ETICS)
Most ETICS are traditionally glued to the facade. EPS (Styrofoam) and PUR insulation boards are often glued with PU foam. Depending on the circumstances with the respective facade, this may not be sufficient or even further fastening techniques are prescribed.
Two types of dowels in particular come into play here: so-called disc dowels and insulation dowels. The latter are known to tradespeople and do-it-yourselfers for use on drywall panels. The use of such dowels is necessary if the wind loads in a region or also locally are very high.
But even with a facade surface of poor adhesive quality (old paintwork, dirty facade plaster, etc.) it may be necessary to anchor the external insulation with special dowels, as the adhesive used may not hold well. However, please also take into account the statutory provisions.
Dowels for fastening components to the facade insulation
The second important challenge is fastening other components to the facade. A typical example here would be the awning. If you were to use conventional dowel systems to mount an awning on high-quality and efficient external insulation, thermal bridges could quickly arise here.
This inevitably leads to condensation and consequently to severe structural damage. It is therefore essential to avoid such thermal bridges. Well-known dowel manufacturers have developed special systems for this purpose. The screws are virtually decoupled from the connection to the facade using a flexible plastic spacer system. This means that no heat can be conducted either.
In any case, the expertise of professionals is important
In any case, you should use a neutral advisor or. Consult experts if you want to use the appropriate dowels. Because as technically advanced these dowel systems for modern exterior facade insulation are - constructive errors must be avoided here, as otherwise the entire insulation can be adversely affected.
Tips & Tricks In general, there is much more to be learned about dowels. Questions about dimensions and dowel sizes as well as screw sizes must always be precisely determined in order to be able to really exploit the full potential of dowels.
