When building private houses, mistakes are often made, due to which it is very cold in the rooms in winter, and you have to spend a lot of money on heating. Correct this situation allows competent insulation. In the article, we will consider materials suitable for repairs, as well as the procedure for their installation.
Characteristics of heaters - 5 points worth dwelling on
In order to qualitatively insulate the walls of the house from the inside, it is necessary to understand what properties the materials used should have. The most important characteristics of thermal insulation materials are:
- 1. The degree of thermal insulation. Different heaters are characterized by a different degree of thermal insulation, some materials better prevent indoor cooling, others worse.
- 2. Dimensions. Insulation materials with equal characteristics of thermal insulation can have different thicknesses. It is best to use thin materials, the installation of which will not reduce the usable area of the rooms too much.
- 3. Water vapor permeability. The means used must not hinder the evaporation of moisture. If the steam creates condensation, it can lead to mold and mildew on the walls.
- 4. Density of joints. The denser the joints are, the less the likelihood of the appearance of so-called cold bridges, which not only reduce the quality of insulation, but also increase the wear of internal facing materials.
- 5. Complexity of installation. The easier it is to install thermal insulation materials, the easier it will be to carry out repair work on your own, without involving professionals in the installation.
We also recommend paying attention to the ability of the materials used to maintain their shape throughout the entire service life. The cheapest heaters quickly deform, lose their useful qualities, which may soon lead to the need for repeated repairs, therefore it is better to insulate the walls with high-quality means.
Mineral wool is one of the most popular heat insulators
Minvata is a common and affordable thermal insulation material. It is popular with both professional builders and private owners who want to insulate the house from the inside with minimal investment. Mineral wool has many advantages, but the main one is its low weight, that is, its use in repairs will not create an additional load on the load-bearing structural elements of a residential building.
The lightness of the mineral wool is especially important when it is necessary to insulate the walls from the inside in a private frame house, the partitions and the foundation in which cannot withstand the additional loads from thermal insulation. Despite its popularity and availability, mineral wool has many significant drawbacks that must be borne in mind. The negative features of mineral wool include:
- 1. Absorption of moisture, which over time leads to the loss of the material's original shape and technical characteristics.
- 2. Relatively low level of thermal insulation.
- 3. The likelihood of the formation of cold bridges due to the impossibility of insulating the joints between the slabs with cotton wool.
You can also insulate a house from the inside with the help of basalt wool, it is similar to mineral wool, but it retains heat and its own shape much better under negative external influences. Its positive qualities are due to the presence of natural basalt in the fibers, which, among other things, is able to withstand even strong temperature drops. The main disadvantage of basalt wool is its high cost.
Polyfoam and penoplex - which is better?
Polyfoam is also very popular when insulating the walls of a residential building from the inside, especially if the work is done by hand. Its main difference from mineral wool is its ability to maintain its shape for a long time. It does not interact with moisture, but does not let it pass through itself, which is a disadvantage. Polyfoam has very low vapor permeability characteristics, condensate remains on the insulation and does not evaporate. Low vapor permeability often leads to the formation of fungus and mold, therefore this insulation is not recommended for use in wet rooms.
It is not necessary to use polystyrene for the insulation of wooden houses, because of the accumulated moisture, the structural elements of the building made of natural wood may suffer. Some owners refuse to use foam, considering it too flammable. In fact, modern foam production involves the addition of special fire retardants to its composition, which prevent the material from igniting and create a kind of barrier to the spread of fire inside the premises, since under the influence of high temperature the foam simply decomposes into water and carbon dioxide, which do not burn.
The insulation of the walls of the house from the inside can also be performed with the help of a more modern type of polystyrene - penoplex. It differs from polystyrene in a higher density, which has a positive effect on the required thickness of the insulation, which means it is much better suited for thermal insulation of a house from the inside. Penoplex is completely safe for humans, it is actively used in the construction of private houses, children's and public institutions.
Polyurethane - is it easy to use?
Polyurethane has a good degree of thermal insulation and is considered the best material for insulating concrete walls. Even a thin layer of polyurethane foam (a few centimeters) is quite enough to significantly improve the microclimate in residential premises. Typically, polyurethane is used to insulate thin external walls that require maximum insulation with the smallest possible insulation thickness. An important advantage of polyurethane foam is that it has no joints, because of which cold bridges could form.
