The influence of selected plaster coatings on the thermal performance of an ETICS system

The article presents the analysis of the thermal performance of an EPS-based system finished with different plaster coatings. The analysis is based on the results achieved at the field site station. The analysis took into account the type of plaster, its texture and the orientation of the exterior wall finish relative to its facing which the moisture content inside the EPS and under the plaster coating is also dependent. It is noted here that the accumulation of moisture takes place within the expanded polystyrene. It was also found that the stabilization of moisture levels in the insulation material depends on the type of external plaster coating. The actual thermal performance of the insulation material was analyzed using the results of the evaluation of the moisture properties in the expanded polystyrene under the plaster coating at the field site. The moisture results confirm that there is an accumulation of moisture in the insulation material, which has a significant impact on the value of thermal resistance, with the largest differences found in the north and west facing exterior wall finishes.