External insulation. Insulation for the walls of the house outside which is better for external thermal insulation

Warming of houses is becoming more and more important with the increase in prices for utilities. You can save good money by doing everything yourself and having previously studied how private houses are insulated with their own hands. Considering that, for example, Moscow is characterized by a rather cold and long winter, a decrease in heating costs can significantly affect the family budget.

What to insulate first of all?

The inhabitants of high-rise buildings located in the vicinity of the private sector see very well the problems in insulation. So, at the beginning of winter, the roofs, where the snow melts quickly, clearly indicate high heat losses in the attic. The same can be detected with a thermal imager.

Considering that warm air rises upwards and cold air rises from below, special attention should be paid to the ceiling and floor. Especially if the house has no basement and is on the ground. When insulating a house externally, in no case should you forget about the plinth, so as not to create cold bridges between warm and cold surfaces.

Also, a lot of heat escapes through the windows. And if all the cracks around the openings are securely foamed, you should carefully look at the batteries. Their length should be equal to the width of the window, and the window sill cannot overlap the radiator. After all, it is due to convection that a heat curtain is created that does not let the cold through from the street.

Calculation of the thickness of the insulation

The thickness of the insulation should be selected based on the material of the walls, the thickness of these walls and the minimum temperature in the coldest period. According to SNiP, only 5 cm of foam or 13 cm of vermiculite is enough to insulate a house.

But this is with additional insulation of window openings and a decrease in wall ventilation.

If you need to ensure minimal heat loss, it is better to use a calculator and calculate the individual thickness of the insulation. For example, for a wall folded into one brick, you will need 10 cm of mineral wool.

This will make it possible to obtain only 37.20 kW of ash loss during the heating season, instead of 166 kW without insulation.

The same 10 cm of mineral wool will be enough to insulate a house from a bar with a wall thickness of 150 mm, while the heat loss will be even lower - only 34 kW. But 35-centimeter walls made of aerated concrete can be insulated with only 5 cm of mineral wool to provide 44 kW of ash loss.

Details on how private houses are insulated with their own hands

You need to insulate a private house wisely, because remodeling will turn out to be more expensive for yourself. It is necessary to remember the basic rule - only external walls are insulated. The insulation installed from the inside will not only reduce the area of \ u200b \ u200bthe rooms, but also shift the dew point into the house.

Condensed moisture, which has nowhere to evaporate, will cause mold formation, harming not only the building, but also the health of those living in it.

The second rule for building a pie of walls is to increase the vapor permeability of materials from the inside to the outside. In other words, the frame should be protected as much as possible from moisture from the inside, and the steam that gets into the material of the walls and ceiling should evaporate unhindered.

If vapor permeability is impaired and water microparticles are retained at some stage, this again leads to the development of fungi. Particular attention should be paid to the vapor barrier of the ceiling - warm and humid air rises and, falling on the more hygroscopic inner layer of insulation, can no longer quickly evaporate through the ceilings.

Materials best suited for personal insulation

Of course, materials that do not require additional equipment are most suitable for self-warming a house. Therefore, polyurethane foam and ecowool, applied by spraying, can not even be considered - the cost of the equipment will not pay off when used for one home.

So, the easiest to use:

slabs and rolls of mineral wool - they are simply laid on a horizontal surface, they must be pressed tightly to a vertical surface, for example, with self-tapping screws with "umbrellas";
foam - glued to flat surfaces using a special compound and additionally fixed with "umbrellas".
vermiculite, expanded clay, sawdust - they are simply poured in the required layer into the previously made formwork.

But to work with these materials, you will need a drill or a perforator to make holes in the walls, a screwdriver for screwing the frame, a saw or grinder to cut the bars. So do not think that warming on your own is a very simple matter, even if your hand is a little full at a home construction site.

Advantages, disadvantages and technology of installation of mineral insulation

Minvata is universal - it can be used to insulate both wooden and brick buildings. Due to its high vapor permeability, it will provide an optimal microclimate in the house without creating a greenhouse effect. But it is precisely for the opportunity to "breathe" that houses from a bar are so valued.

Basalt slabs are preferable in this regard. The insulation technology is extremely simple:

The frame is stuffed with 5x5 cm bars. It is fastened to wooden walls with self-tapping screws, to concrete and brick walls - with dowels. The bars are leveled and leveled with wooden pads.

The pitch of the bars in the frame is 1 cm less than the width of the insulation mat (so that it lies tightly, but does not bend). If a large layer of insulation is required, transverse bars are packed on top of the first layer of the laid mineral wool and the second layer is laid. The roof is also insulated in the same way.

Brick houses can be insulated without building a frame. Basalt slabs are fixed with special glue and fixed with “umbrellas”.

For wooden houses, a ventilated facade is used with a mandatory gap between the insulation and the siding. In this case, the mineral wool is covered with a windproof membrane, and the puncture sites and all joints are glued with butyl rubber tape. On top of the windscreen, siding guides are stuffed, they will also provide the necessary ventilation gap.

