Consumption ecology. Manor: Nobody argues that the main quality of housing for our latitudes is, first of all, warmth and comfort. But how to achieve this with minimal energy consumption - individual developers do not know this, and even more so they do not know how. Therefore, some simple truths may be a discovery for many.

No one argues that the main quality of housing for our latitudes is, first of all, warmth and comfort. But how to achieve this with minimal energy consumption - individual developers do not know this, and even more so they do not know how. Therefore, some simple truths may be a discovery for many.

In almost every region of Russia, the construction of individual residential buildings is being massively carried out. As a rule, this is a high-comfort housing, equipped with all urban amenities - a water supply system, sewerage and an automatic heating system. All these engineering communications require serious material costs and often make up a significant part of the cost of the house.

Such is the peculiarity of our national construction that, in an effort to reduce the cost of construction, rarely does anyone try to calculate the operating costs of a house built by oneself. So the owners of brand new private houses “get out sideways” saving on building materials, thickness and thermal insulation of the foundation, external walls and ceilings - they have to shiver from the cold, because even a powerful heating boiler does not help.

“The Russian peasant is strong in hindsight,” says a well-known Russian proverb. Naturally, it is better to take care of the thermal insulation of the house even at the stages of design and construction. Insulation of a building under construction has many nuances. Almost all of them are described in the joint venture (building rules), GOSTs and popular publications, which indicate what and how to insulate. However, it is best to entrust this delicate matter to specialists who identify the so-called “problem areas” of heat leakage: windows and walls, basement floors and foundations, floors and attics, as well as improperly organized ventilation.

And what to do when the very first wintering in a new building showed the fruits of construction defects: mold and rotting of the interior decoration, gaps in the fillings of light and doorways, cold floors and ventilation, whistling taking heat out of the house, and energy bills hurt the pocket. In addition, children catch colds and adults do not lag behind them.

There is only one way out of this, familiar to many, disaster situation - the localization of problem areas of heat leakage from the home. Proper use of high-quality thermal insulation, although it will require additional investments, will save the homeowner from the above problems.

What is the best way to insulate a house? What building materials will be needed to insulate the house? How to do it right and what should not be forgotten? Let's try to talk about really useful and specific things.

What is the best way to insulate exterior walls?

As you know, due to the large area of ​​​​contact with the environment, the walls are the most vulnerable in terms of building heat engineering - up to 40% of all heat loss at home occurs through them. During operation, the outer walls of a building are affected by temperature changes, atmospheric moisture, solar radiation and other adverse factors.

Unfortunately, there are no ideal walls - it is impossible to completely prevent heat loss through structural elements, technological holes, etc. However, heat loss can be significantly reduced by additional insulation methods. Of course, specific insulation solutions depend on what material the walls are made of (timber, brickwork, reinforced concrete), but the general principles are the same everywhere.

Additional insulation of enclosing structures can be carried out in two ways: inside the building and outside. Both of these methods are equally widely used and have their own strengths and weaknesses.

When a heater is placed on the inside of the wall, the appearance of the house does not change, it is easier to insulate - after all, all work is carried out inside a heated building. Particular attention should be paid to the insulation of the wall section behind the heater. The heat from the radiator raises the temperature of the inner surface of the wall, and the heat flow through this section of the wall increases significantly. Therefore, during the construction or renovation of a house, it is advisable to install an additional layer of insulation in the niche of the wall behind the radiator.

But such a science as “construction thermal physics” cannot be deceived by such events. For if the insulation is carried out outside, the problem of moisture condensation is very effectively solved by using modern vapor-permeable heaters (for example, FACADE BATTS) - the condensation zone is shifted into the insulation layer, which evaporates it into the environment. This allows the load-bearing wall to remain dry and significantly extends the life of the structure. In addition, the wall protected by a layer of thermal insulation ceases to experience temperature fluctuations and, remaining constantly heated from the inside, becomes a kind of heat accumulator, helping to maintain the desired temperature in the living room. The aesthetic side cannot be discounted - as a rule, painted buildings are more attractive than just brick ones.

What is better for thermal insulation of walls from the outside: mineral wool or expanded polystyrene?

Mineral wool and expanded polystyrene are the most requested insulation for thermal insulation of walls from the outside. The installation of mineral wool slabs is similar to the technology of laying polystyrene foam, in addition, these two heaters have similar technical characteristics, so when they decide what is better to insulate the house from the outside, these two heaters are first of all compared.

When they want to cheaply insulate walls from the outside, in most cases they choose polystyrene boards. This material is not only cheaper than mineral wool, but its installation does not require special skills or complex tools; almost every owner can install thermal insulation using foam boards with their own hands. But when installing cheap foam insulation of walls from the outside, you should not discount that this material has low mechanical strength. In addition, rats and mice love to gnaw on polystyrene.

To insulate facades, manufacturers produce special types of vapor-permeable foam plastic with a compacted outer layer. But the cost of such material is not less than the cost of mineral wool.

Insulation such as extruded polystyrene foam is not suitable for insulating walls from the outside, as it has zero vapor permeability. Using it to insulate facades leads to dampness of the material from which the walls are erected. From moisture on the surface of the walls, mold and fungi appear.

On the market, you can buy vapor-permeable perforated extruded polystyrene foam intended for external insulation of facades. But their price is not less than the cost of mineral wool insulation.

Mineral wool is not combustible, it resists mechanical stress well, it has sufficient vapor permeability, therefore it is more preferable for external wall insulation, but with the correct design of the thermal insulation system, foam boards will also cope well with their functions.

The simplest and most time-tested method of external insulation is wet plaster, that is, the usual treatment of the facade of a building with plaster mixtures using reinforcing devices - shingles, mesh, etc. However, although this type of wall treatment is quite simple and cheap, it is not very effective. Therefore, at present, classical plaster has been replaced by multi-layer contact heat-insulating facade systems, each layer in which has a special function. This method of insulation can be called universal - it is suitable for almost any wall: for brickwork, and for reinforced concrete slabs, and even for log structures and frame-panel panels.

To date, for the insulation of private houses, it is the "wet" type systems that are most often used, as they are cheaper and easier to install. As a heat-insulating material in such systems, experts recommend using stone wool slabs. There are a great many of these systems, for example, HECK, LOBA, ROCKFACADE. All of them differ in the way they are fastened, the type of reinforcing mesh, etc. Common to all of them is the principle of operation - fixing the insulation boards directly on the wall, reinforcing with a mesh and applying a base plaster layer, followed by coating with a finishing protective and decorative plaster layer (necessarily vapor-permeable). In addition, due to plastering work, the installation of such facades cannot be carried out at temperatures below +5°C.

In order to avoid these problems, ventilated facades are used, in which there is an air gap between the thermal insulation layer and the outer cladding. They are quite often used in the construction of office and residential high-rise buildings, but in private construction they are not yet so popular.

Ventilated facades got their name due to the air gap between the protective screen and the insulation. Through this air gap, atmospheric moisture and condensate are removed from the building envelope.

The use of such facade systems is possible under various climatic conditions and with very large temperature differences. In summer, the solar energy is reflected off the façade material and therefore the outer walls do not heat up. In winter, external insulation traps heat in the walls. The result is an even microclimate and reduced heating costs. However, ventilated systems, with all their advantages, can be used mainly on simple facades (for buildings with complex architecture, their use is difficult).

We warm the foundation

When sheathing walls and roofs, one should not forget about the foundation, which also accounts for a fairly large percentage of heat loss. That is why every owner must know how to insulate the foundation and what materials can be used.

Today, there are a huge number of methods for thermal insulation of the bases of various buildings, and many of them can save a lot, because if you once think about how to insulate the foundation of a house, you can safely forget about additional heating.

All existing methods of warming the foundation of a private house are divided into two groups:

• performed before pouring the base;
• carried out with the finished building.

When the house is already built, it is better to insulate the foundation from the inside.

Since the winters in our country are frosty, it is customary to insulate the foundations both from the outside and from the inside. In addition, the concrete used for pouring has practically no thermal insulation. Directly during the construction of the house for insulation, materials are used that are installed in the formwork, or fixed panels. They are much more expensive than usual, but in the end the cost of all construction work is lower.

Properly insulating the foundation of a finished private house is much more difficult. If the owners, wanting to save on construction, ignored the importance of the depth of its occurrence, especially many difficulties arise, since the ground under the building will freeze more.

In such cases, the foundation is dug in from two sides, after which insulation materials are laid.

The most common ways to insulate foundations:

• earth insulation;
• expanded clay insulation;
• polystyrene insulation.

Earth is an inexpensive material, so it can be used to insulate the foundation without significant costs. The essence of the method is that the earth is filled up to the level of the intended floor in the house. In this case, under it is the entire foundation of the dwelling.

The obvious disadvantage of earth insulation is its low thermal insulation characteristics. However, if the foundation is deepened, freezing of the house through the floor can be eliminated by insulating the basement from the inside.

This method is considered traditional. Cheap and quite effective, today it is very popular. In addition, the expanded clay insulation method can be combined with earthen insulation.

Before pouring the foundation with cement, expanded clay is laid inside the formwork. Thus, you can insulate both the walls and the floor. The uniqueness of expanded clay lies in its porosity, which does not allow the material to pass moisture and cold, retaining heat very well. Loss of it occurs only because of the cement that falls between the granules. That is why expanded clay is often used to insulate the floor with a shallow foundation.

