The walls of a house erected using frame technology are almost completely inside made of heat-insulating material. It is he who is the guarantor of keeping warm in such a home. However, you still cannot do without additional insulation. What insulation is best for a frame house? There are options both traditional, used for decades, and new ones that have just appeared on the domestic market. The use of each of them promises its benefits.
The three most popular heaters for frame cottages
There is no unequivocal opinion about the better to insulate frame houses. There are several popular thermal insulation materials that are used the most. To choose the best option, you need to carefully evaluate the characteristics of each of them.
Comparative characteristics of heaters for frame houses
As part of their advertising wars, sellers spread a lot of rumors about competitors' heaters, but most of them are just myths. When choosing a heat insulator, it is necessary to focus on the indicators of density, moisture resistance and thermal conductivity, and also take into account the environmental friendliness of the material.
Option # 1: Rolled mineral wool
The first in the list of heaters for frame houses is mineral wool. It was she who was originally used in the construction of frame frames. Modern mineral wool is produced from glass melts, metal slags or rocks. Accordingly, it happens:
- glass;
- slag;
- basalt (stone).
All three insulation options differ from each other in characteristics. If we compare a roll of the same thickness, then the “warmest” is stone wool, it has the lowest thermal conductivity. And worst of all with thermal insulation indicators in slag. In the same order, the cost of mineral wool decreases.
Characteristics of various types of mineral wool
However, much when analyzing the heat-shielding properties of mineral wool depends on its saturation with moisture. If the material is dry, then air bubbles in the insulation do not allow heat from the dwelling to go outside. When the material is moistened, the thermal conductivity increases sharply, which leads to a decrease in its thermal insulation qualities.
Important! The main enemy of all types of mineral wool is moisture. When wet, the material instantly loses its thermal insulation characteristics, starting to release heat from the house, as if there was no insulation in the frame walls.
Without a well-laid vapor barrier, mineral wool is saturated with moisture, which, when frozen, will simply turn into ice. As a result, the thermal insulation is reduced and the material is destroyed. Mineral wool has another significant drawback - it is fragility of fibers, small pieces of which, when in contact with the skin, cause itching. They can also cause breathing difficulties. Mineral wool should be applied only with protective gloves and a respirator with goggles.
The denser the mineral wool, the worse its thermal insulation characteristics. As a result, it has to be laid in a thicker layer. At the same time, with an increase in density, the strength of the insulation used for thermal insulation in the walls of a frame house increases. If you choose too loose material, then it will slide in the frame to the foundation, leaving a hole on top for the cold.
When installing mineral wool, the walls of a frame house vertically must be broken by a bar into segments a meter high, so it will be possible to reduce the likelihood of insulation subsidence
It is recommended to choose mineral wool depending on its density as follows:
- up to 35 kg / m3 - for unloaded horizontal surfaces;
- up to 75 kg / m3 - for partitions inside the house;
- up to 125 kg / m3 - for facades outside;
- up to 175 kg / m3 - for supporting vertical structures;
- up to 220 kg / m3 - for floors under a concrete screed.
The cost of mineral wool grows along with the increase in its density. In most cases, this overpayment does not bring benefits, but the frame of the house will have to be made more durable and expensive due to the increasing weight of the insulation.
Option # 2: EPS - expanded polystyrene in the form of plates
Extruded polystyrene foam is a type of common foam. EPPS is lightweight and has excellent thermal insulation properties. In almost all respects, it is better than mineral wool. But there is a significant problem - it is flammable.
Scheme of the wall of a frame house with EPS as a heater
Expanded polystyrene is used in the formation of sandwich panels, which are widely used in the construction of frame houses. It is placed between two sheets of OSB, resulting in a strong structural material with excellent thermal insulation performance. Two in one - SIP panel (insulation and at the same time the frame of the building itself).
Important! EPPS does not allow heat to pass through, but it easily seeps into the joints between the expanded polystyrene and the SIP panel strapping bar. If these gaps are not filled with polyurethane foam, then all the money for insulating a frame house will be wasted.