With a wet facade, basalt wool is reinforced with a reinforcing mesh and plastered. It is worth remembering that mineral wool is a flexible material, so even a light blow to the facade can ruin the finish.

Mineral insulation also has disadvantages. In addition to the mentioned love of mice, it is hygroscopic, so it requires good waterproofing. With improper ventilation, mineral wool begins to grow moldy, and over time it erodes and cakes.

It is necessary to remember about safety precautions when working with glass wool - fibers that get on the skin cause severe itching. Basalt wool crumbles heavily. If it enters the lungs, dust is not released, so the face must be protected with a respirator and goggles.

Pros, cons and foam insulation technique

The main disadvantage of polystyrene is its low vapor permeability, so it is not suitable for insulating wooden buildings. In order not to create the effect of a plastic bottle, when there is always high humidity in the house, it is advisable to pay special attention to ventilation.

The advantages of expanded polystyrene are obvious:

easy to install - it is lightweight, does not require a frame or formwork;
easy to cut - does not generate dust and is completely safe;
does not rot and does not cake;
inexpensive and durable.

Plates PPS are laid on a flat prepared surface. You do not need to do the screed, but you will have to remove all protruding elements. The foam is attached to a special glue, and to improve adhesion, the walls are pre-treated with a primer.

The expanded polystyrene is fixed with "umbrellas" with a slight indentation, and the caps are rubbed with cement mortar to ensure tightness. The seams are sealed with polyurethane foam, the excess is cut off and also sealed.

The video shows in detail the entire technology of foam insulation:

Loose heaters and their features

Natural bulk materials are environmentally friendly and, in some cases, low in price. So, living in a forest edge, there will be no problems with sawdust, but the delivery of expanded clay can be expensive. Vermiculite, on the other hand, is much better than expanded clay in terms of its qualities, since the only insulation is capable of absorbing heat. So it is best used as insulation inside the wall frame.

For an industrial scale, this is unprofitable, but private construction allows the use of bulk insulation even so.

If you need to insulate the attic floor, the easiest way is to pour 15 cm of sawdust. They do not even need to be covered with waterproofing films.

They also have disadvantages:

Due to its properties of absorbing and evaporating moisture, the material itself does an excellent job of removing excess steam, lowering the humidity in the house. In addition, all bulk insulation is not suitable for mouse nests, which also speaks in their favor.
They also have disadvantages:
expanded clay is hygroscopic and heavy, so it is not suitable for large-scale insulation of buildings on light foundations;
vermiculite is also quite heavy, but does not absorb moisture.

Any bulk insulation works best on horizontal surfaces, but absolutely not suitable for pitched roofs.

To build your warm home, you just need to have the minimum required building skills. And everything will definitely work out!

In most cases, people are used to insulating houses from the inside, although this is not entirely correct. Thermal insulation of walls with external insulation has a number of advantages over the internal insulation of an apartment. Insulation installed indoors reduces the usable space of rooms, especially when it comes to corner apartments or private houses.

By laying the insulation only on the inner walls of the house, not all energy saving problems can be solved. In such a situation, the building from the outside will continue to freeze through and accumulate excess moisture, which after a while can penetrate into the house. Therefore, it is advisable carry out external insulation... But immediately before starting the installation work, you need to learn to understand the main characteristics of external insulation for walls.

Advantages of external wall insulation

The main advantages of wall insulation outside are saving usable space inside the building, protecting the house from freezing and increasing the overall service life of the building. At the same time, external wall insulation does not increase the load on the structure of the building by the poet and does not put additional pressure on the foundation.

House insulation deserves special attention high degree of protection from freezing. First of all, this is due to the fact that the installation of thermal insulation from the inside prevents heat from escaping from the room to the outside, while the walls continue to freeze at negative temperatures. A zone is formed between the inner walls and the thermal insulation material in which water condenses, accompanying the formation of fungal mold and the rapid cooling of the room under the influence of moisture.

The moisture-soaked insulation inside the room does not dry out even in the summer heat, creating a constant zone of water accumulation, which noticeably affects the service life of the building. When using external insulation for walls, the point of condensation formation shifts towards the heat-insulating layer. The walls, insulated from the outside, do not cool down and retain heat, reducing its losses for a long time. External insulating materials quickly lose moisture, retaining their main characteristics, increasing the service life of the walls. To the main advantages external wall insulation, the following characteristics can be attributed:

saving heat energy in winter;
keeping cool indoors during the summer heat;
saving energy when heating or cooling a house;
increasing the operational resource of the house;
preventing the development of fungal mold;
the aesthetic component of outdoor insulation transforms the house.

Another advantage of using external heat-insulating materials is the high sound insulation of the room. If in the buildings of the private sector this issue is not so important, then in large metropolitan areas soundproofing of premises remains relevant.

