When insulating a house from the outside, is it necessary to put a vapor barrier under the insulation? Instructions for insulating walls from the inside. Is it possible to insulate a house?

Huge marketing budgets for promoting insulation materials Rockwool (Rockwool), URSA (Ursa), Isover (Izover, Isover), Tehnonikol (TechnoNIKOL), Penoplex (Penopeks, Penoplex), Knauf (Knauf), Isoroc (Isorok, Izorok), Isolon (Isolon) , Izolon), Energoflex (Energoflex) very often interfere with making the right decision. It’s no secret that many reviews on forums and blogs appear thanks to marketers. It is profitable for company representatives to sell their product; they spend a lot of effort and money on this, so many thermal insulation materials remain in the shadows. But among the insulation products that are not promoted through advertising materials, there are real pearls. You can learn about them from rare materials, such as video channel of Sergei Polupanov from Tomsk.

My notes about modern insulation materials, based on Polupanov’s video.

Sawdust
They shrink and need to be added (if you plan to use sawdust as insulation for the roof). They do not have fireproof properties, so previously sawdust and ash were mixed, and a castle of sand or clay was made on top, which completely blocked the spread of fire.

Ecowool
Cellulose insulation: paper, including newsprint. Cardboard is added, but not more than 10%. To make it less flammable, boron salts are added.
If you remove the flame source, it will smolder for 5-6 hours. After a fire, it is necessary to remove a piece of the wall, because... smoldering well.
Manufacturers save raw materials and use more air.
It is better to lay only manually, just a good seal. Shows how to avoid cold bridges. If you blow it out, the shrinkage will be even greater.
If cardboard is added instead of paper, the color is more brownish. At the same time, the weight increases, and they are sold by the kilogram. In this case, the thermal properties drop significantly.
Ecowool has environmental properties, if, of course, you close your eyes to the boron content (about 15 percent or something), etc.
Appeared in Europe as a result of recycling. Therefore, it is not worth pinning your hopes on it due to economic feasibility.

Mineral wool insulation (mineral, basalt wool)
They last only 10-15 years, after which they become damp and need to be replaced. In ideal conditions, by factory standards, the service life is 25-35 years.

99% of houses are now insulated with mineral wool insulation, such as Technonikol P75. A reinforced concrete frame is built, then filled with foam blocks or Sibit blocks, for example. Then on the outside there is 20 cm of mineral wool (basalt, stone,...) Then everything is covered with wind protection, and then some kind of ceramic tile.
In 15 years, each owner of such a house will pay extra for heat loss in such a house. Imagine removing tiles and replacing insulation in a 17-story building. The increase in heating costs is colossal. In 15 years, heating costs will be colossal. It turns out that the developer is selling a house that obviously uses low-quality materials, which will cost you money in the future.

The manufacturer recommends using wind and vapor protection. porous and fibrous material tends to accumulate liquid in its structure, so it needs to be protected. It’s humid in our house, plus the air tends from an area of ​​high pressure to an area of ​​low pressure. Thus, the air tries to break through from the house to the street, taking it with it into the water in a vapor state. At the same time, air tries to break through the walls and ceiling. It is unlikely to pass through the floors; there may already be enough moisture there, especially if the underground space is poorly ventilated. Therefore, to protect against steam, everything is covered with film. At the same time, they do not talk about the service life of small holes in the film. And after 10 years, these holes can become clogged with small fibers of mineral wool, which will begin to crumble. The fibers are glued together using formaldehyde and other resins. The resin deteriorates over time and the fibers delaminate. Wind protection is used on the outside to prevent the fibers from loosening and weathering. When cotton wool is moistened by 10-15%, the thermal properties are lost by 30%. When the small holes in the film become clogged, you end up with a regular stretched polyethylene film, which prevents the steam from escaping, the steam accumulates, and additional ventilation is required. The windbreak is on the outside and is therefore subject to freeze/thaw cycles. How long she will live is unknown.
Regular polyethylene film in greenhouses it is destroyed due to temperature changes (closer to autumn, when sub-zero temperatures begin). Therefore, we can lose the windproof structure before the insulation loses its properties. Plus the vapor barrier is not installed correctly.
Does not have shock-absorbing properties. If you try to stuff 60 cm of cotton into 58 cm, it will bend.
This type of insulation has too many disadvantages.

Mineral (basalt) wool is obtained from slag production waste, as well as cullet. There are plenty of raw materials, so these types of insulation are widely used.

Mineral wool was banned from being produced in Europe because the fibers get into the lungs, remain there, get stuck in with needles and are not removed. We made a chemical additive that allows the mineral wool particles to dissolve in the lungs within 40 days. What if you live permanently in such a house? You will get all kinds of infection in your lungs, which can lead to illness, plus you will itch. Even if you cover it with film on both sides, this infection will still penetrate. This happens through the windows. Plus, if the house is frame or wooden, then when the door slams, a vacuum occurs.
In Europe, a standard has been adopted that fibers must completely decompose within 40 days.

Fireproof properties of basalt wool - burns out 20 cm in 17 minutes (there is a video of the fireproof properties of insulation on Polupanov’s channel). The cotton wool burns out, an influx of oxygen arrives, and the building begins to burn even more.

From a density of 75 kg/m3, basalt fiber or glass fiber begins to work as insulation. Basalt fiber is more effective. There are basalt fibers, glass fibers and combinations. The thinner and longer the fibers, the less caustic the material is and the more pleasant it is to use, plus a more cohesive structure is obtained.
At 17-20 kg/m3 convection begins in the wool layer.

It may be more profitable to find normal basalt fiber from suppliers rather than in building materials stores.
The melting point of basalt is 1500 degrees. The technology for producing small threads is not cheap.

Fiberglass is cheaper because... glass melts at a temperature of 1200 degrees.
The segment with larger, coarser fibers is now actively declining.

U basalt fiber very large surface area, especially with superfine fiber. Moisture should not linger there, otherwise it begins to live there, the material begins to compact, and water conducts heat well. Aerated concrete filled with water conducts heat very well.

The economic feasibility of insulation must be calculated. You need to understand how much money you will spend and how much it will save.

If you invest 300 thousand in mineral wool, then after standing for 25 years it will cost you 12 thousand per year. Is it worth it? It may be better to use another option, including worse insulation.

Of course, foam glass will last a hundred years. Or you can insulate with 60 cm of straw.

Heat Transfer:

• thermal conductivity (heat is transferred from hot to cold),


• convection,


• radiation.

Radiation begins to make a larger contribution as the temperature increases. At 1000 degrees, all heat is transferred by radiation. At low room temperature, each transmission method makes its own contribution, it all depends on the design.

If large double glazed windows or large walls with thermal transparency for infrared radiation, then we will lose heat. Properly placed vapor barrier (foil, at a distance) and other methods help to reflect heat inward.

Thermal insulation materials greatly reduce convective heat transfer.
Thermal insulation material must have a low thermal conductivity coefficient.

Mineral wool absorbs water very well, but thermal conductivity is greatly impaired.

The fibers are still fragile. Hold it in your hands; a cough may appear after handling it.

TechnoNIKOL P-75 basalt wool has a density of 50 kg/m3 (not 75), P-125 - 80 kg/m3 (not 125). These materials were sufficient High Quality. Later, the TechnoNIKOL company released a cheaper analogue with less basalt and lower density. Gradually more cheap material began to displace better and more expensive ones. As a result, the company decided to curtail the production of more expensive and high-quality insulation.

Be sure to pay attention to the density of the thermal insulation material indicated in the passport!
Sausage-type materials sold in rolls packed in plastic film often have a density of no more than 15 kg/m3. When you unwind the roll, it gains height. In less dense mineral wools, the vacuum between the fibers is greater, so air, thanks to convection, moves more easily from cold to warm, transferring heat.

It is not convective currents that need to be caught. If you open a window or door, cold air will quickly enter the room. But if the walls are made of heat-intensive material. Then it stores heat during heating; If you close the windows and doors after ventilation, the heat-intensive material will give off heat to the air, heating the rooms. Heat-intensive materials have a large mass.

Moss
Available. Eco-friendly. Lives longer than timber on which moss is placed. 7 magical antiseptics, different in structure (they can be used to make dressings for wounds, bandages that draw out pus...) No bicaras will appear in it. No one starts in dry material. If you put wet moss, it will still dry quickly, even in a confined space. Moss is used as a material for storing vegetables. Has shock-absorbing properties. It's a pleasure to work with the material. Disadvantage: Does not have fireproof properties. The inside requires regular plaster on shingles, but the outside can be sheathed flat slate. There is no need to worry about asbestos. Russian chrysotile asbestos does not have the same needle-like structure as foreign amphibole asbestos.

Peat
Peat bogs have self-ignition properties. Peat is mixed with cement and aluminum chips. The result is something like porous sybite. In many villages, such thermal screed was previously used on ceilings and, apparently, on the floor. They were dismantling a 100-year-old building. The floor beams were not damaged at all. Since there is no oxygen in peat, it perfectly preserves various materials (in fact, it mummifies). If you mix it with some kind of composition or take vermiculite, which has good fire-resistant properties and works well with liquid, then you can conduct an experiment to see how it will all hold up.

Vermiculite and sawdust will definitely work optimally: the fire does not spread (promises to test blowtorch), the price is halved.

A fire in the roof can be caused by a fire from a chimney. Especially if, as in Lately, two galvanized pipes with mineral wool inside. Galvanization burns out quickly enough; it is designed for not very frequent use. When burned, the mineral wool also lights up and burns out, and then external cladding. A spark may enter the under-roof space. A lot of fires are caused by modern sandwiches.
A good sandwich: Take a good thick-walled pipe (for example, 150 mm), with a galvanized metal casing on the outside. The pipe is placed at the base of the boiler. A space of 5 mm is filled with a mixture of vermiculite and liquid glass, is carefully compacted. Even if the pipe burns out, vermiculite will work as guides.

Classic polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam with additives, extruded polystyrene foam, penoplex (penoplex), technoplex.
(EPS, EPS, XPS), if I'm not mistaken, is produced in the same way, only it is obtained using extrusion (the material is squeezed out through a nozzle), resulting in a high-density composite material. There are almost no voids between the cells.

When the insulation boom began, 90% of houses in Europe were insulated. Konrad Fischer from Germany says that after insulation with vapor-proof insulation, such as polystyrene foam, penoplex (this will be cheaper than lathing under mineral wool, and then external finishing). Therefore, the brickwork is insulated and simply walled up with 5-10 cm of penoplex. From a calculation point of view, the energy efficiency of the building improves quite well. At the same time, attention is often not paid to the vapor transparency of the insulation.

Steam appears during breathing, evaporation from the body, bathing, cooking,... Therefore, high humidity appears in the apartment. If ventilation is poor or absent, we end up with a damp space, and mold and mildew may appear.

