How to insulate balcony windows for the winter. Insulation of a cold glazing balcony Insulate an aluminum profile with your own hands

The balcony available in your apartment can quite easily be turned into a cozy and comfortable auxiliary room, thanks to which the usable area of ​​​​the apartment will noticeably increase. But before insulating a balcony with cold glazing, you should familiarize yourself with the basic finishing techniques, the use of which will allow you to achieve the goal indicated above. In addition, you should decide which elements of the balcony are subject to insulation. In most cases, it is necessary to proceed from the fact that the maximum effect is achieved by insulating all parts of the balcony structure, namely:

• window frames;
• flooring;
• outer walls;
• ceiling and canopy.

(The latter is necessary so that the heat does not escape through the upper part of the balcony). We note right away that there are no time limits regarding the organization of warming measures, as such, i.e. work can be done at any time of the year. However, experts advise to carry out these works in warm and dry weather.

Consider the insulation technique for each of the elements of the balcony structure separately.

Window insulation

Insulation of window frames is necessary if the sealant layer at the joints of the frames is insufficient, and cold air enters the room through them. In order to make sure of this, it is enough to bring your palm to the seam in windy and cold weather and determine the presence of air draft.

Windows are insulated by additional sealing of joints around the entire perimeter of the frame (on the inside and outside) using a special polyurethane sealant.

In the event that you have plastic windows installed on your balcony, you most likely will not need any additional steps to insulate them.

Floor insulation

For the insulation of load-bearing structures, a variety of materials can be used, among which mineral wool, foam plastic and foam plastic (foam foam) are especially common. All of the above types of insulation are characterized by low thermal conductivity and allow you to reliably isolate the internal spaces of the balcony from cold air. The solution to this problem is best to start with floor insulation, which can be protected by a multi-layer coating system that includes heat-insulating plates (mineral wool or any other synthetic insulation).

The order of operations performed in this case will look like this:

• First you need to decide on the thickness of the insulating layer, since the height of the parapet will depend on this. According to building codes, it should not be less than 95 cm (if there are small children in the family - at least 105 cm).
• Based on the measurements obtained, a set of bars of the required thickness should be prepared, which are then laid across the floor at a distance of about 50 cm from one another.
• On top of these bars, longitudinal logs are placed in such a way that their ends do not rest against the parapet. In this case, the distance between the lags themselves and the balcony railing should be about 7 cm (on each side).
• Then, in the intervals between the lags, it is necessary to lay the plates of the insulation of your choice, covering them from above with chipboard sheets, which are subsequently attached to the lags by means of self-tapping screws.

As a result of the operations performed, you will receive an insulated subfloor, on which a finishing coating is later laid. If desired, you can use a system of special heating elements to insulate the floor (the so-called "warm floor").

Wall and ceiling insulation

The walls of the balcony railing and its ceiling are recommended to be insulated with sheets of foam, foam plastic or similar material with a thickness of about 3 centimeters. Closing the walls with insulation is best to start from the corner; at the same time, the plates are fixed on the frame using special plastic fasteners.

When using mineral wool as a heater, it is recommended to lay a layer of penofol on top of it, fastened in such a way that its foil side faces the inside of the room.

The use of this material eliminates the possibility of condensation on the surface of the insulation layer and significantly extends its service life.

In conclusion, I would like to note one point, the consideration of which will help you avoid significant costs of working time. Before you insulate a balcony with cold glazing with your own hands, ask the owner of the apartment above you if he has insulated the floors on his balcony.

In the event that you received a positive answer, you have every reason to refuse to insulate the ceiling and visor altogether.

But this solution is only acceptable if there is no severe frost in your area during the winter.

Video

This video is dedicated to the rules for warming and arranging the subfloor on the balcony.

To increase the comfort of the apartment and slightly increase its area will allow glazing and insulation of a balcony or loggia. Having carried out the appropriate work, you will not only protect the apartment from cold and noise. On additional square meters, you can equip a cozy gazebo, a winter garden, a wardrobe or even a comfortable private office.

Incorrectly executed glazing and insulation of a balcony or loggia can adversely affect the appearance of the facade, increase the load on the building structure, and also reduce the illumination of the apartment.

Even the most minor alteration of these premises requires written permission from the city department of housing inspection.

If you carry out unauthorized landscaping of a balcony or loggia, then this will complicate in the future any operations with the apartment: sale, donation or will.

Preliminary work: strengthening the parapet

Work on the balcony begins with an analysis of the state of the parapet, on which the glazing will be based. The solid reinforced concrete structure does not need additional reinforcement. But the parapet, consisting of metal rods, will have to be supplemented with masonry made of foam blocks or lightweight ceramic bricks.

Also, masonry work will be required if the concrete parapet has insufficiently strong fasteners. When glazing and insulating balconies in old houses, you must first obtain expert advice on the limit of permissible loads on the building structure.

