After the introduction of a new standard for the thermal protection of buildings, insulation has become relevant even for those houses that were previously considered “safe”. Owners of older buildings don't have to do anything, but they must be prepared to pay rising energy bills. And designs for new houses will not be approved if they do not meet the requirements of SNiP 02/23/2003. There are several technologies that make it possible to ensure standard indicators for buildings made of any materials. The main thing is to choose the right insulation for the exterior walls of a house in each case.
The house must be kept warm
Why external insulation and not internal
The most understandable argument for a non-specialist sounds very convincing, although this is a secondary factor - insulation from the inside “takes away” the useful volume of residential and office premises.
Builders are guided by the standard according to which insulation must be external (SP 23-101-2004). Insulation from the inside is not directly prohibited, but it can only be carried out in exceptional cases. For example, when work on the outside cannot be carried out due to the design features or the facade “belongs” to a house that is classified as an architectural monument.
Video description
The result of proper internal insulation of a house in the video:
Internal insulation of walls is allowed provided that a durable and continuous vapor-tight layer is created on the side of the room. But this is not easy to do, and if warm air with water vapor gets into the insulation or onto the surface of a cold wall, then the appearance of condensation is inevitable. And this is due to the “dew point”, which will move either inside the layer of thermal insulation material or to the border between it and the wall.
Even such protection from the inside will not provide a 100% guarantee against the wall getting wet - water vapor will find its way into the film joints and fastening points
That is, when deciding how to properly insulate a house, in the vast majority of cases, the answer will be based on clear regulatory recommendations- outside.
Popular thermal insulation materials
From a large list thermal insulation materials We can highlight several of the most popular ones and those that are used if the budget allows or for other reasons. Traditionally, the popularity of materials is determined by a combination of good thermal insulation characteristics and relatively low cost.
- Expanded polystyrene
Better known as "foam". To be precise, in addition to slabs, this material is also used in granular form as bulk thermal insulation.
Its thermal conductivity varies with density, but on average it is one of the lowest in its class. Thermal insulation properties are provided by a cellular structure filled with air. The popularity is due to accessibility, ease of installation, good performance compressive strength, low water absorption. That is, it is cheap, quite durable (as part of the structure) and is not afraid of water.
Polystyrene foam is considered low-flammable, and those marked PSB-S are self-extinguishing (does not support combustion). But during a fire, it emits toxic gases, and this is one of the main reasons why it cannot be used for insulation from the inside. Its second drawback is low vapor permeability, which imposes restrictions on the use of “breathable” materials when insulating walls.
Insulating the outside of a house with foam plastic
- Extruded polystyrene foam
It differs from polystyrene foam by a fundamentally different manufacturing technology, although the raw material is the same polystyrene granules. In some respects it is superior to its “relative”. It has the same percentage of water absorption (no more than 2%), on average, thermal conductivity is 20-30% lower (Table D.1 SP 23-101-2004), vapor permeability is several times lower and compressive strength is higher. Thanks to this set of qualities, it is best material when insulating the foundation and basement, that is, the walls of the basement and the “zero” floor. The disadvantages of EPS are the same as those of polystyrene foam, and it costs more.
Eps is usually made “colored”
- Stone, also known as basalt, cotton wool
This is a subtype of mineral wool, the raw materials of which are rocks of stone (most often basalt). A completely different type of thermal insulation material, the low thermal conductivity of which is ensured due to its fibrous structure and low density. It is inferior to foam plastic and EPPS in terms of thermal conductivity (on average 1.5 times higher), but unlike them, it does not burn or smolder (flammability class NG). Refers to “breathable” materials - according to the new standard this sounds like low “breathing resistance”.
Mineral wool mats for wall insulation must be “hard”
But there are other materials for insulating a house outside, which, although used less frequently, have their own advantages.
Thermal insulation materials - new products on the market
Additionally, you can always consider new options - they are a little more expensive, but often somewhat more effective than traditional ones.
- Foamed polyurethane
A common polymer material for “household use”. Also well known as foam rubber for furniture (in the form of “soft” mats) or as polyurethane foam for sealing cracks. When insulating, it is also used in the form of slabs or sprayed insulation.
Polyurethane foam slabs have low tear-off holding properties, so they are not used in “wet façade” systems.
But this is a common thermal insulation material for making sandwich panels. The same technology underlies the production of thermal panels for facade cladding. Such a panel is a heat-insulating board with a decorative layer (clinker tiles or stone chips) already applied at the factory. Two types of insulation: polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam. In the first case, the thermal panel is two-layer, in the second – three-layer (OSB or moisture-resistant plywood is used as the supporting base). Two mounting options: dowels/anchors ( open method) or your own hidden fastening system.