In almost all characteristics, polyurethane surpasses its main competitors in the thermal insulation market - mineral wool and foam. The main disadvantage of this material is the high complexity of installation work. Only professionals with special expensive equipment are able to properly insulate the wall with mounting foam from the inside. It makes no sense to buy equipment for mixing and spraying polyurethane on walls for one-time use, it is much cheaper and more efficient to contact specialists who already have the necessary equipment and know how to use it correctly.
Installation of mineral wool and ecowool in a frame house
The most difficult task for thermal insulation with mineral wool is to create an airtight vapor barrier that should protect the material from moisture and condensation. It is best to use slabs of mineral or basalt wool for insulation, corresponding in size to the distance between the vertical posts of the frame house. If this distance is 60 cm, then the slabs must be the same size. The density of the boards used must be more than 30 kg / m 3 with a sheet thickness of 5 cm.
The number of layers of insulation in each case must be selected individually, taking into account the climatic conditions in the region. For the southern regions of Russia, 2 layers of thermal insulation are usually sufficient, and in the northern regions, install at least 3 layers.
If the frame house has external insulation, then a vapor barrier layer is already installed in the walls, which does not have to be duplicated in order to insulate the walls of the house from the inside. Install mineral wool slabs between the vertical posts of the frame house, cover them on top with a vapor barrier material from the membrane. The vapor barrier is installed with an overlap, and the seams are additionally fixed with reinforced construction tape. On top of the membrane film, you need to install a crate made of wood, on which you can hang the inner wall cladding. For the finishing of rooms in a frame house, it is best to use drywall or wooden finishing materials.
Ecowool is a special material that is applied to walls by spraying. It is not necessary to buy a vacuum cleaner for such work, you can just rent it. Three different methods are used to apply ecowool. "Dry" application involves spraying ecowool with a hose into previously prepared cavities inside the walls. "Wet" installation - mixing ecowool with water, which increases its adhesion to building materials, that is, when sprayed, such a mixture simply sticks to surfaces. The "glue" method involves adding glue to the insulation, which is necessary for adhesion of the composition to metal and concrete surfaces.
We insulate a brick building - how to act?
In brick houses, walls can be insulated from the inside with more materials. The most important thing is that the products used have good thermal insulation characteristics and have a small thickness. In a frame house, the insulation can be quite thick, since it is located directly inside the walls and does not reduce the area of the rooms, in a brick building the size of the room directly depends on the thickness of the insulation.
Most often, plaster, polystyrene and mineral wool are used to insulate brick houses. The easiest way to improve the thermal insulation characteristics of a house with your own hands is using plaster. This method is preliminary leveling of the walls, after which a layer of liquid primer is applied to the surface. This consistency of the soil will allow it to fill gaps, crevices and other minor defects in the treated surface.
A fabric reinforcing mesh is laid on top of the primer, and plaster is placed on top. It has good thermal insulation characteristics, and it must be laid on the walls as evenly as possible. The quality of the work performed depends not only on the temperature inside the house, but also on the visual attractiveness of the walls. The composition must be applied with a spatula in two layers. The thickness of each layer should be no more than 2 cm. To improve the thermal insulation qualities of the plastered walls, after the facing material has hardened, it is covered with a finishing layer of plaster. Fine-grained sand is added to a solution of a liquid consistency and applied to the wall with a layer, the thickness of which should be about 5 mm.
Polyfoam also allows you to qualitatively insulate the walls of a brick house from the inside. In order to achieve the maximum improvement in the temperature conditions in the premises, the brick walls are pre-plastered, and then the surfaces are leveled to an ideal state with a putty. Smooth walls are needed so that the foam fits as tightly as possible to the covered surfaces.
A layer of waterproofing is laid on top of the prepared wall in the form of a vapor barrier film or liquid primer, after which the installation of foam sheets begins. The easiest way is to fix the insulation on a flat surface using special glue. The adhesive can be applied both to walls and to the insulating material itself. Then the sheets are firmly applied to the wall and pressed until the glue sets. To prevent cold bridges from forming during the operation of rooms, individual sheets of foam should be fitted as tightly as possible to each other. From above, the foam is closed with a vapor barrier and proceeds to the finishing of the walls.
