Do you need to insulate the walls? The choice of the optimal material for thermal insulation of walls from the inside

The need for wall insulation is a consequence of the wrong choice of materials, non-compliance with technology during construction work, or errors in calculations during design.

One way or another, the problems that have arisen must be solved, and this should be done as soon as possible, until the processes of swelling and destruction of the walls from moisture have gone too far. The first step should be to study the problem, understanding the impacts that need to be stopped (ideally eliminated).

Only after that it is necessary to carry out the necessary operations that can solve the issues that have arisen and regulate the heat exchange at home, eliminate processes that destroy wall material.

The choice between external and internal insulation, with equal possibilities of both methods, should definitely be taken in favor of the external one. From a physical point of view, only it can be denoted by the term "insulation", internal insulation is, rather, a cut-off of walls from contact with warm, moist air.

At the same time, if the insulation is located, then the wall receives heat from the inside, which is why it cools less and does not have a temperature that contributes to the condensation of water vapor. With an internal location, the insulation becomes an obstacle that does not allow heat to pass out.

At the same time, the wall is able to cool down to almost complete equalization of temperatures on both sides, losing its heat-insulating properties and remaining only a mechanical barrier to external influences.

Dew point

This use of external walls is unproductive, moreover the dew point moves to the line of contact of the insulation with the wall, causing abundant condensation of moisture. Such a disadvantage is a frequent consequence of illiterate actions during internal insulation, moreover, the consequences are not immediately noticeable.

Internal insulation is done for two reasons:

• In addition to the outside.
• If it is impossible to carry out work outside - there is no access, technical conditions or rules do not allow, etc.

If there is no other way out and work is possible only from the inside, it is necessary to understand the reasons for the occurrence of condensate and eliminate them with maximum efficiency. First of all, you should remember the basic rule of internal insulation:

The vapor permeability of materials, regardless of the number of layers in the cake, should follow in descending order.

This means that the material of the insulation must be a stronger vapor barrier than the material of the wall. This condition makes it possible to withdraw the steam that has passed through the thickness of the insulation to the outside.

Otherwise, steam will condense on the wall surface (which happens most often). The problem is that the presence of insulation does not allow the wall to come into contact with warm internal air, it does not heat up and the steam immediately begins to condense upon contact with a cold wall.

Comparison of thermal insulation characteristics of materials

No measures other than effective vapor protection work here, and the density of the vapor barrier layer should tend to absolute. No matter how gradual the accumulation of moisture, sooner or later it will be enough to start destructive processes - several cycles of freezing and thawing can turn the most durable material into dust.

From this follows the conclusion - to enhance vapor protection, it is necessary to use the most suitable insulation.

Materials for thermal insulation of walls from the inside

Not every heater is suitable for internal insulation. From should have a set of properties that ensure the fulfillment of the tasks:

• Low vapor permeability.
• Lack of ability to absorb moisture.
• Absence of emissions harmful to human health.
• The ability to keep the shape, rigidity.

These properties are more inherent in such types of heaters:

• Glass wool.
• Ecowool, cellulose.

The materials are not listed in random order, but in order of effectiveness and frequency of use.

Styrofoam

The record holder for application by a wide margin is polystyrene foam (PPS). It has such positive qualities:

• Light weight.
• Low vapor permeability.
• Rigid structure, plates have clear dimensions.
• Easily processed.
• Practically does not absorb water.
• The cheapest heater.

The combination of such properties rightfully distinguishes it among the leaders. Unfortunately, the material crumbles a lot and is afraid of fire.

Styrofoam

Extruded polystyrene foam

Extruded polystyrene foam (EPS) — chemically similar to styrofoam, but structurally different due to manufacturing method.

In terms of its properties, it even surpasses polystyrene:

• Absolutely impervious to steam and water.
• More rigid, does not crumble.
• High heat resistance.

At the same time, it costs significantly more than a regular teaching staff, which reduces its competitiveness.

polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is a material that has all the necessary qualities for internal insulation:

• Tight contact with the wall.
• Does not let moisture or steam through.
• It has no organics - does not rot, does not emit hazardous substances.

Wherein, the use of polyurethane foam is limited, since its application requires special equipment and skilled workers, plus, when applied, polyurethane foam emits toxic fumes. In addition, the price of the insulation itself, plus the cost of work, sharply reduce its demand.

polyurethane foam

Mineral wool

Mineral wool, glass wool, ecowool, cellulose - traditional materials, they are of little use for internal insulation. Nevertheless, they are used quite often, which is due to the low theoretical knowledge of users and adherence to stereotypes.

The qualities of these materials, good in other cases, lose their effect - any type of cotton wool has a fibrous structure, which helps to absorb moisture. No rigidity required, high vapor permeability. For internal insulation, such materials are not recommended.

Wetting of the insulation can be stopped by installing a special vapor barrier film, which will not only protect the material from the penetration of water vapor, but will prevent harmful mineral dust from entering the room.

Mineral wool

What insulation is best for insulating walls from the inside?

NOTE!

The most effective heaters - Styrofoam and extruded polystyrene foam. They combine all the most valuable properties both for insulating materials in general and for the specifics under consideration.

The most useful property is vapor permeability. Styrofoam consists of soldered granules, each of which is a sealed capsule with gas bubbles. A small absorption of water is possible only through the capillaries between the granules, but its value is very small.

What's better?

XPS is a foam material consisting of a single array of substance. It is impervious to neither steam nor water, there is absolutely no absorption. If the size of the insulated surface is not too large, then EPPS will be the best choice.