When using vapor-opaque insulation on top of standard houses using 1-2 cm of plaster on the outside, you get a lock for liquid in the building. The liquid moves outward and hits the foam. The polystyrene foam is glued to the mounting foam so that there are no air gaps, plus it is secured with mounting anchors. After 3-4 years, homeowners in most cases found that such an amount of liquid had accumulated that the inside of the plaster began to become covered with mold. Fungi and mold are always present, but they actively multiply due to the presence of moisture. As a result, the wallpaper inside began to fall off, since the moisture simply had nowhere to go. Solution: Remove the insulation and finishing material, then dry the building outline with infrared heaters using convection... When the walls inside the house are heated, the liquid begins to be displaced, and since there is no barrier outside, it actively evaporates, fungi and mold disappear. There is no point in using chemicals instead of this method.
Konrad Fischer studied the materials well. He restores museums, building structures,...
Foam plastics do not have fireproof properties. Fire retardants are added to them to prevent the flame from spreading.

Penoplex (penoplex), extruded polystyrene foam (extruded polystyrene foam, EPS, EPPS, XPS) has fire-resistant properties K1, K4, but also melts above 60-80 degrees, loses its structure and begins to collapse. The durability of flame retardants is also questionable. Extruded polystyrene foam (but not polystyrene foam) can and is recommended to insulate only foundations, because the material has closed pores and does not absorb liquid. When insulating a blind area or foundation, the estimated service life is 50 years. The compression coefficient is good; during heaving or movement of soils, it retains its strength. It is not recommended to insulate walls with polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam, since it is flammable and non-vapor-transparent. Rodents love to live in polystyrene foam and dig holes in it. Previously, foam plastic was glued together using formaldehyde resins, so it emits formaldehyde throughout its operation. Now they glue it supposedly using high-temperature steam (there is such an advertisement).

The quality and evenness of sheets of technoplex (extruded polystyrene foam) is much better than that of penoplex. Penoplex is quite unsuccessful for assembling frame walls and for other planes. Technoplex is much better suited for eliminating cold bridges and insulating non-residential (!) premises than penoplex.

Vermiculite
Raw materials began to be mined in the 60s
Different composition, different impurities
In Russia it is often idle because the equipment is old
Raw materials from Uzbekistan have unique properties

Produced from rock mica by heating. When heated, it expands due to the presence of liquid, so if you look closely, it looks like an accordion. The height of the material increases from 7 to 10 times. Produced at temperature without binders. The destruction temperature is about 1300 degrees, and it turns into a fragile glassy structure, it can be compressed, and its structural properties are lost. But it does not ignite and does not support combustion. Rodents don't like it and don't get it. This material absorbs odor well, so rodents cannot leave a mark. The material is loose, so it is difficult for a rodent to stay on the surface. Vermiculite poured into rodent burrows causes them to escape. Birds do not steal this material. They prefer fibrous materials for construction. The material is dry, so pathogens (as in wood) do not grow in it. If the wood borders on vermiculite, then it is protected from mold-like lesions. Vermiculite works as a preservative. If excess moisture appears, the material absorbs it. There was a case where part of the roof was torn off and water flooded in the spring. The vermiculite absorbed the liquid. After the roof was restored, it was completely dry at a thickness of 20 cm.
In addition to ceilings, it can be poured into the floor or frame structures. If plywood is in the frame, then vermiculite is simply poured and compacted. When mixed with small shavings 1:1, you can mix directly on the building (with a hand mixer, drill, hammer drill) in the ceiling. Mix until smooth.
Wood shavings and sawdust can burn and absorb moisture. But vermiculite absorbs moisture, equalizes the humidity regime, and in about a month the sawdust/shavings will become dry. There will be no debate. Fungi and mold may appear. Sawdust has good thermal insulation properties(0.08), for vermiculite (0.05-0.06).
Vermiculite, when moistened by 15%, does not lose its thermal properties.
Polupanov promises to test the fireproof properties using a blowtorch.

Vermiculite can also be used in an agricultural environment. When adding 2-4 handfuls to a hole with potatoes (consumption 2-4 bags / 100-200 liters per 2.5 acres). This mineral works with liquid. It works as a fertilizer if it is poured into a solution containing potassium permanganate or other nutrient liquid. Vermiculite will transfer the chemical component in microdoses, so the plants will not receive a chemical burn. When rain hits, vermiculite retains moisture near the tuber. In times of drought there is enough water. If there is a lot of rain, then, on the contrary, it absorbs excess moisture, giving the potatoes as much as they need.
For other plants (flowers,...) special soils are made. Almost all flower soils sold in stores use vermiculite. Previously, expanded clay was used.
In livestock farming, vermiculite is added to feed. For example, cows that have large mucus production. Vermiculite, as an absorbent, cleans the cow's intestinal tract, making it less susceptible to disease.
Bags of vermiculite, impregnated with the smell, can store them for a long time.

Warm plaster has pores in its structure. Vermiculite performs this function. Now he will submit it for examination and see what is better than 30%, 40%... for external and internal use. You will get a certain result in terms of thermal conductivity, stretching and fragility, and elasticity.

A high-quality house in Siberia made of wood should be at least 20-25 cm thick. Thermal conductivity characteristics will be minimal, but tolerable. The inside of the house is plastered over shingles, of course, when it shrinks. This gives a protective moisture-leveling layer of about 3 cm. Then... then finishing plaster, then wallpaper. Such a layer of plaster with the correct mode of operation of the house (moving in a year and a half after shrinkage, and not immediately), with the correct installation of window blocks (video about special shrink boxes that avoid freezing, on the Polupanov channel).

Vermiculite is used in warm plaster. There are ready-made mixtures. You can use classic coarse-grained ready-made mixtures with a sand composition, to which vermiculite is added. When plastering, small pores are formed. Thermal conductivity decreases. Compared to ordinary plaster, such 2 cm plaster can replace 5-10 cm in thermal conductivity. Such timber house provides minimal insulation plus a moisture stabilizer. Such plaster can give and take on moisture. Air with steam passes through it, moisture is removed outside. The result is a vapor-transparent structure.
If you cover it with drywall instead, you will create an air gap between the wall and the drywall. This is a reason for rodents to live there. The main mass of the wall is not heated, since mainly convective heating is used inside the house, not infrared. The air heats up the structure very slowly. Behind a layer of air gap and drywall, the wall will not warm up. Consequently, the wall will freeze more from the outside. Frost will accumulate and the water will freeze. Water expands when it freezes, causing the timber to crack even more. The structure of the house moves during this. Therefore, use gypsum structures for external walls Not recommended.
Walls need to be heated not only at installation sites window openings, but also the contour of warm pipes. Warming will be due not only to convection, but also to infrared radiation.
Stretch ceilings are quickly made. But it is acceptable in apartments, but I would not recommend it in private houses. An air gap is formed. On floors, backfill of 20 cm or more plays the role of a heat-intensive base to stabilize heat; it accumulates heat. This pad cannot be cut off from the thermal circuit.
Basically, all insulation works to protect convective flows.
In the same way as warm plaster, heated floors with vermiculite are poured. Vermiculite is poured into the mixer, everything is mixed, then the screed is filled with warm solution and leveled along the beacons. Canadians and Americans in frame housing construction Warm solutions are mainly used. It is not concrete that is poured, but a lighter solution.
Porous ceramic blocks are recommended for use only with a warm solution. This solution has less thermal conductivity. The outside and inside can also be plastered with vermiculite. To avoid heat leaks, it is leveled with a layer of plaster.
This is an environmentally friendly material. During operation, inert gases and resins are not emitted.
Large foam balls (2-5 mm) form large pores, which are quite heterogeneous. Vermiculite has a rather fine structure; these pores are tied up with an array of plaster or screed. The surface is more uniform. Such plasters are more fire-resistant than classic ones.
Drywall of a 2cm layer has some fire-resistant properties, but it needs to be installed in several layers (not one layer), overlapping. Plaster with vermiculite behaves better. At the same time, fire resistance is relevant in wooden houses.

Vermiculite is better than many other insulation materials in terms of thermal conductivity. Foam glass has a slightly worse coefficient. For mineral wool it is slightly less (with a density of about 100 kg/m3). Vermiculite at normal conditions picks up about 10% moisture during long-term storage if water is not poured on it. If you pour water on vermiculite, it will take 400% by weight, so it is used as a sorbent. When humidified from the air, it takes only 10%, but the thermal conductivity coefficient practically does not change!

The best bulk density is about 75 kg/m3.

Vermiculite is very convenient to work with; it pours easily. He doesn't fly. It is convenient to use in ceilings.

We tried to chew it, but we are alive. But they wouldn’t risk eating mineral wool.

Finding alternatives to vermiculite is quite difficult. Of course, fine granulated foam glass is very interesting. It is not afraid of moisture and does not burn in water. But if it is sold, it is expensive. There are a lot of plans in the foam glass industry, but so far there has been no real progress.

When foam glass appears, vermiculite can be used in agriculture.

Vermiculite is half the price of even mineral wool of good density.

Laying vermiculite: In mats, in bulk, in bags. The last option helps when you need to firmly fix the insulation in place (using electric stapler, self-tapping screws,...). The material for the bags is the same as that used in greenhouses; it is vapor transparent.

Perlite (and comparison with vermiculite)
Perlite is fine expanded glass. Density - 50-55 kg/m3. There are varieties of 60-100 kg/m3. At equal density The thermal conductivity of vermiculite is slightly better than that of perlite.

I left both vermiculite and perlite above the surface of the water. After 8 months, a mold film formed on the perlite. Perhaps there were some prerequisites.

Vermiculite produces less dust than perlite. While it is still possible to put vermiculite into the walls, I would not put perlite. Perlite will shake and slide over time. Vermiculite in a pressed, stressed state retains its shape.

Expanded clay (and comparison with vermiculite)
Expanded clay, unfortunately, is heavy. Thermal conductivity is three times higher, the granules are large. Air moves between the granules. Therefore, a much larger layer would have to be poured. Although, it would seem, a cube of expanded clay costs less than a cube of vermiculite.

Heat capacity modern materials are often ignored. Lightweight materials are used, including fibrous materials. Protection in this case occurs only from convective heat flows. The air is immobilized, so there is less heat loss. If you insulate with a lightweight material like polystyrene foam, then there will be no temperature stabilizing properties. The house will not have the ability to accumulate heat or cold. Temperature changes will affect the house. If complex electronics do not work ahead of the curve in a frame house, then there will be discontinuous processes.
More heat-intensive insulation materials, for example, sawdust, have mass (300-400 kg/m3), while small air pores do not allow the air to accelerate quickly. If ecowool is laid normally, it has approximately 85 kg/m3. Foam plastics and penoplexes do not have significant mass, so they do not accumulate heat. Vermiculite is made from mountain mica, so it retains heat. It is good as a storage device and ceilings, and in wall cavities. It is also good when mixed 1:1 with sawdust. The properties of expanded clay differ significantly from vermiculite (20 cm of vermiculite in a backfill - 1-1.5 m of expanded clay).