Expanded polystyrene is a truly professional insulation. It is used by those who want to completely eliminate heat loss through the foundation and floor. Expanded polystyrene is sold in whole slabs, but small tricks are often used for its installation.

Important advice! Before fixing the plates to the surface of the foundation of the house, waterproofing must be applied to the points of contact and its side parts. Its thickness is determined by the type of foundation, its depth and thickness.

Styrofoam boards are laid from the bottom of the foundation to the level where the floor begins. The seams between them are filled with mounting foam.

The surface insulated with polystyrene foam must be covered with a lining to exclude the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

Internal insulation

You can insulate the foundation of a private house from the inside by simply sheathing the walls of the basement with heat-insulating materials. They do not allow cold to penetrate inside and prevent heat leakage. It also reduces the chance of condensation.

When choosing a material-insulation for insulation with your own hands, it is difficult to make a mistake. Extruded polystyrene foam dominates the insulation market. You can also use polyurethane foam, which is very easily applied to all structural elements by spraying.

Insulation plates are installed on the basement walls from the inside using a special adhesive mass. But they also need additional mechanical fastening, which is plastic dowels. In principle, this is an optional installation stage, since neither strong gusts of wind nor precipitation affect the basement walls.

Each insulated wall is reinforced with a special mesh, primed and decorated.

Important! In order to insulate the foundation of a private house from the inside most effectively, it needs protection from moisture, which can destroy the results of even the most thorough work. Also in the basement there should be exceptional ventilation, all stale air should leave the house.

Thus, you can easily insulate the foundation of a private house with your own hands, both from the outside and from the inside. The main thing is to take into account all professional advice so that the construction work is done efficiently and correctly.

We insulate windows and doors

A lot of heat also escapes through the windows. The main problem areas are the perimeter of the junction of windows and window blocks to the walls; cold air often enters through the gaps between the glass and the frame. Unfortunately, traditional windows are very leaky. Drafts are common for simple wooden frames.

If the problem of cracks in the windows needs to be solved very quickly, then one of the “old-fashioned” methods will help: cotton wool and masking tape, adhesive-based foam insulation, silicone sealant, window putty, rubberized sealant.

Of course, the most popular solution today is the replacement of old window frames with new ones. It is very important to take into account your climate, if the winters are very severe, then you should pay attention to special "winter" windows, with triple glazing, which prevent heat loss.

It is worth noting that in order for modern windows to really protect against drafts and keep warm in the house, they must be properly installed.

Particular attention should be paid to the interface of the window with the walls, the thickness of the window frame, the location of the window in the plane of the wall. The fact is that with improper installation of the window block, so-called "cold bridges" may occur, which contribute to heat transfer through the insulation. To avoid this problem, you should carefully prepare the window opening and pay special attention to the insulation of the window slope - it is there that the greatest heat losses are possible.

An indisputable plus of this choice is that for insulation, in addition to global solutions (plastic windows), you can use temporary inexpensive alternatives - foam rubber, paper, glue.

The disadvantage is that, as a rule, the best "winter windows" will require a lot of money.

Draft in the home is a common "heat leak" problem. If the front door does not fit snugly against the frame, then drafts can occur in the apartment, and in the cold season the warmth in the house is especially appreciated. And the draft that "slides" on the legs is unlikely to suit anyone. In such situations, the question arises of sealing both entrance and interior doors to increase sound insulation and insulation of the apartment.

You can quickly get rid of drafts using the following methods:

• Door brush sets are attached to the bottom of the door leaf with self-tapping screws, adhesive tape or a clip. Brushes on the door are used to eliminate drafts, keep warm or cool in the room.
• Insulation with a special adhesive tape that is glued to the door and helps to keep warm.
• Installation of overhead insulation on doors, which are attached with double-sided adhesive tape.

The advantage of this choice of insulation is that it takes very little time to insulate the doors and this can be done without much money. Unfortunately, any overlays can detract from the appearance of beautiful doors.

We insulate pitched roofs: attics and attics

About 20% of heat energy goes through the roof. In the presence of a cold attic, heat loss can be somewhat less, since such structures create a so-called thermal cushion. In this case, the ceiling of the upper floor is insulated with heat-insulating plates. Since wood, steel or aluminum is most often used in roof structures, according to fire regulations, the use of combustible insulation is possible only if a number of fire protection measures are taken.

Water vapor generated in residential premises during cooking, cleaning, washing, etc., rises and, when cooled, can form condensate in the under-roof space. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a vapor barrier layer on the inside of the insulation.

It is very important that the insulation freely passes water vapor, but is not hygroscopic, that is, does not pick up moisture from the air, because with an increase in the moisture content of the material by only 5%, its thermal insulation ability is almost halved.

Insulation of pitched roofs allows you to turn the attic into a living space (attic), which increases the usable area of ​​\u200b\u200bhousing.

Thermal insulation of attics also has its own characteristics. The attic floor loses heat more intensively than the lower floors due to the fact that only the roof separates it from the street. Therefore, to create an optimal temperature and humidity regime, careful insulation along the roof slopes is necessary.

For insulation of attics, pitched roofs, ceilings and attic spaces, it is most advisable to use light stone wool slabs (eg LIGHT BATTS) or mats.

Conclusion

Thermal insulation of housing in the conditions of a long, frosty Russian winter becomes a paramount issue during its construction and operation.

Many significant aspects of saving domestic heat remained outside the scope of this work. Yet the question of how to make our home truly energy efficient has not been disclosed. The author will try to eliminate this shortcoming in the near future.

In the meantime, we will try to formulate the basic principles of competent insulation of your home.

• Firstly, the effective thermal protection device allows you to save up to 50% of the energy spent on heating. For this reason, the expediency of a one-time investment in home insulation is beyond doubt; otherwise, the owner will have to heat not only his house, but also the street for many years.
• Secondly, the most ideal option is the carefully thought-out construction of the building using modern insulating materials, but competent insulation of the already built structure will give no less effect. The main rule in this case is to choose the most optimal method of thermal insulation.
• Thirdly, when choosing materials, one should prefer the highest quality ones that have a longer service life.
• Fourthly, the main guarantee of work on the insulation of your home is the involvement of qualified specialists.
• And fifthly, you should not spare money for thermal insulation. All costs will return a hundredfold - warmth and comfort in the house, energy savings, extension of the service life of structures.

  How to keep warm in your home? Leading experts from all over the world are studying this issue, and everyone agrees that it is necessary to reduce the heat loss of the building. It has been experimentally established that about 30% of the heat escapes through the walls. The way out of this situation is to reduce the thermal conductivity of the walls, that is, to isolate the walls from the cold external environment with materials with a thermal conductivity coefficient tending to zero. In the common people they say: - insulate the facades. Indeed, an insulated facade significantly reduces heat loss through the walls of the house, which means it saves the energy needed to replenish these losses.

  traditional materials

  Insulated walls are many advantages: protect the structure from adverse natural and climatic conditions, increase the noise insulation characteristics of the house, prevent the freezing of the outer walls and, as a result, the appearance of fungi and mold on the inner walls of the house. If it is cold in your house in winter, at a coolant temperature of 90 degrees, and hot in summer, the walls inside are wet (especially visible on the tiles) - it's time to think about warming your home.

  traditional materials facade insulation are:

  • Styrofoam
  • glass wool

  Styrofoam is a plastic foaming product consisting of 90% air and 10% polymer itself. Due to this structure, it is characterized by low thermal conductivity. Of the heaters, it has the most low price, easy to cut and install. glass wool fibrous material, in the manufacture of which waste from the glass industry is used. Glass wool fibers reach 5 cm in length, and thanks to this, insulation has increased elasticity and strength. During installation, glass wool poses a danger to human health. Small particles of glass getting on open areas of the skin cause itching, if they get into the eyes or respiratory tract, they can cause irreparable harm to health. When working with this material respiratory protection required, face and human body.

  Modern heaters

  Progress does not stand still. Appear new materials, such as the:

  • polyurethane foam
  • mineral wool
  • basalt wool

  These materials retained the advantages and eliminated the shortcomings of their predecessors. polyurethane foam(also known as polyurethane foam) is one of the types of foam in liquid form, followed by hardening. Due to the initially liquid consistency, this insulation is poured into the air gap between the walls (if any), thereby ensuring the best adhesion to the wall. It has all the advantages of expanded polystyrene and, thanks to the application method, forms a heat-insulating layer without seams and gaps. It should also be noted the possibility of application in hard-to-reach places and the speed of installation.

  Extruded polystyrene foam- XPS is also a material derived from foam, produced by extrusion using foaming agents at high pressure and temperature. As a result, EPPS is dense and mechanically strong, unlike foam, and is used in auxiliary and load-bearing structures. Also, the advantages of EPPS are - low thermal conductivity, frost resistance, lack of water absorption.

  Mineral wool, like glass wool, is a fibrous heat-insulating material, but is made from metallurgical slags, rocks or other silicate materials. The main advantage of min. wool in comparison with glass wool - the safety of installation work.

  Basalt wool is a heat-insulating material for the manufacture of which basalt rocks are used. In this regard, the service life of materials from basalt fiber reaches 30–40 years, which is much higher than materials from glass wool and min. Cotton wool.