How to avoid problems of internal insulation?

To avoid internal problems insulation, it is necessary to determine the mode of operation of the wall cake and find the location of the dew point.

Ideally, it should be located either inside the wall, or, somewhat worse, inside the insulation.

If the dew point is at the border of two materials, then sooner or later condensate will appear due to a small penetration of vapors through the side walls, through the insulation, loose areas of vapor barrier, etc.

This situation becomes possible with a large thickness of the insulation (a complete cut-off of the wall from internal heat is created) or with its low vapor permeability (a consequence of the wrong choice of material).

To resolve the issue, several recommendations can be made:

• Thermal insulation thickness. Do not use insulation thicker than 50 mm.
• Choose only vapor-tight materials, forming the most hermetic layer.
• Organize effective ventilation of the room. This item is desirable in any case, since the removal of supersaturated air with steam reduces the partial pressure and the intensity of the effect of steam on the materials of the wall and insulation. When there is nothing to condense, the issue is resolved automatically.
• When installing the heater, proceed carefully, do not skip sections, do not create gaps. It is especially important to tightly wrap the window opening in the areas of slopes, window sill and upper cut. The side walls are also a source of steam, penetration through them, although to a lesser extent, does occur. Ideally, the whole room should be isolated, but this is not always possible.

CAREFULLY!

Window block - a source of steam penetration. It has a lot of slots and gaps along the perimeter between the wall and the box. Before installing the insulation, the slopes and the window sill should be removed and all doubtful places should be carefully filled with mounting foam.

To equalize the steam load, it is possible to prime all (not only external) walls with special compounds that reduce the passage of steam through the wall material. This is especially important for loose porous materials prone to moisture absorption.

Is an internal vapor barrier necessary?

The need for internal vapor barrier is undeniable. Almost the whole point of internal insulation is to create an airtight boundary between the steam-saturated air and the wall.

At the same time, if the insulation itself is a good vapor barrier (like PPS or EPS), then the presence of a separate layer of rolled vapor barrier is not necessary, especially if there is effective supply and exhaust ventilation.

However, to insure against possible microscopic cracks, gaps or other cavities in the insulation, as well as to cut off adjacent walls, an additional layer of vapor protection is often installed.

If a looser material that allows steam to pass through is used as a heater, then the presence of a full-fledged vapor barrier is mandatory. Attempts to do without it will nullify the whole idea of ​​\u200b\u200binsulating the wall - it will get wet, condensate will saturate the insulation, which will stop it from retaining heat, turning into a moisture accumulator. At this time, the material of the wall will get wet, freeze and from this actively collapse.

Internal insulation significantly loses in efficiency to the external method, and is used only as an additional measure. As an independent measure, such a technique is doubtful and requires an understanding of the dynamics of the processes occurring in the wall cake at different temperatures and at different times of the year.

wall pie

The effect of such a technique often requires a lot of experimentation and changes, which in practice means constant repairs. Therefore, you should act very carefully and carefully in order to try to achieve the desired result on the first try.

In contact with

Topics with a choice and description of the features of a particular type of insulation are deservedly popular on our portal. These questions become more urgent the higher the growth in energy prices and the desire of homeowners to save on heating. FORUMHOUSE has already talked about and about.

Choosing the best insulation for the walls of the house, which is right for you, we suggest looking at the nuances of insulating a private house from a slightly different angle. To do this, consider the following questions:

• How to start choosing a material.
• What are the types of heaters.
• Is it possible to do without using it.
• Should I use eco-insulators?
• What is lacking in modern means and methods of wall insulation.

Choosing a material

The modern market of thermal insulation materials offers a lot of options and types. Conventionally, they can be divided into artificial (man-made) and natural. Artificial include: mineral wool (stone and glass wool) and polystyrene foam insulation (PPS, or polystyrene, EPPS - extruded polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam), foam glass, sprayed polyurethane foam, ecowool, expanded clay, etc. Natural materials include sawdust, straw, moss, flax, hemp and other eco-materials.

The materials of the second group are most often used by enthusiasts in the construction of environmentally friendly houses.

To determine the type of material, you need to pay attention to the following parameters: thermal conductivity, hygroscopicity, density, flammability class, efficiency, environmental friendliness, durability. You also need to understand in advance what and how you are going to insulate. Those. – choose the scope of the material. To do this, we ask ourselves the question in which structural unit of the house should work. To the materials that are used for and insulation of the foundation (), etc. working in the ground, in an aggressive environment, there are certain requirements. These are non-susceptibility to moisture accumulation, rotting, high compressive strength, thermal efficiency, durability.

The main (perhaps even the only) disadvantage of foam plastics is their combustibility (under certain conditions) and limited thermal stability. In the event of a fire, first of all, interior items (furniture, curtains, etc.) burn. Therefore, measures must be taken in advance to protect polystyrene foam (in case it is used for internal insulation) from an open source of fire. To do this, the foam must be covered with a good layer of concrete or plaster. It is better if PPS is used for external insulation. It must also be covered with non-combustible material (concrete, plaster), and not used as an element of a ventilated facade!

In civil housing construction, expanded polystyrenes are widely used for insulation of foundations and flat roofs (EPS). Facades of houses, as the basis for thin-layer plaster, the so-called. "wet facade" (PPS).

• In a number of situations (especially in the field of low-rise housing construction), it is necessary to insulate frame structures, where, instead of rigidity, elastic options mounted by surprise are more technologically advanced. Here, it is most widely used on the basis of stone () or glass fibers - this material combines high manufacturability of installation (no special experience and special professional tools are required) with incombustibility (including fire resistance) and low production cost.