The frame of the house is often insulated with mineral wool. Facial finishing: previously - metal square siding, but now it is often Chinese ceramics or our ceramic tiles. Wet plaster is used less often, which often bursts and has to be repaired.
During construction brick buildings Penoplex / extruded polystyrene foam is also placed in the wall monolith, although this is unacceptable. It is often laid closer to the facing brick, often with gaps. The material is vapor-opaque, the wall begins to dampen.
Old buildings - 50-70cm monolithic brickwork.
If it is a well masonry, you want to place insulation between the bricks, then mineral wool lasts 10-15 years, and brick much longer. Dismantle the facing masonry and change the insulation? Therefore, metal siding, false beams,...
Vermiculite can be poured into the cavity of the well masonry. The backfill thickness should be at least 15-20 cm. The approximate service life of vermiculite is 70 years. At the same time, do not forget to reinforce the outer facing brick with the main mass of the wall. This is the perfect solution.

We will not consider structural materials that can be considered as insulation (brick, wood, concrete).

All of the above insulation:
Natural insulation materials: Sawdust, moss and vermiculite.

(Update October 6, 2013)
Geocar (peat block), straw, foam glass are of low prevalence, since the place of production can be remote from the consumer. All three are environmentally friendly.

Geocar
made from peat. Peat is divided into high and low peat. Mostly used on horseback. Where the moss turns into peat (1 mm per year), it is raised moss.
Russia receives trillions of tons of peat for free every year. Natural wax is even obtained from peat, which is used in perfumery. High-moor peat contains less decomposed fractions. It is they, in my opinion, that are used in the geocar. High-moor peat is also used for fuel (briquetted peat). Peat is difficult to obtain. It is necessary to drain the swamps, compact the peat, dry it...
Geocar production: Peat is mixed with water, resulting in viscous properties. The fibers are fine, like cement. The solution is plastic, you can even glue something on it. The geocar also includes sawdust (usually 50% of the briquette). Pressing, drying,.... Sawdust acts as a stabilizer in terms of geometric parameters. Flammability class - slightly flammable. Up to 5 floors were built from a geocar block.
Geocar has very good antiseptic properties, completely disinfecting the room. The prison was lined with a geocar inside and the incidence of tuberculosis decreased by 90%.
The heat saving ability is good. The block is structural. Blocks are 200 by 500, if I’m not mistaken, the height is approximately 5 cm. Thin blocks dry faster.
A brick house can be lined inside or outside. The top must be plastered to protect it from fire. Rodents don’t perceive it at all, if I’m not mistaken. It can, in principle, be used in well masonry, but I have not seen this. According to the operational regime, in my opinion, it has 50 years of operation. The material is vapor transparent. Poorly accumulates harmful impurities. The building turns out to be environmentally friendly with good side effects, such as purifying the air from germs and bacteria.
In terms of price, it is quite competitive. But peat extraction is very expensive. Plus you need a lot of sawdust during production. All this may deter manufacturers from expanding their range. The equipment is offered for 20 million rubles. Technologically, everything seems to be simple, so this price seems overpriced. You need a good deposit of peat. With government support, the material could be widely disseminated. I liked the material and still like it. It is safe, non-toxic, durable, completely fireproof, and can be used for self-supporting structures.

The adobe construction was well described by a specialist who gave an interview on the Slavic radio Veda-Ra. There, the technological features of adobe, self-supporting adobe, and adobe using a frame were specifically spelled out.
In adobe house construction, hay or any other kind of material is not used. The straw was baled either after buckwheat, or millet or rye, I don’t remember. The peculiarity is that there should be tubes that have a glassy hexagonal shape, which are preserved for a long time, do not rot, and do not rot. It turns out very good construction material. You need to decide what adobe is made from and whether there are opportunities for its production in your region.
Straw is harvested using a baling machine directly in the fields during harvesting. The result is a ready-made building material. Once you transport it, you can insulate the under-roof space with it, you can make a self-supporting adobe out of it,...
Adobe blocks can be laid by threading them with carbon fiber reinforcement. I generally don’t consider metal in construction in large quantities, especially looped, pin-shaped metal sticking out in the wall.
I admire the desire for harmony with nature. But permeate adobe house metal fittings vertically or horizontally, use metal mesh for plaster, wrong.
A self-supporting structure tends to shrink. After the roof is installed, shrinkage occurs, then finishing occurs. The self-supporting frame distributes the load on the straw blocks (a bubble may come out somewhere, the height may decrease). The optimal use of adobe in frame house construction, in my opinion. Classic frame, double frame (for internal and external cladding).
Some people knit straw themselves. The price of straw is cheap, but delivery can be expensive if the distances are long.
Adobe construction has become widespread in the south of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. I have never seen such a construct in Siberia. When there is a large temperature conflict, condensation occurs. Such changes are repeated from 20 to 50 times during one winter and can lead to the adobe becoming damp. A large amount of snow also implies a solid foundation. Our foundation is either stone and cobblestones or no foundation at all. We also need a high base to prevent snow from blowing in.
From a commercial point of view, market price It will be funny because buyers won’t appreciate it. Although the cost of construction is comparable to a wooden house. Timber, frame, foam concrete can give the client a greater feeling of reliability, durability, and practicality.
Adobe does not have fireproof properties. It needs to be plastered inside and out clay solutions, plasters. Tests have shown that plastered straw holds fire for about two hours, if I'm not mistaken.
Many people say that such a house is calming and creates good energy. Residents in such a house are very comfortable. This is an integral part of green construction. A tree is a kind of violence. Previously, they cut down correctly and asked the tree for forgiveness. Straw has minimal death, which will not upset anyone. Plus, the straw continues to live in your home. That's how clever it is.
The minimum wall thickness is 50 cm, if I'm not mistaken. Those. up to 10 sq.m. in a house 10 by 10 meters we lose. The market price is from 10 to 15 thousand rubles per square meter, so do the math.
A house 10 by 10 meters high 3 meters requires 24 cubes of vermiculite in the well masonry on the frame (the cost will be 103 thousand rubles, and with insulation of the ceiling and floor 20 cm of vermix (vermiwood) it will cost about 100 thousand rubles).

Foam glass
The equipment and production that I know of are located in Ukraine. Therefore, this insulation will be of interest to residents of Ukraine. It arrives in Russia. But its cost, if I’m not mistaken, is 10-14 thousand rubles per cubic meter.
Production: Cullet is heated to a fluid state, then the foaming process occurs. There are small bubbly voids inside. The material is black, porous. Its properties are indistinguishable from ordinary glass: durable, vapor-proof, non-flammable. It can be sawed, adjusted, i.e. quite good at processing. The compressive load is similar to a brick of 120th density or something, i.e. it can easily support the load on itself, you can build with it like a brick.
used as insulation in nuclear reactors, in all critical buildings such as hotels.
Can also be used in regions with high humidity, and underwater. It does not absorb liquid. Two sizes: one like a brick, the other larger.
Service life is more than 70-100 years.
Ideal for use in basements. Just like in penoplex (penoplex) there are no open pores.
Strongly resembles rock after a volcanic eruption. This type of insulation was used in ancient times.
The vapor transparency of the building will be reduced to zero, with the exception of masonry joints. Many experts say that it can be used to insulate brick houses. But in my opinion, the liquid will remain in the structure.
It makes sense to build entirely from foam glass so that liquid does not pass through at all. But the market price is high.
Penoplex costs 4,600 rubles per cubic meter.
Foam glass chips (crushed) are cheap. It can also be used in well masonry, since gaps form between the particles; in my opinion, steam can pass between them. In this form it didn’t go anywhere.
I may be wrong, as there are plenty of sources.
Thermal conductivity is worse than that of the same vermiculite. You need twice as much foam glass.
In Ukraine (and not in Siberia) 15-20 cm for heat stabilization, I think, will be more than enough.
The product often has an industrial purpose.

Good afternoon Please tell me, there is a house made of rounded logs (diameter 200 mm) and there is a need to cover it with siding. Is it necessary to install insulation under the siding (living all year round)? What insulating films should be used and where should they be laid?

Hello.

Although you didn’t ask about it: is it really necessary to close the noble massive natural wood flimsy plastic panels? Indeed, today there are many means for effectively protecting wood; you can protect walls from rain with the help of large roof overhangs; low tides will not let you get wet lower crowns. However, it's up to you.

“Do I need to install insulation under the siding?” - Well, how do we know whether you need it or not? If you made the decision to sheathe your house solely for aesthetic reasons, but otherwise you are satisfied with everything, why use insulation? And if the goal of covering the facade is to reduce heating costs, how can we do without a thermal insulation layer?

Rounded logs are an excellent building material with natural beauty and extraordinary charm. Is it worth covering it with cheap consumer goods siding?

If you decide to insulate a log house, you need to provide the walls with the ability to “breathe” and release the moisture received from inside the house to the street. Otherwise, the wood will become waterlogged, which can lead to fungal attack and rotting. To ensure “breathing” for the walls, all its layers must be sufficiently vapor permeable. Let's specify:

1. We do not use vapor barrier films for walls in any form or anywhere. At the same time, vapor barrier when installing a roof is mandatory.
2. The insulation must have a high degree of vapor permeability. The simplest and most affordable option is semi-rigid mineral wool slabs with a volumetric weight of at least 35 kg/m3. It is better to take thicker slabs, from 50 kg/m3 and above, they practically do not sag. There are a number of poured and sprayed vapor-permeable insulation materials (cellulose wadding, industrial wool, materials made from plant fibers, etc.), but they are difficult to apply and are more suitable for thermal insulation of frame walls. Polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam for external insulation of a wooden house with year-round accommodation unsuitable. As for the thickness of the thermal insulation layer: the greater it is, the lower the heating costs will be.
3. You cannot “lay insulation under the siding”; between the heat-insulating layer and the sheathing there must be a ventilated gap open for free air flow in the lower and upper parts of the wall. His optimal thickness- 4 cm.
4. To prevent the wind from blowing through the fiber insulation, it must be covered from the outside with a windproofing film (membrane). Do not confuse windproof and vapor barrier films with each other!