Mineral wool requires preliminary waterproofing and vapor barrier. After installing the insulation, we install a vertical batten made of metal or wooden profiles. The distance between the profiles or slats should be equal to the width of the insulation boards used. Install mineral wool between the profiles. If the thickness of the mineral wool layers is greater than the thickness of the lathing, the insulation must be immediately fixed with a vapor barrier film. On top of the insulation, we fasten the crate to the profiles to install the finishing facing layer.
Wooden buildings retain heat well. But if in a warm climate, the natural properties of wood are sufficient to maintain comfortable conditions in the house, then in regions with low winter temperatures, the house must be additionally insulated. The installation of the heat insulator is carried out on the walls, floor, ceiling - if any surface is left uncoated, the insulation of a wooden house from the inside will be less effective. It would be most correct to do the insulation even during construction - it is much more difficult to carry out work in a habitable room
When installing the insulation, a gap is left between it and the finish for air circulation. This prevents the accumulation of moisture in the rooms, the appearance of mold and mildew.
How to insulate wooden houses inside
Most often, houses from a bar inside are insulated with various types of construction wool - basalt (mineral), fiberglass and others. These are lightweight and affordable materials, environmentally friendly. The industry produces rolled and block types of cotton wool.
Basalt wool retains heat well, but allows air to pass through. Thanks to this quality, fungus and mold do not appear in the rooms.
Glass wool absorbs a lot of moisture, therefore, in order to avoid the appearance of condensation, an additional layer of waterproofing is made for it. The big drawback of glass wool is its complex structure. The material is saturated with a large number of glass microparticles (hence the name). When working with cotton wool, they get into the respiratory organs, on clothes. To work safely with glass wool, special clothing and a respirator are required.
All types of cotton wool are easy to install. To install a heat insulator made of such a material, no high qualifications are required. Roll types of cotton wool have high plasticity, but they are less dense in comparison with block ones. When working with roll materials, you can cut off the required amount of insulator. Tiled ones are made of the same size, therefore, during the installation of the lathing, the sizes of the pieces are taken into account.
Source building.lvWarming of wooden walls is also carried out with polystyrene or expanded polystyrene.
Expanded polystyrene popular due to its low cost. In addition, it is easy to work with and retains heat well. It is a good sound insulator. The disadvantage is the release of toxic substances by the material during combustion.
Video description
We will dwell in more detail on the insulation of the house with polystyrene foam. Find out how safe polystyrene foam is in our video:
Preparatory work
How to properly insulate the walls of a wooden house from the inside depends largely on the correctly selected materials. If this issue is resolved, then you can proceed to the preparatory work, which consists in preparing the surface and making the lathing.
For reference! When preparing the surface, it is required to seal the gaps that could appear between the beams or logs. To do this, you will need additional materials: tow, felt or polyurethane foam.
Wooden bars are most often used as the lathing. Less often, a metal crate is mounted. The metal for the lathing must be coated with an anti-corrosion compound.
Preparation of wooden surfaces
For high-quality application of the insulator, the surface is prepared for coating with insulation. Tow / felt / foam is placed in the slots. After the gap is completely closed, the foam has dried and its excess is removed, putty is applied to the wall. The layer of putty is carefully leveled. The wood is covered with a special compound that protects against mold and fungus. All wooden surfaces are treated with a fire-fighting compound before installing the insulation.
On our website you can get acquainted with the most popular projects of wooden houses from construction companies presented at the exhibition of houses "Low-rise Country".
Basalt wool insulation technology
After the walls (ceiling) have dried after processing, they begin to install the insulation.
Stages of work when insulating walls with basalt wool:
Define extreme elements lathing. They are carefully checked using a level and a plumb line, since further installation work depends on their position.
Fix the first vertical bar with screws and dowels.
At a distance of 1 m, the following are fixed vertical slats and so on, until the entire surface is covered with a crate. For the installation of rolled wool, the installation of the battens at this stage ends.