  Each of the listed materials has its advantages and disadvantages, but giving preference to any of them, it is necessary to take into account several essential characteristics: thermal conductivity, water absorption, density. Thermal conductivity, from a physics course, is quantitative characteristic of the ability of a material to conduct heat o, the smaller its value, the higher the amount of heat retained in the room. Water absorption shows the ability of the insulation to absorb water upon direct contact, wet materials change their properties, including thermal conductivity. The density of the insulation depends on what load it will exert on the supporting structures of the building. The choice of one or another material depends on certain tasks and installation conditions, to perform high-quality and durable insulation.

  For convenience and clarity, the characteristics of the above heaters are summarized in the table

  Functional characteristics of heaters

  insulation	glass wool	Mineral wool	Basalt wool	Styrofoam	Extruded polystyrene	polyurethane foam
  Thermal conductivity coefficient (W/(m*K))	0,038 -0,046	0,077−0,12	0,033 -0,038	0,038 - 0,05	0,028 - 0,032	0,018 - 0,032
  Vapor permeability (mg/m*h*Pa)	0,5 - 0,6	0,4 - 0,6	0,5 - 0,6	0,05	0,013 - 0,018	0,02 - 0,03
  Water absorption (% of volume)	10	5−10	2−5	1 - 10	Missing	1 - 5
  Fire resistance (°C)	350 - 450	300 - 600	1000	160	120	200
  Sound absorption (db)	0,35−0,50	0,35−0,60	0,45 - 0,80		Weak sound absorption	Weak sound absorption
  Environmental friendliness		contains phenol-formaldehyde binders	contains phenol-formaldehyde binders		Emits styrene, toxic when burned	Emits styrene, toxic when burned
  Elasticity, strength, vibration resistance		Increased elasticity and strength	Increased elasticity, strength and vibration resistance	Resistant to stretching and compression	Increased elasticity and strength	Increased elasticity and strength
  Mechanical strength	Fragility of fibers. Shrinks	Not subject to shrinkage, does not break	Not subject to shrinkage. Basalt wool slabs are not deformed	Limited strength, susceptibility to mechanical damage	High mechanical strength. Exposure to UV radiation	Destroyed by ultraviolet radiation
  Density	15 - 65	20 - 80	20 - 80	15 - 50	35 - 45	25 - 60
  Service life (years)	15−25	22 - 35	30 - 40	5 - 10	gt; 50	10 - 20
  Installation	Requires the use of personal protective equipment during installation. Easy to cut and install		Does not require the use of ISP. Easy to cut and install	Easy to cut and install. Requires surface protection from mechanical damage	Easy to cut and install. Can carry load and is used in auxiliary structures	High installation speed. Improved adhesion to the wall. Requires the use of special technology.

  The choice of material also depends on specific conditions of use: the basement or massandra will be insulated, or the walls of the house can be wooden. For example, when insulating a wooden house, one feature should be taken into account, the walls must breathe, otherwise mold will start, fungus and the tree will begin to rot. Therefore, for insulation, materials with high vapor permeability such as mineral wool.

  Summarizing this article, we can say that it is necessary to insulate the house, but it is necessary to take into account a number of conditions for choosing a specific material for insulation. It is important not only to insulate the facade, but also to choose the most optimal material for these walls, which has high characteristics. sound absorption, moisture resistance, fire resistance. The material that is the most environmentally friendly is able to protect the walls from freezing, the formation of fungi and mold.

  Video of insulation of the house from the outside

  For owners of country houses and especially country houses with year-round living, ensuring a constant comfortable temperature in all rooms is always very important. No matter how efficient various heating systems are, the main factor is always the ability of house structures to retain heat inside the building. First of all, this applies to walls that have the largest surface area of ​​the house and, accordingly, give out the maximum heat loss of the building. The simplest and most effective method in terms of results is the insulation of walls from the outside. What materials for insulating the walls of the house are the most effective, as well as learn about the technology for performing such work, you can by studying this article.

  Heat loss through the wall

  The goal of any insulation is to minimize heat exchange with the environment.

  Based on this, we can safely say that the external insulation of the walls of the house is a very important stage of construction work:

  • Reduce heating costs in winter and air conditioning in summer.
  • Comfort and coziness in the house not only at the peak of frost and heat, but also in the off-season with minimal use of household heating appliances.

  Even high-quality construction of houses from any building materials cannot completely solve the problem of saving heat inside them. There are always invisible gaps between rows of logs or wooden beams, heterogeneity and voids in brick or block masonry, lack of insulation, air cavities, expansion joints in panel and monolithic housing construction.

  

  All the shortcomings of the walls can be clearly identified only with the use of thermal imaging technology. This service is provided by some specialized and construction organizations to assess heat losses during heating of buildings and develop solutions to eliminate them.

  

  The traditional solution to eliminate heat loss are various ways of external insulation of the walls of a private house:

  • Plaster with various fillers.
  • Wall cladding with lumber.
  • External single-row masonry with brick or stone for wooden buildings with filling the resulting gap with heat-insulating materials.
  • Facing with sheet materials () using insulation.
  • The use of modern hinged facades.

  Sometimes the insulation of the walls of a private house with their own hands is also performed from the inside of the premises using sheet or rolled heat-insulating materials, cladding, cladding with a gypsum-fiber sheet,.

  

  The materials and substances used to reduce heat loss are characterized by both their own low thermal conductivity and additional heat retention during their use due to the multilayer structure (hydro, sound and heat insulation) of wall insulation. After all, such a structure contains air layers that conduct heat poorly.
  

  Advantages of outdoor insulation

  Structurally, there are three possibilities for insulating the external load-bearing walls of any building:

  1. Placement of insulation elements inside the wall. Perhaps at the stage of construction or reconstruction of the building. Most often it requires design solutions to ensure the bearing capacity, structural and thermal calculation.
  2. From inside the premises. This type of insulation reduces the area and volume of the room, and also creates certain difficulties in carrying out work under cramped conditions in a populated residential building.
  3. Outside the wall. This method is usually not limited by space for work, delivery and storage of necessary materials, construction of scaffolding and use of lifting mechanisms. Depending on the materials used for insulation and finishing, it is possible to perform work at almost any time of the year.
  • Important! With external insulation of the walls of the house, moisture condensation due to the temperature difference outside and inside the building does not occur inside the room or wall structure, but outside. This not only solves the problem of sweating and the inevitable formation of fungus when the walls freeze, but also significantly slows down the process of wall destruction due to the cessation of the regular formation of moisture and ice crystals inside the structures. For reliable protection of the walls outside the house from the influence of external factors, it will not be superfluous to use a hinged ventilated facade.

  

  In addition, by insulating the walls from the outside, along the way you will solve at least two more problems - improving the sound insulation and appearance of the building, which is often no less important for the owner and family members. Thermal insulation perfectly absorbs background noise and harsh sounds, and a variety of facing materials of various textures and colors can protect the walls from external influences and radically change the look of the house.

  This method of insulation with optimal investment will help to significantly reduce heating costs, which is important given the cost of heating at ever-increasing prices for any energy carriers: firewood, coal, gas and electricity.

  You can qualitatively insulate the walls of the house with the help of liquid polyurethane foam. To do this, using special equipment, it is pumped through external holes into the air gap between the wall of the house and the interior lining of the room.

  

  Wall materials and methods of their insulation

  For the construction of load-bearing walls of buildings, various materials and finished structures will be used, as well as different methods and methods of masonry, assembly and fastening, binders and fasteners. The physical properties of these substances and materials directly shape the dynamics of temperature changes inside the house under the influence of external and internal factors.

  Brick and wood, foam and reinforced concrete, cement mixture blocks with various fillers, prefabricated puff wall structures have different thermal conductivity, thermal inertia, density and strength. Factory building structures made of reinforced concrete have the worst thermal insulation properties, which is most often aggravated by shortcomings and violations of the technological process at all stages of the construction of buildings from it. This also applies to precast concrete buildings. All this is important for the correct choice of material and method of external wall insulation.

  

  Materials used for the construction and insulation of the walls of the house

  Material name	Density	Thermal Conductivity Coefficient (W/m*K)
  concrete block	2100-2200	0,8-1,74
  Brick (red)	1700-1900	0,55-0,96
  Wood (pine, spruce)	450-550	0,10-0,18
  Polystyrene concrete	900-1100	0,25-0,39
  mineral wool	50-100-200	0.045-0.055-0.06 (respectively)
  Styrofoam	30	0,04
  Styrofoam	100-125-150	0.039-0.051-0.055 (respectively)
  Polyurethane foam (PPU)	50	0,033

  The main task of the external insulation of the house is to protect the building structures of the wall from contact with too hot or cold outside air and precipitation. In practice, this range varies from traditional sheathing with planed boards, clapboard to the installation of ventilated facade systems.

  wall facade

  Sheathing and cladding of the external walls of buildings for wind protection and insulation using lumber, roofing material, technical cardboard, profiled metal sheets, various types of siding with mineral wool mats or foam plastic sheets are the most common way of external insulation.

  No less common and also used today is decorative plaster with various mixtures, followed by surface painting. The disadvantages of this type of insulation have always been high labor intensity and fragility of work without constant supervision, current repair of the coating, which is quickly destroyed by temperature extremes and precipitation. The effectiveness of insulation by this method also leaves much to be desired.

  

  The lower the density of the heat-insulating material (the more air closed cells in it), the better properties for insulation it has.

  The most popular and used types of thermal insulation of walls today are various mineral wool in rolls or ready-made mats of various sizes, expanded polystyrene sheets, often called polystyrene, fiberglass materials.