The density of expanded polystyrene is low, it is quite fragile to break. But in combination with oriented strand board, a building material is obtained, which is good both for the construction of external walls and for laying floors and roofs. The EPSP wall will not lose its thermal insulation properties even after half a century. She is afraid only of fire and rodents. But for this there are appropriate protective impregnations.
When installing panels with extruded polystyrene foam inside, it is extremely important to monitor the sealing of all joints
EPPS is the best insulation for a frame house in terms of its characteristics. However, if ventilation is poor in a cottage with expanded polystyrene walls, it will be impossible to live in it. The material practically does not allow moisture to pass through; without well-organized forced air circulation in the rooms, the humidity will be too high.
Advice! It is better to use expanded polystyrene as a heater for the walls of a frame house only if you purchase ready-made SIP panels of factory production. It is quite difficult to independently adjust the EPSP plates to the exact dimensions in the frame and to close all the gaps.
Option # 3: Sprayed Polyurethane Foam
This insulation for a frame house belongs to sprayed thermal insulation materials. When the two components are mixed together, a highly adherent foam is formed, which sticks to walls and fills even the smallest gaps. The result is a uniform insulation layer without cold bridges.
Comparison of technical characteristics of polyurethane foam, mineral wool and expanded polystyrene
Polyurethane foam is expensive, but thermal insulation is obtained from it better than from foam and mineral wool. However, it is non-flammable and easy to apply to walls, floors and ceilings. However, for spraying, you will need special equipment, which you will have to buy or rent, and this is an additional expense.
The construction of houses on the basis of a frame is famous for its cheapness. It is impossible to attribute polyurethane foam to budget heaters by definition. The thermal insulation layer from it turns out to be excellent, but the whole point of using frame technology is lost.
How good is cement-bonded particleboard
For the walls of a frame house, fiberboard plates can be chosen as insulation. They are made from cement, liquid glass and wood chips, which are laid in the volume of the material in different directions.
The use of fiberboard in the construction of a frame house
Fibrolite is produced in slabs:
- low density - 250–450 kg / m3;
- average density - about 600 kg / m3;
- high density - 950-1050 kg / m3.
The first option is designed for noise and heat insulation of brick walls, and the second is ideal for laying in a frame. It should be chosen for cladding partitions of a frame house. For external walls, it is better to use the third type of fiberboard.
In terms of density and weight, a structural fiberboard plate is comparable to expanded polystyrene, slightly inferior to it in terms of thermal insulation characteristics. But it is stronger than it and is not flammable, and in terms of service life it approaches reinforced concrete and steel. At the same time, formaldehyde and other resins are not used in the production of fiberboard, cement acts as a binder.
If you need the cheapest insulation for a frame house, then it is best to choose mineral wool. Expanded polystyrene should be used only in the form of factory SIP panels, but it is better to replace it with fiberboard, which is more fireproof. Polyurethane foam is too expensive for a frame. Also, the frame can be insulated with ecowool made of cellulose or straw. The final choice depends solely on the wishes and capabilities of the owner of the cottage. The main thing is to correctly install the insulation.
Frame houses have become an excellent innovation in our country - an inexpensive and quick way to build individual construction.
But, despite the large number of advantages, these buildings have one important drawback, these buildings need additional thermal insulation, since the climatic conditions in Russia are very harsh.
Consider which insulation is best for a frame house? How to properly carry out thermal insulation work, and what kind of insulation is better to use.
There are a lot of materials for thermal insulation of houses made according to Finnish technology. Each has its own disadvantages and positive aspects, therefore, in order to understand how to choose a heater for a frame house and apply the best option for thermal insulation, it is worth taking a closer look at the most popular heat insulators on the construction market.
Mineral wool for thermal insulation of the frame structure
How to properly insulate a frame house with mineral wool? This material is often used not only by construction companies, but also by private developers.
This is understandable - the insulation has excellent sound absorption and perfectly retains heat. Minvata is an environmentally friendly, fire-resistant material. An insulator layer of 5 cm is able to retain heat just like half a meter thick brickwork.