Correct design of insulation of a log house from the outside. It is important not to impair the vapor permeability of the walls, to ensure the free “breathing” of the wood

Based on the fact that the question indicates the thickness of the walls, we can assume that perhaps you also wanted to receive a recommendation on the need to insulate the house. Alas, we cannot say anything specific about this, because neither the region of your residence nor the climatic conditions are indicated. But, although our readers live in both polar latitudes and subtropics, the climate in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan can generally be described as moderately cold. In a significant part of Ukraine, winter is also not very hot. Anyway good thermal insulation home will reduce operating costs. How justified this is and how long it will take to pay for external insulation must be considered based on specific conditions.

Depending on what layer of insulation is intended to be installed, the design of the sheathing frame is chosen: single or double. The latter makes it possible to arrange mineral wool slabs in two layers with mutual overlap of seams

After the introduction of a new standard for the thermal protection of buildings, insulation has become relevant even for those houses that were previously considered “safe”. Owners of older buildings don't have to do anything, but they must be prepared to pay rising energy bills. And designs for new houses will not be approved if they do not meet the requirements of SNiP 02/23/2003. There are several technologies that make it possible to ensure standard indicators for buildings made of any materials. The main thing is to choose the right insulation for the exterior walls of a house in each case.

The house must be kept warm

Why external insulation and not internal

The most understandable argument for a non-specialist sounds very convincing, although this is a secondary factor - insulation from the inside “takes away” the useful volume of residential and office premises.

Builders are guided by the standard according to which insulation must be external (SP 23-101-2004). Insulation from the inside is not directly prohibited, but it can only be carried out in exceptional cases. For example, when work on the outside cannot be carried out due to the design features or the facade “belongs” to a house that is classified as an architectural monument.

Video description

The result of proper internal insulation of a house in the video:

Internal insulation of walls is allowed provided that a durable and continuous vapor-tight layer is created on the side of the room. But this is not easy to do, and if warm air with water vapor gets into the insulation or onto the surface of a cold wall, then the appearance of condensation is inevitable. And this is due to the “dew point”, which will move either inside the layer of thermal insulation material or to the boundary between it and the wall.

Even such protection from the inside will not provide a 100% guarantee against the wall getting wet - water vapor will find its way into the film joints and fastening points

That is, when deciding how to properly insulate a house, in the vast majority of cases, the answer will be based on clear regulatory recommendations - from the outside.

Popular thermal insulation materials

From a large list of thermal insulation materials, we can highlight several of the most popular ones and those that are used if the budget allows or for other reasons. Traditionally, the popularity of materials is determined by a combination of good thermal insulation characteristics and relatively low cost.

• Expanded polystyrene

Better known as "foam". To be precise, in addition to slabs, this material is also used in granular form as bulk thermal insulation.

Its thermal conductivity varies with density, but on average it is one of the lowest in its class. Thermal insulation properties are provided by a cellular structure filled with air. The popularity is due to accessibility, ease of installation, good performance compressive strength, low water absorption. That is, it is cheap, quite durable (as part of the structure) and is not afraid of water.

Polystyrene foam is considered low-flammable, and those marked PSB-S are self-extinguishing (does not support combustion). But during a fire, it emits toxic gases, and this is one of the main reasons why it cannot be used for insulation from the inside. Its second drawback is low vapor permeability, which imposes restrictions on the use of “breathable” materials when insulating walls.

Insulating the outside of a house with foam plastic

• Extruded polystyrene foam

It differs from polystyrene foam by a fundamentally different manufacturing technology, although the raw material is the same polystyrene granules. In some respects it is superior to its “relative”. It has the same percentage of water absorption (no more than 2%), on average, thermal conductivity is 20-30% lower (Table D.1 SP 23-101-2004), vapor permeability is several times lower and compressive strength is higher. Thanks to this set of qualities, it is best material when insulating the foundation and basement, that is, the walls of the basement and the “zero” floor. The disadvantages of EPS are the same as those of polystyrene foam, and it costs more.

Eps is usually made “colored”

• Stone, also known as basalt, cotton wool

This is a subtype of mineral wool, the raw materials of which are rocks of stone (most often basalt). A completely different type of thermal insulation material, the low thermal conductivity of which is ensured due to its fibrous structure and low density. It is inferior to foam plastic and EPPS in terms of thermal conductivity (on average 1.5 times higher), but unlike them, it does not burn or smolder (flammability class NG). Refers to “breathable” materials - according to the new standard this sounds like low “breathing resistance”.

Mineral wool mats for wall insulation must be “hard”

But there are other materials for insulating a house outside, which, although used less frequently, have their own advantages.

Thermal insulation materials - new products on the market

Additionally, you can always consider new options - they are a little more expensive, but often somewhat more effective than traditional ones.

• Foamed polyurethane

A common polymer material for “household use”. Also well known as foam rubber for furniture (in the form of “soft” mats) or as polyurethane foam for sealing cracks. When insulating, it is also used in the form of slabs or sprayed insulation.

Polyurethane foam slabs have low tear-off holding properties, so they are not used in “wet façade” systems.

But this is a common thermal insulation material for making sandwich panels. The same technology underlies the production of thermal panels for facade cladding. Such a panel is a heat-insulating board with already applied at the factory decorative layer(clinker tiles or stone chips). Two types of insulation: polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam. In the first case, the thermal panel is two-layer, in the second - three-layer (OSB or moisture resistant plywood). Two mounting options: dowels/anchors ( open method) or your own hidden fastening system.

Three-layer thermal panel

Sprayed polyurethane foam is in demand if it is necessary to create a seamless layer of thermal insulation on complex surfaces. Until recently, there was only one technology for applying such a layer - using professional installations working with a two-component composition (mixing occurs during spraying).

Spraying polyurethane foam onto the base of a house

Now in Russia, for household use, the production of one-component polyurethane foam has been launched, which is produced in an aerosol can with a capacity of 1 liter. As the manufacturers assure (there are two competing companies), insulating 1 m2 with your own hands is much cheaper than concluding an agreement with specialized enterprises that use professional equipment. And this option for insulating a house from the outside is quite attractive if literally 2-3 cm of the thermal insulation layer is missing.

Insulation using sprayed polyurethane foam "Teplis"

• Ecowool

A relatively new thermal insulation material. The technology for insulating enclosing surfaces is based on cellulose fiber material, which is applied to the walls using a special installation. There are two options for insulation: filling the plane between the wall and the cladding, spraying with an adhesive binder onto the wall with installed sheathing (and subsequent installation of facade panels).

Among the traditional materials, we can mention glass wool (a subtype of mineral wool), but due to its fragility and the formation of tiny “dust” with sharp edges during installation, it has been replaced by stone wool, which is safe both during installation and during operation.

The better way to insulate a house from the outside - standards for the number of layers

If you follow regulatory documents, there are two options for how to insulate a house from the outside based on the number of structural and thermal insulation layers: two-layer and three-layer. Moreover, in the second case, the external paneling or plaster is not considered an independent layer, although their thermal insulation properties are taken into account. In three-layer walls, the outer (third) layer is the structural material.

Brick cladding with insulation

In addition to this classification, there is also a division based on the presence of a ventilated and non-ventilated layer.

• brickwork, reinforced concrete (with flexible connections), expanded clay concrete - all types of solutions;
• wooden houses - enclosing structures with two-layer, three-layer walls and a ventilated air gap;
• frame houses with thin-sheet cladding - three-layer walls with thermal insulation in the middle, as well as with a ventilated and non-ventilated air gap;
• blocks of cellular concrete– two-layer walls with brick cladding, as well as with a ventilated or non-ventilated layer.

In practice, for insulating low-rise buildings, such a variety of solutions comes down to the choice between a “wet” or a curtain wall. Although, it is those recommended by the standard that are considered as thermal insulation materials - mineral wool or expanded polystyrene (EPS as an alternative).

But each case has its own preferences.

Video description

The video shows how to choose how to insulate a house from the outside:

The better way to insulate a house from the outside, depending on the wall material

For insulating a brick house, there are no restrictions when choosing technology. Different variants can only be considered depending on the chosen method finishing facade:

• Facing brick. This is a classic three-layer wall construction with flexible ties. Even when using polystyrene foam, a ventilated air layer is provided to ventilate water vapor and prevent the wall materials from getting wet.
• Wet facade. You can use mineral wool and polystyrene foam. The first option is preferable - ceramic bricks vapor permeability is higher than that of foam. And according to clause 8.5 of SP 23-101-2004, the arrangement of layers should facilitate the weathering of water vapor to prevent moisture accumulation.

"Wet facade" scheme

• Ventilated facade. With cladding with wall panels or large-format porcelain tiles on the sheathing. Traditional insulation for everyone curtain facades- mineral wool.

Scheme of a ventilated facade

Wooden houses (logs or beams) are insulated exclusively with mineral wool using curtain façade technology.

For them, you can find examples of using polystyrene foam and plaster using the “wet facade” method. In this case, a ventilated gap is created between the wall and the foam boards using spacer sheathing. Although in this case the main advantage of the “wet facade” is lost - simplicity of design and installation.

How to calculate the thickness of insulation

If you look through SP23-101-2004 or a similar but later set of rules SP 50.13330.2012, you can see that calculating the thickness of the insulation is not so easy.

Each building is “individual”. When developing a project and approving it, such thermal calculations are made by specialists. And here a whole range of parameters are taken into account - the characteristics of the region (temperatures, the length of the heating season, the average number of sunny days), the type and area of ​​glazing of the house, the thermal capacity of the floor covering, the thermal insulation of the roof and basement. Even the number of metal connections between the wall and the cladding matters.

But if the owner of a previously built house decides to insulate it (and the new standards introduced in 2003 are much stricter than the old ones), then he will have to choose between three parameters of the “standard thickness” of insulation - 50, 100 and 150 mm. And here the accuracy of calculations is not needed. There is a diagram that shows the equivalent dimensions of the thickness of different materials (in average form), the wall of which will meet the new requirements for thermal protection.

Only a house made of aerated concrete blocks with a thickness of 45 cm does not need insulation

And then it’s simple. Take the wall thickness from certain material, they look at how much is missing from the norm. And then they calculate in proportion what thickness of the insulation layer of the outside wall of the house should be added. Taking into account that a wet façade also has a layer of plaster, and a ventilated façade has an air gap, plus the interior finishing of the façade walls, you can be sure of sufficient thermal protection.

And the question of insulation of the roof, floors and choice good windows decided separately.

It’s even easier to use one of the many online calculators. The figure here, of course, is approximate, but rounded up to the nearest standard insulation thickness, it will give the required result.

How to properly install insulation on a facade

Before installation, the facade must be prepared: cleaned of old finishes, removed dirt and dust, dismantled hanging elements of engineering systems, removed ebbs and canopies (you will still have to replace them with wider ones), remove signs, plates and façade lamps. Then the surface of the wall must be strengthened - cracks and chips must be repaired, crumbling areas must be cleaned, and a deep penetration primer must be applied.