Requirements for outdoor insulation for walls

Carrying out external thermal insulation work should be comprehensive. This is due to the fact that the correct choice of insulation depends on the material from which the structure is erected. So, for brick houses, familiar foam plastic is most often used. In turn, it is better to insulate wooden buildings with mineral wool. Naturally, the final choice rests with the homeowner. At the same time, when choosing an outdoor insulation for walls, you need to pay attention on the following material characteristics:

But regardless of the insulation used and its main characteristics, the main thing is to try to create a rational thermal insulation structure that will avoid a lot of unwanted problems of external wall insulation. In particular, you need take into account external factors such as rain, snow and other precipitation, as well as a large temperature difference in winter and summer, which must be resisted by the outer thermal insulation material.

Varieties of fastening external insulation

To the most popular ways for installation work on wall insulation with external insulation, the following can be attributed:

Naturally, each option of insulation has its own characteristics and difficulties in implementation. To date, a lot of materials of a combined type are presented on the market, which not only solve the issue of building insulation, but, subject to the installation technology, provide waterproofing and fire safety of the building.

Selection criteria and types of outdoor insulation

Regardless of which thermal insulation material will be chosen by the homeowner, he will cope with the tasks assigned to him. But they all differ in their main characteristics and, of course, in their price, which plays an important role in outdoor insulation. In this case, you have to choose from the following typical materials:

foam or polystyrene foam plates;
mineral roll insulation;
slabs or liquid polyurethane foam;
basalt insulation;
cellulose thermal insulation material.

If we consider the main differences between outdoor heaters, then they consist in the degree of moisture resistance, vapor permeability and heat conductivity. At the same time, the first two parameters should be selected based on the climate conditions of the region in which the structure was erected. In turn, the thermal conductivity of the material affects the thickness and installation of insulation, depending on the goals pursued.

Preparatory stage of insulation works

Having picked up a heat-insulating material that is suitable for the price and quality, you can proceed to the stage of external wall insulation. But first surface preparation is in progress... If necessary, remove old plaster in some cases down to the base of the building. The result of these works should be a flat surface of brick or stone, it all depends on the material used in construction.

An important role is played by the primer, which is often neglected by people conducting self-repairs. If drops or other defects in the walls are found that exceed a few centimeters, they are sealed with a solution. The most suitable primer is considered to be deep penetration. To obtain an even heat-insulating layer, which will not interfere with the next stages of finishing work, it is necessary in advance install lighthouses along a plumb line... This will allow you to outline the outer plane of the wall, which will facilitate installation work.

Self-tapping screws are fixed on the upper edge of the wall surface, to which a construction cord is tied, which is supplied with a load at the end and goes down to the very bottom of the wall. Horizontal ropes are pulled between the outer cords to form a control grid, which will be the main reference point when installing external thermal insulation. Then they move on to fastening sheets of material, the installation of which differs depending on the characteristics of the insulation.

We insulate the wall of the house outside with expanded polystyrene

Insulation sheets are attached to the wall with an adhesive and additionally fixed with dowels. The reliability of the dowels will directly affect the quality of the insulation retention under strong wind loads. In this case, there are two main types of dowels with a standard and extended expansion zone. At the same time, standard fasteners are used to fix polystyrene foam on concrete and brick walls. In turn, it is advisable to use elongated dowels for walls made of porous material - foam block, lightweight concrete, etc..

Plates of polystyrene insulation have one significant drawback - the high flammability of the material. Although manufacturers have been able to solve this problem through the use of new manufacturing technologies. Therefore, it is the resistance of the material to fire that should be given special attention when choosing.

After the adhesive is applied to the surface of the wall, they begin to fix the plates. The adhesive is applied in a sufficient volume so that the composition completely fills in all the irregularities. The insulation slab is tightly pressed against the wall surface, while excess glue solution comes out from under it, falling under the neighboring slab, making the joints more reliable. After that, the slab is additionally fixed with dowels at the corners and in the center of the product. The adjacent joints of the slabs, as well as the caps of the dowels, are covered with mastic.

After laying the outer insulation perform the reinforcement of the resulting structure... To do this, use a fiberglass mesh, and, if necessary, metal products. The slabs are opened with adhesives, on which the mesh is laid, by pressing against the heat insulator. For greater reliability, the mesh is fastened with an overlap. After the adhesive dries, it is sanded and proceeds to the application of the finishing. The most popular is decorative plaster, which, after drying, is opened with a layer of paint, resistant to atmospheric precipitation.

Liquid polyurethane foam - quality and durability

One of the most interesting and effective ways of exterior wall insulation is polyurethane foam. This liquid insulation has a lot of advantages compared to board materials. The preparation of the material takes place immediately before applying the insulation to the wall surface. In addition, polyurethane foam there are a number of other advantages:

The process of installing polyurethane foam itself consists of spraying a layer of heat-insulating polymers on wall surfaces of any shape, followed by curing of the insulation. In a special container two polymers are mixed foaming by means of carbon dioxide. The resulting composition is sprayed from a pistol onto the wall surface, covering it with a uniform layer.

At the final stage of insulation, a decorative finish is applied over the heat-insulating layer. Thanks to such a finishing coating, the insulation will be completely protected from the effects of external environmental factors. Plus, this will improve the aesthetic appeal of the building.