If there is windows or doorways, separate bars are installed along their perimeter.
For installation lump heat insulator make a lathing mesh with horizontal elements. Horizontal strips are stuffed onto the resulting vertical mesh at an equal distance. The distances between the bars must correspond to the dimensions of the insulation. The result is a mesh for the installation of thermal insulation.
In the cavity between the fixed strips, place cotton wool... When installing the heat insulator on the walls, do not use glue or other means of fixing. If the lathing is done correctly, then the cotton wool will fit snugly to the surface, but you must remember about the ventilation gap. If the ceiling is insulated, then the insulation will have to be fixed.
Any cotton wool has a porous structure, so it accumulates moisture. Therefore, when insulating a wooden house with cotton wool, it is imperative to cover it with a vapor barrier. When installing roll material, cut the required length and fix it on the wall. Before starting work, you should calculate how much material is needed to insulate a wooden house. Add 10% to the resulting number.
On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer a house insulation service. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the Low-Rise Country exhibition of houses.
Styrofoam installation
Polyfoam is rarely used as insulation. Despite the fact that the material has low thermal conductivity and retains heat well with a small thickness, it is considered an economy option.
Video description
For some thoughts on the use of foam and polystyrene foam, see the video:
In particular, there are many complaints about the release of toxins during combustion, plus it is believed that foam plastic evaporates harmful substances into the air at ordinary temperatures.
The material does not allow steam to pass through well and in a room without good ventilation, moisture will constantly accumulate.
Relatively easy installation can be attributed to the advantages of the material, which means that high qualifications will not be required from workers, and the cost of work will be lower.
Polyfoam is available in slabs of various sizes and thicknesses Source on-woman.com
Stages of work on the installation of foam:
On a previously prepared surface install the crate with a step of strips equal to the size of the foam plates. Installation begins with load-bearing walls.
Between the bars stack foam while maintaining the ventilation gap.
Fix on top of the insulation membrane film... If it is possible to use other materials for other insulators, a special film with membranes is chosen for the foam. It will allow you to maintain a normal microclimate in the room.
Completing the installation of insulation finishing works.
Floor insulation
The concrete floor must be insulated. The wooden one is covered with a heat insulator at will, but after insulation, the room will be much warmer.
In wooden houses, the insulation is laid on the rough floor and the finishing floor is already mounted on top.
A film with a membrane, polyethylene is used as a vapor barrier. Warming with the use of roofing roofing is popular among the people. This material has been known for a long time, it is cheap, it protects well from moisture, and is durable.
Mineral wool is used as insulation for the floor. It is cheap, easy to install, durable, has good heat and sound insulation properties. In addition, a relatively new material is increasingly used - expanded polystyrene, which is gradually replacing cotton wool from the building materials market.
The sequence of actions when installing insulation on the floor of a wooden house.
Aligns surface for insulation.
Is being laid waterproofer/ vapor barrier, the task of which is to prevent moisture from the outside from entering the insulation. In regions with wet soil, this stage should be given special attention.
Install lags... The thickness of the lag should be at least 5 cm. The distance from the wall is 30 cm. The distance between the beams is 50 cm.
Lay between the lags insulation... The presence of voids between separate pieces of heat insulator is not allowed.
Lay on top of the insulation vapor barrier film.
After the formation of all layers, lay clean floor.
Video description
How the insulation is installed on the walls of a wooden house from the inside, see the video:
Vapor barrier
If there is a need to install a vapor barrier, it is better to use a special film with a membrane.
It will allow the walls to pass air normally, and after installation, condensation will not accumulate inside the "cake". To install a vapor barrier, a film or polyethylene is applied to the insulation. Allowance is made around the edges.
Elimination of heat loss
The weakest points in terms of cold penetration are the joints. There should be no gaps between individual pieces of insulation. The insulating material is laid tightly against the battens. For floor insulation, an important point is the connection with the walls. In these places, the insulation is laid with a slight overlap on the walls and fixed.
When applying a vapor barrier, make sure that each layer of material is superimposed on the previous one with a slight overlap.