Application of primer

For reliable fastening of polystyrene foam or rigid mineral wool mats in a wet façade system, the wall surface must be as smooth as the unevenness can be smoothed out with an adhesive solution. If the height difference is up to 5 mm, the solution is applied over the entire insulation slab, with unevenness from 5 to 20 mm - along the perimeter and in the form of “cakes” on 40% of the slab surface.

The first row of slabs is mounted with emphasis on the starting bar, which also sets the horizontal level. The second and subsequent rows are placed with a vertical seam shift (at least 200 mm), leveling the surface of the insulation in the area of ​​the joints so that the height difference is no more than 3 mm. When insulating the walls around the openings, make sure that the seams of the slabs do not intersect in their corners. Each slab is additionally secured with umbrella dowels at the rate of 5 pcs. per 1 m2.

Before applying plaster, the surface of the slabs is reinforced with fiberglass, fixed in the middle of a layer of adhesive solution with a total thickness of 5-6 mm.

The density of polystyrene foam is chosen to be 25-35 kg/m3.

Video description

Visually about mineral wool insulation in the video:

Russian mineral wool mats brands for the “wet facade” system they must correspond to index 175, imported ones must be marked “facade” and have a density above 125 kg/m3.

Attention. In the “wet facade” system, the insulation is installed in only one (!) layer. A vertical surface made of two layers of “soft” slabs loaded with plaster behaves unpredictably, especially with changes in temperature and humidity conditions. Do not be fooled by arguments that the second layer of slabs overlaps the seams of the first and eliminates “cold bridges”.

The ventilated facade uses rigid mineral wool mats with a density of 80 kg/m3. If the surface of the mats is not laminated, then after attaching them to the sheathing, the surface is covered with either fiberglass or a vapor-permeable membrane.

The spacing of the lathing is chosen 2-3 cm less than the width of the mats. In addition to fastening to the sheathing, the insulation is additionally fixed to the wall with umbrella dowels.

The size of the air gap between the insulation and the cladding should be in the range of 60-150 mm.

Important. The size of 40 mm is standardized for non-ventilated air spaces.

To ventilate the layer in the cladding, inlet openings are installed in the base area and outlet openings are installed under the roof eaves. The total area of ​​the holes must be at least 75 cm2 per 20 m2 of wall.

Ventilation grilles in the wall

As a result, is it worth insulating?

Insulating your home is a profitable investment even in the short term. The investment will quickly pay for itself by reducing heating and air conditioning costs.

Our website also presents companies specializing in facade and finishing materials, which are presented at the exhibition of Low-Rise Country houses.

Insulating a house from the inside is the least labor-intensive way to solve the problem low temperatures in room. However, this method of insulation is fraught with a pitfall, ignorance of which can lead to very serious consequences. What is this pitfall? At first small excursion in a school physics course.

Insidious dew

Some people remember, some don't, what's with the different states of aggregation substances are connected by three points: the freezing point (melting point), the boiling point and the dew point. During the first of them, the substance freezes (thaws or melts), during the second it turns into a vapor state, and during the third it condenses into a liquid state. This third point is the stumbling block in the issue of the possibility of insulating the room from the inside.

The difficulty is that if everything is simple with the first two points - they are fixed for each substance - then the dew point “walks” over a very wide range depending on the humidity and air temperature.

But what exactly does this “walking” point have to do with the issue of insulation? The most direct: if the temperature of the inner surface of the wall under the insulation is below the dew point or even equal to it, the wall will become wet due to condensation. Under such conditions, mold will inevitably appear on it over time, and in the worst case, fungus (people who know what we are talking about will shudder at the mention of the latter). The result is an unpleasant odor, unhealthy air, and in the case of fungus, the destruction of walls.

Here's the insidious dew for you! You need to think seven times before deciding to insulate your home from the inside. In addition, it is necessary to at least approximately calculate the dew point value for your specific conditions. You can find a detailed guide to calculating the dew point in the article “How to insulate - from the outside or from the inside?”

The general principle is this: the less relative humidity indoors in winter, the lower the dew point value and the less likely the above problems to occur.

It should, however, be noted that, as with any rule, there is one exception: problems associated with the position of the dew point are relevant for all thermal insulation materials, except for one - sprayed polyurethane foam.

The fact is that all other thermal insulation materials, to a greater or lesser extent, leave a gap between themselves and the wall. It is in this gap that moisture condenses on the cold surface of the wall.

Sprayed polyurethane foam does not leave any gap: it becomes an extension of the wall, as happens, for example, with plaster. And this, by the way, is not the only unique property of this insulation. If you are interested in the topic of sprayed polyurethane foam, on the website kucherenkoff.ru you can find detailed information on this issue.

To summarize, we can say that in only one case do you not risk anything when insulating a house from the inside: if sprayed polyurethane foam is used as the insulation material.

Added: 01/20/2015 11:37:41

More articles on this topic:

How to properly insulate a house with your own hands: home insulation technology

The purpose of this section is to answer the question: “how to insulate a house?” That is, the articles presented below examine technologies for insulating foundations, walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, etc. The main thing that attention is constantly drawn to is how to insulate all these structures correctly? Well, with your own hands, without “invited specialists.”

The technologies considered are suitable not only for insulating private houses and cottages, but also apartments; the main thing is to understand the basic principles of insulation, the rest is not important.

Insulation of a house can be carried out according to three schemes, depending on where the insulation is located in the “pie” of the structure:

• insulation outside the room;
• insulation from inside the room;
• insulation inside the structure (there are claims that this can only be done during new construction or during the reconstruction of an old house, but in fact, in some cases this can already be insulated ready house without altering it...

  but more on that in a separate article).

About these three schemes insulation and read in the following articles.

Heat loss in the house, or Where does the heat go from the house?

Is it possible to make a house warmer... without insulating it? After all, we are all normal people... I hope :) This means we understand that rather than working, it’s better not to work.

It’s better to spend money not on what is needed (or maybe not needed?), but on what is pleasant. In general, conclusions can be drawn by reading the article.

How to properly insulate a house, or the Main rules for insulating a house

In this section, actually, there are articles about different technologies insulation of the house.

However, I offer you information that you need to know before choosing a technology. And even before choosing insulation. Compliance (or non-compliance) with these rules determines how comfortable it will be to live in the house later.

External wall insulation: wet and dry insulation methods

In fact, you can retain heat inside your home in a simpler way than insulating walls: insulate/replace windows and doors, it’s easier and cheaper.

But it just so happened that I wanted to talk about the walls today, and about the windows later, someday, not soon, maybe...

This article is about two common methods of insulating external walls.

Insulation of external walls with polystyrene foam: “wet” method of insulation

Expanded polystyrene and polystyrene foam are the same thing.

So, if you want to insulate the wall with foam plastic, then the article will still help you.

Insulation of a wooden house from the outside with mineral wool or polystyrene foam

The article is intended for everyone who needs to insulate wooden walls - no matter what these walls are: houses, bathhouses, cottages, extensions, verandas, etc.

(Again, maybe all you need to do is plug up the cracks between the logs?.. But you know better.)

Insulating the outside walls of a house with your own hands

In fact, all the articles on this site are written for those who want to “do” some kind of “business” with their own hands.

Yes, with small forces. But, it must be admitted that the “wet” task of insulating walls is not for everyone and not for every beginner. Although, of course, you can do some of the work yourself - the least labor-intensive and not requiring serious qualifications. For other things, hire specialists (well, this is me from my bell tower, because I’m not a plasterer).

But using the method described in the article, anyone who is able to hold ordinary hand tools in their hands can insulate walls: a drill, a hammer, a level...

Spray insulation of a house

Well, you can also insulate the walls from the outside.

Although this method has not only advantages, but also disadvantages... however, where are they not? (I’m being silly: we all know that there are things that have no downsides at all, but we’re not talking about them).

Insulation of walls inside the house: advantages and disadvantages

There are reasons that prevent you from insulating a house from the outside.

How to insulate a house from the inside and with what

For example, you need to insulate the walls in an apartment on God knows what floor... high in one word. Then, willy-nilly, you will be puzzled: how to insulate a wall from the inside of a room? And although I am not a supporter of internal insulation, there is a problem and I have to look for solutions.

Methods for insulating walls from the inside

Well, there is nowhere to go, despite all the shortcomings, we have to insulate the walls from the inside.

There are three ways to do this. Choose.

Ventilated facade: design and installation technology

An article concluding the topic of do-it-yourself external wall insulation.

Although, perhaps, you have already understood everything from previous articles, and you will not discover a single “America” for yourself here.

Insulating a house with thermal panels, or How to turn a hut into a palace?

The good thing about modern materials is that they allow you, with a simple tool and basic skills, to give almost any hut a presentable look.

At the same time, it will be difficult to guess what kind of rubbish material “it” is made of.

Ventilated brick facade

In one of the previous articles, I promised to wrap up with the topic of ventilated facades.

But I remembered that they are also made of brick, maybe it will be useful to someone.

Ventilation of the attic, attic, roof

Warmth in a house is not only about the materials of walls, floors, ceilings, the integrity of windows and the absence of cracks in doors.

This is also the absence of excess moisture in structures. And excess moisture is removed very simply: just by properly arranged ventilation.

How to insulate the roof of a house from the inside?

Roof insulation is of interest, first of all, to those who dream of a residential attic (attic).

I understand you... And it doesn’t matter at all what the house is built from, because the roof insulation technology is the same.

Is it necessary to insulate the foundation of a house? (a little theory)

When is it necessary to insulate the foundation of a house, and when is it possible to do without it? And also “what?” And How?" - also important questions. What dangers threaten a well-insulated foundation and how can these dangers be overcome? This is such an informative article.

Insulating the foundation of a house from the outside with your own hands: insulation technologies

In this article we will consider the technologies of external insulation of the main types of foundations: strip, pile-screw, slab, columnar.

And, by the way, let’s answer the question: what is external insulation? better insulation from the inside?

We’ll also learn how to insulate a foundation in front of your loved ones groundwater Oh.

Insulating the basement from the inside

Insulating the basement from the inside is an alternative to insulating the foundation from the outside.

Not the best option insulation, as with walls, but it happens that there is nowhere to go.

Do-it-yourself insulation of a wooden floor

In theory, the floor temperature should not differ from the air temperature by more than two degrees.

I mean, the floor needs to be a couple of degrees colder. Then it will not harm the health of the residents. But very cold floors (by the way, just like very warm ones), on the contrary, are harmful.

If the floor is made of a “warm” material—wooden—but is very cold (you can’t walk on it barefoot all year round), then you need to insulate it.

Insulation of concrete floor

We offer you four ways to insulate a concrete floor.

Do-it-yourself ceiling insulation in a private house

There are two ways to insulate wooden ceiling. In the article we will talk about them. And also about materials suitable for this.