Only by choosing the right material for external wall insulation and only by observing the technological process of its installation, the homeowner can be sure that his house will be cool in summer and warm in winter for a long time.

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

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 disadvantage of these materials was their combustibility, high moisture absorption, susceptibility to decay and mold formation.

At the moment, organic heaters are practically not used for thermal insulation at home. 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 a house from the outside, prefer expanded polystyrene. Such popularity of this insulation is due to its low cost and excellent performance.

It is especially worth noting the following advantages of expanded polystyrene:

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

The disadvantages of expanded polystyrene are: 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 its low vapor permeability, polystyrene foam is not recommended for thermal insulation of wooden houses. The only area of its application is the insulation of stone facades.

Expanded polystyrene is very effective for insulating brick houses. Foam polystyrene insulation with a thickness of only 80 mm makes it possible to reduce fuel consumption by four times in the cold season.

Foil-lined insulation material

A rather interesting modern insulation is a foam-foil insulation. It is a layer of polyethylene foam, which is clamped on both sides with aluminum foil. The peculiarities 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. Among the shortcomings, it is worth noting the absolute vapor and gas tightness.

Insulation pressed cork

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

Rock-based mineral wool

A distinctive feature of mineral wool fibers is its ability, without melting, to withstand temperatures above 1000 °. 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. Heaters with high water absorption rates lose their heat-insulating properties, since water, getting into the heat-insulating 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 the 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 outside of the house. The main components used to make fiberglass are cullet, sand, dolomite, limestone, soda, ethybor, etc. The raw material for the fiberglass is melted in a melting furnace at 1400 ° C and fed to the front hearth where it is fiberized. In centrifuges, molten glass breaks down into 6 micron fibers. 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.
Cost-effective 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 hold air, and, as a result, excellent thermal insulation properties. Fiberglass insulation can reliably protect against cold in winter and heat in summer.
Resistant to moisture. Due to its non-hygroscopicity (glass wool does not absorb water), the heat-insulating properties do not deteriorate when moisture gets on 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 demanded heaters for thermal insulation of walls from the outside. The installation of mineral wool slabs is similar to the styrofoam laying technology, in addition, these two heaters have similar technical characteristics, therefore, when they decide what is the best way to insulate a house from the outside, first of all, these two heaters are compared.

When they want to cheaply insulate the walls from the outside, in most cases they choose polystyrene boards. This material is not only cheaper in itself than mineral wool, but its installation does not require special skills or complex tools; almost every owner can carry out the installation of thermal insulation using foam plates with his own hands. But when installing cheap foam insulation of walls from the outside, one should not discount the fact that this material has little mechanical strength. In addition, rats and mice are very fond of gnawing foam.

For insulation of facades, manufacturers produce special types of vapor-permeable foam 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, mold and mildew appear on the surface of the walls. 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 atypirens, these are special substances that prevent the material from burning. Polyfoam with a fire retardant acquires fire-fighting properties.

Mineral wool is not flammable, 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 plates will also cope well with their functions.

What kind of insulation keeps the warmth in the house as much as possible

External wall insulation is the best option for keeping warm in the house and economical consumption of gas, firewood or coal.

With round-the-clock heating using any heat carrier and device, the efficiency will tend to zero. The reason is the leakage of heat through the unprotected walls and ceiling into the external space.

Saving

Due to the walls, the dwelling loses 20% of the heat. The amount of loss depends on the material and thermal conductivity. Leakage locations are identified by modern instruments. But it is advisable to protect the surface of the walls and outside, because:

With external insulation, the walls do not freeze due to the insulating layer on the outside.
The building absorbs heat from the inside, which does not escape into the atmosphere through the walls, but is held by a layer of insulation.
The flow rate of the coolant is reduced, since there is no need to constantly replenish the outflow of heat through the walls.
The principle of "thermos", in which cooling occurs, but is reduced many times.
The walls are protected from external influences and condensation.
Additional insulation.
The need for frequent refurbishment of the façade is decreasing.

From the inside, walls are protected only in cases where the external option is technically impracticable, since:

The walls are cooled and heated under the influence of weather conditions. Mold and fungus appear between the wall and the inner insulation.
Temperature changes and precipitation have a devastating effect on the wall.
Additional costs for insulation and aesthetic wall decoration.

Types of outdoor heaters: rating

Modern production produces heat-insulating materials that retain heat:

Mineral wool.
Expanded polystyrene.
Extruded polystyrene foam.
Polyurethane foam.
Thermal panels.
Thermal insulating plaster.

When selecting material, they are guided by three criteria: price, technical characteristics, complexity of installation.

Inexpensive materials

Inexpensive materials include mineral wool and expanded polystyrene.

Expanded polystyrene

By price. The cheapest heat insulator. The cost depends on the density, sheet thickness and the amount of work.
Lightweight material. Density - 25 kg / m3
Eco-friendly.
Thermal conductivity - 0.037 to 0.043 W / mK.

Creates a "thermos" effect, as vapor permeability tends to zero. The material is used for the construction of hinged and "wet" facades.