The main nuance during the installation of basalt insulation is the arrangement of a vapor barrier to protect the material from moisture. The fact is that when mineral wool gets wet it loses its thermal insulation properties.
If it is decided to use this insulation for insulation, then do not spare funds for the purchase of vapor barrier material and special membranes.
How to insulate with mineral wool
The walls of a frame house are insulated using a crate, the cells of which should be in increments of 60 cm - this is essential, since stone wool is produced in a roll of this size. The insulator must be cut so that the cotton wool enters between the bars with effort and does not sag.
The thickness of the material is chosen based on the weather conditions in the region. If the climate is harsh, then it is better to use layers 20 cm thick, in mild climates 5-10 cm is enough.
With multi-layer insulation, cold bridges may appear, in order to exclude them, plates of 5 cm are laid in two layers, in cells. It should be understood that the guide bars should be with a section of 10x10. The second two layers of material are laid on top of the frame bars.
Thermal insulation of a frame house with mineral wool presupposes mandatory vapor barrier, but since the outer wall of the building is already equipped with this material, it may not be used before installing the insulation.
After laying the insulator, you need to take care of protecting the mineral wool from condensation vapors. The vapor barrier material is sold in rolls, and it will not work to lay it with one sheet, so we purchase construction tape for gluing the joints.
Floor insulation in a frame house is made with the same basalt wool. Only in this case the insulator layer should be at least 20 cm. The work is performed as when insulating frame walls.
Thermal insulation with ecowool
An environmentally friendly and affordable insulation for frame houses, in the production of which waste from the production of cellulose products is used: paper, cardboard. Ecowool is 80% fiber and 10% antiseptic, which protects against the development of fungal formations and microorganisms. In order for the insulation to be less flammable, 10% of special additives are introduced into its composition.
Ecowool - disadvantages
Private developers very rarely use this material to insulate their buildings. Ecowool has a number of features that some builders see as disadvantages:
Strictly observe the norms for filling surfaces with insulation, which the manufacturer recommends, otherwise, during the shrinkage process, areas without insulation may form.
Positive characteristics of ecowool
Many may think that such a process as insulating a frame house for winter living using ecowool is inappropriate, there are a lot of disadvantages of this material.
But with strict adherence to the technological processes of application, the positive characteristics of the material are significantly enhanced:
- Low material consumption makes it cost effective.
- Ecowool has good sound-absorbing properties.
- The best insulation is made from natural raw materials, which determines its environmental friendliness and safety for people living in the house.
- The composition gets its resistance to combustion thanks to additives, and it is worth studying the composition of the product before purchasing. If such components as boric acid and ammonium sulfate are included in the composition, then it is better to refuse its use. These components give the ecowool an unpleasant and persistent smell, while the fire resistance of the material practically does not decrease. You should buy only the product that contains borax.
- The material is laid without seams, which is a huge plus, since there are no cold bridges, and the insulation of a wooden house is of high quality and reliable.
But the decisive factor that speaks of the importance of using cross-insulation of the frame house from the inside with this material is the inexpensive cost in a duet with positive characteristics.
Thermal insulation of a frame house with ecowool - a technological process
As you already know, you can insulate a frame house in two ways - "wet" and "dry". You can simply spray the material on the walls by diluting it with water or glue, then you get an excellent result. But most private developers follow a simpler path, and use a "dry" method of insulation, which we will consider.
So, we insulate the frame house with our own hands, ecowool according to the following algorithm:
- first of all, we will undertake to heat-insulate the floor in the house, for this a pressed briquette of material weighing 15 kg must be loosened well, for this you can use an ordinary drill with a special nozzle. After these actions, the volume of the material will be three times larger;
- thermal insulation of the floor of a frame house is quite simple - the material is poured onto the rough covering between the beams with a slight excess, which will be taken by the weight of the board for the final covering;
- proceed to the walls. Before the start of insulation, a frame is constructed from bars of the desired section. A vapor barrier is fixed to the racks, an indispensable element for insulation with ecowool. The frame is covered with OSB sheets so that there is a gap on top for filling the insulation. The material will thicken under its own weight as it falls asleep, and from above it should be well tamped.