And what is not unimportant is when you can do without ceiling insulation.

(You can use the same methods to insulate the ceiling in a bathhouse.)

Insulation of a concrete ceiling

Continuation of the topic about insulating ceilings.

Only now will we begin (to wash the bones) to insulate the concrete ceiling. There are three ways to do this in my collection.

How does heat escape through windows?

From this article you will learn what affects heat loss through windows, what is the optimal window area, how to reduce heat loss with large glazing areas, why a multi-chamber double-glazed window is more effective than a single-chamber double-glazed window and what to look for when choosing a double-glazed window...

Insulation of plastic windows: when can you do without it?

If plastic windows good quality and installed correctly, they do not require insulation.

Alas, there are problems with both the first and the second when everyone gets down to business.

Do-it-yourself insulation of wooden windows

Even high-quality and even new wooden windows have to be insulated.

The reason for this lies in the characteristics of the material – wood. Well, insulation of old wooden windows - in general, if anyone remembers, it was national tradition, to which tribute was paid twice a year, both in parades on May 1 and November 7.

Insulation of earthen floors

With the current desire for a “return to origins”, “to nature”, to environmental friendliness... even such an atavism as earthen floors can occur.

So I offer my own observations on the issue of insulation of earthen floors.

How to dry boards at home?

(personal experience)

Speaking about insulation, I kept mentioning the frame in which the insulation is placed, about the counter-lattice, which will provide a ventilation gap in the ventilation facades... For all this, wooden boards or bars are needed, to which certain requirements are imposed. Well, at least they should be dry and even.

That’s why this article was written, which tells about my method of drying lumber, as a result of which the boards remain smooth, without “sabers” and “helicopters”.

how to properly insulate a house

Most specialists in finishing work are inclined to choose external insulation of the house, believing that insulating walls from the inside should be resorted to only in extreme cases. In fact, the internal insulation of a room helps to create coziness and warm atmosphere in the house, you just need to choose the right finishing option.

Read also: How to insulate floors in a private house with your own hands

Internal thermal insulation prevents the penetration of warm air into the wall itself, and in cases without insulation air masses penetrate deep into the walls, thereby heating them, so in the first case there is a risk of cracks appearing.

Insulating a house from the inside or how to make life more comfortable and reduce heating bills

Despite such prospects, most homeowners are increasingly resorting to insulation from the inside in order to preserve heat and save on heating costs.

Insulation options

How to insulate walls from the inside in a private house?

This question is very relevant today. There is a wide range of materials used for such purposes and having different properties, advantages and disadvantages. Each consumer is able to choose the most suitable option for himself, taking into account the features of the building.

Read also: How to properly insulate a steam room in a bathhouse from the inside with your own hands

How can you insulate walls:

1. Mineral wool - light material and fibrous.

   A special advantage in this case will be the presence of a certain layer of air between the wall and the insulation layer, provided correct installation. To do this, you will need to build a frame made of wood, dividing its entire area into certain sections (compartments), which will subsequently be filled with mineral wool.

2. Penoplex is a material intended for both external and internal insulation of premises, distinguished by its thickness and density.

   It is attached to a special adhesive base and has special grooves on the edges of the plates, which allows you to connect them together like a puzzle without forming gaps. When thermally insulating with penoplex from the inside, it is best to use slabs 2-3 cm thick, this will reduce the likelihood of condensation forming.

3. Foam insulation is the most cheap way, and quite effective.

   The use of this material does not require special skills, knowledge and abilities, and the thermal insulation is decent.

4. Cover the walls with penofol - one of the most simple ways thermal insulation, which can be easily done with your own hands. This is a polymer porous material, covered with a layer of foil, used for insulation of premises for various purposes. Installation work includes placing wooden slats on the wall to form a gap between the coverings, onto which penofol is subsequently attached.
5. Thermal insulation of walls with plasterboard involves placing some kind of insulation underneath (glass wool, polystyrene foam, etc.).

   Initially, a frame is mounted, in sections of which insulation material is mounted, and only then a sheet of drywall is attached.

Read also: How to properly insulate iron front door with your own hands

Today, more and more more people resort to building a house from foam blocks; this material is quite durable, but at the same time affordable.

When insulating such a building, it is best to use balsa wood. This insulation can be purchased in the form of plates or in a roll.

It is fixed to pre-prepared walls with special glue. It is necessary that the plug be kept in the room at room temperature for at least 24 hours before starting work.

While focusing on thermal insulation, do not forget about floor insulation.

In one-story houses, significant heat leakage occurs through an uninsulated ceiling. In a multi-storey building, the situation is somewhat different; on the second floor you don’t have to insulate the floor, and on the first floor you don’t have to insulate the ceiling, since this ceiling will not be a source of heat loss.

Today, an alternative option for insulation is special mixtures various manufacturers who have thermal insulation properties.

Applying even a small layer of the product will reduce heat loss.

Disadvantages of insulation from the inside:

• reducing the area of ​​the room due to the thickness of the insulation;
• the need to completely free the space from furniture and other objects, which means the impossibility of living in it for a certain period of time;
• implementation of related measures - additional ventilation, as well as protecting the heat insulator from excess moisture and condensation;
• decent financial expenses to comply with all standards when performing installation work.

For acceptance the right decision when choosing the type of wall insulation, it is necessary to weigh all the positive and negative aspects, assess how much the acquired benefits will exceed possible losses from undesirable consequences.

Insulation of a brick wall from the inside with mineral wool

The modern construction market has an incredibly rich range of materials from which private houses are built. These include foam blocks, wooden materials, aerated concrete, etc. Building bricks are no less popular.

A brick wall does not retain heat well, and therefore additional insulation is simply necessary.

The main advantages of building a brick house are practicality and durability.

Such material will delight more than one generation of residents, and this is what homeowners are guided in their calculations when choosing brick as a basis. Despite the fact that brick houses are more expensive in construction costs than, for example, wooden ones, however, all additional expenses pay off over time. Brickwork has virtually no disadvantages. The only significant disadvantage that many builders note is that a brick wall does not retain home heat well.

Therefore, when building a brick house, first of all you need to take care of high-quality heat and waterproofing.

Insulation of house walls

Insulating the walls of a house is an important issue when solving the problem of heat preservation in residential premises.

A visual diagram of how insulation works inside and outside the house.

Brick walls without insulation are susceptible to freezing and destruction under the influence of moisture.

Insulation can be carried out outside and inside the room.

External insulation is used in cases where the building is old and requires cladding with frame, block or wooden covering. At the same time, insulation from the outside is better, more reliable and easier to carry out than from the inside. It does not reduce the internal area of ​​the premises, does not require additional ventilation and does not create a “greenhouse” effect indoors.

If the house was built recently, the walls are made of expensive and beautiful bricks, or the exterior decoration of the building is prohibited due to the preservation of the architectural appearance of the building, then it is better to use internal insulation.

In addition, insulation from the inside is used in cases where it is impossible to insulate only one wall of a living space in an old building from the outside. apartment building, which does not meet modern thermal protection requirements. In this case, external thermal insulation of the entire house is required, since a single external insulation will not be of much use.

Scheme of insulation of a brick wall from the outside.

External insulation is easier and cheaper to carry out, but in practice it is not always feasible.

It should be borne in mind that when internal insulation the area of ​​the room is reduced, but this inconvenience is compensated by other advantages of this method. Insulating a house from the inside is cheaper than insulating it from the outside, and you do not need to obtain any permits to carry out insulation work or invite specialists in external work.

If a decision is made to carry out internal thermal insulation of a house, then it is necessary to take into account other difficulties that arise during the work.

The main difficulty of thermal insulation

It lies in the appearance of condensation between the wall and the insulation.

And it doesn’t matter which side the wall was insulated on. If the measures are carried out incorrectly, condensation will appear after a short period of time. The resulting moisture will harm not only the insulation, but also other materials used in finishing the room. Firstly, when moisture gets into the insulation, its effectiveness as an insulator is significantly reduced.

Secondly, condensation causes the appearance of mold or mildew, which has a bad effect both on the operation of the entire insulation system and on the health of people and animals living in the room.

Finally, moisture settling on the wall of the house from the inside leads to corrosion of materials, which affects not only the insulation, but also the durability of the building itself.

Scheme of insulating a brick wall from the inside. Before starting insulation, you should consider methods of dealing with condensation.

Therefore, before starting work on thermal insulation of a room, you should think about how to prevent condensation.

Typically, two calculations are made for this: required thickness insulation and the location of the dew point (condensation point) in the wall. If the dew point hits the wall, then there will be no problem. If it is located between the wall of the house and the insulation or inside the insulation, then such a room cannot be insulated from the inside. The difference in the temperature of the wall and the insulation design will lead to the wall freezing more strongly and condensation forming on it, which will lead to the problems described earlier.

Various materials are used to insulate a room from the inside.

The most common methods are insulation with polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam, plaster, and mineral wool. Less commonly, cork panels, concrete slabs with special heat-insulating fillers, etc. are used to insulate walls.

Is it possible to insulate your home from the inside?

Let's look at these materials in more detail.

Materials used

Expanded polystyrene is attached to a special glue solution, which forms a moisture-proof layer.

• insulation with polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam.

The most affordable, popular and reliable insulation for the home. Foamed polystyrene materials (foam plastic, expanded polystyrene, penoplex) are often used as insulation for the inner surface of walls, including brickwork.

In addition to low thermal conductivity, foam insulation also has noise-absorbing functions. In addition, it is affordable, easy to install, and can be done with your own hands without any special construction skills.

The only drawback of foam insulation is the space it takes up. However, if the room allows you not to think about its area, then foam insulation is one of the best options;

Insulation brick walls plaster mortar is a time-tested method. It is quite inexpensive and one of the simplest methods of insulation, like foam insulation, but at the same time the longest and “dirtiest”.

The work of insulating from the inside consists of stretching the mounting mesh onto the wall and then applying several layers of plaster mortar to it;

Insulating a brick wall with plaster is the most budget-friendly, but at the same time the most labor-intensive method.

• insulation with mineral wool.

It is a natural material made from silica or basalt. If mineral wool is treated with special hydrophobic substances, it effectively repels water, which makes it possible to use it in conditions of high humidity.

To insulate brick walls, semi-solid or solid slabs based on mineral wool are used.

The use of mineral wool as insulation is also due to the fact that this does not require preliminary leveling of the walls, as with foam insulation. Mineral wool can stick to the wall, filling all the recesses.

The thickness of the insulation depends on the temperature conditions of the room and the area, but is at least 10 cm. The insulation is sold in slabs (100x60 cm) or in rolls up to 9 m long and from 50 to 120 cm wide with a density of 80 to 150 kg/m 3 .