The outer polystyrene foam insulation is easy to install.

Minvata

It is produced in the form of pressed mats of several types:

Basalt insulation. Environmentally friendly basalt fiber material. Withstands high temperatures - 800 to 1000 degrees, and low - up to - 190. Thermal conductivity is 0.077 to 0.12 W / mK.
Stone wool. The maximum temperature is + 600 degrees. Retains properties at - 60. Has the same thermal conductivity as basalt fiber.
Slag wool. Blast-furnace waste is used in the manufacture. They are used exclusively externally. Withstands temperature rise up to + 300 degrees and frost up to - 60. Thermal conductivity - 0.46 to 0.48 W / mK. Slag wool is the cheapest heat insulator, while the most fragile and hygroscopic. It is advisable to use it as a filler for ventilated facades.

When choosing mineral wool, the density must be taken into account. For a "wet facade" it should be 100 kg / m3. and more. For "mounted" - this parameter can be ignored.

Thermal insulating plaster

Plaster with thermal insulation properties is used as an independent and additional material. It is made on the basis of a cement mortar filled with sawdust, vermiculite, pumice powder, expanded clay crumbs or expanded polystyrene granules. For strength and plasticity, special solutions are added to the mortar to improve the properties of the "warm" plaster.

The material has a thermal conductivity of 0.23 W / mK, it is easy to apply, creating reliable thermal insulation of the walls.

It is advisable to replace ordinary plaster with heat-insulating plaster.

Expensive materials

In an expensive price category, materials with high thermal insulation and strength properties, which have a long service life.

Extruded polystyrene foam

The material is based on expanded polystyrene, which has been processed by high temperatures. The material has good performance characteristics:

Thermal conductivity is between 0.028 and 0.034 W / mK.
Strength is 0.2 to 0.35 MPa.
Moisture absorption - in the range of 0.1 to 0.4%.
The composition of expensive brands includes flame retardants.

Extruded polystyrene foam has a smooth surface, which makes it difficult to use for a "wet facade" device. Before installation, the slabs should be treated mechanically and with a special primer after installation.

Polyurethane foam

Material with a porous structure that provides high-quality thermal insulation of the walls:

Thermal conductivity is 0.019 - 0.030 W / mK.
Weight = 30-80 kg / m3
Can be applied to walls made of any material.
No special fixing materials required. It is applied to the walls by spraying. This creates a heat-insulating layer that adheres tightly to the wall surface.

Working with polyurethane foam requires special skills, the ability to work with equipment.

Thermal panels

It is a panel based on expanded polystyrene, lined with decorative natural material - porcelain stoneware, clinker tiles. The material has a number of advantages that justify its cost:

The panels create a high-quality heat-insulating wall covering.
No cladding work required.
Long service life.
Ease of installation - the panels are interconnected like puzzles. To the wall - with the help of special fasteners.
The speed of work.

Thermal panels are combined with the frame structure of the ventilated facade so that the air circulation inside the walls is not blocked.

How long will the insulation last outside

Thermal insulation materials have a resource that is consumed every year, regardless of external conditions. Insulation materials lose their properties over time. Materials with a dense structure last longer, but are also more expensive. On average, mineral wool and expanded polystyrene insulation is designed for a service life of up to 35 years. After that, the material must be replaced.

Manufacturers guarantee a service life of up to 50 years, subject to technical requirements.

How to insulate

For external insulation, several options are used:

A system of three layers inside the masonry. Insulation is installed when building walls.
Ventilated facade. Insulation is placed inside the frame and lined with decorative and protective material.
"Wet" facade. Insulation plates are attached to the wall, covered with reinforcing fiberglass mesh and plastered.

Scheme

The sequence of application and installation of thermal insulation and cladding depends on the selected material and type - ventilated facade, "wet" or three-layer.

Instruments

To perform high-quality facade work, you will need a set of tools:

Square.
Levels of different lengths. Optimally - 60 - 80 cm.
Roulette.
Hammer.
Saw with fine teeth.
Mixer for mixing solutions.
Brushes.
Roller.
Ironers, including notched trowels.
Master OK.
Corner trowel.
A set of spatulas.
A gun for cylinders with polyurethane foam and sealant.
Drill.

Sequence of work

External insulation work begins with the preparation of the walls:

The walls are leveled.
They are cleaned of dust, dirt.
They are treated with a deep penetration primer.
Horizontal lines are marked.

Installation of the material is carried out from the bottom up. For each type, its own technology of fasteners and docking of individual elements is used.

Finishing

With frame thermal insulation (ventilated façade), finishing work is the installation of decorative panels. "Wet facade" must be plastered with decorative material or painted.

Insulation of external walls is the best solution to keep the house warm and save finances. Regardless of the material chosen and the type of installation, heaters, subject to technology, perform their functions throughout the guaranteed service life.

Useful video

The modern construction market offers many beautiful, durable, environmentally friendly finishing materials. Nowadays, thanks to new technologies, almost any fantasy can be realized in terms of renovation or design work. But as for the economics of the maintenance of home ownership - it must also be carefully calculated.