Work on the thermal insulation of a frame house with ecowool is worth stocking up with protective equipment: gloves, glasses and a respirator. You can significantly optimize the process by renting equipment that loosens the material and blows it off ready-made.
Linen-based insulation
Flax has excellent heat-retaining properties, this is achieved due to the optimal combination of density and porosity of the material.
Linen insulation is produced in several configurations:
- slabs can be used to insulate a frame house from the inside;
- linen strips of a structure made of laminated veneer lumber;
- tow will hammer the walls of the log.
Due to its high density, this insulator is used to insulate roofs, floors, partitions and attic floors in which recreation areas are equipped.
A heat insulator made of flax fiber can be considered the most preferable for insulating a house from the inside - it is environmentally friendly, serves for more than 70 years, does not rot, and mold does not form on it. Unlike ecowool, it is not subject to shrinkage.
Expanded polystyrene or polystyrene - which is more practical
The choice of insulation for a frame house is not an easy task, you need to take into account many nuances. As for such heat insulators as expanded polystyrene and polystyrene, both materials are successfully used to insulate a house from the inside and outside.
Polyfoam, of course, is inferior to its counterpart in some positive properties, but it is so cheap that many private developers prefer to use this material for home insulation.
Among the cons are noted:
- low level of noise insulation;
- when burning, toxins are released;
- the material is susceptible to attacks by rodents.
Thermal insulation of the facade with foam
- Insulation of a frame house from the outside begins with the preparation of the surface, which needs to be leveled, repair cracks, and primed with deep penetration impregnation.
- After the facade has dried, it is necessary to mount direct suspensions on it, which will not allow the slabs to slide off the surface, they will be securely fixed.
- Five points of glue are applied to the foam, the edges are coated around the perimeter.
- The slab with glue is pressed tightly to the surface, working from corner to corner.
- The second row of foam boards is staggered.
The composition of the glue is prepared in such a way that it can be worked out in an hour.
The material inconsistency is adjusted with a heated knife; when gaps are formed, they are sealed with the following compounds:
- crumbled foam is added to the glue;
- pour penoizol;
- apply polyurethane foam.
For structural strength, the heat insulator should be attached to the surface with plastic dowels, 5 pcs. on the stove. After that, you can apply any facing material.
Thermal insulation of the frame structure from the inside
The scheme of insulating a frame house from the side of the room is similar to the previous version. The only difference is in the soil used - you need a composition for internal work with antiseptic properties.
When using a heat-insulating insulator from the inside, a simple tile adhesive, coupled with dowels, is used as an adhesive.
Installed foam plates are tightened with an overlapping reinforcing mesh, if it is supposed to putty the surface, but drywall is often used for wall cladding. This method of thermal insulation is much easier than insulating a frame house using ecowool.
Penoplex
Not sure what is the best way to insulate a frame house? Buy penoplex - an analogue of polystyrene, only with a denser structure, therefore it costs a little more. It is also worth noting that this material is much more demanding during installation - you need to protect it from moisture and sunlight.
In custody
We built a frame house - insulation can be done both independently and with the help of a team of specialists. Is the building in a harsh climate? Apply cross-insulation, and how to choose an insulator, and how to properly insulate a frame house, we described in detail above.
An important point in the process of building a house on a frame basis is. High-quality thermal insulation guarantees the maintenance of the optimal temperature regime in the room. Being literate is challenging. There are many options for protecting the house, while it is possible to insulate the walls both from the outside and from the inside.
How to choose a heater for a frame house?
This is an urgent question, because a frame-based structure has a high loss rate. With a quality material, you can provide the utmost protection against heat transfer.
