FAQ

Reinforced Concrete is housed between the outer polystyrene walls. Some of the tallest buildings in the world are constructed using reinforced concrete chosen by engineers as the strongest way to build.

MegaForm blocks can be cut on site to conform to any desired architecture design. The block is highly versatile and can literally be curved to any form required.

Passive insulation acts as a barrier to heat flow, reducing heat loss in winter to keep the house warm or reducing heat gain in summer to keep the house cool. Inadequate insulation and air leakage are the main causes of heat loss in homes. The most economical time to install insulation is during construction. One of the best materials for a passive house/building is insulated concrete forms for foundations.

Clean And Clever Energy Choices: Slab Insulation Insulated foundations Slab edge foundations Edge foundations Raft foundations Ring Foundations 3604 foundations Perimeter insulation

EPS stands for expanded polystyrene. It is a lightweight cellular plastics material consisting of fine spherical shapes particles that comprise 98% air. This air is trapped within a number of closed hollow cells in each particle. EPS is recognised as being ECO friendly and recyclable.

Extremely effective, essentially because the stable trapped air in the closed cells is such a good insulator. The thermal performance of a material is measured in terms of its resistance to the flow of heat. This thermal resistance is expressed as R-value. The higher the R-value the better the insulation.

EPS particles containing a blowing or expanding agent which are softened by heating with steam, hollow closed cells are formed within the particles expanding up to fifty times their original volume.

NO. EPS is a closed cell material and cannot absorb water. During the process of moulding a block however tiny channels are formed between the EPS particles. If the block is immersed in water these channels can be filled with water. After immersion for three hundred and sixty days there may be up to 6% water content by volume that has entered the channels. Even under such an adverse and rare prolonged condition of saturation EPS suffers little adverse effects. It maintains its size, shape, structure, cohesion and physical appearance. These facts are exemplified by the widespread us of EPS in floats, marinas and other fully or partially submerged applications.

NO. EPS does not have a capillary action. EPS is ideally suited when the insulation is required directly in contact with the ground.

Yes. The breathability characteristics of EPS refer to its ability to allow water vapour to pass through the cell structure. It therefore reduces the tendency towards the formation of vapour dams. In application where high humidity and temperature differentials are likely a vapour barrier such as plastic sheeting should be used. The vapour barrier is best installed on the warm side of the structural component with the insulation on the cold side. The MegaForm block when filled with concrete does not form any vapour barriers.

NO. EPS consist of 98% air and 2% polystyrene and nothing else. Because of its cellular structure EPS is dimensionally stable and will not settle over time. EPS used and installed correctly does not deteriorate with age and as such is able to deliver constant R Value for the life of the building.

NO. EPS is CFC and HCFC free. At no stage during the manufacture or application of EPS is the use of CFC`S or HCFC`S, or any other compound that is said to contribute to the destruction of the Earth`s ozone layer, require.

Because MegaForm blocks are manufactured from EPS containing a fire retardant additive, they do not present an undue fire hazard when correctly installed. Like timber, particleboard and other building materials, EPS will burn when in contact with a flame. The combustible material in EPS blocks is very small when compared to timber framing. Due to the presence of the fire retardant in the EPS used for MegaForm blocks, the flame will self-extinguish when the source of fire is removed.

The level of toxicity of EPS in a fire situation is no greater than that of timber and other commonly used building materials. The same toxic gas, carbon monoxide, is produced. Also produced are carbon dioxide and soot (carbon). There is no gaseous emission of hydrogen cyanide or hydrogen chloride as with some treated timbers.

YES. During the production of MegaForm blocks any EPS waste generated can be reground back into individual beads and recycled into other blocks at a level of 10% without any measurable effects on quality. This regrind can also be used as a soil aeration material for plants, landscapes, compost heaps and drainage material’s.

Because EPS is versatile the cost effectiveness has to be addressed on a case-by-case basis. In many applications however, particularly where structural strength is required, EPS is the most effective insulation material available.

The R-value of the most commonly used EPS is 0.57 for every 25mm of thickness. Thus 44 mm of EPS delivers an R-value of 1. By comparison 1240 mm of concrete is required to provide the same in R-value.