Insulation material is applied directly between wooden beams before insulating the walls of a wooden house from the inside. For this, long-known materials are used - tow, linen rope, flax. You can fill the joints of the bars with modern sealants - latex, acrylic, rubber.
Also, to reduce heat loss in a wooden house, the "warm seam" method is used.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that it was previously believed that a wooden house should be insulated exclusively from the outside, modern materials allow high-quality insulation of a building from the inside. With such insulation, the external design is not disturbed and there is no need to carry out work at a height if the house is two-story or with an attic. The main thing is to choose the right material for insulation and entrust the work to professionals who know all the additional nuances. For example, they can calculate where the dew point will be after insulation so that condensation does not form right inside the wall.
Most of the constructed panel and brick houses did not provide for facade insulation. Concrete and bricks have high density and low thermal insulation properties. The consequence is cold walls and uncomfortable temperatures. There are several ways to insulate from the inside, the main thing is to avoid the appearance of dampness.
Dew point - physics of the phenomenon
A cold wall is not the only drawback of panel or brick houses. Often dampness and accompanying fungus and mold appear on it. The best way to fight is to insulate the wall from the outside (this is also a requirement of SNiP), but this is not always possible. Therefore, you have to fight the cold wall, insulating it from the inside. But there are pitfalls here.
Even if the cold wall was previously dry, dampness may appear when it is insulated from the inside. And the so-called dew point will be to blame.
The dew point is a conditional boundary at which the temperature of water vapor becomes equal to the temperature of condensation formation. It manifests itself, naturally, in the cold season. With the correct design of the house (taking into account the characteristics of the region), it is approximately in the middle of the thickness of the facade made of a material of uniform density.
If insulation is carried out from the outside, then the dew point shifts in the direction of decreasing density (that is, to the outer surface of the wall). When insulated from the inside, it moves inward, and condensation may appear on the surface of the main wall or inside the insulation.
And in order to assess the scale of possible damage, suffice it to say that as a result of the vital activity of one person, about 4 liters of water evaporate per day (cooking, wet cleaning, personal hygiene, laundry, etc.).
Features of cold wall insulation from the inside
There are several ways that can prevent condensation from forming on a wall insulated from the inside:
- Creation of a layer of heat-insulating material with a vapor permeability less than that of the facade material.
- Insulation using materials with minimal water absorption.
- Application of ventilated facade technology (taking into account internal placement).
Liquid insulation
Polyurethane foam
PPU insulation meets all the requirements for vapor barrier, water absorption and absence of seams. Therefore, even if there is a dew point inside the layer, it will remain "conditional", since there is no condensation in vapor-impermeable materials. It turns out from the side of the room a completely sealed heat-insulating layer.
Environmental friendliness of PU foam after hardening meets the requirements for residential premises. Harmful fumes are present only when the components are mixed during the spraying process - after polymerization, the structure of the material remains stable.
Thermal insulation is applied between the crate and sewn up with moisture-resistant sheet materials (gypsum board, OSB or plywood). Basically, it's like a large prefabricated sandwich panel.
The disadvantage of this method is the use of special equipment.
Liquid ceramics
This is a relatively young heat-insulating material, the action of which is based on the use of two principles - the creation of a thin layer with a high resistance to heat transfer and the reflection of heat towards the radiation source.
Of course, a thin heat-insulating layer cannot provide good thermal insulation - this is an auxiliary, but necessary factor. Although it gives a rather high effect - the wall becomes much "warmer" to the touch.
The main task of reducing heat loss is performed by microscopic ceramic spheres that reflect infrared radiation.
According to the manufacturers, the effect of a 1.5 mm layer can be compared to thermal insulation with 5 cm thick foam or 6.5 cm mineral wool.
The method of application is the same as for acrylic paint (the base is the same). After polymerization, a dense and durable film forms on the surface, and latex additives improve the waterproofing properties.
Roll insulation
Penofol
Penofol is a combination of polyethylene foam with aluminum foil. This is a whole series of materials (including one-sided, two-sided, laminated, with an adhesive layer). Moreover, it can be used both in combination with other heat-insulating materials, and independently. By the way, penofol is popular when insulating a bath from the inside, and even there is much more steam than in an ordinary living room.