Insulation of walls with mineral wool

The material is quite easy to work with, as it lends itself to bends and kinks, something that foam insulation cannot boast of.

The only condition: it cannot be cut with scissors, since squeezing breaks the thermal insulation structure. It is best to use a saw or sharp knife. When adjusting the size of the slabs, it is necessary to leave up to 2 cm of margin at the edges so that the insulation fits tightly into the designated sections.

As a vapor barrier, it is better to choose film membranes that have a two-layer structure.

In order to insulate a brick wall with mineral wool from the inside, you will need a frame, as when working with polystyrene foam, which will later be covered with plasterboard or other suitable material.

The frame consists of cells of a wooden sheathing, into which insulator slabs are placed so that their height does not exceed the height of the sheathing. You should not compact the mineral wool too hard, as the thermal insulation properties are lost.

Instead of wooden sheathing, you can use a metal profile frame.

A layer of waterproofing material is placed on top of the sheathing. Next, each cell of the resulting frame is filled with mineral wool in one or two layers, depending on the calculated thickness of the insulator.

A layer of vapor barrier is placed on the mineral wool with the foil side facing towards the room. Both hydro- and vapor barrier materials are attached directly to a wooden or metal frame. Well, in the future the frame itself is covered with plasterboard or other materials that will form the design of your interior.

Insulating brick walls with mineral wool or polystyrene foam is an optional process, but highly desirable for improving the comfort of living in the house.

Installation of film from the inside

High-quality insulation of walls, floors and ceilings guarantees a halving of heat loss. Is it possible to insulate an apartment or private house yourself? And what materials are advisable to choose, focusing on the design of the building.

Foam insulation is the most common option, but there is an alternative. Let's take a closer look at the nuances.

Comparative table of prices for different types of insulation

Many people guess that the most common insulation materials are polystyrene foam and mineral wool. Let us now consider the differences, advantages and disadvantages of these two materials. After all, when starting insulation with your own hands, it is important to know the features and requirements for different methods finishing.

Mineral wool: 1 option

Technical characteristics of mineral wool for insulation

It is believed that this is the most inexpensive insulation option, but if you calculate more precisely, it turns out that the price of finishing is almost the same as that of foam plastic. Why? Mineral wool slabs must be laid on metal or wooden sheathing.

Polystyrene foam can be mounted directly to the wall. The advantage of the sheathing is guaranteed ventilation and vapor barrier of the space under the sheathing. The downside is the additional cost and load on the walls, which is unacceptable for old buildings with a weak foundation.

The photo shows a detailed list of mineral wool insulation materials

Advantages of mineral wool:

1. Does not burn.
2. It's inexpensive.
3. Guarantees good insulation and ventilation of the space under the finishing, which eliminates the appearance of rot and mold.
4. Cotton wool is environmentally friendly and does not emit harmful volatile components.
5. Installation can be done independently.
6. High-quality insulation.

I advise you to choose mineral wool slabs or rolls with foil on one side. Such screens can reduce heat loss by half. If the walls are lined from the inside with mineral wool, then the layer covered with foil is placed inside the room.

Mineral wool is susceptible to moisture and dampness

Disadvantages of mineral wool for exterior finishing:

1. Installation of metal or wooden frame battens.
2. The final decorative cladding is siding, wooden or plastic lining, brick, stone or clinker slabs.
3. The vapor conductivity of mineral wool is very high. But this is both good and bad. If you combine mineral wool with finishing materials with low vapor conductivity (lining), there is a high probability of moisture appearance.
4. Is a vapor barrier necessary when insulating with mineral wool? Yes, it is necessary, since moisture vapor easily penetrates through the fibers.

Laying glass wool trim must be done in a respirator and a special protective suit. This material is simply dangerous for the skin.

Foam boards: option 2

On the loggia, a vapor barrier is required when insulating with foam plastic

Insulation with expanded polystyrene is a hit of budget thermal insulation in suburban and urban construction. In the apartment you can decorate the walls facing the street, loggia, balcony. In a private house, polystyrene foam is useful for all insulation options, both for the sheathing and for the adhesive solution on the mesh.

Vapor and waterproofing - is it necessary when insulating with polystyrene foam? Waterproofing of the foundation and plinth is always necessary, especially if the groundwater level is high in the area. A When installing slabs on an adhesive mixture, there is no need to install a vapor barrier layer, nor do you need to organize complex ventilation of the space under the finishing.

Advantages of polystyrene foam:

1. Retains heat well. Thermal insulation depends on the selected thickness of the foam sheet and additional decorative trim.
2. Easy installation and no need to install lathing.
3. There is no need to organize a layer of vapor insulation for external wall cladding.
4. High resistance to moisture and dampness.
5. Good shockproof properties.

Scheme for attaching external foam insulation without vapor barrier

But there are also significant disadvantages:

1. Expanded polystyrene melts in an open flame and then burns, so it is not recommended to lay it under fire-hazardous exterior finishes (lining, wood, plastic).
2. It is better to choose dense polystyrene foam, it is more resistant to mechanical damage.
3. Unfortunately, rodents and birds love polystyrene foam, so it is very important to plaster walls insulated with foam plastic.

There is one more important point. Foam plastic does not allow moisture and steam to pass through, and installation of a vapor barrier is not required here. But this one is both good and bad. There is no need to insulate the room from the inside with this material, as many problems may eventually arise.

Advantages of external thermal insulation

The place where cold air flows from the street and warm air flows from the house meet is called the dew point. It is at this point that moisture accumulates, which is detrimental to the walls. When insulating with foam plastic from the inside, the dew point is transferred to the inner surface of the wall and mold and mildew begin to grow under the foam plastic.

If there is no other way out, then it is imperative to install a vapor barrier. Which side of the insulation should the vapor barrier be placed from the inside? Sandwich type: wall, vapor barrier, insulation, protective decorative finish.

Another disadvantage of insulating with foam plastic from the inside is the risk of the wall completely freezing and then thawing. The result is the rapid destruction of any material due to frequent freezing and thawing.

That is why it is possible to insulate a room from the inside only if external insulation is simply impossible ( upper floors, inability to access external surfaces).

Application of penoizol

Separately, I would like to mention liquid penoizol. It is, of course, not cheap, but it guarantees an even layer without gaps or cracks. An excellent solution for insulating basements and basements of houses made of any materials.

So, the insulation has been chosen, but how to install it correctly and why is a vapor barrier needed?

Vapor barrier - to install or not

Inexpensive option for external vapor barrier

If finishing is carried out using mineral wool, then installation of a vapor barrier is necessary, since the wool allows hot air vapor to pass through well. When working with polystyrene foam and penoplex, the issue of installing additional vapor barrier must be decided depending on the design of the house and the insulation option.

Vapor barrier is a building material that prevents the penetration of moisture vapor into the internal structures of walls, floors and ceilings. The use of a vapor barrier is necessary for internal insulation, since it is from the room that warm, moist air rushes to the street.

Insulation of walls from the inside using wooden sheathing

When installation of a vapor barrier is necessary:

• The outside walls of the house are finished with mineral wool, without additional waterproofing and high-quality protective finishing of the facade.

• It is necessary to install a vapor barrier from the inside if the external cladding is made in the form of a sandwich of mineral wool and decorative cladding on a frame made of wood or metal.
• Which side to lay the vapor barrier towards the insulation - it all depends on the material chosen for finishing. For film this issue is not fundamental, but for other membrane vapor protection this is important, but first things first.
• Frame houses necessarily require the installation of internal vapor barrier, since wood is very sensitive to moisture.

A layer of waterproofing on top of mineral wool

• The design features of a wooden house also require the mandatory installation of a vapor barrier. After all, moisture from warm rooms always strive outward, creating ideal conditions for wood rotting .
• When constructing a ventilated façade, a layer of mineral wool is placed between two layers (hydro- and vapor barriers). From the outside, protection from moisture is required, and from the inside, mounted on the walls, from hot air vapors.

Lathing for siding

Craftsmen believe that this design eliminates the need to install wind protection. Its functions are performed by a vapor barrier. This method is especially relevant when finishing the facade with siding.

Also, when insulating using a sandwich type, you must not forget about a well-thought-out ventilation system under the skin. To do this, the instructions recommend the installation of ventilation gaps (especially for siding, lining and mineral wool).

The air entering through the holes dries the moisture droplets, which will certainly settle on the vapor barrier.

What material to choose for a high-quality vapor barrier

Reflective Screen Film

Now on sale you can find three types of film for vapor barrier devices. Let's look at the pros and cons of each of them:

1. Polyethylene film - cheap and cheerful. It, of course, protects the walls from vapors and moisture, but creates a greenhouse effect, since it does not allow air to pass through at all. Therefore, when choosing a film, you need to be sure of high-quality ventilation of the space under the finishing.
2. Mastic is an ideal solution for vapor barrier when facing with plasterboard from the inside. The material is applied over drywall, allows air to pass through perfectly, but retains moisture vapor from the room. In addition, the mastic ensures that there are no gaps that cause dew points to appear. The mastic is applied before finishing.
3. Membrane film is a new generation finishing. Guarantees high-quality ventilation and does not allow moisture to pass through. Which side to attach the vapor barrier with membrane film to the insulation? The smooth side is towards the insulating material, the fleecy side is outwards.

Membrane films are the most convenient and reliable building material, so we will consider them in more detail.

Types of membrane film for vapor barrier

Vapor insulation over a layer of mineral wool

The film has many tiny holes that provide ventilation but do not allow moisture to pass under the skin. It is important which side this or that film is placed on. Typically, the manufacturer puts marks on the material that indicate where air penetrates through the film.

Three types of such insulation can be found on sale:

1. A vapor barrier for external insulation is an ideal solution for ventilated facades and frame buildings. The most common and relatively inexpensive are Megaizol-A and Izospan-A.
2. Vapor barrier for interior works- the same Izospan and Megaizol, but marked “B”. This is a two-layer polyethylene film, on one side it does not allow moisture to pass through.
3. Insulation with heat-reflecting screens - on one side the material is covered with a layer of foil. It is advisable to use in baths and saunas, that is, in rooms with high humidity and high temperatures. The most common vapor barriers are “Izospan FS”, “Izospan FD” and “Izospan FX”.

Such screens are also good for increasing the heat transfer of indoor radiators. They are often mounted behind a radiator, and it heats the room, not the wall.

Summary

You can watch and study the information more clearly in the video in this article. If you, my dear readers, have any interesting comments and additions, let's discuss them in the comments.

I hope that the information that I have collected for you here will help you make your choice and draw the right conclusions.

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, or ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!

The need for vapor barrier when insulating mineral wool

Construction of a residential building or its renovation is a long-term work, the result of which must be quality. Vapor barrier is a film that, together with other structural objects, interacts to stop the formation of condensation. Usually people carry it out during major renovations. Hydro-vapor barrier helps to increase the service life because it prevents moisture from penetrating into the insulated layer.