Unfortunately, not every material, even the most beautiful or unusual, is able to retain heat well in a room. Therefore, often the issue of wall insulation at the time of repair has to be raised quite often. And without even planning to carry out repair work, insulation is a hot topic for our country.

Various types of heaters are presented on the shelves of building hypermarkets. Puzzled by the choice of this material, surely every untrained buyer will be confused when he sees what a huge assortment manufacturers offer us! Therefore, before going shopping, let's figure out what kind of insulation is needed in each specific case and how to choose it correctly.

Insulation will bring several important advantages not only to your budget, but also to the quality of your home - this is clear even without special calculations. Some homeowners find it convenient to lay insulation inside the building, however, this is not entirely convenient: firstly, it reduces the living space, and secondly, it does not allow the heat inside the room to warm up the walls and thus maintains dampness inside the building.

Therefore, unambiguously, it is necessary to insulate the walls outside the house - it does not matter whether it is a detached home ownership or an apartment. Correctly selected and laid insulation allows the room to warm up evenly due to the free circulation of warm air. The outer layer of insulation retains heat and allows the walls to remain dry, which means it prevents them from collapsing.

As an additional bonus from the insulation, there is also sound insulation of the room, this is an important property, especially if the housing is located near a highway or a busy part of the city.

As for the aesthetics of wall decoration with insulation, modern finishing materials are perfectly adapted to various design solutions.

What are the types of wall insulation?

Insulation materials can be conditionally divided into 2 types: organic and inorganic. What it is?

Organic insulation

These are materials that are produced on the basis of raw materials from natural components. They do not contain synthetic ingredients. Some organic materials include cement and plastic.

Organic heaters are easy to use, because they do not get wet, they are not prone to fire, they are not susceptible to damage by fungus, mold and any bacteria. It is convenient to use organics as an internal insulation or in multilayer structures, in the form of a first, inner layer.

There are quite a few examples of organic insulation:

Arbolite insulation- made on the basis of cement and kaolin. Additionally, it contains heat-saving substances - straw, sawdust, shavings, etc.
Polyvinyl chloride foam insulation- based on polyvinyl chloride resins. Its production technology is such that the resins acquire a porous structure, it can be hard or soft, and, accordingly, has a wide range of uses.
Chipboard. Insulation based on wood chips, to which resins and antiseptics are added.
Polyurethane foam is a new generation heat insulator. It is made on the basis of polyester by a complex chemical reaction. It has excellent insulating properties, is not afraid of moisture, pests and temperature extremes.
Penoizol, also called mipora. Material based on a natural emulsion of urea-formaldehyde resin. Mipora is a versatile material; on sale it is presented in a dry form, in the form of blocks. If necessary, it can also be used in liquid form, pouring it into specially prepared containers, where it hardens over time.
Expanded polystyrene, or, more simply, polystyrene.
Foamed polyethylene. It is obtained by adding special foaming additives to the liquid polyethylene mass. The result is a material with a large number of pores - which allows it to retain heat well and provide sound insulation.
Fibrolite. Completely organic material consisting of fine wood chips. Cement or magnesite is used as a binder. The material perfectly tolerates humid operating conditions and can be used for insulating saunas, swimming pools and similar premises.
Sotoplast. Unusual modern insulation. Its porous structure consists of cells that visually resemble a honeycomb - hence its name. It consists of cellulose or fabric fibers, wrapped in a film, the outer part of each panel is made of soft plastic.
Ecowool. Produced from cardboard or book production waste. The basis for it is marriage or second grade of cellulose cardboard or paper. Production from waste paper is also possible, however, the quality in this case will be an order of magnitude lower.

Inorganic heaters

Manufactured on the basis of minerals, slag, asbestos or glass. These materials have been known to everyone for many years - glass wool, aerated concrete, foam glass and the like. They perfectly showed their performance properties, work at any temperature, and are suitable for any design.

Inorganic heaters are on sale in a wide variety of forms: cotton wool, panels, plates, rolls, and even loose. This is an additional plus, as it is possible to choose the most convenient way of styling.

There are also quite a few varieties of inorganic heat insulators:

Probably the most common insulation. It can be made from steel production slag waste or rocks. By the type of raw material from which it is made, mineral wool is divided into two types: stone and slag.

Its production process is almost identical to glass production, although glass production wastes are often used for production. It differs from mineral wool in its structure and properties.

3. Ceramic wool. It is made on the basis of silicon, aluminum or zirconium oxides. For production, high temperature conditions and a centrifuge are used. Ceramic wool is practically not subject to deformation, does not burn and has excellent heat and sound insulation properties.

Reflective heat insulators

As you know, classic heaters act in a directional way - they slow down the process of heat passage. That is, from a heated room, be it a residential building or a public building, heat goes outside. If you carry out a study of infrared radiation, you will see rays, especially strong radiation where building materials pass heat well through themselves. Therefore, trying to insulate the room, it is sheathed with various types of insulation that retain heat or prevent the free passage of infrared rays.