Three-layer thermal panel
Sprayed polyurethane foam is in demand if it is necessary to create a seamless layer of thermal insulation on complex surfaces. Until recently, the only technology for applying such a layer was using professional installations, working with a two-component composition (mixing occurs during spraying).
Spraying polyurethane foam onto the base of a house
Now in Russia for household use The production of one-component polyurethane foam has been launched, which is produced in an aerosol can with a capacity of 1 liter. As the manufacturers assure (there are two competing companies), insulating 1 m2 with your own hands is much cheaper than concluding an agreement with specialized enterprises that use professional equipment. And this option for insulating a house from the outside is quite attractive if literally 2-3 cm of the thermal insulation layer is missing.
Insulation using sprayed polyurethane foam "Teplis"
- Ecowool
A relatively new thermal insulation material. The technology for insulating enclosing surfaces is based on cellulose fiber material, which is applied to the walls using a special installation. There are two options for insulation: filling the plane between the wall and the cladding, spraying with an adhesive binder onto the wall with installed sheathing(and subsequent installation of facade panels).
Among the traditional materials, we can mention glass wool (a subtype of mineral wool), but due to its fragility and the formation of tiny “dust” with sharp edges during installation, it has been replaced by stone wool, which is safe both during installation and during operation.
The better way to insulate a house from the outside - standards for the number of layers
If you follow regulatory documents, there are two options for how to insulate a house from the outside based on the number of structural and thermal insulation layers: two-layer and three-layer. Moreover, in the second case, the external paneling or plaster is not considered an independent layer, although their thermal insulation properties are taken into account. In three-layer walls, the outer (third) layer is the structural material.
Brick cladding with insulation
In addition to this classification, there is also a division based on the presence of a ventilated and non-ventilated layer.
- brickwork, reinforced concrete (with flexible connections), expanded clay concrete - all types of solutions;
- wooden houses– enclosing structures with two-layer, three-layer walls and with a ventilated air gap;
- frame houses with thin-sheet cladding - three-layer walls with thermal insulation in the middle, as well as with a ventilated and non-ventilated air gap;
- blocks of cellular concrete– double-layer walls with brick cladding, as well as with a ventilated or non-ventilated layer.
In practice, for insulating low-rise buildings, such a variety of solutions comes down to the choice between a “wet” or a curtain wall. Although it is those recommended by the standard that are considered as thermal insulation materials - mineral wool or expanded polystyrene (EPS as an alternative).
But each case has its own preferences.
Video description
The video shows how to choose how to insulate a house from the outside:
The better way to insulate a house from the outside, depending on the wall material
For insulation brick house There are no restrictions when choosing technology. Various options can be considered only depending on the chosen method of finishing the facade:
- Facing brick. This is a classic three-layer wall construction with flexible ties. Even when using polystyrene foam, it is necessary to provide a ventilated air gap to ventilate water vapor and prevent wall materials from getting wet.
- Wet facade. You can use mineral wool and polystyrene foam. The first option is preferable - ceramic bricks have higher vapor permeability than foam plastic. And according to clause 8.5 of SP 23-101-2004, the arrangement of layers should facilitate the weathering of water vapor to prevent moisture accumulation.
"Wet facade" scheme
- Ventilated facade. With lining wall panels or large-format porcelain tiles on the sheathing. Traditional insulation for everyone curtain facades– mineral wool.
Ventilated facade diagram
Wooden houses (logs or beams) are insulated exclusively with mineral wool using curtain façade technology.
For them, you can find examples of using polystyrene foam and plaster using the “wet facade” method. In this case, a ventilated gap is created between the wall and the foam boards using spacer sheathing. Although this means that the main advantage of the “wet façade” – simplicity of design and installation – disappears.
How to calculate the thickness of insulation
If you look through SP23-101-2004 or a similar but later set of rules SP 50.13330.2012, you can see that calculating the thickness of the insulation is not so easy.
Each building is “individual”. When developing a project and approving it, such thermal calculations are made by specialists. And here a whole range of parameters are taken into account - the characteristics of the region (temperatures, length of the heating season, average number of sunny days), the type and area of glazing of the house, the thermal capacity of the floor covering, the thermal insulation of the roof and basement. Even the number of metal connections between the wall and the cladding matters.
But if the owner of a previously built house decides to insulate it (and the new standards introduced in 2003 are much stricter than the old ones), then he will have to choose between three parameters “ standard thickness» insulation – 50, 100 and 150 mm. And here the accuracy of calculations is not needed. There is a diagram that shows the equivalent thickness dimensions different materials(in average form), the wall of which will meet the new requirements for thermal protection.