For insulation of a cold wall, penofol is used with one layer of foil (one-sided) and up to 5 mm thick.
In the case, as with liquid ceramics, the effect is achieved due to the low thermal conductivity of foamed polyethylene, as well as its low vapor permeability and high reflective properties of the foil (up to 97%).
But unlike seamless coatings, it is impossible to achieve complete sealing and preventing the appearance of cold bridges. Consequently, condensation can form on the surface of the foil. Even the obligatory sealing of the joints with adhesive aluminum foil will still leave gaps between adjacent sheets inside.
The method of combating the formation of condensation on the foil is traditional - a crate with a ventilated gap between the foam foil and the outer cladding.
Polyphom
Another version of foamed polyethylene, but already made in the form of a kind of wallpaper - a layer of paper is located on both sides. Polyfom and is intended for pasting wallpaper on it.
Of course, its thermal insulation properties are not as high as that of penofol, but they are quite enough to make a cold wall feel warmer to the touch.
In most cases, the insignificant thickness of the insulation does not lead to the movement of the dew point to the inner surface.
The disadvantage of this method is that only a dry wall is insulated.
Warming with expanded polystyrene
Expanded polystyrene (or extruded polystyrene foam) is glued to the prepared and leveled wall. Both materials have very low water absorption (especially extruded polystyrene foam), so the formation of condensation in the insulation layer is excluded. The main danger is its appearance on the surface of the insulated wall.
Therefore, it is best to glue the sheets onto special hydrophobic adhesive mixtures applied over the entire surface of the sheets. And to prevent the penetration of water vapor from the side of the room, treat the seams with a sealant (you can also use foam with a step or a thorn-groove connection).
Finishing can be done in two ways:
- mesh reinforcement and plastering;
- paneling on a load-bearing frame fixed to the floor, ceiling and adjoining walls (plasterboard false wall).
Mineral wool insulation
Mineral wool does not meet the requirements for vapor permeability and water absorption for insulation from the inside. But it can be used.
The main thing is to provide maximum protection from humid air from the side of the room and the weathering of water vapor from the insulation layer. That is, to make a ventilated facade, but in the reverse order: wall, gap, vapor-permeable membrane, mineral wool, vapor barrier film, decorative cladding inside the room.
It is necessary to create a false wall at a distance of 2-3 cm from the main wall. And to weather the water vapor from the bottom and top, make ventilation holes.
One of the most important conditions for living in an apartment is a good heat supply, for which either the centralized heating system or autonomous equipment installed by the residents is responsible. However, the efficiency of heating directly depends on the correct thermal insulation of the premises.
Let's consider how to insulate a wall in an apartment in order to increase the air temperature and at the same time reduce energy consumption for heating. For this, we present two detailed instructions for thermal insulation with popular types of insulation, in which each step is illustrated with photographs.
Also in this material we will consider less popular methods that can be used to insulate walls from the inside.
The predominant way to insulate the walls of apartments and houses is, nevertheless, which does not affect the displacement of the dew point and heats the entire wall.
If a layer of insulation is mounted from the inside, the wall freezes through to its full thickness, and moves closer to the living space.
A negative consequence of internal insulation is the loss of condensate, which over time destroys insulating and decorative materials, sharply reduces the effectiveness of thermal insulation and provokes the appearance of mold
However, the outdoor method is not always suitable. Difficulties arise with the installation of insulation on panel skyscrapers, as well as on walls adjacent to technical spaces, for example, an elevator shaft. If the building is a historical object, the appearance of the facade cannot be changed.
However, in some cases, you simply cannot do without thermal insulation:
Image gallery
If it is planned to erect a partition in an insulated room, then it can also be done using mineral wool, but it is better to replace the OSB plates with sheets of drywall.
Isover is placed between two walls of LGK, and each wall is made of 2 layers of drywall. Such a partition will protect from cold and noise no worse than a full-fledged reinforced concrete wall.
Both presented methods have disadvantages that must be taken into account when planning work.
Firstly, they take away part of the usable area and reduce the space of the living space around the perimeter, secondly, they require significant investments of the family budget, and thirdly, when using them, all the nuances of the technology must be observed.