In winter, vapor barrier is especially important, since the temperature indoors and outdoors is significantly different - this leads to the formation of steam in the house, which must leave the room without any obstacles. Basements, attics, first floors, and interfloor partitions most need vapor insulation.

The walls don’t really need it if they are insulated from the outside. A sign of this may be that the surface does not allow air to pass through:

• surface covered with non-porous coating;
• a thick, continuous layer of waterproofing is applied;
• wall made of bricks.

There are other situations where a vapor barrier is not necessary. From all this we can summarize that walls, floors and ceilings insulated with mineral wool do not necessarily need protection from condensation. Vapor barrier is necessary only in cases where there is constant contact of warm air flow with the surface in the room.

Hydro-vapor barrier is one of the most important factors when insulating a residential building with mineral wool. This fence will help you overcome the dampening of walls, floors or ceilings by condensation (transition of a substance from a gaseous to a liquid state) upon contact with warm air air with the surface.

One of the main advantages of vapor barrier of a room is that it can be done independently, without having any specific abilities and skills. But what is mineral wool? This article will discuss this material, intended for insulating a room, and the reason for the need for vapor barrier outside and inside the room.

Mineral wool and its properties

The main indicator that shows the quality of insulation is the thermal conductivity coefficient of the material. Mineral wool is a fibrous insulating material. For such insulation materials, the thermal insulation qualities depend on the specific water content in the material (moisture content).

When any liquid gets in, mineral wool absorbs it, pushing out the air. As the amount of humidity increases, the thermal insulation properties of mineral wool decrease. The main disadvantage is that the liquid that gets inside is difficult to remove from the material. Mineral wool can absorb 2/3 of its entire weight in liquid, but its performance deteriorates.

But despite the excessive accumulation of water, mineral wool has become widespread. In rooms where there is no constant contact with water, the use of this insulation is recommended.

Before insulating this material, it is important to cover the surface of these places with a special film that protects it from any moisture, but at the same time allows air flow to pass through:

• brick, frame walls;
• the outer side of the walls made of wood;
• floors;
• interfloor ceilings;
• the upper element of the building (roof).

Mineral wool can be made from various raw materials: glass, stone, or slag. Today, mineral wool is very popular in construction, in particular for room insulation. In particular, walls and ceilings are insulated with it. Mineral wool is also used for insulating furnaces and pipelines that have a high temperature, since this material is non-flammable. Additionally, mineral wool has soundproofing properties.

Mineral wool may contain potential dangers to the human body. But in fact, it contains fibers that are good for health. It is best to use it in a place that is regularly ventilated, or use ecowool. Ecowool consists of environmentally friendly materials.

Vapor barrier

The thermal insulation “pie” must allow air to pass through so that the room “breathes”. Therefore, the hot air flow escapes very slowly through the insulation fibers. With proper installation of insulation, this ability should increase from room to street.

There should be a ventilation gap of two centimeters under the decorative finishing of the walls and ceiling. Mineral wool is attached between the supports.

First, it is necessary to lay a wind and waterproofing barrier that will protect against precipitation and powerful gusty winds.

Partitions between rooms and interfloor ceilings need to be insulated using a different method, because air and moisture can impregnate mineral wool or ecowool from different sides, therefore, to preserve thermal and technical properties, a vapor barrier is required on both sides. In this case, residual moisture passes through the ventilation gap, which is located under the facade.

There are situations when hydro-vapor barrier when insulating with mineral wool or ecowool is not required at all.

For both waterproofing and vapor barrier, it is important to carry out a number of preparatory work:

• cleaning the coating from various dirt and dust;
• priming. This is necessary to seal surface cracks;
• drying the coating.

Vapor barrier of walls in the room

Types of vapor barrier

Vapor barrier is divided into two types:

• Rolled. Rolls are rolled out from the bottom of the item to the top. Next, they are secured with slats made of wood in a horizontal position. The gap for ventilation is located between internal lining and a steam protective layer. This hole should be about five centimeters. After the procedure, check that everything is securely fastened.
• Leafy. To work with sheet material First, you should install a frame from the profile. Sheets must be mounted into this frame. Self-tapping screws or nails will help you secure the sheets. The joint areas must be covered with polyvinyl chloride (PVC film). The vapor barrier layer sheet is placed with the inner area towards the place that you want to insulate.

Installation of vapor barrier on the floor

Rules for attaching a vapor barrier layer

The reliability of fastening depends on screws or nails. Regardless of the location of the room, hydro-vapor barrier is established by general principles.

For the integrity of the vapor barrier coating, it is important to apply the layer in a continuous layer to avoid any holes or cracks. It is advisable to fasten the sheet with a furniture stapler. With the help of this construction tool, the vapor barrier film is attached closely to the surface of the insulated walls and a certain ceiling.

The vapor barrier layer is laid by overlapping individual rolls or sheets (depending on the types of vapor barrier) by 10-12 centimeters. In places with door and window openings, the sheets must be glued; this can be done using adhesive tape specially designed for this situation. But there is no need to stretch the vapor barrier film, otherwise due to sudden changes in air temperature, it will not be able to maintain its integrity. It is attached with a margin of three centimeters.

Hydro-vapor barrier of a ceiling insulated with mineral wool or ecowool is also carried out with overlapping rolls or sheets. To protect the ceiling from steam and moisture, the interior and exterior of the room must be covered with waterproofing vapor barrier layers.

The outer part of the building should consist of three layers:

• paraisolating;
• thermal insulation;
• repeated vapor barrier;

Thanks to this, the service life is increased and the likelihood of condensation in your room is eliminated.

Floors made of reinforced concrete especially require protection from steam and moisture. Otherwise, sudden changes in air temperature will lead to the appearance of steam, which can cause fungus or mold to appear on the ceiling.

Vapor barrier – important element which will bring comfort and coziness to your home. Typically, a vapor barrier is installed together with waterproofing and thermal insulation. When working with the material yourself, you should follow several rules and nuances. The choice is yours. This article could answer the question: is a vapor barrier necessary when insulating with mineral wool?

Insulating a wooden ceiling with mineral wool - is a vapor barrier necessary?

Hello! I have a related question - how to insulate the floor in a country house made of wood. When lying down, you can feel dampness from the floor, as well as a slight draft.
There are 600*1200*50mm penoplex slabs (extruded polystyrene foam) available for free. At first I wanted to insulate them with them, but I thought that they were very flammable and vapor-tight. those. If you close the tree from the basement, there will be no natural ventilation at all - it will rot faster. Then an idea was born - cover it with penoplex, but lay it on the floor boards themselves, and on the cross beam (see photo), so between the floor boards and the insulation there will be an air gap equal to the thickness of the beam, it would seem the problem is solved, but then the beam itself will suffer from a lack of ventilation, or more precisely the place where it adjoins the penoplex), which is in direct contact with the penoplex. or is it not scary? You will only have to insulate the outside, i.e. from the basement.

1. It’s stupid to cover the ground in the basement with expanded clay or sawdust.
2. Use mineral wool instead of penoplex. but it will be a bit expensive with all the wind and water protection. and it is not entirely advisable to insulate it from the basement. If it were inside, then yes.
3. Use foil penofol 1 cm thick. But the same problem with ventilating the boards.
   In general, I don't know. Because “Penoplex” - I have it lying around, I’m more inclined, of course, to it. but I will consider all options.

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Registration: 05/14/2006 Beloozerskiy Posts: 7186

09/08/2013 at 22:08

wall chaser1, I also insulated the floor in my house with penoplex. The idea is this: there are vents in the basement, the bottom and top are ventilated. And with mineral wool, one can put a vapor barrier. It may be wrong, but I haven’t found any convincing arguments against it.

In everything I want to get to the very essence.

Is a vapor barrier necessary when insulating with mineral wool?

Vapor barrier is one of mandatory layers

Mineral wool insulation is an effective type of thermal insulation that contributes to high heat conservation of the house, but has one significant drawback: when wet, mineral wool almost completely loses its insulating abilities, freezes and gradually collapses. At the same time, moisture accumulating in the thickness of the heat insulator penetrates into the decorative finishing of the interior of the house, deforms it and contributes to the formation of fungus, mold, and rot. To prevent such Negative consequences, vapor barrier membranes - films - are placed in the “pie” of floors, roofs and walls of the house. shielding moisture, but allowing air to pass through.

Modern types of vapor barrier films are super-diffuse and anti-condensation membranes, vapor barriers with a metallized layer - such innovative materials are produced under the Ondutis brand.

Conclusion

Sources:

Vapor barrier is one of mandatory layers insulating “pie” using mineral wool. The vapor barrier protects the insulation from moisture from condensation, which is formed when warm air comes into contact with the colder surfaces of the walls, ceilings, and floors of the house.

Why do you need to do a vapor barrier when insulating with mineral wool?

Mineral wool insulation is an effective type of thermal insulation that contributes to high heat conservation of the house, but has one significant drawback: when wet, mineral wool almost completely loses its insulating abilities, freezes and gradually collapses. At the same time, moisture accumulating in the thickness of the heat insulator penetrates into the decorative finishing of the interior of the house, deforms it and contributes to the formation of fungus, mold, and rot. To prevent such negative consequences, vapor barrier membranes are placed in the “pie” of the floors, roofs and walls of the house - films that screen out moisture but allow air to pass through.

Vapor barrier when insulating with mineral wool inside the house

The warm air circulating in the interior of the house is saturated with moist vapors that are evaporated by people, animals, plants, and household appliances. Warm air masses tend to rise and accumulate under the ceiling of rooms, so it is extremely important to combine mineral wool with a vapor barrier when insulating the ceilings of attics and rooms adjacent to an unheated attic.

A certain amount of warm air leaks out of the house through the walls and floors - to avoid bloating floor coverings and destruction of the wall cladding, vapor barrier films are laid between a layer of mineral wool and the finishing finishing layer.

Vapor barrier when insulating with mineral wool outside the house

It is recommended to lay hydro-, wind- and vapor barrier films when insulating the external walls of brick, frame and timber houses when installing ventilated facades. Multifunctional protective membranes are installed under siding, lining, blockhouse and other facade cladding- the film reliably screens moisture and condensation, but allows air to pass through and allows the walls to “breathe.”

Modern types of vapor barrier films are super-diffuse and anti-condensation membranes, vapor barriers with a metallized layer - such innovative materials are produced under the brand

Conclusion

Mineral wool is widely used in external and internal insulation of private estates, as well as balconies, loggias and facades apartment buildings. The use of vapor barrier membranes in combination with mineral wool insulation helps protect the heat insulator from getting wet, deforming and, as a result, loss of heat-saving properties.

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