  More rare are foil polyethylene foam, wood fiberboard, various liquid polymer compositions that foam in the volume to be filled, organosilicon heat-resistant paints, cellulose insulation called ecowool, sprayed polyurethane foam.
  

  On top of the layers of insulation and waterproofing, walls are lined with sheet and tile materials:

  professional sheet;
  Siding;
  Hanging facades.

  Good to know! Profiled sheet and siding are the most sold and used facing materials. In addition to their excellent appearance, they qualitatively protect the insulation between them and the wall of the building from all external influences.

  outside wall insulation technology

  To insulate the surface of the walls of buildings from the outside, several methods and technological methods are used:

  1. Fastening heat-insulating materials to the facade with glue or mechanical fixation. This is followed by a reinforcing mesh, a layer of plaster and a finishing coat. This method is called a wet facade.
  2. Thermal insulation is attached to the wall in the same way as the first method. Then a wall is erected with an air gap in one brick from a facing or ordinary brick, followed by painting.
  3. Fastening alternately the waterproofing layer, insulation, wind protection. A decorative sheathing made of profiled sheet, siding, ceramic tiles is attached to a frame made of a mounting metal profile or a wooden bar.

  The choice of wall insulation method depends on many factors:

  • Type and height of the building;
  • Material and wall area;
  • Degrees of freezing and heat loss;
  • Funding allocated for these works.

  It is up to the owner with family members and friends to insulate the walls of a country or country house with their own hands, but it is worth entrusting a specialized construction organization with the work on warming a multi-storey building.

  The best option for performing work on external insulation:

  It is better to carry out the whole range of works when there are design solutions, thermal and structural calculations, as well as specifications of building materials and fasteners. You can make them yourself or order documentation from specialists. construction organization involved in building insulation.

  This approach will save you from a lot of problems: the choice of a suitable certified material, its delivery, installation work, especially at height, which requires mandatory qualifications and permits for such work.

  

  If the owner of a private house is confident in his abilities and building skills, then you can choose the most acceptable method from his point of view, buy materials available everywhere today and insulate the walls outside the house yourself. So you can not only save money, but also enjoy the result.

  A very real situation is that an efficient heating system has been installed and launched in a private house, but it is not possible to achieve comfortable living conditions if the building itself does not have good thermal insulation. The consumption of any energy carriers in such a situation jumps to completely unthinkable limits, but the generated heat is completely uselessly spent on “heating the street”.

  All the main elements and structures of the building must be insulated. But against the general background, external walls are leading in terms of heat loss, and it is necessary to think about their reliable thermal insulation in the first place. Insulators for the exterior walls of the house in our time are on sale in a very wide range, and you need to be able to navigate this variety, since not all materials are equally good for certain conditions.

  The main ways to insulate the external walls of the house

  The main task of wall insulation is to bring the total value of their resistance to heat transfer to the calculated indicator, which is determined for a given area. We will definitely dwell on the calculation method a little lower, after considering the physical and operational characteristics of the main types of insulation. And for starters, you should consider the existing technologies for thermal insulation of external walls.

  • Most often, they resort to external insulation of already erected walls of the building. This approach is able to solve to the maximum extent all the main problems of thermal insulation and saving walls from freezing and the accompanying negative phenomena of damage, dampness, erosion of building material. .

  There are a lot of ways in external insulation, but in private construction they most often resort to two technologies.

  - The first is the plastering of the walls over the thermal insulation layer.

  

  1 - the outer wall of the building.

  2 - mounting adhesive, on which thermal insulation material (pos. 3) is attached closely, without gaps. Reliable fixation, in addition, is provided by special dowels - "fungi" (pos. 4).

  5 - base plaster layer with fiberglass mesh reinforcement inside (pos. 6).

  7 - layer. Facade paint can also be used.

  - The second is the lining of walls insulated from the outside with decorative materials (siding, panels, " block house", etc.) according to the ventilated facade system.

  
  

  1 - the main wall of the house.

  2 - frame ( crate). It can be made from wooden beams or from galvanized metal profiles.

  3 - slabs (blocks, mats) of thermal insulation material laid between the guides of the lathing.

  4 - waterproofing diffuse steam-permeable a membrane that simultaneously performs the role of wind protection.

  5 - a structural element of the frame (in this case - a counter-lattice rail), creating an air ventilated gap with a thickness of about 30 ÷ 60 mm.

  6 - external decorative cladding of the facade.

  Each of the methods has its own advantages and disadvantages.

  So, a plastered insulated surface (it is often called a “thermal fur coat”) is quite difficult to independently perform if the owner of the house does not have stable plastering skills. This process is quite "dirty" and laborious, but in terms of the total cost of materials, such insulation is usually cheaper.

  There is also an "integrated approach" to such external wall insulation - this is the use of facing facade panels, the design of which already provides for a layer of thermal insulation. Plastering work in this case is not foreseen - after installation, it remains only to fill the seams between the tiles.

  
  

  Installation of a ventilated facade practically does not involve "wet" work. But the total labor costs are very significant, and the cost of the entire set of materials will be very considerable. But on the other hand, both the insulating qualities and the effectiveness of protecting the walls from various external influences in this case are significantly higher.

  • , from the premises.

  This approach to thermal insulation of walls causes a lot of criticism. Here - and a significant loss of living space, and the difficulty in creating a full-fledged insulated layer without "cold bridges" - they usually remain in the area where the walls adjoin the floors and ceilings, and the violation of the optimal balance of humidity and temperature in such a "pie".

  
  

  Of course, the location of thermal insulation on the inner surface sometimes becomes almost the only available way to insulate walls, but whenever possible, external insulation should still be preferred.

  Is it worth it to insulate the walls from the inside?

  All the shortcomings and, without exaggeration, the dangers are described in great detail in a special publication of our portal.

  • Wall insulation by creating a "sandwich structure" »

  Typically, this technology of insulation of external walls is used even during the construction of the building. Several different approaches can also be used here.

  A. The walls are laid out according to the “well” principle, and as they rise into the resulting cavity, dry or liquid (foaming and solidifying) is poured thermal insulator. This method has been used by architects for a long time, when natural materials were used for insulation - dry leaves and needles, sawdust, discarded wool residues, etc. Nowadays, of course, special thermal insulation materials adapted for such use are more often used.

  
  

  Alternatively, large walls can be used for masonry walls. with large cavities during construction, they are immediately filled with heat-insulating material (expanded clay, vermiculite, perlite sand, etc.)

  B. We will omit another option both during the initial construction of the house, and, if necessary, create thermal insulation in the already erected earlier building. The bottom line is that the main wall is insulated with one or another material, which is then closed with brickwork in one or ½ bricks.

  
  

  Usually, in such cases, the external masonry is done "for jointing" and becomes the finishing cladding of the facade.

  A significant drawback of this method, if you have to perform such insulation in an already erected house, is that it is necessary to expand and strengthen the foundation, since the wall thickness becomes significantly larger, and the load from additional brick masonry will increase noticeably.

  V. An insulated multilayer structure is also obtained when using polystyrene fixed formwork for the construction of walls.

  The blocks of such polystyrene formwork are somewhat reminiscent of the well-known children's designer "LEGO" - they have spikes and grooves for quick assembly of the wall structure, into which, as it rises, a reinforcing belt is installed and concrete mortar is poured. The result is reinforced concrete walls, immediately having two - outer and inner, insulating layers. Then, on the front side of the wall, you can make thin brickwork, tile lining or just a plaster coating. Almost all types of finishes are also applicable inside.

  
  

  This technology is gaining popularity, although, in fairness, it should be noted that she has a lot of opponents. The main arguments are the shortcomings of expanded polystyrene in terms of environmental and fire safety. There are certain problems with the vapor permeability of the walls and the shift of the dew point towards the premises due to the layer of internal insulation. But apparently everyone agrees that the walls really get reliable thermal insulation.

  What requirements should the insulation of external walls still meet?

  It is clear that the thermal insulation layer on the wall should first of all reduce the heat loss of the building to an acceptable minimum. But, performing its main function, it should not allow negative moments - a threat to the health of people living in the house, increased fire danger, the spread of pathogenic microflora, dampening of structures with the onset of destructive processes in the wall material, etc.

  So, from the point of view of environmental safety, synthetic-based heaters raise a lot of questions. If you read the brochures of manufacturers, you can almost always find assurances about the absence of any kind of threat. Nevertheless, practice shows that most foamed polymers tend to decompose over time, and decomposition products are not always harmless.

  The situation with flammability looks even more alarming - a low flammability class (G1 or G2) does not at all indicate the complete safety of the material. But more often, it’s not even the transfer of an open flame that is terrible (modern materials are mostly damped), but combustion products. The sad story shows that it is toxic smoke poisoning resulting from the combustion of, for example, polystyrene foam that most often causes human casualties. And you should think carefully about what the owner risks by arranging, for example, such thermal insulation indoors.

  
  A terrible picture - burning of the insulated facade

  The specific advantages and disadvantages of the main thermal insulation materials will be discussed in more detail in the corresponding section of the article.

  The next important factor that must be taken into account when planning insulation. The thermal insulation of the walls should bring the “dew point” as close as possible to the outer surface of the wall, and ideally to the outer layer of the insulation material.

