Micro-thermal bridging can significantly affect the overall energy performance of the building and in some cases may lead to undesirable phenomena and pathologies such as surface condensation and mould. Of all the elements making up the thermal enclosure of a building, mortar plays a key role in controlling these phenomena.
Thermal insulating mortars based on Laterlite Expanded Clay are used:
– as bedding mortar for high thermal performance blockwork (clay or concrete)
– for making good and sealing openings in the enclosure, e.g. where services pass through it
– to affix elements in external walls such as subframes for windows, electrical junction boxes, containers for roll-up shutters, stone sills, etc.
Due to the low coefficient of thermal conductivity of Laterlite Malta M5 and Malta M10 Expanded Clay, which is up to 5 times lower than that of traditional mortar, insulating masonry mortars based on these products improve the thermal insulation of walls by up to 20% and are suitable for external enclosures and loadbearing masonry, including in seismic zones, thanks to their Class M5 and M10 certified mechanical strength.
This makes it possible to construct insulating masonry or carry out small repair, sealing, and fixing jobs using traditional laying methods, ensuring that thermal dispersion is kept under control and avoiding the risk of surface condensation when the dew point is reached.
For further information on correcting thermal bridging in the facades of buildings caused by reinforced concrete structural elements, please refer to the section dealing with thermal bridging in facades.