The choice of windows for warm glazing

If you plan to insulate the balcony, then choose the glazing option that is able to protect the room as much as possible from temperature changes and cold penetration.

For warm glazing, the construction market offers a large selection of window structures. Most often used:

• Wooden frames with double-glazed windows (euro windows). Environmentally friendly material and modern technology make them very attractive to consumers. Double-glazed windows contribute to the maximum preservation of heat in the apartment, and the wooden profile allows the structure to “breathe”.
• Aluminum profile frames, insulated with special polyamide thermal inserts. This technology significantly increases the heat-saving properties of windows.
• PVC profiles with double glazing.

The latter option is considered optimal if glazing and insulation of the balcony are planned; the price for it is not as high as for wooden euro-windows, and in terms of its functionality it significantly exceeds aluminum frames.

Additional glazing work

In addition to installing double-glazed windows, it is necessary to eliminate the gaps in those places where the frames adjoin the wall. This will ensure the tightness of the glazing, protect the room from moisture, drafts and heat leakage.

The gaps between the frames and the parapet or wall must be sealed with foamed polyethylene, polystyrene or a special sealant and filled with polyurethane sealants.

Since insulation, as well as additional glazing, takes up quite a lot of space, expansion profiles are installed on the frames (top and sides).

The choice of insulation method

It must be borne in mind that the solution to the problem of heat loss during glazing and insulation of loggias and balconies is not limited to the installation of double-glazed windows. Reliable thermal insulation of the entire building envelope is required.

There are two methods of such thermal insulation:

• Internal insulation is simple and inexpensive, but has a significant disadvantage - moist air from the apartment passes through the heat-shielding layer, reaches the outer wall and turns into condensate. This leads to mold and mildew.
• External insulation is devoid of this drawback, but it requires complex installation work and, accordingly, is much more expensive.

Thermal insulation materials

High-quality glazing and insulation of loggias and balconies is impossible without a properly selected heat-insulating material. It must meet the following requirements:

• be moisture resistant and breathable:
• do not create additional load on the floors;
• have low thermal conductivity.

There is a large selection of materials for insulation on the market, but they are not all universal.

Expanded polystyrene plates are an excellent heat insulator, withstand mechanical stress well, and are light in weight. But they have low vapor permeability and poor soundproofing qualities. In addition, this material has limitations in use due to flammability.

Mineral wool is absolutely non-combustible, has low thermal conductivity. But with insufficient waterproofing under the influence of dampness, it can quickly lose its thermal insulation properties.

Penofol is a roll insulation consisting of a reflective layer and a base. It is easy to install, water resistant, heat reflective, rot and fire resistant. This is the best choice if you need reliable and durable glazing and insulation of loggias, the price of the material is offset by excellent performance.

Facade glazing looks modern and spectacular. Recently, it is often used in the construction of residential buildings. But the use of a cold aluminum profile for glazing balconies and loggias in new buildings makes apartment owners think about replacing windows or insulating them.

Experts suggest to carry out the insulation of facade glazing in one of the following ways:

• Sash replacement. In this case, the glass is dismantled and the sashes are removed, plastic windows with double-glazed windows are inserted into the old frame, and sandwich panels are used to insulate the crossbars and aluminum racks.
• Thermal bridge installation. To improve the thermal insulation properties of cold aluminum windows, a special polyamide gasket is used, which is inserted between the outer and inner profiles.
• Secondary glazing. The method consists in creating an additional wall made of a plastic profile with double-glazed windows. It is mounted close to the old aluminum frames. The design is bulky, heavy and not very convenient to use.

It is also possible to insulate cold glazing, in which the entire old structure is completely dismantled. In its place, a new frame is installed, plastic windows are mounted, joints and cracks are sealed. This is a complex and expensive method and is rarely used.

Glazing can be carried out through the use of profiles from various materials:

• aluminum;
• wood;
• plastic.

Naturally, the customer is only interested in attractive options that will allow you to get the maximum functionality at the lowest price. Each of the above materials has its own advantages and disadvantages.

However, aluminum glazing is considered the most attractive in all respects, since it has less weight with the same performance characteristics. LAGOLIT production has modern equipment for the production of aluminum glazing, which allows optimizing the technical process of production. This has a positive effect on the end consumer (reducing the retail price).

Can aluminum glazing be warm?

As a rule, aluminum glazing has one chamber. But this does not mean that the aluminum profile, in principle, cannot be effectively insulated! Warm aluminum windows are made of combined metal elements, between which there is a connecting thermal spacer.

Only recently, an aluminum profile with a qualitatively new, high thermal performance has appeared on the market. Its heat transfer coefficient is below 0.8W/m2K.

Thus, today aluminum glazing in terms of thermal characteristics can successfully compete with plastic and wooden profiles.