  The "dew point" is a non-linearly changing boundary in the wall "pie", at which the transition of water from one state of aggregation to another takes place - steam turns into liquid condensate. And the accumulation of moisture is the wetting of the walls, the destruction of the building material, the swelling and loss of the qualities of the insulation, a direct path to the formation and development of foci of mold or fungus, insect nests, etc.

  Where does water vapor come from in the wall? Yes, it's very simple - even in the course of normal life, a person with breathing releases at least 100 g of moisture per hour. Add here wet cleaning, washing and drying clothes, taking baths or showers, cooking or just boiling water. It turns out that in the cold season, the pressure of saturated vapors in the room is always much higher than in the open air. And if measures are not taken in the house for effective air ventilation, moisture seeks its way through building structures, including through walls.

  This is a completely normal process., which will not do any harm if the insulation is planned and implemented correctly. But in cases where the "dew point" is shifted towards the rooms ( this is a common defect wall insulation from the inside), the balance with may be disturbed, and the wall with insulation will begin to be saturated with moisture.

  In order to minimize or completely eliminate the consequences of the formation of condensate, one should adhere to the rule - the vapor permeability of the wall "pie", ideally, should increase from layer to layer in the direction of their placement outside. Then, with natural evaporation, excess moisture will come out into the atmosphere.

  For example, the table below shows the values steam-permeable the ability of the main building, insulation and finishing materials. This should help with the initial planning of thermal insulation.

  Material	Vapor permeability coefficient, mg/(m*h*Pa)
  Reinforced concrete	0.03
  Concrete	0.03
  Cement-sand mortar (or plaster)	0.09
  Cement-sand-lime mortar (or plaster)	0,098
  Lime-sand mortar with lime (or plaster)	0.12
  Expanded clay concrete, density 800 kg/m3	0.19
  Clay brick, masonry	0.11
  Brick, silicate, masonry	0.11
  Hollow ceramic brick (1400 kg/m3 gross)	0.14
  Hollow ceramic brick (1000 kg/m3 gross)	0.17
  Large format ceramic block (warm ceramic)	0.14
  Foam concrete and aerated concrete, density 800 kg/m3	0.140
  Fiberboard and wood concrete slabs, 500-450 kg/m3	0,11
  Arbolit, 600 kg/m3	0.18
  Granite, gneiss, basalt	0,008
  Marble	0,008
  Limestone, 1600 kg/m3	0.09
  Limestone, 1400 kg/m3	0.11
  Pine, spruce across the grain	0.06
  Pine, spruce along the grain	0.32
  Oak across the grain	0.05
  Oak along the grain	0.3
  Plywood	0.02
  Chipboard and fiberboard, 600 kg/m3	0.13
  Tow	0.49
  Drywall	0,075
  Gypsum slabs (gypsum boards), 1350 kg/m3	0,098
  Gypsum slabs (gypsum boards), 1100 kg/m3	0.11
  Mineral wool stone, depending on the density 0.3 ÷ 0.37	0.3 ÷ 0.37
  Mineral wool glass, depending on the density	0.5 ÷ 0.54
  Expanded polystyrene extruded (EPPS, XPS)	0,005 ; 0,013; 0,004
  Expanded polystyrene (foam plastic), plate, density from 10 to 38 kg/m3	0.05
  Cellulose ecowool (depending on density)	0.30 ÷ 0.67
  Polyurethane foam, at any density	0.05
  Expanded clay bulk - gravel, depending on density	0.21 ÷ 0.27
  Sand	0.17
  Bitumen	0,008
  Ruberoid, glassine	0 - 0,001
  Polyethylene	0.00002 (virtually impenetrable)
  Linoleum PVC	2E-3
  Steel	0
  Aluminum	0
  Copper	0
  Glass	0
  Block foam glass	0 (rarely 0.02)
  Bulk foam glass	0.02 ÷ 0.03
  Bulk foam glass, density 200 kg/m3	0.03
  Glazed ceramic tile (tile)	≈ 0
  OSB (OSB-3, OSB-4)	0,0033-0,0040

  For example, let's look at the diagram:

  
  

  1 - the main wall of the building;

  2 - layer of thermal insulation material;

  3 - a layer of exterior decoration of the facade.

  Blue wide arrows - the direction of diffusion of water vapor from the room towards the street.

  On a fragment "a" shown to a mill that is very likely to always remain raw. The vapor permeability of the materials used decreases in the direction of the street, and the free diffusion of vapor will be very limited, if not stopped at all.

  Fragment "b"- insulated and finished wall, in which the principle of increase is observed steam-permeable the ability of the layers - excess moisture evaporates freely into the atmosphere.

  Of course, not in all cases, for one reason or another, it is possible to achieve such ideal conditions. In such situations, it is necessary to try to provide for the release of moisture to the maximum extent, but if the external wall decoration is planned with a material whose vapor permeability is close to zero, then it would be best to mount the so-called "ventilated facade"(pos. 4 on the fragment "v"), which was already mentioned in the article.

  If thermal insulation is installed from impermeable pairs materials, the situation is more complicated. It will be necessary to provide for a reliable vapor barrier, which will eliminate or minimize the likelihood of vapors entering the wall structure from inside the room (some heaters themselves are a reliable barrier to vapor penetration). And yet, it is unlikely that it will be possible to fully prevent the "preservation" of moisture in the wall.

  Natural questions may arise - what about in the summer, when the pressure of water vapor on the street often exceeds the same indicators inside the house? Will there be back diffusion?

  Yes, there will be such a process to a certain extent, but there is no need to be afraid of this - in conditions of elevated summer temperatures, moisture actively evaporates, and the wall cannot be saturated with water. When the moisture balance is normalized, the wall structure will return to its normal dry state. And temporarily high humidity does not pose a particular threat - it is more dangerous at low temperatures and freezing of the walls - that's when condensation reaches a peak. In addition, in the summer, windows or vents are constantly open in most houses, and there simply will not be any significant vapor pressure drop for abundant back diffusion.

  
  

  In any case, no matter how high-quality the thermal insulation is, and no matter how optimally it is located, the most effective measure to normalize the moisture balance is effective ventilation of the premises. That outlet, which is located in the kitchen or in the bathroom, will not cope with such a task on its own!

  It is interesting that the issue of ventilation began to be raised with such acuteness relatively recently - with the start of mass installation by apartment owners of metal-plastic windows with double-glazed windows and doors with hermetic seals around the perimeter. In the houses of the old building, wooden windows and doors were a kind of "ventilation duct", and, together with vents, to some extent coped with the task of air exchange.

  Ventilation issues - special attention!

  Obvious signs of insufficient ventilation in the apartment are abundant condensation on the windows and damp patches at the corners of the window slopes. and how to deal with it - in a separate publication of our portal.

  What materials are used to insulate external walls

  Now let's move on to, in fact, the consideration of the main materials that are used to insulate the external walls of the house. The main technical and operational parameters will, as a rule, be presented in the form of tables. And the attention in the text will be focused on the features of the material in terms of its use in this particular area.

  Bulk materials

  To insulate walls, under certain conditions, materials can be used that fill the cavities inside the wall structure, or they are used to create light solutions with thermal insulation qualities.

  Expanded clay

  Of all the materials of this type, expanded clay is the most famous. It is obtained by special preparation of special types of clay and subsequent firing of clay pellets at temperatures above 1100 degrees. Such a thermal effect leads to the phenomenon of pyroplasty - an avalanche-like gas formation due to the water present in the raw material and the decomposition products of the components. The result is a porous structure that provides good thermal insulation properties, and clay sintering gives the granules high surface strength.

  
  

  After receiving the finished product, it is sorted by size - fractions. Each of the fractions has its own bulk density and, accordingly, thermal conductivity.

  Material parameters	Expanded clay gravel 20 ÷ 40 mm	Expanded clay crushed stone 5 ÷ 10 mm	Expanded clay sand or sand-gravel mixture 0 ÷ 10 mm
  Bulk density, kg/m³	240 ÷ 450	400 ÷ 500	500 ÷ 800
  Thermal conductivity coefficient, W/m×°С	0.07 ÷ 0.09	0.09 ÷ 0.11	0.12 ÷ 0.16
  Water absorption, % of volume	10 ÷ 15	15 ÷ 20	no more than 25
  Weight loss, %, during freezing cycles (with standard frost resistance grade F15)	no more than 8	no more than 8	not regulated

  What are the advantages of expanded clay as an insulating material:

  • Ceramite is highly environmentally friendly - no chemical compounds are used in its manufacture .
  • An important quality is the fire resistance of the material. It does not burn itself, does not spread flame, and when exposed to high temperatures does not emit substances harmful to human health .
  • Expanded clay will never become a breeding ground for any life forms, and besides, it is bypassed by insects .
  • Despite the hygroscopicity, the processes of decay in the material will not develop .
  • Material prices are quite reasonable, affordable for most consumers.

  Among the shortcomings, the following can be noted:

  • High-quality insulation will require a sufficiently thick
  • Wall insulation is possible only by creating a multilayer structure with cavities inside or by using large hollow blocks in the construction. Warming the walls of a previously built house in this way - uh This is a very large-scale and costly undertaking, which is unlikely to be profitable.
  
  

  Expanded clay is poured into the cavity in a dry form or poured in the form of a light concrete mortar ( expanded clay concrete).

  Expanded clay prices

  Expanded clay

  Vermiculite

  A very interesting and promising insulation material is vermiculite. It is obtained by heat treatment of a special rock - hydromica. The high moisture content in the raw material leads to the effect of pyroplasty, the material rapidly increases in volume (swells), forming porous and layered granules of various fractions.