When using mineral wool materials, care must be taken to prevent moisture from entering them. In the event that water enters the insulation, the "pie" of the frame structure and the vapor transparency of the layers should ensure that excess moisture escapes to the outside. Why should steam and waterproofing films and membranes be used correctly?

The above methods are far from the only effective option for warming a room.

Alexey Melnikov

To a lesser extent, such insulation methods are now common as: poured (such as a screed from a solution of polystyrene concrete) and filling options (expanded clay gravel, foam glass chips, aerated concrete block rejection, etc.). Because they, in my opinion, are more appropriate as additional sound insulation in horizontal structures.

44alex FORUMHOUSE user

I would choose perlite for ceilings and for backfilling stone walls, but not under the floor on the ground, because. this is an excellent material in terms of price / thermal conductivity / combustibility / environmental friendliness / service life.

Recently, blown versions of heaters are also gaining popularity. Type of cellulose fiber (the so-called ecowool) or its mineral counterpart. According to Alexey Melnikova, these materials should be used for thermal insulation of hard-to-reach places.

natural materials

It is also necessary to highlight materials based on natural fibers (flax, sea grasses), which are now being promoted under the ideology of ECO-construction. Due to the limited choice and significant price tag, these materials have not yet become widespread.

The main disadvantages of natural materials:

• shrinkage;
• unpredictability of behavior in the long term;
• susceptibility to rodents.

Let's see how true this is.

Russian FORUMHOUSE user

Unexpectedly, the following experiment came out: in the summer they folded substandard linen insulation in the corner, in a stack 1.5 meters high. In winter, a water pipe leaked, which passed nearby. We noticed this only in the summer, i.e. the bottom layer of flax has lain for at least 6 months in water. And here are the results:

• For a material 5 cm thick, under the pressure of the upper layers, only 1 cm sat down;
• The material that had taken in water turned dark and was left to dry until morning. The next morning he regained his form, i.e. again became 5 cm thick;
• Breaking loads have not changed either.

After drying, the linen insulation remained practically unchanged, because the structure of the linen material is fixed by melted lavsan fibers. This structure can be changed only when heated to 160-190 ° C or when the flax is destroyed. And flax, as you know, is still used in plumbing work when sealing water pipes.

Extensive experience has been accumulated abroad in the use of this material. Mice do not eat it, they make passages in it and make their dwellings. To avoid this, appropriate measures are taken - in the form of installing a fine-mesh steel mesh, etc.

SCM FORUMHOUSE user

I believe that the use of sawdust is a very environmentally friendly way to insulate. The main thing is to follow the technology. It is better to fill up sawdust in layers, with careful tamping of each layer with a shovel handle.

Both industrial materials and “folk” materials have pros and cons. “Commercial” materials are already a finished product, with known properties and a certain installation technology, following which you can be sure of the final result. Eco-insulations are more of an experiment, with a possible lower cost (sawdust), you will have to sweat during installation. The construction itself can take time. Again, you can not guarantee 100% of the final result, because. we still have little experience in using such materials in different climatic zones.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude: any material has the right to life. It all depends on the area of ​​​​its application, the prevalence of one or another type of material in a particular area, its price, thermal characteristics, etc. Hence: when choosing a heater, first of all, it is necessary to build on economic calculation and the expediency of its use in the long term.

You should also check your tasks with our questionnaire:

• Where will the material be used?
• what is it for;
• what structure needs to be insulated.

Having puzzled with such questions, you will understand which material is suitable specifically for your case and specifically for your building.

Is there a universal heater

If you dream and imagine an “ideal” insulation, with a set of universal properties, then it will be a material whose various characteristics will not be stable - they must change flexibly depending on the operating conditions. In one situation, the material needs strength, high density, rigidity, clear geometry, and increased moisture resistance. In other conditions, it requires vapor transparency, low density (which means it will not work “in the ground”), workability in hard-to-reach places, flexibility, and good environmental friendliness. With all this, an affordable price for the masses remains important. It turns out mutually exclusive requirements. So it is hardly worth chasing after some special and new materials.

From our videos you will learn

The process has its supporters and ardent opponents. In their own truth, both those and others, it all depends on the situation. But before choosing this particular type of insulation, you need to know which insulation is suitable, to study the nuances of performing insulation work.

To insulate the walls inside the room is to make your home comfortable and cozy for living. This type of heat saving is unconventional, usually used. But there are situations when there is no other way out.

Also, this option can be considered in an apartment building, when the insulation of internal walls is the only way to insulate the room. This process will help eliminate the formation of fungus in the room.

Cons of internal insulation

This method has its drawbacks, so it has many opponents.

Problems with internal thermal insulation of walls arise as follows:

• with external thermal insulation, the walls of the building are protected from the cold, which cannot be achieved with insulation from the inside. The base is in contact with the environment, cracks may appear on it;
• the occurrence of condensation. With internal heat saving, it moves behind the supporting structure and forms between the insulator and the surface. The result may be the development of fungal formations that will be difficult to notice;
• area reduction. Modern heat insulators have excellent characteristics, but have not yet come up with a material that would take up little space. At the moment, with insulation work, the room will become smaller by 10 cm on each side.

Before deciding on internal insulation, it is worth weighing all the shortcomings and considering the advantages, this is the only way to avoid errors and shortcomings during installation.

Thermal insulation materials

This technology allows the use of various thermal insulation materials for walls, which have pros and cons.