Foam insulation
Foam is considered one of the most popular insulating materials. Popularity is due to the advantages:
- environmental Safety;
- affordable cost;
- a light weight;
- does not require a special waterproof coating;
- ease of installation;
- there is no need for additional insulation.
This cheap insulation for a frame house also has its drawbacks. It is highly flammable, has low sound insulation and is very brittle.
Tip: For foam insulation of a building with an area of \u200b\u200b6 m2, about 3 m2 of material is needed, the thickness of which is 50 mm.
Styrofoam and mineral wool
Mineral wool as insulation
A quality insulator that is in growing demand is the dense compressed board. They have a rectangular shape and are easy to cut, which allows you to create a piece of insulation of the required size using a saw and a knife.
Mineral wool is produced by heat treatment and the process of pressing basalt or blast furnace slag. The fiber structure traps air in it, thus forming a protective barrier against cold air.
Mineral wool is different:
- light weight;
- good sound insulation;
- fire resistance;
- durability;
- tolerate deformation well;
- excellent thermal insulation.
The material contains substances harmful to human health. Small particles are especially dangerous; they can penetrate through the respiratory tract and cause various diseases.
Tip: In order to prevent the negative influence of cotton wool, the walls of the building must be covered from the inside with special vapor barrier films.
Mineral wool is susceptible to the negative influence of moisture, under the influence of which it loses its excellent thermal insulation properties and lends itself to decay. Therefore, when insulating walls, the openings of the frame block should be protected from the outside with special waterproofing materials.
Insulation of the facade of a frame house using Rockwool insulation - step by step
Insulating walls with mineral wool is not a difficult task:
- It is necessary to make a vapor barrier, since the wood breathes, the insulation must be protected from condensation.
- Mineral wool is placed between the frame posts. It is recommended to mark and cut material slabs with a margin.
- Install thermal insulation between the uprights as tightly as possible.
- With strips of mineral wool, which have a small width, the joints between the thermal insulation and the frame drains should be closed.
The same method can be used to insulate the outer surfaces of the building. Only in this case it is necessary to apply a waterproofing film over the mineral wool.
When asked which insulation is better for a frame house, the reviews confirm this, experts are inclined to mineral wool, provided that it is installed correctly.
Thermal insulation of a frame house with TechnoNIKOL stone wool
Glass wool for home insulation
Fibrous material has been used in construction for a long time. Glass wool is produced by melting glass production waste, limestone, soda, sand, borax and dolomite. The material is produced in the form of plates, rolls.
In contact with the material, it is necessary to use protective items: gloves, respirators and goggles, since sharp and thin fibers of glass wool are dangerous to humans.
Glass wool has its own advantages:
- excellent heat resistance;
- refractoriness;
- low hygroscopicity;
- resistance to chemical decomposition.
Wall insulation for a frame house has excellent thermal insulation properties and does not emit harmful toxic substances in the event of a fire. The material is inexpensive, therefore it is popular.
When insulating a room, it is recommended to cover glass wool with a windproof film. This operation allows the heat to stay inside the building for a long period of time.
Video - the technology of insulating a frame house (wall thickness, vapor barrier layer) - step by step instructions
Thermal insulation with ecowool
High-quality eco-friendly insulation for a frame house is a modern material that is made on the basis of cellulose.
It has a number of features:
- to carry out the work, you need a special device that, during the process of warming, mixes the insulation with water, and then drives the material into the wall cavity - this method is called wet;
- the dry method involves the process of falling asleep in the frame space of the material and its subsequent compaction;
- the insulation is not afraid of high humidity, so there is no need to lay a special film.
This is not the best insulation for a frame house, since ecowool is very expensive and it is recommended to use the services of specialists to work with it.
The thickness of the insulation must be calculated taking into account the requirements for thermal insulation. This affects the amount of material that needs to be purchased. It is recommended to invite a professional who will take the necessary measurements and be able to calculate the exact amount of mineral wool required for a particular frame house.