  
  

  Such a structural structure predetermines high rates of resistance to heat transfer. The main characteristics of the material are given in the table:

  Parameters	Units	Characteristic
  Density	kg/m³	65 ÷ 150
  Coefficient of thermal conductivity	W/m ×° K	0.048 ÷ 0.06
  Melting temperature	°C	1350
  Thermal expansion coefficient		0,000014
  Toxicity		non-toxic
  Color		Silver, golden, yellow
  Application temperature	°C	-260 to +1200
  Sound absorption coefficient (at a sound frequency of 1000 Hz)		0.7 ÷ 0.8

  Along with a lot of advantages, vermiculite has one very significant drawback - the price is too high. So, one cubic meter of dry material can cost 7 or more thousand rubles (you can find offers that exceed even 10 thousand). Naturally, using it in its pure form for backfilling in a cavity is extremely ruinous. Therefore, the optimal solution is to use vermiculite as a component in the manufacture of "warm plaster".

  
  Often, for high-quality thermal insulation, “warm plaster” is enough

  Such a plaster layer gives the walls good thermal insulation qualities, and in some cases such insulation will even be quite enough.

  By the way, the material has a high vapor permeability, so these can be used on any wall surfaces with virtually no restrictions.

  
  

  They are quite applicable for interior decoration. So, warm plasters with vermiculite can be prepared both on the basis of cement and on the basis of gypsum - depending on the specific conditions of their use. Moreover, such a wall covering will also give them increased fire resistance - even a wooden wall covered with vermiculite plaster will be able to withstand the “pressure” of an open flame for a certain time.

  Another material obtained by heat treatment of rock. The raw material in this case is perlite - volcanic glass. When exposed to high temperatures, the particles of this rock swell, porous, forming extremely light porous sand with a specific gravity of only about 50 kg / m³.

  
  

  low density and gas content perlite sand - what is required for effective thermal insulation. The main properties of the material, depending on the brand in terms of bulk density, are given in the table;

  The name of indicators	Grade of sand by bulk density
  	75	100	150	200
  Bulk density, kg/m3	Up to 75 inclusive	Over 75 and up to 100 inclusive	Over 100 and up to 150 inclusive	Over 150 and up to 200 inclusive
  Thermal conductivity at a temperature of (20 ± 5) °С, W/m × °С, not more than	0,047	0,051	0,058	0,07
  Humidity, % by mass, no more	2, 0	2	2.0	2.0
  Compressive strength in the cylinder (determined by fraction 1.3-2.5mm), MPa (kgf/cm2), not less than	Not standardized			0.1

  This material is also popular due to its relatively low price, which cannot be compared with the same vermiculite. True, both technological and operational qualities are worse here.

  One of the disadvantages of perlite when used dry is the extremely high moisture absorption- No wonder it is often used as an adsorbent. The second drawback is that extremely fine fractions, almost powder, are always present in the composition of the sand, and it is extremely difficult to work with the material, especially in open conditions, even with a very weak breeze. However, there will be enough trouble indoors, as it forms a lot of dust.

  A common area of ​​application for perlite sand is the manufacture of lightweight concrete mortars with thermal insulating qualities. Another typical use is the mixing of masonry compounds. The use of such solutions when laying walls minimizes the effect of cold bridges along the seams between bricks or blocks.

  Expanded perlite sand is also used in the production of ready-made dry mixes - “warm plasters”. These building and finishing compounds are rapidly gaining popularity, since at the same time as adding additional insulation to the walls, they immediately perform a decorative function.

  Video - Review of "warm plaster" THERMOVER

  Mineral wool

  Of all the insulation materials used, mineral wool is likely to take first place in the "availability - quality" category. It cannot be said that the material is devoid of flaws - there are many of them, but for thermal insulation of walls it often becomes the best option.

  In residential construction, as a rule, two types of mineral wool are used - glass wool and basalt (stone). Their comparative characteristics are indicated in the table, and a more detailed description of the advantages and disadvantages follows it.

  Name of parameters		Stone (basalt) wool
  Limiting application temperature, °С	from -60 to +450	up to 1000°
  Average fiber diameter, µm	5 to 15	4 to 12
  Hygroscopicity of the material for 24 hours (no more),%	1.7	0,095
  causticity	Yes	No
  Thermal conductivity coefficient, W / (m × ° K)	0.038 ÷ 0.046	0.035 ÷ 0.042
  Sound absorption coefficient	from 0.8 to 92	from 0.75 to 95
  The presence of a binder, %	from 2.5 to 10	from 2.5 to 10
  Flammability of the material	NG - non-flammable	NG - non-flammable
  Emission of harmful substances during combustion	Yes	Yes
  Heat capacity, J/kg ×° K	1050	1050
  Vibration resistance	No	moderate
  Elasticity, %	there is no data	75
  Sintering temperature, °С	350 ÷ 450	600
  Fiber length, mm	15 ÷ 50	16
  Chemical stability (weight loss), % in water	6.2	4.5
  Chemical resistance (weight loss), % in alkaline medium	6	6.4
  Chemical resistance (weight loss), % in acid environment	38.9	24

  This material is obtained from quartz sand and cullet. The raw material is melted, and thin and rather long fibers are formed from this semi-liquid mass. Next, the molding of sheets, mats or blocks of various densities (from 10 to 30 kg / m³) takes place, and in this form the glass wool is delivered to the consumer.

  
  
  • it is very plastic, and when packing it is easily subjected to compression to small volumes - this simplifies both the transportation and delivery of the material to the place of work. After unpacking, the mats or blocks are straightened to the intended dimensions. Low density and, accordingly, low weight - this is ease of installation, no need to strengthen walls or ceilings - additional load on them will be insignificant .
  • not afraid of chemical exposure, it does not rot and does not fade. She is not particularly “liked” by rodents, she will not become a nutrient medium for home microflora .
  • Glass wool is conveniently placed between the guides of the frame, and the elasticity of the material opens up the possibility of thermal insulation of complex, including curved surfaces. .
  • The abundance of raw materials and the relative ease of manufacture of glass wool make this material one of the most affordable in terms of cost.

  Disadvantages of glass wool:

  • The fibers of the material are long, thin and brittle, and, as is typical of any glass, have sharp cutting edges. Of course, they will not be able to cause a cut, but they can cause persistent skin irritation. Even more dangerous is the ingress of these small fragments into the eyes, mucous membranes or respiratory tract. When working with such mineral wool, compliance with the rules of increased safety is required - protection of the skin of the hands and face, eyes, respiratory organs .

  The very high probability of fine glass dust getting into the room, where it can be carried in a suspended state with air currents, makes the use of glass wool for interior work very undesirable.

  • absorbs water quite strongly and, being saturated with moisture, partially loses its insulating qualities. It is mandatory to provide either a hydro-vapor barrier of the insulation, or the possibility of its free ventilation .
  • Over time, glass wool fibers can sinter, stick together - nothing unusual, since glass is an amorphous material. Mats become thinner and denser, lose their thermal insulation properties .
  • Formaldehyde resins are used as a binding material that holds thin fibers in a single mass. No matter how manufacturers assure the complete environmental safety of their products, the release of free formaldehyde, which is extremely harmful to human health, is constant, throughout the entire period of operation of the material.

  Of course, there are certain standards of sanitary compliance, and conscientious manufacturers try to adhere to them. For quality material, there must be appropriate certificates - it will never be superfluous to require them to be presented. But still, the presence of formaldehyde is another reason not to use glass wool indoors.

  Basalt wool

  This insulation is made from the melt of rocks of the basalt group - hence the name "stone wool". After the fibers are drawn, they are formed into mats, creating a chaotic rather than layered structure. After processing, blocks and mats are additionally pressed under certain thermal conditions. This predetermines the density and clear "geometry" of manufactured products.

  
  
  • Even in appearance, basalt wool looks denser. Its structure, especially in high-density grades, is sometimes even closer to felt. But the increased density does not at all mean a decrease in thermal insulation qualities - basalt wool is not inferior to glass wool in this, and often even surpasses it. .
  • The situation with hygroscopicity is much better. Some brands of basalt wool, due to special processing, are even close to hydrophobicity .
  • Clear the shapes of the blocks and panels make the installation of such mineral wool a fairly simple task. If necessary, the material can be easily cut to the desired size. True, it will be difficult to work with it on surfaces of complex configuration. .
  • Stone wool has excellent vapor permeability, and with proper installation of thermal insulation, the wall will remain “breathable”.
  • The density of basalt mineral wool blocks makes it possible to mount it on building glue, ensuring maximum adhesion to the insulated surface - this is extremely important for high-quality thermal insulation. In addition, on such wool, you can immediately, after reinforcement, lay a plaster layer .
  
  • Basalt wool fibers are not so brittle and prickly, and it is much easier to work with it in this regard. True, security measures are still superfluous.

  The disadvantages include:

  • Although basalt insulation, of course, will not become a breeding ground for rodents, nor do they arrange their nests in it with great pleasure.
  • There is no escape from the presence of formaldehyde - everything is exactly the same as in glass wool, maybe - to a slightly lesser extent.
  • The cost of such a heater is significantly higher than glass wool.