However, there is another approach to improving the thermal insulation of buildings. This is the use of materials that reflect heat. The most popular among such - aluminium foil, its surface is capable of reflecting up to 97% of the heat entering it.

At the same time, aluminum foil is laid in one or two layers, which are subsequently covered with a layer of polyethylene - such a sheathing is very thin and practically does not take up space. And in terms of its thermal insulation, it can compete with the highest quality insulation that retains heat. In addition, it is also an excellent vapor barrier material, therefore, for buildings with high humidity - saunas, baths - such thermal insulation will be a godsend. In other cases, it is best to consider it as an auxiliary material, for example, for decorating walls and ceilings indoors.

Choosing insulation for walls

Among the huge assortment of heaters, it can be difficult to choose one. Consider the most common heat insulators:

For many years it has been used as insulation in all kinds of private and industrial facilities. It can be manufactured on stone or basalt raw materials, which gives it fire resistance and fire safety. The modern one is made from volcanic fossils using special equipment, reaching high temperatures. It has a specific porous structure, which determines its main advantages:

Excellent thermal insulation of the room... Due to its fibrous structure, mineral wool keeps the temperature inside the building well; in winter the house will remain warm, in summer it will be cool in it.
Soundproofing... Also, due to the disordered structure of cotton wool fibers, it is able to keep at least 50% of the sound vibrations passing through it.
Wear resistance... Made from volcanic rocks, mineral wool is not prone to degradation and can last a long time without needing to be replaced.
Tightness... Provided that the correct technology for laying mineral wool is observed, this type of thermal insulation is able to maintain the tightness of the coating for many years.
Mineral wool is environmentally friendly for health.

Laying this type of insulation is not particularly difficult, but, as already mentioned, it is important to follow the correct sequence of operations:

Preparing the wall. Remove old finishes, dirt, putty cracks and chips.
Laying a vapor-permeable membrane. You need to do this directly on the wall, in one layer.
Installation of a frame made of wooden planks or metal profiles.
Laying mineral wool. It is usually sold in various sizes of seams.
Close the cotton wool layer with another layer of foil.
Facade cladding with finishing material. Usually, in this case, it will be correct to arrange a ventilated facade.
Installation of slopes, window sills. The old ones will have to be replaced due to the significant increase in the thickness of the walls.

Styrofoam

Polyfoam, or its more modern analogue, polystyrene, is a very popular material for exterior insulation of a building. This is a common type of organic insulation, 90% composed of air, the remaining ten percent are substances produced from petroleum products. In essence, these are medium and small sized air bubbles enclosed in a polystyrene shell.

Advantages:

Low cost. Sheathing the house with foam plastic is available to anyone.
Perfectly retains heat indoors.
He is not afraid of moisture, dampness and temperature fluctuations.
Good soundproofing material.
Suitable for various types of outdoor, it can be both plastered and sewn up with wall panels.

Disadvantages:

Foam is very fond of small mammals. Rodents arrange their burrows in it - it is easy and convenient for them. To avoid such incidents, the foam wall cladding must be sewn up immediately with a top, decorative layer. Moreover, this must be done efficiently, without leaving gaps.
Styrene foam is not a combustible material, however, when exposed to an open flame, it ignites. This minus does not have large-scale values, since this insulation is capable of self-extinguishing in the absence of strong gusts of wind.

The process of fixing the foam is not particularly difficult; you can insulate the house with it on your own, without involving specialists. The sequence of actions is as follows:

Prepare the walls. Preparation includes standard cleaning from dust, dirt and old finishes. If there are large cracks or potholes, measures must be taken to eliminate them.
Install a start profile. In general, such a procedure is not necessary, but this measure will guarantee the exact alignment of the cladding over the entire area of the facade. Based on the starting profile, it will be much faster and easier to work.
Prepare the foam sheets as necessary: we are talking about dimensions, that is, if there are windows, doors, or other elements on the wall that are not planned to be insulated, then you need to cut them taking into account these objects. It is not difficult to cut it using a construction knife or even the most ordinary knife of a suitable size.
Apply special glue to the foam. This can be done with a spatula, observing a certain application scheme: it is important to coat well not only the corners and perimeter of each plate, but also the ends, which will subsequently be joined with the adjacent ends of the material.
Additionally, fix the foam panels with dowel fasteners. Recommended consumption of fasteners: at least five pieces per sheet.
Application of a reinforcing layer. This is, as a rule, a synthetic mesh, which is attached with glue or cement mortar directly to the foam. Such a measure will strengthen the insulation layer and prevent it from settling or collapsing.
Finishing work. Such cladding is most suitable for plaster, followed by the application of texture - "", "lamb", and other embossed coatings will fit well on the foam insulation.

Polyurethane foam

This material is a kind of plastic, 90% of its structure is in a gaseous state. The structure is porous, with pronounced cells. In modern industry, it is successfully used not only as a heater for facades, but also as a filler for seats in sofas, armchairs and the like. Visually and tactilely, it looks like an ordinary one.