The most popular heat insulators:

• wood fiber board;
• ecowool;
• glass wool.

These insulators are commercially available everywhere, and are inexpensive. We will analyze the characteristics of each type of insulators that can be used as insulation from the inside.

Penoplex and polystyrene

A productive and affordable heat insulator, which is used very often in the insulation of apartments, in high-rise buildings. It is enough to take a plate with a thickness of 5 cm. No special tools are needed, and installation is not difficult.

But this material has disadvantages:

• combustibility;
• low strength;
• vapor tightness - if you do not make working ventilation in the apartment, otherwise it will turn into a greenhouse.

Ventilation must be equipped with forced ventilation - this may require additional costs.

This option of thermal insulation is suitable only for concrete, brick, foam block structures, since wood covered with this heat-insulating material loses its ability to "breathe".

Mineral wool

A very common thermal insulator. It is widely used in apartments and industrial buildings, in addition, it is used as a filler in plasterboard partitions, as it has excellent soundproofing properties.

Mineral wool is inexpensive, has excellent vapor barrier. For an apartment or house, it is better to purchase rigid basalt wool slabs, they are easy to install. Another plus of the material is incombustibility.

But it is worth using this material with great care if the walls in the apartment become damp, the basalt wool is hygroscopic, and when wet it completely loses its insulating properties. Therefore, before laying it on the walls, it is necessary to equip the waterproofing layer, and before finishing the lining, pull the vapor barrier.

For waterproofing works, it is better to use membranes, they have vapor permeability and will not interfere with the “breathing” of external walls.

Wood fiber boards

This material has a number of positive characteristics:

• good heat saving and sound insulation;
• not afraid of temperature changes;
• moisture resistant;
• easy to handle and install;
• it does not breed rodents.

Often this material is used specifically for exterior decoration, it is treated with special impregnations that can harm human health.

Foil insulation

Technological processes do not stand still, therefore, innovative developments in the field of insulation and construction are constantly appearing on the market. Such a novelty is a foil heat insulator.

The material is a layer of foamed polyester, on which a layer of thin aluminum foil is glued. The property of this material is that heat is reflected from the foil layer and directed inside the house.

Many manufacturers produce polyester with a self-adhesive layer, so it is very convenient to work with this material, it is enough to carefully prepare the surface and stick insulation on the wall.

Ecowool

The material that appeared on the market quite recently, but immediately gained popularity among the townsfolk, thanks to a lot of advantages:

• naturalness and safety. The heat insulator is produced by processing secondary cellulose, therefore it is non-toxic;
• excellent indicators of thermal insulation;
• air impermeability;
• fine fiber structure;
• durability;
• does not shrink.

But, despite the positive characteristics, the material has several significant disadvantages that prevent its widespread use:

• the impossibility of doing the installation by hand. The material is applied by wet spraying using special equipment. For insulation, you will have to invite specialists;
• with vertical spraying, the laying of the material must be carried out in stages, since there is a possibility of the layer slipping;
• combustibility;
• the period of solidification of the mass is 24 hours, subject to good ventilation;
• price;
• the need to equip the frame.

The internal thermal insulation of the walls with the help of ecowool is carried out strictly on a wooden crate, the step of which can vary from 60 cm to 1 meter. The frame is constructed so that during spraying the material does not slip from a vertical surface.

glass wool

This heat insulator has been used in construction for a very long time. The main component of this material is fiberglass.

The use of glass wool is due to the following characteristics:

• high soundproof qualities;
• flexibility - due to its structure, glass wool can take any shape;
• fire resistance;
• resistance to chemical attack;
• affordable cost;
• breathability.

But it is worth talking about the shortcomings:

• the material is unstable to mechanical stress, therefore it is mounted only on the frame;
• has a high degree of shrinkage over time;
• service life of 10 years, then glass wool loses its thermal insulation properties;
• destroyed by sun exposure.

Despite the shortcomings, the material is very often used for room insulation, as it has a low cost and ease of installation.

When working with glass wool, it is necessary to use protective equipment - goggles, a mask, gloves and tight clothing, since small, sharp particles of the material cause severe itching when it comes into contact with the skin.

How to choose the right material for indoor insulation

Before you mount the wall insulation from the inside with your own hands, we choose the right insulator that meets the following requirements:

• human safety;
• environmental friendliness;
• durability;
• fire resistance;
• vapor permeability;
• low thermal conductivity;
• moisture resistance.

With internal insulation, the house stands even before the start of installation, they equip a good ventilation system, otherwise the microclimate in the room will become unfavorable over time.

Comparative table of thermal insulation materials:

Material name	Density	Thermal conductivity	Vapor permeability	moisture absorption
Styrofoam	40	0, 037	0,05	2
Penoplex	28	0,028	0,006	0,2
Wood fiber	250-400	0,045-0,09	1	12
mineral wool	30-220	0,07	0,38-0,60	70
Ecowool	35-65	0,032-0,042	0,67	-
glass wool	10-50	0,029-0,052	0,5-0,6	10-15

Wall insulation technology from the inside

Experts advise using room insulation from the inside only in special cases, for example:

• if the apartment is located above the second floor, and for external insulation it is necessary to involve industrial climbers;
• in new buildings, if it is not possible to remove the facade finish and produce external thermal insulation;
• if the insulation of the facade violates the architectural ensemble.

Ways to insulate walls from the inside:

• by frame;
• on glue.

The first method does not require careful leveling of the bearing surface. In addition, it is very easy to fix the facing material to the frame, so if it is planned to build plasterboard walls after insulation, then the crate does not need to be mounted. If after insulation it is planned to plaster the surface, then there is no need for a frame. In any case, the method of fastening the material directly depends on the further finishing of the walls.