  Video - Useful information about basalt mineral wool " TechnoNIKOL»

  What is the conclusion? Both mineral wools are quite suitable for thermal insulation of walls, if all conditions are met so that it is not actively saturated with moisture and has the ability to “ventilate”. The optimal place for its placement is the outer side of the walls, where it will create effective insulation and will not bring much harm to the people living in the house.

  The use of mineral wool for internal insulation should, if possible, be avoided.

  It can be noted that there is another type of mineral wool - slag. But it was deliberately not included in a detailed review, since it is of little use for warming a residential building. Of all types, it is most prone to moisture absorption and shrinkage. The high residual acidity of slag wool leads to the activation of corrosion processes in the materials covered with it. Yes, and the purity of the feedstock - blast-furnace slag, also raises a lot of doubts.

  Mineral wool prices

  Mineral wool

  Heaters of the polystyrene group

  Thermal insulation materials based on polystyrene can also be categorized as the most commonly used. But if you look closely at them, then they will cause a lot of questions.

  Expanded polystyrene is represented by two main types. The first one is unpressed expanded polystyrene, which is more often called polystyrene foam (PBS). The second is a more modern version, the material obtained by extrusion technology (EPS). To begin with - a comparative table of materials.

  Material parameters	Extruded polystyrene foam (EPS)	Styrofoam
  Thermal conductivity coefficient (W/m × ° C)	0.028 ÷ 0.034	0.036 ÷ 0.050
  Water absorption in 24 hours in % of volume	0.2	0.4
  Static bending strength MPa (kg/cm²)	0.4÷1	0.07 ÷ 0.20
  Compressive strength 10% linear deformation, not less than MPa (kgf/cm²)	0.25 ÷ 0.5	0.05 ÷ 0.2
  Density (kg/m³)	28 ÷ 45	15 ÷ 35
  Operating temperatures	-50 to +75

  Styrofoam

  It would seem that the familiar white foam plastic is an excellent material for wall insulation. Low coefficient of thermal conductivity, light and fairly strong blocks of clear shapes, ease of installation, a wide range of thicknesses, affordable price - all these are undeniable advantages that attract many consumers.

  
  The most controversial material is foam

  However, before deciding to insulate the walls with foam, you need to think very carefully and assess the dangers of such an approach. There are many reasons for this:

  • Coefficient T The thermal conductivity of polystyrene is really “enviable”. But this is only in the original dry state. The very structure of the foam - air-filled balls glued together, suggest the possibility of significant moisture absorption. So, if you immerse a piece of foam in water for a certain time, then it can absorb 300 or more% of water about its mass. Of course, thermal insulation qualities are sharply reduced. .

  And with all this, the vapor permeability of PBS is low, and the walls insulated with it will not have normal vapor exchange.

  • You should not believe that polystyrene is a very durable insulation. The practice of its use shows that after a few years, destructive processes begin - the appearance of shells, cavities, cracks, an increase in density and a decrease in volume. Laboratory studies of fragments damaged by such a kind of "corrosion" showed that the total resistance to heat transfer decreased by almost eight times! Is it worth it to start such insulation, which will have to be changed after 5 - 7 years?
  • Styrofoam cannot be called safe from a sanitary point of view. This material belongs to the group of equilibrium polymers, which, even under favorable conditions, can go through depolymerization - decomposition into components. At the same time, free styrene is released into the atmosphere - a substance that poses a danger to human health. Exceeding the maximum allowable concentration of styrene causes heart failure, affects the state of the liver, leads to the emergence and development of gynecological diseases.

  This depolymerization process is activated as temperature and humidity increase. So using foam for indoor insulation is an extremely risky business.

  • And, finally, the main danger is the instability of the material to fire. It is impossible to call polystyrene a non-combustible material; under certain conditions, it actively burns with the release of extremely toxic smoke. Even a few breaths can lead to thermal and chemical burns of the respiratory system, toxic damage to the nervous system and death. Unfortunately, there is a lot of sad evidence for this.

  It is for this reason that foam plastic has long been no longer used in the production of railway cars and other vehicles. In many countries, it is simply prohibited in construction, and in any form - conventional insulation boards, sandwich panels or even fixed formwork. A house insulated with polystyrene can turn into a "fire trap" with almost zero chances of saving the people remaining in it.

  Extruded polystyrene foam

  A number of shortcomings of polystyrene managed to be eliminated by the development of a more modern variety of polystyrene foam. It is obtained by a complete melt of the feedstock with the addition of certain components, followed by foaming of the mass and forcing through molding nozzles. The result is a finely porous homogeneous structure, with each air bubble completely isolated from the neighboring ones.

  
  

  Such material is distinguished by increased mechanical strength in compression and bending, which significantly expands the scope of its application. The thermal insulation qualities are much higher than those of polystyrene, plus, XPS practically does not absorb moisture, and its thermal conductivity does not change.

  The use of carbon dioxide or inert gases as a blowing agent dramatically reduces the possibility of ignition under the action of a flame. However, it is still not necessary to talk about complete security in this matter.

  Such polystyrene foam has greater chemical stability, to a lesser extent "poisons the atmosphere." Its service life is estimated at several decades.

  XPS is practically impervious to water vapor and moisture. This is not a very good quality for walls. True, with some caution it can be used for internal insulation - in this case, with proper installation, it simply will not allow the penetration of saturated vapors to the wall structure. If the EPS is mounted outside, then this should be done on the adhesive composition so as not to leave a gap between it and the wall, and the outer cladding should be done according to the principle of a ventilated facade.

  The material is actively used for thermal insulation of loaded structures. It is perfect for insulating a foundation or basement - strength will help to cope with the load of the soil, and water resistance in such conditions is generally an invaluable advantage.

  Foundation t requires insulation!

  Many people forget about this, and for some it even seems like some kind of whim. Why, and how to do it using EPPS - in a special publication of the portal.

  But there is no escape from the general chemical composition, and it was not possible to get rid of the highest toxicity during combustion. Therefore, all warnings regarding the danger of expanded polystyrene in case of fire fully apply to XPS.

  Prices for expanded polystyrene, polystyrene, PIR plates

  Expanded polystyrene, Styrofoam, PIR boards

  polyurethane foam

  Thermal insulation of walls by spraying (PPU) is considered one of the most promising areas in construction. In terms of its thermal insulation properties, PPU significantly surpasses most other materials. Even a very small layer of 20 — 30 mm m can give a tangible effect.

  Material characteristics	Indicators
  compressive strength (N/mm²)	0.18
  Bending strength (N/mm²)	0.59
  Water absorption (% volume)	1
  Thermal conductivity (W/m ×°K)	0,019-0,035
  Content of closed cells (%)	96
  blowing agent	CO2
  Flammability class	B2
  Fire resistance class	G2
  Application temperature from	+10
  Application temperature from	-150oС to +220oС
  Application area	Heat-hydro-cold insulation of residential and industrial buildings, tanks, ships, wagons
  Effective service life	30-50 years old
  Moisture, aggressive media	sustainable
  Ecological cleanliness	Safe. Approved for use in residential buildings. Used in the manufacture of food refrigerators
  Pour Time (seconds)	25-75
  Water vapor permeability (%)	0.1
  Cellularity	closed
  Density (kg/m3)	40-120

  Polyurethane foam is formed by mixing several components - as a result of the interaction between each other and with atmospheric oxygen, foaming of the material occurs, its increase in volume. The applied PPU quickly hardens, forming a durable waterproof shell. The highest adhesion rates allow spraying on almost any surface. Foam fills even minor cracks and depressions, creating a monolithic seamless "fur coat".

  
  

  By themselves, the original components are quite toxic, and working with them requires increased precautions. However, after the reaction and subsequent solidification, within a few days, all dangerous substances completely evaporate, and PPU will no longer pose any danger.

  It has a fairly high resistance to fire. Even with thermal decomposition, it does not release products that can cause toxic damage. For these reasons, it was he who replaced expanded polystyrene in mechanical engineering and in the production of household appliances.

  It would seem - an ideal option, but again the problem rests on the complete lack of vapor permeability. So, for example, spraying polyurethane foam on a natural wood wall can “kill” it for several years already - moisture that has no way out will inevitably lead to organic decomposition processes. But getting rid of the applied layer will be almost impossible. In any case, if PPU spraying is used for insulation, the requirements for effective ventilation of the premises increase.

  Among the shortcomings, one more circumstance can be noted - in the process of applying the material it is impossible to achieve evenness of the surface. This will create certain problems if a contact finish is planned on top - plaster, cladding, etc. Leveling the surface of the cured foam to the required level is a difficult and time-consuming task.

  And another conditional drawback of PPU wall insulation is the impossibility of independently carrying out such work. It necessarily requires special equipment and equipment, sustainable technological skills. In any case, you will have to resort to calling a team of specialists. The material itself is not cheap, plus the production of work - in total, very serious costs can turn out.

  Video - An example of spraying polyurethane foam on the exterior walls of a house

  Ecowool

  Many have not even heard of this insulation and do not consider it as an option for thermal insulation of external walls. And absolutely in vain! In a number of positions, ecowool is ahead of other materials, becoming almost an ideal solution to the problem.

  
  

  Ecowool is made from cellulose fibers - woodworking waste and waste paper are used. Raw materials undergo high-quality pre-treatment - flame retardants for fire resistance and boric acid - to give the material pronounced antiseptic qualities.