This material is used as insulation, due to the following positive characteristics:

Good thermal insulation.
It also works as a sound absorber.
Not affected by aggressive chemicals.
Practically does not absorb moisture and does not damp.
Environmentally friendly.
Long service life - up to thirty years.

Why is this material bad as a heater:

Due to its soft surface, polyurethane foam is not suitable for finishing. Can only be used under the panels.
This insulation is fire hazardous, and moreover, when ignited, it is capable of releasing substances that are dangerous to human life.

For laying on walls polyurethane foam is also used machine method of applying polyurethane foam

Penoplex

This material is also called. This type of insulation is relatively new, developed not so long ago, and therefore fully takes into account the modern needs for thermal insulation of housing. Penoplex has a porous structure, which determines its main positive characteristics: high heat resistance, lightness, availability of subsequent processing.

He actually has a lot of advantages:

High performance of thermal insulation... Has the highest thermal insulation characteristics of all popular materials,
Wear-resistant. Withstands moderate loads,
Long lasting. The service life of foam insulation is forty years and above,
Doesn't attract rodents and other pests, not prone to mold or mildew formation,
Light. This circumstance makes it possible to work with him independently, without hiring professional builders, and even one person can perform installation work.

This type of polystyrene has proven itself well both in use for private households and for thermal insulation of public buildings.

Of the shortcomings, you need to remember:

Flammability. Penoplex is not a refractory material and for fire-fighting purposes, protective measures must be taken.
Quite high cost.

As for the price, given the characteristics of the material and its service life, its cost is quite payback and justified.

The installation of foam is identical to the installation of foam panels, it is also attached to special polymer adhesives - note that they must be acetone-free. But in addition to glue, of course, it is advisable to fix the insulation and anchor fasteners in order to avoid annoying troubles after a while.

Extruded polystyrene lends itself well to decoration, it can be plastered, reliefs of the most different structures can be made.

Manufacturers

In connection with the constantly increasing demand for thermal insulation materials, along with the import of imported materials - European, less often American, production, domestic manufacturers began to unfold and develop. Today, both European and Russian brands are present on the shelves of construction hypermarkets. The most popular ones are:

Ursa- one of the leaders in this field of building materials. It is a subsidiary of the large Spanish concern Uralita. In fact, Ursa insulators are regularly supplied to both the Russian and European markets, where they are also very popular.

Thermal insulation of this brand is produced in different variations, but the most demanded variety: small-sized insulation plates or mats. It is convenient to use them for the device of ventilated facades of buildings, insulation of roofs, floors, partitions. But it is also possible to insulate heating mains, high-rise buildings for private and industrial use.

Armacell

A well-known manufacturer of insulation materials from Germany. Heaters of this brand are known for the fact that they are produced by foaming synthetic raw materials based on rubber. This method is patented by Armacell and any other materials of a similar design are analogs or replicas of this type of insulation. The modern Russian market of heaters has several standard types of Armacell heaters. They are, in particular, convenient to use for heating systems, refrigerators, ventilation shafts, as well as standard heating systems with not too high heating temperatures.

Partex

Known on the world construction markets, the Finnish company, whose production facilities are located in the cities of Poland, Lithuania and Finland. On the Russian market, this brand is presented under the Paros brand - on its basis, the widest range of stone wool heaters is presented. This heat insulator is available in slabs, mats and rolls of soft and rigid construction.

This insulation is popular among private buyers, it is convenient to sheathe detached households and multi-storey residential buildings with it. The properties of Paros heat insulators: high vapor permeability, excellent thermal insulation properties, durability and lack of deformation, make this material convenient and versatile for use in civil engineering.

Isover

A well-known Finnish brand, in fact, it is a subsidiary of a large French concern. Their insulation is made on the basis of fiberglass; it is widespread both in Europe and in Russia and has remained popular for many years.

Rols Isomarket

One of the largest domestic companies for the production of insulation. Founded in 1994, since then it has been actively developing and mastering new technologies. Under the Energoflex trademark, this manufacturer offers on the Russian market a wide range of various insulation based on foamed polyethylene.

CJSC "Chemical Plant"

Located in the Sverdlovsk Region, it is also a major Russian manufacturer. The Extrapen trade brand, produced by this plant from expanded polystyrene raw materials, confidently occupies its niche among the thermal insulation materials presented in the Russian construction market.

Video the better to insulate the walls

Wall insulation is an important stage; it must not be overlooked or produced poorly. The benefits from properly insulated walls are obvious: you will protect the inside of the house from condensation and freezing, keep the heat inside the room, significantly saving energy resources. Currently, insulation is not an excessive foresight, but the right choice for any house, no matter what it is built of and how well it is heated.

Modern building materials allow you to choose a heater for any finish, to safely hide it, leaving the facade of the building outwardly attractive. It is also important that it is not difficult to comply with the correct technology for laying insulation, even doing it yourself. Thus, you can significantly save on construction work without hiring professionals for cladding.

Heaters serve for a long time, without needing to be replaced, one day, you will forget about heat loss for many years to come. Take care of your home with good insulation!