Frame insulation

Like a wall from inside a room on a frame? This thermal insulation of the walls from the inside, the process is laborious, but more reliable. Thanks to the frame, the fragile material is not subjected to mechanical stress, this is especially true if foam plastic is chosen as the heat-insulating material.

The wall does not need to be leveled, but before installation it is worth cleaning the surface of the plaster, if it has peeled off, dirt, dust and cover it with an antiseptic composition.

The frame is constructed of aluminum profiles or bars. Fastening is carried out on dowels or self-tapping screws - depending on the material from which the base is made. The step of the racks should be equal to the width of the material, for example, if a soft insulation for walls inside the walls is chosen, then the distance is reduced by two centimeters, when using foam or polystyrene, exactly 60 cm.

If a decision is made to use wooden elements as racks, then they should be treated with impregnation, which will prevent rotting and the formation of fungus.

As soon as the frame is ready, a heat insulator is laid in the gaps, all seams between the material are sealed with mounting foam. After the foam dries, it is cut flush. After that, you can proceed to the final finish.

Thermal insulation of walls inside the premises on the frame is made by the following materials:

• glass wool;
• basalt insulation;
• Styrofoam;
• wood fiber.

Any of the above materials can be mounted using lathing on the walls, except for foil insulation.

Installation of insulation on glue

This type of installation requires careful preparation of the plane of the walls before insulating.

They are cleaned of dust and dirt, degreased. Further work goes according to the following algorithm:

• walls after cleaning are subject to alignment and repair. Cracks are puttied, large protrusions are knocked down, and cavities are sealed with mortar;
• all planes are treated with an antiseptic, or a primer with an antimicrobial effect;
• the primer is applied in two layers;
• after drying, you can start mounting the plates on the glue, it is applied to the wall and to the material with a notched trowel;
• the glue will dry for 2-3 days;
• as soon as the surface dries, you need to perform additional fixation with dowels-umbrellas.

Do not forget that the installation of material layers is carried out with an offset. At the same time, it is imperative to waterproof the base surface and vapor barrier the insulation itself after installation.

The arrangement of insulation for glue has its limitations, since only dense pits are used for this, for example:

• Styrofoam;
• wood fiber;
• penoplex;
• forged insulation.

As soon as all the measures for the installation of the heat insulator are completed, proceed to the finish.

Finishes

Usually, when installing heat-saving boards on glue, they are plastered, using a forming mesh for gypsum composition, and fiberglass for putty. These measures will prevent cracking of the finish coat.

After all plastering and puttying work is completed, and the walls have dried out, we clean the surface with a fine abrasive mesh and paint it with a water emulsion of the desired shade.

For summer residents, owners of private houses, the question of how to insulate the house from the outside and with what remains one of the most relevant. How to properly insulate a house? Competent insulation of external walls not only creates a positive microclimate inside the home, but is very economically beneficial. After all, the need for constant use of heating systems in cold weather is eliminated - therefore, you pay less for electricity. The second aspect is the constant "correct" temperature inside the room, the absence of humidity and, as a result, the exclusion of the appearance of fungus, mold, and putrefactive processes.

You can insulate the house from the outside with your own hands using various modern materials. Initially, you need to look at what the walls of the house are made of, and then decide on the choice of insulation. Each insulation has its own fastening technology. External thermal insulation is also good because it does not reduce the volume of the room, does not provoke the accumulation of moisture, and prevents the walls from “sweating”. Consider the most commonly used heaters and the specifics of their installation, ways to insulate the house from the outside.

Foam insulation

To insulate the house from the outside with polystyrene foam is a rational solution. This home insulation is good for everyone: it is light, inexpensive, does not require the use of any special technologies or tools.

Installation steps:

1. First you need to prepare the surface, level it well. Styrofoam is produced in the form of plates, therefore, the smoother the outer part of the wall is, the better the fit (no voids), the less labor costs it will be possible to insulate the house.
2. The surface should be well cleaned, primed to eliminate the remains of glue or whitewash.
3. This is followed by the installation of external window sills (low tides).
4. Installation of the starting bar - the base, which will prevent the foam plates from sliding down. Also, this element helps to lay the plates evenly (observe the line).
5. To insulate the house, the laying of foam insulation begins from the bottom of the wall, the accuracy of the installation of the bottom plate is responsible for the evenness of all subsequent rows. For fixing plates, universal adhesive for facade work, silicone sealant, tile adhesive, and other varieties are suitable. Some craftsmen recommend fixing the plates with nails for greater reliability (3 days after installation). However, in this case, one should take into account the characteristics of the material from which the walls of the building were erected, whether it will be possible to use nails in this case.

As for houses made of timber, before insulating a wooden house from the outside, scrupulously examine the surface for holes and cracks, and then seal them with mineral wool, polyurethane foam or ecowool. There should be no drafts or air pockets.

Before proceeding to describe the characteristics of another insulation, it is worth clarifying some of the nuances regarding the foam. To the frequently asked question: is it possible for them to insulate the house from the outside, the answer will be positive - yes, you can.

It is characterized by fairly good thermal insulation parameters, but at the same time there is an opinion that it is short-lived, has high flammability, and is unsafe in terms of ecology.