A quick overview of other methods
Other technologies are also used, among which there are both outdated, but cheaper, and modern, requiring considerable investment.
Installation of expanded polystyrene or polystyrene
With the advent of EPS, it has become impractical to use ordinary press-free expanded polystyrene (PSB), since it has deteriorated characteristics.
Namely:
- burns and melts releasing hazardous substances;
- is fragile, due to which the pieces break under mechanical pressure;
- not protected from rodents.
In terms of parameters, it is inferior to extruded polystyrene foam, and this can be seen from the table of physical and technical properties of expanded polystyrene boards.
It is best to insulate the walls immediately, when building a house. However, there are times when you need to insulate the walls from the inside. As a rule, apartment owners face this when severe winters are stronger than the builder's insulation. Professionals say that insulating walls from the inside is not recommended for several reasons.
- This will "steal" part of the space. The fact is that in addition to insulation, which itself is quite voluminous, space will also be taken by facing materials, which cannot be done without. You can insulate the walls from the inside on your own, without resorting to the services of professional builders.
- At temperatures below -18 degrees, concrete walls in apartment buildings freeze, ice contacts the insulation, and this affects the main characteristics of insulation materials.
- At temperatures from 0 degrees to +10, condensation forms in the gap between the insulation and the wall. This can also degrade the quality of the insulation system.
Therefore, when insulating, it is necessary to adhere to the two most important rules:
- It is imperative to create a vapor barrier. This will save you from the formation of condensation and all the negative consequences associated with it.
- It is necessary to consider the ventilation system. If the ventilation is done poorly, then the moisture that should be removed through it will settle in the corners of the room. Because of this, a whole colony of unwanted and harmful microorganisms can form in the room.
You can insulate the walls from the inside on your own, without the help of professional builders. However, in order to do this, you need to study a sufficient amount of information in order to avoid mistakes.
The fact is that there are different types of insulation for different walls. What works well for a concrete wall may not work well for a brick or wood wall.
Today we will look at three types of materials that are suitable for keeping warm and cozy inside your home. Each of them is good in its own way and has a number of its disadvantages.
In everyday life, this type of insulation is often called simply mineral wool. It is a synthetic insulation with a fibrous structure. It is also called stone because it is made from basalt minerals. In the construction of modern buildings, heat and sound insulation is usually carried out using just mineral wool. Minvata has a number of advantages that consumers are guided by:
- Mineral wool is cheaper than many other materials, and this is an important factor, especially when carrying out large volumes of work.
- The length, width and thickness of mineral wool can be different, which means that you can choose the option that is right for you, and not adapt to the characteristics of the insulation.
- Its structure reduces sputtering during operation.
- Mineral wool is packed in small neat bales, which simplifies its transportation.
- Has a low level of thermal conductivity.
- Exfoliates well.
- Resistant to chemicals.
- Does not change shape under pressure.
- Minvata is a non-combustible material, resistant to temperature influences
- Water repellent.
In the end, mineral wool is very easy to use and therefore perfect for warming a room with your own hands.
However, one should also take into account the negative qualities of mineral wool for thermal insulation of a house. With strong heating, toxic substances are released: phenol-formaldehyde, carcinogenic fractions, etc. It is also not at all useful for the body to inhale particles of mineral wool from the air.
From what is written above, it is clear that working with mineral wool is unsafe for your health. Therefore, prepare carefully before proceeding. The room that needs to be insulated must be fenced off from the rest of the rooms with a partition. Try to make sure that there are no drafts around. Be sure to use a protective respirator, rubber work gloves, safety glasses. Keep children and animals away. When you're done, clean up immediately and thoroughly and change all your clothes clean.
Before starting work, you need to choose the material that suits you to achieve your goals. Minwatu is divided into several types and types.
Types of mineral wool:
- Lungs. Density - 10-90 kg / m3. They are used for insulating structures with a frame.
- Heavy. Density over 90 kg / m3. They are used for insulating frames, as they are resistant to heavy loads.
- Technical. This type is not of interest to us, it is used to insulate technical equipment.