Video - warming a frame house with ecowool instructions
About Rockwool insulation for the walls of a frame house
Polyurethane foam or penoizol - quality material
Reliable and excellent insulation consists of two components that mix with each other. The resulting mixture is filled with the cells of the frame-type structure. As a result of the work, a monolithic surface is obtained. Working with the material can be compared with the manipulations carried out with polyurethane foam.
Polyurethane foam or polyurethane foam has excellent thermal insulation properties, but requires certain skills, experience and knowledge. Therefore, professionals work with the material. The cost of polyurethane foam is relatively high, so if the question is, what kind of insulation is better to insulate a frame house and at the same time save money, then it is worth abandoning polyurethane foam.
Thermal conductivity of heaters and building materials
Clay is a proven method
You can use ordinary clay to warm the room. This is the most sustainable method. For work, special clay is used, which has a specific fat coefficient. The low-fat material does not have the necessary adhesion, so the plaster from it after a certain period of time will crumble and crack.
After creating a thick mixture of clay, you can test it for suitability by rolling a ball and then clamping it between two boards:
- if the ball is cracked by about 50%, then sand should be added;
- if the cracks are about 30%, then the plaster is ideal for further use;
- if the ball is scattered, then the material is not at all suitable for high-quality work.
Clay solution is the answer to the question of which insulation is better for a frame house, reviews of people who have used this method confirm this, if the naturalness of the materials is important for the owner of the house.
Worth knowing: There is no specific method for making clay mortar. The composition of the components: lime, cement, water, sawdust, sand, clay, and their ratio may be different.
The technique of working with the material is similar to that of ordinary plaster:
- the wall is covered with a primer;
- beacons are placed;
- a rough layer of plaster is applied, the thickness of which should not exceed five centimeters;
- after the previous layer has dried, a finishing layer is applied, and finishing works are carried out.
How to insulate a house with clay? Clay insulated wall
Fiberboard - quality and reliability
Fibrolite boards are obtained by drying and pressing wood chips, which are mixed with a binder: magnesia salt or Portland cement. For the best possible preservation of thermal insulation characteristics, it is recommended to use additional waterproofing. The material is used to insulate interior walls and ceilings.
The popularity of fiberboard is determined by its excellent performance characteristics:
- is fireproof, due to the presence of special impregnation with binders;
- has an excellent indicator of moisture resistance, is able to withstand constant and regular exposure to high humidity;
- the ability to resist various kinds of deformations. Pressed wood shavings act as a damper, and cement or other binder provides them with stability;
- it is not biologically active, therefore it does not undergo an undesirable decay process, since the spread of microorganisms and insects inside the material does not occur;
- has a high rate of sound insulation;
- is environmentally friendly;
- able to withstand severe cold and frost, therefore it is actively used in various climatic zones;
- is durable - the service life is not less than 50 years.
Sawdust - the old method
How to choose a heater for a frame house if there are no specialized materials available, and the goal is to significantly save money? The answer is quite simple - it is sawdust. Thermal insulation is made not by the sawdust itself, but by a mixture with other building materials: cement, antiseptic or lime.
An approximate technology for preparing insulation is as follows:
When pouring water, it is recommended to use a watering can to evenly moisten the resulting mixture.
In most cases, sawdust is used to fill up the space between the timber or beams in the floor. Sometimes they are used to insulate walls. In this case, the composition is covered with small layers and carefully tamped.
This method of thermal insulation has disadvantages:
- labor intensity during work;
- high degree of fire hazard;
- low efficiency indicator;
- settling of material after time inside the walls.
The method can be more effective for a frame house if you use expanded clay.
There is a large selection of materials with which you can insulate a frame house. They differ in the field of application: inside and outside, method of work, cost, efficiency and environmental friendliness.
What kind of insulation to use in a frame house?
The decision remains with the owner of the frame housing. The most environmentally friendly and cheapest method is clay plaster. Modern methods of work allow you to perform work with the highest quality and aesthetics.
Video Insulation of a frame house
How to choose a heater for a frame house. Types of heaters, their advantages and disadvantages. The stages of work on the insulation of the structure.