Let's look at these factors in more detail:

1. Styrofoam contains polymer additives that are really flammable. However, the danger can only threaten when the installation of the plates was carried out incorrectly, the safety requirements and the rules for operating this particular material were not observed. It is quite successfully used at different stages of building houses, if all stages of the insulation "pie" are correctly carried out, then everything will be fine. Its ignition temperature is 491 degrees, which is almost twice as high as that of wood or paper-based materials. Thus, in terms of flammability, it is no more dangerous than wooden furniture or floors.
2. It is difficult to voice an objective opinion regarding the durability of foam plastic, for the reason that it is relatively young. When choosing, pay attention to its manufacturer, as well as its quality. Most manufacturers guarantee its service life as a heater up to 70 years, taking into account temperature fluctuations from -40 to +40 ° C.
3. Styrofoam is non-toxic, non-toxic, biologically neutral. There has not yet been a single case of a builder or a person who constantly works with him, poisoned or fell ill. When in contact with it, you do not need to wear respirators or protective gloves. It is distinguished by the effect of "breathing" - this allows you to maintain an acceptable level of humidity inside the room.
4. On forums devoted to construction topics, sometimes there is information that foam insulation does not provide heat gain. This opinion is correct, but we should not forget that it perfectly retains heat in the house. If you decide to insulate the walls with it, then approximately 30% of the heat that used to "leave" the street will remain indoors. It is very important, before you insulate the walls outside in a private house with foam plastic or polystyrene foam, to determine its thickness, which is required specifically for your home.

Comparative characteristics of materials for insulation

Very often you can hear the question, what is the difference between foam plastic and foam plastic? These heat-insulating materials are really almost the same: both are light in weight, moisture resistant, do not rot, are afraid of solvents, acetone. Both have a "related" origin - a method of foaming polystyrene. In appearance, their difference lies in a different color - the penoplex has a yellow-orange color. But when the question arises, what is the best way to insulate the walls of the house from the outside with foam plastic or foam plastic, the latter demonstrates higher rates of density, moisture resistance, and airtightness.

If you live in a zone of high humidity, then when choosing a heater for external walls, it is better to opt for foam. The same mineral wool in such conditions is completely unsuitable for insulating walls and foundations.

A short list of characteristics of penoplex:

• higher density, respectively, slightly reduced thermal insulation performance;
• higher moisture resistance;
• higher degree of flammability;
• treated with flame retardants, which affects its environmental friendliness.

In turn, foam:

• lower density (brittle);
• higher heat preservation (due to the friability of the structure);
• the degree of moisture resistance is lower (again, due to friability);
• low soundproofing performance;
• performs better in combination with other more durable building materials.

Otherwise, they are almost the same, the choice is yours how to insulate.

Now let's look at what is the best way to insulate the house from the outside, with foam plastic or mineral wool? Again, the choice is always determined by many factors: price, climatic conditions, the material from which the house was built. For example, mineral wool (stone wool, glass wool) is optimal for a wooden house, it is a non-combustible building material. When working with mineral wool, wear protective clothing, gloves, and a respirator.

If we consider the characteristics of both heaters from manufacturers, then approximately the same thermal conductivity parameters will be indicated. In fact, this is not entirely true - the foam during insulation shows the best results. Only dense balsalt wool in slabs can be compared with it - one of the varieties of mineral wool. In terms of ease of installation, foam insulation also wins: no protection when working with the material, low weight, no dust during processing. Plus, insulating with foam is cheaper than with mineral wool in terms of cost.

Mineral wool performs better at the joints, cold bridges are practically excluded, while polystyrene sins with this. The problem is solved if, for individual stages of work, sheets with an L-shaped edge are selected. How to insulate the walls of the house from the outside if they have an uneven surface? Mineral wool is good because it can be cut into fragments of any shape and size - this is very convenient when insulating uneven walls. For foam insulation, the surface must be flat.

Sometimes they are used together, this technique is called multi-layer thermal insulation. In such cases, the foam should be located under the mineral wool. Mineral wool should act as the top layer.

How to insulate a block house from the outside?

Some modern building materials used for the construction of houses initially have high thermal insulation performance. Often, the manufacturer assures that a house built from this material will not need additional insulation. This is not always the case, take, for example, aerated concrete - an excellent environmentally friendly building material with a cellular structure. It really has high rates of thermal insulation, but it also needs insulation.

How to insulate an aerated concrete house from the outside? Due to the high vapor permeability, foam or foam plastic should be immediately excluded. In case of violation of air exchange between the interior and the external environment, condensate collects on the border of the wall and the heat-insulating material (which is why it is constantly wet). If aerated concrete gets wet, mold, fungi will start on it, putrefactive processes will begin. In this situation, polyurethane foam or mineral wool in the form of mats will be appropriate as a heater.

Initially, the surface of the wall is cleaned of debris, then primed. Any irregularities are plastered with a special mixture.

Installation steps:

1. Mineral wool in mats is attached to the treated surface with suitable adhesive mixtures, but in no case with dowels.
2. Fiberglass is laid on top (silicate glue to help), it acts as a reinforcing layer.
3. To insulate those places where window or door openings are located, the insulation material is mounted with a reinforcing mesh or corners.
4. Then follows the turn of plastering and finishing, for example, painting.

The presence of high-quality waterproofing is extremely important for walls made of aerated concrete, since the porous structure actively absorbs moisture. When insulating such a house, dowels and self-tapping screws should be excluded, since any slightest cracks or cracks can lead to disastrous results for the entire structure. Suitable adhesive mixtures or chemical anchors may be used.

How to insulate a house from a bar outside?