Only a house made of aerated concrete blocks with a thickness of 45 cm does not need insulation
And then it’s simple. They take the thickness of a wall made of a certain material and see how much is missing from the standard. And then they calculate in proportion what thickness of the insulation layer of the outside wall of the house needs to be added. Taking into account that a wet façade also has a layer of plaster, and a ventilated façade has an air gap, plus the interior finishing of the façade walls, you can be sure of sufficient thermal protection.
And the issue of insulating the roof, floors and choosing good windows is decided separately.
It’s even easier - use one of the many online calculators. The figure here, of course, is approximate, but rounded up to the nearest standard insulation thickness, it will give the required result.
How to properly install insulation on a facade
Before installation, the façade must be prepared: cleaned of old decoration, remove dirt and dust, dismantle hanging elements engineering systems, remove ebbs and canopies (you will still have to replace them with wider ones), remove signs, plates and façade lamps. Then the surface of the wall must be strengthened - cracks and chips must be repaired, crumbling areas must be cleaned, and a deep penetration primer must be applied.
Application of primer
For securely fastening polystyrene foam or rigid mineral wool mats in the system wet facade The surface of the wall should be as smooth as the unevenness can be smoothed out with an adhesive solution. If the height difference is up to 5 mm, the solution is applied over the entire insulation slab, with unevenness from 5 to 20 mm - along the perimeter and in the form of “cakes” on 40% of the slab surface.
The first row of slabs is mounted with emphasis on the starting bar, which also sets the horizontal level. The second and subsequent rows are installed with a vertical seam shift (at least 200 mm), leveling the surface of the insulation in the area of the joints so that the height difference is no more than 3 mm. When insulating the walls around the openings, make sure that the seams of the slabs do not intersect in their corners. Each slab is additionally secured with umbrella dowels at the rate of 5 pcs. per 1 m2.
Before applying plaster, the surface of the slabs is reinforced with fiberglass, fixed in the middle of the layer adhesive solution total thickness 5-6 mm.
The density of polystyrene foam is chosen to be 25-35 kg/m3.
Video description
Visually about mineral wool insulation in the video:
Mineral wool mats of Russian brands for the “wet facade” system must correspond to index 175, imported ones must be marked “facade” and have a density above 125 kg/m3.
Attention. In the “wet facade” system, the insulation is installed in only one (!) layer. Vertical surface made of two layers of “soft” slabs with a load in the form of plaster behaves unpredictably, especially with changes in temperature and humidity conditions. Do not be deluded by arguments that the second layer of slabs overlaps the seams of the first and eliminates “cold bridges”.
The ventilated facade uses rigid mineral wool mats with a density of 80 kg/m3. If the surface of the mats is not laminated, then after attaching them to the sheathing, the surface is covered with either fiberglass or a vapor-permeable membrane.
The spacing of the lathing is chosen 2-3 cm less than the width of the mats. In addition to fastening to the sheathing, the insulation is additionally fixed to the wall with umbrella dowels.
The size of the air gap between the insulation and the cladding should be in the range of 60-150 mm.
Important. The size of 40 mm is standardized for non-ventilated air spaces.
To ventilate the layer in the cladding, inlet openings are installed in the base area and outlet openings are installed under the roof eaves. The total area of the holes must be at least 75 cm2 per 20 m2 of wall.
Ventilation grilles in the wall
As a result, is it worth insulating?
Insulating your home is a profitable investment even in the short term. The investment will quickly pay for itself by reducing heating and air conditioning costs.
Our website also presents companies specializing in facade and finishing materials, which are presented at the exhibition of Low-Rise Country houses.
Question about internal insulation causes a lot of controversy and has its ardent opponents. But there are those who believe that this option will help make the building more comfortable for living. Both sides are right. In every situation there are reasons for taking one position or another. But before choosing this method for interior decoration of a private house, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons, study the features, and choose safe insulation.
In what cases is this relevant?
Insulating walls from the inside certainly improves the thermal performance of a house. But this is an unconventional technology, because they usually try to do . However, there are situations when there is no other choice.
This option is also relevant for apartment buildings. It helps not only to increase the comfort of your home, but also to prevent the occurrence of troubles such as mold or mildew.
Problems
This method has a whole series shortcomings. It is for this reason that the method has many opponents. Insulating walls from the inside can cause the following problems:
- The walls are not protected from the cold. The supporting structure of the building continues to be in contact with outside air. This can lead to its gradual destruction. Cracks will begin to appear on the surface. This measure not only does not protect outer wall from the cold, but also takes away some of the heat from it, because before insulation, part of the heat from the room heated the wall, but now this flow is blocked.
- Condensation. It forms on a cold surface upon contact with warm air. Heating engineers call the place where condensation forms the dew point. The main task of thermal insulation is to move the dew point outside the wall. Insulation “from the inside” ensures that the dew point shifts to the boundary between the wall and the insulation. This process is hidden, so home owners do not notice it. But humidity will be an excellent condition for the proliferation of various microorganisms.