Types of mineral wool, depending on the materials from which the insulation is made:
- Stelovata
- Stone wool
- Slag wool
Internal wall insulation with cotton wool is always in the same sequence. With experience, you will get through much faster.
So, let's begin.
The first stage is preparation
It is necessary to clean the surface from the remnants of paint, wallpaper and other materials, remove all protrusions. Then treat the walls against mildew. It is not at all necessary to level the walls; all irregularities can be eliminated during thermal insulation.
The second stage is the installation of the frame
Assemble the frame itself from metal strips at a distance of 5-10 cm from the wall. The frame may well be wooden, but the tree, as the builders say, "walks" and therefore this option is undesirable. The profile step in the vertical direction is from 60 to 100 cm.
Stage three - vapor barrier
Sheets of foil film with a shiny side overlap into the room. It is better to fasten the joints of the film with special adhesive tape.
Stage four - laying mineral wool
We put cotton wool between the slats of the finished frame. Lay as tightly and carefully as possible, because the quality of thermal insulation in the room depends on it.
The last stage is facing work
Cover the frame with plasterboard or plywood. Carefully putty the surface.
Ready! In the insulated room, you can start finishing work. Be creative! Nothing will limit your imagination, since such insulation will withstand any materials.
Drywall
Drywall (gypsum plasterboard) is a good choice when insulating a room. It itself has an insulating effect, which will be reinforced by the air cushion that forms behind it.
How to insulate a room from the inside with drywall with your own hands?
This operation can be freely performed without the help of professionals in several stages.
Measure the room and estimate how many sheets of gypsum board you will need in the process of carrying out the work.
Then clean the walls of wallpaper, paint, stucco and other debris. Be sure to carry out the treatment against mold, such walls in no case should be covered with drywall. Putty the walls and let the putty dry completely, only after that you can proceed to the next stage.
Build a frame. Of course, you can sculpt drywall directly on the walls, but there won't be much sense from such insulation due to the lack of an air cushion between the wall and the gypsum board. It was already mentioned above that the wooden frame is subject to deformation and it is better to give preference to the metal one. Foam tape must be laid under the hangers and guide profiles. This prevents cold penetration from the outer wall.
We sew drywall sheets onto the finished frame.
That's all, you can start finishing work. Drywall not only insulates the room, but also improves the microclimate in it.
Penofol
Penofol insulation with a base of polyethylene foam of different density, covered with a thin layer of polished aluminum foil. Foam thickness varies from 2 to 40 mm, but 4 cm is used only in harsh climates. The thickness of the foil layer is only 20 microns. In fact, penofol is the same thermos. It was first used for making space suits. Later, these technologies were applied in construction.
This material has a lot of positive qualities:
1.Environmental friendliness. The same materials are used for food storage. According to some reports, penofol even protects against radiation.
2. This insulation is very thin, so it practically does not hide the living space. And this is a weighty argument in favor of penofol for wall insulation from the inside of the house.
3. Additional vapor barrier is not required, which means that DIY thermal insulation will be easier to do.
4. When working, penofol will not crumble and break, it is easy to cut and does not require any additional complex tools and overalls.
- It will not be gnawed by rats and mice. This is especially true for private houses, in the thermal insulation of which rodents often gnaw passages.
- It is easy to transport due to its small thickness.
But, like any insulation, penofol has its drawbacks:
- It is impossible to apply finishing materials to it, because it is very soft and will simply bend under their weight.
- It is difficult to attach, although there is a type of foam foam with a self-adhesive film. It is not worth nailing it down, this will worsen its basic characteristics.
Therefore, penofol, with all the variety of its advantages, is often used as an additional material that will protect walls from moisture and reflect thermal energy.
How to insulate walls from the inside with penofol with your own hands?
Check the quality of the electrical wiring where you will be insulating the room. The fact is that the aluminum layer of penofol is an excellent conductor, which means that it should not be allowed to come into contact with bare wires.
The frame on which the insulation will be attached should provide for 2 cm after and before the foam foam. The step between the vertical slats of the frame should not exceed 1 meter.
Penofol is attached to the frame end-to-end (if attached with an overlap, condensation may form) using a furniture stapler. Seams are glued with aluminum tape.