Now let's look at how to insulate a house from a wooden beam 150 × 150 from the outside. In theory, foam or foam plastic could also be used here, but there is one “but” - they are not suitable for wooden houses due to ventilation requirements. Mineral wool passes air well and at the same time is thermal insulation. In turn, the foam is a reliable barrier to cold, but does not allow free air exchange, which is important for timber houses. If wooden walls are insulated with them, then after a while fungus and rot will appear on them, especially since in winter there will be nowhere to go from condensate.

In addition to mineral wool, you will need waterproofing, a construction stapler, self-tapping screws with anchors, a protective antifungal agent, which will need to be pre-treated with the surface of the walls.

The installation steps are as follows:

• wall preparation;
• laying the first waterproofing layer;
• installation of the crate;
• mineral wool laying;
• installation of the second waterproofing layer;
• how to close the insulation on the wall outside the house? The last step is decorative plaster or siding (or other suitable material).

Mineral wool should be located tightly, without through gaps. At the bottom, near the foundation and at the top, under the roof overhang, air should be left to ensure air circulation and steam removal (so that condensate does not settle on the vapor barrier layer).

basement insulation

What is the best way to insulate the basement of the house from the outside? The basement also takes on atmospheric precipitation, which means that the insulation for it must have reliable waterproof qualities. This part of the house can be insulated with foaming agents, mineral wool, polystyrene foam. Each of them requires an individual approach, installation features. However, the best and easiest to work with is polystyrene - durable, strong, moisture resistant. In all respects, this material is the most advantageous among other heaters.

Before installing polystyrene boards, the surface must be treated with a primer. Fastening is carried out on top of the waterproofing layer, with polyurethane glue or with the help of bitumen-polymer mastic. It is important that the adhesive mixture does not contain solvents - this destroys the material. The thicker the plate you choose, the better the insulation will be.

Any house, no matter what it is built from, needs proper insulation. The answer to the question of how to insulate a house from the outside and with what will depend on many factors: the source material of the building, the atmospheric features of the region, and the cost of the insulation. In any case, it is better to spend money on high-quality insulation outside once than to give heat to the street for years, to heat the house around the clock.

September 7, 2016
Specialization: facade finishing, interior finishing, construction of dachas, garages. The experience of an amateur gardener and horticulturist. He also has experience repairing cars and motorcycles. Hobbies: playing the guitar and much more, for which there is not enough time :)

Warming the house from the outside is, on the one hand, a fairly simple procedure that you can handle on your own, even without any experience. But, on the other hand, this operation raises a lot of questions, moreover, it requires strict adherence to technology, otherwise the result will not meet your expectations. Therefore, below I will describe to you several ways to perform external insulation as efficiently as possible and without damage to the structure.

External insulation methods

Many people who encounter insulation for the first time do not know how best to place the insulation from the inside or outside. According to SNiP 3.03.01-87, in private houses, for a number of reasons, external thermal insulation should be performed:

• if you place the heat insulator from the inside, the walls will freeze even more than before the insulation. Moreover, a heat insulator will form in the space between the wall and the insulation;
• from the inside it is impossible to provide thermal insulation of the ceiling, as a result of which the insulation is defective;
• internal thermal insulation reduces living space.

Thus, the answer to the question posed above is unequivocal - internal insulation is performed only in cases of emergency.

So, if you decide to insulate the house from the outside with your own hands, you will need dry heat-insulating material in the form of plates or mats for this purpose. As a rule, mineral wool or polystyrene foam is used as a heater. With their help, you can insulate the facade in several ways:

• wet facade- the technology consists in gluing insulation and applying plaster over it. This method is widely used due to its relative cheapness. Its disadvantage is the low strength of the facade and fragility, compared with other finishing methods;

• hinged facade- is a frame to which facade materials are attached (siding, lining, facade, etc.). The insulation is located in the space between the finishing material and the wall. This finish is more durable, but at the same time more expensive;
• cladding with thermal insulation blocks, which can be made of wood concrete, foam concrete, gas silicate, etc. I must say that the thermal insulation properties of these materials are worse than polystyrene foam or, for example, mineral wool. However, they are more durable.

If, for example, you need to insulate an old wooden or country frame house, then this method of insulation is the best solution. Moreover, block insulation can be combined with other heat insulators.

Everyone should decide how and with what to insulate the house from the outside, depending on the situation, financial capabilities and wishes regarding the design of the facade. As you can see, each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Below we will consider in more detail all the insulation options described above.

Wet facade

First of all, I will tell you how to properly perform a wet facade. For this you will need the following materials:

• insulation in the form of mats or plates (mineral wool, polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam);
• special dowels for insulation ("fungi");
• glue for insulation;
• perforated aluminum corners
• fiberglass mesh;
• primer;
• decorative plaster;
• dye.

Before buying a heat insulator, people are always interested in - what is the best way to insulate a house from the outside? If the house is brick or made of other non-combustible materials, you can save money and use foam. If the structure is wooden, it is necessary to use mineral wool, which will serve as protection against fire.

The process of installing a heater with your own hands looks like this:

1. first of all, you need to prepare the facade for work - dismantle all the elements that will interfere with the installation of insulation;
2. then you need to dilute the glue with water according to the instructions on the package;
3. then the glue is applied to the surface of the insulation using a notched trowel. If the walls are uneven, you can apply glue with "blunders" in the corners and in the center, which will give more opportunity to align the plates with respect to each other.