The advantage of aluminum is the creation of any shape of the profile and its standard sizes. In particular, the design of aluminum windows implies the possibility of creating arched structures and complex architectural ensembles.

The aesthetic component of the aluminum profile

Modern production facilities make it possible to introduce aluminum glazing into almost any design (regardless of the exterior or interior). Various painting methods can be used: laminating film, powder paint, anodizing.

The latter method of creating an attractive surface is also used because it creates a thin but strong oxide layer that prevents air from penetrating to the aluminum surface.

In other words, two tasks are simultaneously solved at once - an aesthetic appearance and a guarantee of the impossibility of corrosion.

The video will present an alternative solution, which, of course, has the right to exist:

Balconies and loggias

How to insulate an aluminum profile on a balcony before it turns into a piece of ice?

Once, when installing a balcony made of metal profiles in an office building, the customer considered that the temperature on the sixteenth floor in winter would be an order of magnitude higher than below, and refused artificial insulation. As a sane person, I tried to insist that such a decision is erroneous, especially if this area will be used not as a place for recreation, but as a conference room with a gorgeous view of the city.

In response, from the customer, I only heard that I was trying to rip off more money from him, and that all the arguments that I give are nonsense, and nothing more.

Construction work was carried out in winter, so he could not immediately assess the scale of the tragedy. My wait was not very long, because with the first cold weather that hit in the second month of autumn, I received a call from the same customer, who considered that now the insulation of aluminum windows on all office balconies would be more acceptable.

Having explained to him that these works involve almost complete dismantling of the structure, and voicing the amount, I was again sent by this character so far, where no human foot had yet set foot. A little more than a month later, just at the time when the first December frosts begin to draw patterns on the windows of our houses and apartments, my phone again burst into a call from the same person who tearfully apologized, realizing that the price that I called then was the top tolerance.

Alas, high-altitude work is a service that is paid differently in summer and winter, and rude words in my direction resulted in a fine. However, the total was still lower than usual, and we got to work. The conclusion from this asks only in the form of a proverb that a miser pays twice. And in the case of insulation of a balcony with aluminum profiles - even three times.

Is it high-rise work?

Yes, you might wonder why the insulation of aluminum balconies is high-altitude work, because the process is entirely carried out from inside the room. This is true, but in the event that you are the owner of a panoramic structure that has already been fully installed, and you decided to keep the heat only a few years later, then it is subject to complete dismantling. Not many construction teams will dare to remove the windows on the sixteenth floor of a high-rise building in the cold, and even with a possible strong wind.

In my short story, which I cited a little higher, the situation was just such that not every master who does not have experience working at height will give the go-ahead to carry out such work. And since such a phobia is the most common after the fear of the dark, finding someone with enough courage will not be easy.

Is it real at all?

Warming a loggia with aluminum windows is just as real as doing a double somersault. Yes, it will cause a little trouble, but patience and work will grind everything. You will need a little knowledge and my experience, which I am happy to share right now.

Many people say that the efficiency of insulation drops every time you want to increase the amount of glazing in a room. I assure you that this is not the case, and if you rented or bought an area that becomes very cold due to the large number of windows, you can also insulate them.

A simple solution, which may not seem entirely reasonable, is to close part of the glass. For some, this seems like nonsense, although this option has the right to exist. If you don't have a need to create an extensive view from the window, and panoramic was not your idea, then nothing will stop you. Of course, with a high degree of probability, you lose the internal volume of the room, but it does not disappear, but only begins to serve you in a different role.

I am not telling now that you will need to completely clean the entire lower part of the balcony. I came across cases when we sewed up a window together with glass. By insulating it on both sides, you will thus get a wall of insulation, which will keep the high temperature in the room much better.

But, before resorting to such drastic measures, think twice whether you need it so as not to throw money away. It is also worth paying attention to whether this will interfere with the mechanical actions of opening windows. Agree that it would not be entirely cool to sew up the lower part of the balcony so that the upper one could not open.

Let's go straight to work

Before insulating a loggia with aluminum glazing, you need to make some preparatory steps, without which the insulation may be useless.

1. Clean the entire aluminum profile from unnecessary elements. Remains of putty, mounting foam or other construction debris - remove all this. In small quantities, they will not greatly affect energy saving, but the inconvenience during installation will be obvious.
2. Seal any unnecessary holes or gaps in the profiles. It often happens that when installing the frame, a screwdriver could come off or a grinder could slip off. There were no defects of this magnitude to throw away or cut off a part, but when warming you can suffer a little. Ordinary sealant will help you solve this problem.
3. Choose a heater. In this case, since the process will be associated with small items, many experienced builders suggest using ordinary building foam. I do not recommend resorting to such drastic methods due to the fact that it can deform the frame, which will create unnecessary problems when installing the windows themselves. The most adequate, as for me, is the use of mineral wool. In this case, you can purchase a roll instead of plates, which will be cheaper, and fill all the cavities in the same way.
4. Prepare the instrument. In the event that you use mounting foam, all you need is a special gun into which the balloon is inserted. If your finger fell on mineral wool, then a small spatula, a clerical knife and a tape measure will be enough.