If a wooden house is chosen for year-round living, it is necessary to choose the right insulation for a frame house. What properties should the insulation of a frame house have? What is its peculiarity in relation to - thermal conductivity, water absorption and fire safety. How does the insulation shrink and how environmentally friendly it is.
What materials are suitable for insulating a frame structure. What are mineral insulation, ecowool and basalt wool? Why is windproofing of heaters and vapor barrier so important?
Warming rules for frame houses. Types of heaters. Features of insulation of frame-panel board and metal frames. What is the function of the insulation for the frame building? Whether polyurethane is beneficial in application. Stages of work when insulating walls, ceilings and roofs.
What properties should a heater for a frame house have?
Everyone who is faced with frame construction at some point is forced to think about which insulation is better for a frame house. To make the right decision, you need to know the properties of the main thermal insulation materials offered on the modern market. In addition, one should take into account the rules on which their choice is based. After reading this article, you can consciously and competently choose the most suitable insulating material for insulating the walls of a frame house.
Insulation materials used to insulate the walls of a frame house must have the following properties:
- low thermal conductivity;
- fire safety;
- low water absorption;
- lack of shrinkage;
- environmental friendliness.
Thermal conductivity
The ability of a material to transfer heat reflects the coefficient of thermal conductivity. The lower its value, the less heat passes through this material. At the same time, in winter the room does not cool down so quickly, and in summer it heats up more slowly. This allows savings in cooling and heating costs. For this reason, when choosing a heater, it is imperative to take into account the value of the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the material during operation in specific conditions.
Water absorption
The next important indicator that affects the ability of the insulation to retain heat is its water absorption. It is the ratio of the amount of water absorbed by the insulation to the weight of the insulation itself. This characteristic demonstrates the ability, in the case of direct contact with water, to absorb and retain moisture in the pores.
Due to the fact that moist material conducts heat well, the lower this value is, the better. This is due to the fact that when wet, the air pores of the insulation are filled with water, which has a higher thermal conductivity than air. In addition, too wet material can simply freeze, turning into ice and completely lose its functions.
Fire safety
The fire safety of materials means the ability to withstand high temperatures without breaking the structure and igniting. This parameter is regulated by GOST 30244, GOST 30402 and SNiP 21-01-97, which subdivide them into flammability groups from G1 to G4, while completely non-combustible substances are designated NG. For frame residential buildings, heaters belonging to the NG group are most preferable.
Insulation shrinkage
When choosing a heat insulator for a frame building, it is imperative to take into account such an indicator as the ability to shrink. This value should be minimal, otherwise, during operation, material subsidence will appear in the places where the insulation is laid, which will lead to the appearance of cold bridges and an increase in heat loss.
Environmental friendliness
The basis of the walls of the frame house is insulation. Since the insulating material will surround you everywhere in the frame house, you need to be sure that this is a really high-quality insulation and does not emit harmful substances.
Frame houses are gaining more and more popularity, however, this European trend in the Russian climate requires significant thermal insulation, as well as protection from wind and moisture. Experts recommend insulating the walls of a frame house not only from the outside, but also from the inside.
Choosing materials for thermal insulation
Several decades ago, a mixture of clay with straw, sawdust or shavings was poured into the walls of frame houses to keep the house warm. At one time sawdust concrete was also popular, but these materials have long been out of use, although they do not lose their attractiveness due to their low cost. In modern houses on the basis of a frame, they mainly use mineral wool (glass wool, stone wool) and polystyrene for insulation.
Mineral wool has a number of advantages - they are fireproof, which is especially important for houses made of wooden frames, have low thermal conductivity, are easy to install, are produced in a form convenient for builders (mats, rolls) and are quite lightweight. The disadvantage of this insulation is that it cannot be called environmentally friendly, since it contains formaldehydes in small doses. In addition, moisture is contraindicated for him. Most often, mineral wool is used for external insulation, since it is not always convenient and safe to use this material for internal work.
Very quickly, among building materials, foam plastic was knocked out into the category of the most popular materials for thermal insulation. It is made from granules of polymer plastics, which are filled with carbon dioxide or natural gas.