It should be noted that at this stage it is necessary to ensure a smooth vertical surface of the walls, therefore, in the process of gluing the insulation, you need to use a level and beacons (a horizontally stretched thread along the wall, along which each row of the heat insulator is aligned);

1. further, the insulation is additionally fixed with dowels. To do this, holes are drilled in the wall directly through the slabs or mats. It is necessary to hammer in the dowels so that they are recessed and do not protrude above the wall surface;

1. according to the same scheme, slopes are pasted over, the only thing is that they are not fixed with dowels;
2. after that, the evenness of the walls should be checked by the rule, if necessary, individual sections can be rubbed with a grater;
3. after that, perforated aluminum corners are glued to all external corners;
4. then the hats of the self-tapping screws are smeared with glue;
5. The next step is to glue the mesh. To do this, use the same glue that is applied with a spatula to the surface of the insulation. A mesh is immediately applied to the treated surface and a spatula is drawn along it, as a result of which it is embedded in the adhesive composition.

I note that the mesh must first be cut into canvases of the required length, taking into account the fact that it should overlap and turn into corners;

1. after drying, the glue is re-applied to the surface of the walls with a thin layer. In order for the composition to lay down evenly, the solution must be made more liquid than for gluing;
2. when the glue dries, the surface is treated with a primer using a paint roller. The composition is applied in two passes;

1. after the soil dries, decorative plaster is applied to the surface and leveled with a small one. When the composition begins to set, the plaster is rubbed with small circular or reciprocating movements;
2. the final step is painting. There is nothing complicated in this procedure - the roller must be dipped in a bath of paint and then treated with a wall. The paint is applied in two layers.

This completes the work. It should be noted that this technology can be used to insulate not only a private house, but also an apartment.

hinged facade

To make a hinged facade on your own is no more difficult than a wet one. To do this, prepare the following materials:

• insulation in the form of mats or plates;
• metal profile or wooden beam for mounting the frame;
• adjustable brackets;
• vapor barrier film;
• dowels for insulation;
• finishing material for the facade.

Many people are sure that the cheaper the heat insulator, the better. However, the same mineral wool or polystyrene can be of different quality. For example, cheap mineral wool can be exposed to moisture, and foam plastic can easily ignite and support combustion, so it is better to use materials from well-known brands, even if they are not the cheapest.

The instructions for warming look like this:

1. after preparing the facade, you must first perform installation. There are quite a few options for its design and location of the insulation in it. Most often, racks are mounted on brackets, between which mats or plates are placed.
   I must say that the installation of the frame is the most critical stage, since the evenness of the walls depends on it. Therefore, all racks must be placed in the same vertical plane;

1. then a heater is laid between the racks and fixed with dowels;
2. then a vapor barrier film is attached over the insulation. As a rule, it is fixed on the frame. To do this, you can use the rails, which are mounted horizontally, while the film is located between them and the racks;
3. at the end of the work, the frame is sheathed with facade material, after which additional elements are installed - ebbs, corners, etc.

This completes the installation of the hinged facade with your own hands.

Facing with heat-insulating blocks

If you need to insulate an old, for example, log house, then it is better to build additional walls for it, which will also serve as a heater. Of course, this will have to spend more time and effort, but the result fully justifies these costs.

There are quite a few options for cladding walls. The most common materials are:

• blocks of Sibit (it is more correct to say aerated concrete, since Sibit is the name of the enterprise, which the people began to call the material produced by it);
• wood concrete blocks - made from wood chips mixed with cement;
• gas silicate blocks - resemble aerated concrete, however, lime is used as the basis for their composition. In addition, this material is obtained by autoclave;
• from polystyrene concrete - contain foam granules in their structure;
• from expanded clay concrete - contain expanded clay granules in their structure.

So that you can decide on the materials yourself and understand, for example, the better a block of gas silicate is in comparison, for example, with aerated concrete, below I will give a table with the main characteristics of these materials:

As we can see, some materials win in strength, others in thermal conductivity. For example, a gas silicate block is more durable than an arbolite block, but at the same time it is more heat-conducting.

Of course, the price of the material is also an important factor in the choice. Arbolite blocks cost about 4,000 rubles per cube, and polystyrene concrete material costs about the same. The price of gas silicate is a little cheaper - about 3,000 rubles per cubic meter.

The house cladding technology is as follows:

• around the perimeter of the house is a shallow foundation. On our portal you can find detailed information about the arrangement of such a foundation;
• then the foundation is waterproofed with several layers of roofing material;
• further along the perimeter of the house a wall is being erected. Since the blocks are large, laying is much easier than brick. However, in any case, it is necessary to ensure that they lie flat and in the same plane, therefore, in the process of work, it is necessary to use the level, plumb lines and beacons;

• if a wooden country house is faced, after several rows, pins are laid in the facing wall, which are pre-hammered into the wooden wall. The pitch of the pins should be about a meter and a half.

Walls built from heat-insulating blocks need further finishing, for example, plastering. Therefore, this technology of insulation is rarely used. Most often it is used in cases where it is necessary to strengthen and insulate a garden house.

If the same procedure is required for a residential building, you can brick it and place mineral mats between the walls. Of course, the costs in this case will be much higher, but additional finishing will not be needed, and the building will acquire a solid and presentable appearance.

Here, in fact, are all the options for external insulation of houses that I wanted to acquaint you with.

Conclusion

As we found out, there are several ways of effective external insulation of houses, which have their own advantages and disadvantages. Regardless of the technology that will be optimal for you, you can cope with this task yourself. The main thing is not to violate the sequence of actions described above and do the work carefully.

For more information, see the video in this article. If during the process of warming you encounter any difficulties or some points are not completely clear to you, ask questions in the comments, and I will be happy to answer you.

September 7, 2016

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