If you do not know how to fill in the foam correctly, you can see how to do it in the video below:

So, we decided that there are two material options with which we can insulate an aluminum balcony - this is foam and cotton wool. A few notes to keep in mind when working with the first one:

• do not overdo it, because a large amount of material can lead to deformation of the profile itself;
• buy more construction foam than you need. You see, if it is not enough, then it will be an order of magnitude worse than the case when it remains. It should dry all at the same time, and not in parts after re-purchase. Let it stay better, because it can always come in handy;
• pour the profile evenly and penetrate into all the cracks. Only in this way will you achieve maximum results.

If, when insulating an aluminum loggia, you use my choice, which appears in the form, then do not forget that the correct calculations will help you save a lot. The main advantage is that you will not affect the size, shape or stability of the aluminum frame itself in any way. We calculated how much to cut off, cut it off, placed it, adjusted it with a spatula - and voila! Everything is ready!

Let's make a small conclusion

The first thing you should have already figured out for yourself is that this process will not take you a lot of effort and money if you follow the instructions and do not want to save on heat. Learn from other people's mistakes. I described one of them at the beginning of the article, but I don’t plan to talk about the next one, because I’m sure that my advice will be useful to you.

The main mistake that is made is the desire to always save. Thinking that it will not be useful now, and it will not be difficult to do it later, people lose precious money, spending it on useless actions in the form of dismantling and reinstalling.

Take care of not only your wallet, but also your health, which will definitely deteriorate not only from excessive physical exertion, but also from hassle.

Friends, remember that you need to save in moderation and on acceptable things. Without insulating any part of the apartment, you can spend a huge amount of money on heating or buying additional sources of heating. Yes, they will always come in handy, but do not forget that this is a part of an apartment or office that comes into contact with the outside world on every side, and this is the only place where it is forbidden to install radiators. The fight against the cold there is a battle that must be won before it even begins.

Insulation of cold glazing is sometimes used, although usually this activity takes a lot of time and effort, but does not give the desired result, since in most cases it is carried out incorrectly. Before work, you should learn how to competently insulate the balcony, making it a comfortable room.

What glazing is considered cold?

Quite often, when buying an apartment, the owner is faced with what she already has. Often, the developer does not use expensive materials and installs cold glazing without insulating the balcony in any way. In this case, it may be relevant to replace cold glazing with warm , which will significantly improve the final result, as it will help eliminate heat loss that occurs precisely through the window frames.

However, you can improve and. Most often, it is aluminum frames. Aluminum itself has a high thermal conductivity, so the room cools down quickly. Plastic double-glazed windows can also be cold. Most often this is a problem of single-chamber structures. This type of glazing can protect against precipitation, wind, dust, but does not resist frost well. Therefore, the insulation of the cold glazing of a loggia or balcony plays a rather important role in creating a comfortable atmosphere in the house.

How to insulate a balcony with cold glazing?

How is glass replacement going?

Any work is carried out in several stages. This procedure is performed as follows:

• Calculation of the mass that the parapet can withstand. Do not use too heavy glazing, as this can lead to the collapse of the structure.
• It is enough to simply remove cold windows: for this you will need to cut off the mounting foam, pull out the glass, and disconnect other fasteners, if any. After that, the frame can be pulled out.
• New windows are being installed. It is recommended to use plastic with double glazing. They usually do not weigh very much, while retaining heat well.
• If you had panoramic cold glazing, then you can install plastic windows from the floor or build a parapet from lightweight materials, such as a gas block.
• You can choose any windows according to the way of opening, it only depends on how much free space there is on your balcony.
• If it is impossible to install windows with a thick double-glazed window, you can put energy-saving glasses on a thin one, they will help to keep warm, while not increasing the weight of the structure.

Replacing a building is technically easier and does not require special permits, so it is recommended to change the glazing to the same as it was in shape, with the only difference that a warm structure will be used. After the installation is done, you need to install glazing beads on the glass, adjust the fittings.

Insulation of cold glazing and its subsequent replacement with warm one is a waste of effort and money, since when dismantling old structures and installing new ones, the tightness will be broken. The finish can also be damaged, new cracks will appear in the seams. If you plan to make a warm balcony, it is recommended to start work with the replacement of glazing, and then carry out work on the insulation of structures. They are made in exactly the same way as with the insulation of cold glazing.

Cold glazing is used mainly to protect the balcony from precipitation and drafts, but even with proper insulation, it is not able to protect against frost. If you plan to make the balcony really warm and significantly raise the temperature inside it, it is recommended to immediately replace the cold frames with warm ones.