Foam plates are very lightweight, easy to install, do not conduct heat and are environmentally friendly at normal temperatures. Insulation of this kind is not susceptible to rotting and the appearance of fungus, therefore, during its installation, additional layers of steam and waterproofing may not be required.
Perhaps the most important advantage of polystyrene is its modest cost. Its main disadvantage is the possibility of ignition and the release of substances harmful to human health during combustion. True, there is a fire-resistant version of this material - extruded polystyrene foam, which is also more compact.... All types of foam, oddly enough, can easily be spoiled by rodents, which is another significant drawback.
Polyurethane foam (PPU) is a sprayed type of thermal insulation that has the highest degree of heat retention and tolerates moisture very well. Spraying takes place using special equipment, in which the active components are mixed and, falling on the surface, instantly foamed, forming a dense crust. PPU can be sprayed on almost any surface, even glass and metal, regardless of its position. The vulnerability of polyurethane foam is sunlight. When exposed to direct sunlight, its service life is approximately halved. But you can protect PPU from the sun by ordinary painting. Another disadvantage is that special equipment is needed to work with this material.
For waterproofing and wind insulation, builders often use glassine - thick paper impregnated with bitumen. However, its use as protection against moisture and wind is undesirable, since glassine does not allow moisture emanating from the house to pass through and contributes to its accumulation inside the frame. In modern practice, builders are increasingly using superdiffusion hydro-windproof membranes, which have a huge vapor permeability compared to glassine and perfectly protect the house from wind and moisture from the outside.
Insulation of the walls of a frame house from the inside - preparatory work
First, let's understand some basic principles, without which the insulation of the walls of such a house may be a waste of money. First, when wondering how to insulate a frame house from the inside, you need to think not only about the walls. Floor and ceiling can also let in cold! Secondly, thermal insulation materials must be reliably protected from moisture by external and internal waterproofing. Thirdly, when laying the insulation, it is important to observe the gaps necessary for ventilation between the material and the wall surfaces.
Before starting the installation of the insulation, clean the walls, floor and ceiling from dust and dirt. If there are any protruding nails or screws, remove them. The existing gaps between the elements of the frame of the house are filled with polyurethane foam. If necessary, dry the damp areas of the frame with a construction hair dryer.
The site masters have prepared a special calculator for you. You can easily calculate the heat loss of a building.
How to insulate a frame house from the inside - step by step instructions
In the event that external thermal insulation using waterproofing was nevertheless carried out in the house, it is not necessary to re-install another layer of moisture protection inside the house, otherwise this can lead to the accumulation of excess moisture inside the structure and its rapid destruction. We will consider the option of insulating the house only from the inside.
How to insulate a frame house from the inside - a step by step diagram
Step 1: Installation of the waterproofing layer
We measure the walls of the frame house and cut the waterproofing material we have chosen into the corresponding strips. Using a construction stapler, we attach it to the racks, completely sheathing the frame. It is best to lay the waterproofing with an overlap, leaving about 10 cm under the top layer.Mounting is carried out at the junction every 10 cm.
Step 2: Installing the vapor barrier
Even in the case of using materials that are not afraid of moisture as a heater, it is still necessary to perform a vapor barrier. The reason for the seemingly superfluous costs at first glance is that in addition to the insulation itself, there are other elements in the wall frame that should be protected from steam entering the walls from the inside of the building, for example, the same wood.
For vapor barrier use a special film or foamed polyethylene. This material is also attached to the frame racks with a construction stapler close to the insulation. Sometimes builders simply wrap thermal insulating blocks in such a film, but this is not entirely correct - as already noted, all elements of the frame must be protected from steam.The joints of the film, as in the case of waterproofing, should be done with an overlap of at least 10 cm. For greater vapor barrier, all joints and abutments of this layer should be glued with double-sided tape. When installing a vapor barrier, keep in mind that its thickness does not in any way reduce the thickness of the main insulation.