SATE: Everything you need to know

The best solution to improve sustainability and energy performance

We are in a context where climate change, global warming and the energy crisis represent a challenge for architectural efficiency. In this context, the SATE external thermal insulation system for buildings has become not only important, but essential. This system is undoubtedly one of the most efficient tools in the fight against these three major challenges.

The first thing to know is that the SATE external thermal insulation system has established itself as the best solution to improve the sustainability and energy performance of any building. In addition, in a period of economic uncertainty, the reduction you will see reflected in the electricity and gas bill will be more than significant.

What is SATE insulation? Definition and benefits

SATE is a system that has developed very quickly in recent years, not only in new construction, but also in the rehabilitation of all kinds of buildings and constructions. It is an external thermal insulation system that has many strong points, such as the reduction of electricity and gas bills, respect for the environment and the possibility of renovating any insulating facade without encroaching on the interior living space .

The external thermal insulation makes it possible to incorporate an authentic insulating layer into any type of home, helping to maintain a homogeneous and stable temperature in both summer and winter. Pursuing this aim, the SATE significantly reduces the thermal losses of the facade in winter and overheating in summer.

The Exterior Thermal Insulation System (SATE) involves the application of an insulating material attached to the wall, usually through a combination of adhesive and mechanical fixing. As a result, the building’s ability to retain temperature improves, which contributes to an increase in habitability and thermal comfort inside.

Main advantages of SATE

There are many advantages that SATE presents, however, four must be highlighted above all others. We can talk about the elimination of thermal bridges, savings on energy costs, a zero impact on living space and the opportunity to rehabilitate any facade without invading the interior space.

Avoid thermal bridges

If we talk about the advantages of the SATE insulation system, the first one that deserves mention is the elimination of thermal bridges (areas where heat is transmitted more easily due to a variation in thermal resistance). In other words, thermal bridging could be considered insulation breaks in a building envelope, resulting in less thermal resistance.

In addition, you will avoid creating new thermal bridges thanks to the existing fixings approved for SATE. Unlike other insulation systems, installing any kind of load on facades with SATE is an easy and risk-free task, as long as the right fixings are used.

Reduce expenses

Insulating your home is an essential condition to create an energy efficient environment. In this sense, doing thermal insulation from the outside offers a double advantage. On the one hand, a significant reduction is obtained in the energy bill, both in terms of electricity and gas. So much so that the Ministry for the Ecological Transition has assessed the loss of heat through the walls of a building without external thermal insulation between 20 and 25%. On the other hand, using the SATE system as a mechanism to improve the energy efficiency of your home can generate important tax reliefs:

Deduction for works to reduce heating and cooling demand.
Deduction for works to improve the consumption of non-renewable primary energy.
Deduction for energy renovation works.

Comfortable installation

The work that is done during a reform to install SATE has no impact on the quality of life of the inhabitants of the house. Both insulation and cladding or accessories are placed outside the building without encroaching on the living area.

This is why insulating a home from the outside has a very important advantage in preserving its living space compared to interior thermal insulation. In addition, specifically SATE is easy to install, unlike other external insulations with more complications in a reform.

SATE installation systems

Glued placement

This technique consists of gluing the insulation directly to the support of the facade. Thus, the application of the tail can be done over the whole, by zones or by strips. The only thing to keep in mind is that this type of installation with a tail is not recommended for the renovation of facades. The reason? The frequent irregularities that can exist in the support pieces and other remnants of old coverings.

We have up to three insulators fully compatible with this installation: white expanded polystyrene board (white EPS), graphite gray expanded polystyrene board (white EPS) and wood fiber panels.

There are different ways to install an exterior thermal insulation system, but three main installation techniques are generally used.

SATE wedged

This modality is more technical than the glued installation, offering two great advantages. First, wedge-nailed SATE is suitable for irregular supports, making it a perfect technique for rehabilitation. Secondly, the wedge nailing technique is fully compatible with all types of SATE, regardless of the nature of the insulation and the type of support.

This insulation system is fixed to the wall in three stages. First, the panel is glued, and then, once the mortar has dried and set, they are fixed by driving the pegs. Finally, with the intention of avoiding thermal bridges, the pins must be covered with a piece of the same nature as the insulation.

Mechanical fixation

The installation of the external thermal insulation can also be done by means of a mechanical fixation on rails, without the need for previous stamping. In this installation technique, pre-drilled PVC rails are fixed to the support by means of dowels. An inexpensive, quick and easy option to install SATE.

Types of insulating plates SATE

The five main board types used during a SATE installation are as follows:

White expanded polystyrene (EPS)

Mineral wool

Conformed polyurethane

Extruded polyurethane

Expanded cork

Best fixings for SATE

In order to properly fix the insulating materials to the building, and thus avoid unwanted movements of contraction or expansion, it is necessary to apply the best SATE fixing techniques.

There are mainly four techniques for fixing SATE materials and their accessories: mechanical fixing, fixing with polyurethane adhesive, fixing anchors on insulation material and fixing with supplementary washers.

Mechanical fixing for insulating plates

First, we can use approved anchors for a secure fixing of the insulating plates. With this technique, we ensure that the external thermal insulation system of our house is well coupled and secured around the entire perimeter.

Mechanical fastening for SATE is ideal for combating high winds or extreme climates, where the installation is more likely to suffer from detachment.

Fixation with polyurethane adhesive for external insulation

The right choice if what you want is to do an easy and fast installation of SATE. Thanks to its great versatility, this fixing technique for external thermal insulation is compatible with different types of base materials and surfaces.

Other main advantages of fixing with polyurethane adhesive is that it provides instant sticking, perfect adhesion, quick drying and great savings on other fixing materials.

Fixation of anchors and accessories and supplements by SATE

In the case of fixing with anchors, we must make sure that the materials to be fixed are light. Some examples would be: installation of a mailbox, security cameras, gutters or electrical installation.

Finally, in the case of mechanical fixation, additional accessories must be installed. In this case, to consolidate the installation of these accessories, the use of additional larger washers is recommended.

Types of base materials for external thermal insulation systems

When it comes to installing an external thermal insulation system, an infinite number of materials can come to mind on which to apply the insulating boards. However, the main materials used as a basis for SATE are categorized into five categories: aerated concrete with open structure, solid partitions, concrete, hollow or perforated partitions and aerated concrete.

Lightened concrete with open structure
Solid partitions concrete
Hollow or perforated partitions
Aerated concrete

Fastening high loads for SATE ResiTHERM®

If you are looking for a product that is easy to install, resistant to extreme climates, able to break thermal bridges, with corrosion resistance, and that also has ETA approval, ResiTHERM® is our recommendation for you.

This SATE fastening system not only meets all your expectations, but also has the “Made in Germany” quality guarantee.

You can install it on most base materials and thicknesses up to 300 mm on concrete. So much so that ResiTHERM® can be installed on facades coated with SATE of concrete, hollow brick, cellular concrete, solid brick and other base materials.

Thanks to a thermal separation module, ResiTHERM® is able to break thermal bridges, protect against the appearance of mold and significantly reduce heat loss. In the same way, the type of sealing it uses guarantees protection against extreme climates, proof of rain and wind with gusts of force 11 (hurricane approved by DIN EN 1027).

Its installation is done easily and safely, providing great savings in costs and time. All this without giving up the quality provided by the composition of stainless steel and nylon reinforced with glass fiber. The outer rod is made of stainless steel, resistant to corrosion.