  Specifications	Parameter values
  Compound	cellulose, mineral antipyretic and antiseptic
  Density, kg / m³	35 ÷ 75
  Thermal conductivity, W/m×°K	0.032 ÷ 0.041
  Vapor permeability	the walls "breathe"
  fire safety	flame retardant, no smoke formation, combustion products are harmless
  Filling the voids	fills all the gaps

  Ecowool is usually applied to the walls by spraying - for this, in a special installation, the material is mixed with the adhesive mass, and then it enters the sprayer under pressure. As a result, a coating is formed on the walls, which has very decent indicators of resistance to heat transfer. Ecowool can be applied in several layers, achieving the required thickness. The process itself is very fast. At the same time, certain protective equipment is certainly needed, but it is not as “categorical” as, say, when working with glass wool or when spraying polyurethane foam.

  
  

  By itself, ecowool does not pose a danger to people. Boric acid, which is part of it, can cause skin irritation only with prolonged direct contact. But on the other hand, it becomes an insurmountable barrier to mold or fungus, to the appearance of nests of insects or rodents.

  Ecowool has excellent vapor permeability, "preservation" in the walls will not occur. True, the material is quite hygroscopic, and requires reliable protection from direct water ingress - for this it must be covered with a diffuse membrane.

  Ecowool is also used according to the “dry” technology - it is poured into the cavity of building structures. True, experts note that in this case it will have a tendency to caking and loss in volume and insulating qualities. For walls, spraying is still the best choice.

  
  

  What can be said about the shortcomings?

  • The surface insulated with ecowool cannot be immediately plastered or painted - it is required to be obligatory on top with one or another material.
  • Applying ecowool by spraying will require special equipment. The material itself is quite inexpensive, but with the involvement of specialists, the cost of such insulation will increase.

  Video - Wall insulation with ecowool

  In the aggregate of all its positive and negative qualities, ecowool is seen as the most promising option for insulating external walls.

  What thickness of insulation is required?

  If the owners of the house have decided on a heater, then it's time to find out what thickness of thermal insulation will be optimal. Too thin a layer will not be able to eliminate significant heat loss. Too thick - not very useful for the building itself, and will entail unnecessary costs.

  The calculation method with an acceptable simplification can be expressed by the following formula:

  Rsum= R1+ R2+ … + Rn

  Rsum- total resistance to heat transfer of a multilayer wall structure. This parameter is calculated for each region. There are special tables, but you can use the diagram below. In our case, the upper value is taken - for the walls.

  
  

  Resistance value Rn is the ratio of the layer thickness to the thermal conductivity of the material from which it is made.

  Rn= δn/ λn

  δn is the layer thickness in meters.

  λn- coefficient of thermal conductivity.

  As a result, the formula for calculating the thickness of the insulation appears as follows:

  δut= (Rsum– 0.16 – δ1/ λ1– δ2/ λ2– … – δn/ λn) × λut

  0,16 - this is an average accounting of thermal air resistance on both sides of the wall.

  Knowing the parameters of the wall, measuring the thickness of the layers and taking into account the thermal conductivity of the selected insulation, it is easy to carry out independent calculations. BUT, to make it easier for the reader, a special calculator is placed below, in which this formula is already incorporated.

  Owners of private houses often ask themselves what kind of wall insulation from the outside is the most effective. Which is better to choose a heater so that the load-bearing wall structures do not conduct cold in winter and repel heat in hot summers. Many modern heat-insulating materials not only prevent heat loss in the cold season, but also protect the room from the penetration of thermal radiation in summer. The issue of thermal insulation of your home must be approached with all seriousness. How comfortable and cozy the house will be for its residents depends on how high-quality you make the thermal insulation system for your home.

  External wall insulation

  Thermal insulation materials, types and characteristics

  Previously, organic insulation in the form of sawdust, peat, etc. was used to insulate the building structure. A significant drawback of these materials was combustibility, high moisture absorption, susceptibility to decay and mold.

  At the moment, organic heaters for thermal insulation of the house are practically not used. Now the construction market offers a wide range of synthetic thermal insulation materials with the best technical characteristics.

  

  Expanded polystyrene, its advantages and disadvantages

  Most people, when deciding how to insulate the house from the outside, prefer polystyrene foam. Such popularity of this heater is due to its low cost and excellent performance.

  Of particular note are the following advantages of polystyrene foam:

  • lower, in comparison with mineral wool heaters, thermal conductivity (this allows the thickness of the insulation layer to be made smaller);
  • affordable cost (polystyrene foam is cheaper than mineral wool);
  • ease of installation (this material lends itself well to processing).

  The disadvantages of expanded polystyrene can be called: lower vapor permeability, in comparison with mineral wool insulation, and higher flammability.

  Expanded polystyrene, despite some of its shortcomings, is widely used for facade insulation. The use of this material for thermal insulation of a building is three to four times cheaper than the use of other insulation, in particular mineral wool.

  Important! Due to the low vapor permeability, expanded polystyrene is not recommended for insulating wooden houses. The only area of ​​its application is the insulation of stone facades.

  Expanded polystyrene is very effective for warming brick houses. Styrofoam thermal insulation with a thickness of only 80 mm makes it possible to four times reduce fuel consumption during the cold season.

  Polyfoil insulation material

  Quite an interesting modern insulation is pnofolgirovannyy insulation. It is a layer of polyethylene foam, which is clamped on both sides with aluminum foil. The features of this material are low weight and low thermal conductivity (the thermal conductivity of this insulation is 1.5 times less than that of basalt insulation).

  The advantages of this material include ease of installation, the insulation is attached to the walls with a construction stapler. Of the shortcomings, it is worth noting the absolute vapor and gas impermeability.

  Pressed cork insulation

  Such a rather exotic insulation, like pressed cork, is made from the bark of a cork oak growing in the Mediterranean. This insulation is produced in rolls and plates, has a very attractive appearance, is an environmentally friendly material. Pressed cork is used for internal wall insulation; this material, due to its excellent appearance, also performs the functions of a decorative finish. Cork boards can also be used for external insulation of facades.

  Mineral wool on a stone basis

  A distinctive feature of mineral wool fibers is their ability to withstand temperatures above 1000°C without melting. Thanks to this, mineral wool prevents the spread of fire and protects the structures of houses built from combustible materials (for example, wooden houses) from fire. Insulators with high water absorption rates lose their thermal insulation properties, since water entering the thermal insulation material fills the air pores and increases the thermal conductivity of the insulation. Mineral wool practically does not absorb moisture, therefore it remains dry and retains its properties of low thermal conductivity, even if moisture gets on its surface.

  The numerous advantages of mineral wool also include high resistance to mechanical stress.

  Fiberglass thermal insulation materials

  Fiberglass materials can be used to insulate the house from the outside. The main components used to make fiberglass are cullet, sand, dolomite, limestone, soda, etibor, etc. The fiberglass raw material is melted in a melting furnace at 1400°C and fed into the front hearth where it goes through the fiberization stage. On centrifuges, molten glass breaks up into fibers 6 microns thick. After that, the resulting products are impregnated with polymer resin and fed to the conveyor, where they are formed into mats. The remaining water is evaporated from the mats and a high-quality insulation is obtained.

  Fiberglass materials have the best qualities for thermal insulation of building facades, which include:

  • Fire safety.
  • Economy in transportation.
  • Ease of installation.
  • Low coefficient of thermal conductivity (from 0.035 to 0.044 W / mK), due to the ability of fiberglass to firmly retain air, and, as a result, excellent thermal insulation properties. Fiberglass thermal insulation can reliably protect against cold in winter and heat in summer.
  • Moisture resistant. Due to its non-hygroscopicity (glass wool does not absorb water), the heat-insulating properties do not deteriorate when moisture enters the material.
  • Environmental friendliness. Fiberglass insulation does not emit harmful substances and is safe for health, it does not form mold and rot.

  

  Glass wool is an effective insulation

  What is better for thermal insulation of walls from the outside: mineral wool or expanded polystyrene

  Mineral wool and expanded polystyrene are the most requested insulation for thermal insulation of walls from the outside. The installation of mineral wool slabs is similar to the technology of laying polystyrene foam, in addition, these two heaters have similar technical characteristics, so when they decide what is better to insulate the house from the outside, these two heaters are first of all compared.

  When they want to cheaply insulate walls from the outside, in most cases they choose polystyrene boards. This material is not only cheaper than mineral wool, but its installation does not require special skills or complex tools; almost every owner can install thermal insulation using foam boards with their own hands. But when installing cheap foam insulation of walls from the outside, you should not discount that this material has low mechanical strength. In addition, rats and mice love to gnaw on polystyrene.

  To insulate facades, manufacturers produce special types of vapor-permeable foam plastic with a compacted outer layer. But the cost of such material is not less than the cost of mineral wool.

  Insulation such as extruded polystyrene foam is not suitable for insulating walls from the outside, as it has zero vapor permeability. Using it to insulate facades leads to dampness of the material from which the walls are erected. From moisture on the surface of the walls, mold and fungi appear. On the market, you can buy vapor-permeable perforated extruded polystyrene foam intended for external insulation of facades. But their price is not less than the cost of mineral wool insulation.

  When using expanded polystyrene for external wall insulation, it is better to purchase material with atipirenes, these are special substances that prevent the material from burning. Styrofoam with flame retardant acquires fire-fighting properties.

  Mineral wool is not combustible, it resists mechanical stress well, it has sufficient vapor permeability, therefore, it is more preferable for external wall insulation, but with the correct design of the thermal insulation system, foam boards will also cope well with their functions.