- Reducing the area of premises. Modern views insulation materials have good efficiency. But science hasn't figured it out yet good stuff so that its thickness is minimal. To insulate a house from the room side, you will need 5 to 10 cm of insulation. This eats up the area quite a lot. This is not so noticeable to the eye, but if you calculate the losses for the entire building, the figure turns out to be significant.
With internal insulation, the dew point shifts to the boundary between the wall and the insulation Therefore, before deciding on internal insulation of the walls of the house, we recommend that you carefully think about the listed problems. In this case, ignorance does not exempt from responsibility, since the result of inattention will make itself felt in the first years of operation.
Material selection
Technology allows you to use different types insulation materials. Each of them has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. The most commonly used options for insulating walls from the inside are:
- foam;
- extruded polystyrene foam (Penoplex type);
- mineral wool;
Foam plastic
Polystyrene foam is inexpensive and has good performance. In most cases, 5 cm will be enough to ensure a comfortable microclimate. It allows you to complete work quickly, without complex processing and additional tool.
Foam plastic is an inexpensive and effective heat insulator But this material has significant disadvantages:
- low strength;
- flammability;
- poor vapor permeability - polystyrene foam can turn a house into a real greenhouse.
Extruded polystyrene foam
The closest relative of polystyrene foam is extruded polystyrene foam (Penoplex type). It is very similar in appearance, but is orange in color instead of white. It is also worth noting that it has greater strength and durability. But such disadvantages as flammability and poor vapor permeability have not gone away. Such insulation of the wall will not allow it to breathe and will require additional ventilation.
Penoplex is stronger than polystyrene foam and lasts longer Is it possible to carry out internal insulation using polystyrene foam? Yes, you can. But you need to prepare for negative consequences and eliminate them in time. This option is more suitable for brick or lightweight concrete. Wood for walls is usually chosen precisely for its ability to breathe. Polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam can easily be covered air currents and will negate all the benefits of wood.
Mineral wool
This type of insulation has become widespread. It costs a little more, but has high vapor permeability. It is recommended to choose basalt mineral wool, which is produced in rigid slabs. It is easy to install, does not burn, and has fairly high strength.
But you should be careful when placing the insulating layer inside the room. This material has low moisture resistance. Vata absorbs water perfectly, after which it practically ceases to perform its direct functions. For reliable protection from moisture it is necessary to provide a vapor barrier on the side warm air and waterproofing from the cold side.
Fiberboard
The walls of the house can be insulated with inside. The option does not guarantee that the difficulties listed earlier will not appear in the future, but it has the following advantages:
- good thermal insulation and noise absorption;
- unattractive to insects and rodents;
- good resistance to moisture and temperature changes;
- ease of processing, you can use any tools;
- easy installation;
- Convenient for wiring.
Fibreboard is resistant to temperature changes and high humidity Material selection criteria
Insulation of the walls of a house from the inside must meet the following criteria:
- environmental friendliness;
- safety;
- fire resistance (for materials not resistant to high temperatures, select the appropriate finish);
- durability;
- efficiency, low thermal conductivity;
- good resistance to moisture (or the presence additional protection from her).
The material for internal thermal insulation must have good vapor permeability It is also worth checking the vapor permeability. How to insulate a house for many years? Need to think about it good ventilation. Without this, the building will suffer from high humidity and microclimate disturbances. The problem can be solved, but you need to think about it at the initial stage.
Technology
For a private home, two methods of securing the material are used. Both of them are relevant:
- for glue;
- according to the frame.
The second option allows you not to carefully level the insulated surface. In addition, it allows you to easily attach finishing materials. For example, for plasterboard cladding, you will in any case need to build a frame. You can insulate the wall under plywood or under plaster. Then there is no need to use a frame. The choice of installation method for insulation largely depends on the method of further finishing. It is definitely worth considering what kind of foundation is required.
Glue mount
The surface must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt, grease and dust, otherwise this can significantly reduce the quality of adhesion of the heat-insulating material to the base. Further work is performed in the following order:
- level the surface, knock down protrusions, cover up cracks and depressions;
- treat the surface with an antiseptic composition;
- apply a layer of primer;
- glue the sheet, adhesive composition applied with a roller to the wall and material;
- allow the glue to dry;
- fix the material to the wall with dowels.
Expanded polystyrene sheets and mineral wool slabs are fixed in a checkerboard pattern. After fixing the insulation, you can begin finishing.
Frame mounting
This option can be called more labor-intensive, but also more reliable. It allows you to protect the insulation from mechanical influences. This is especially true when using fragile foam.
Before starting work, the wall is cleaned of dirt and treated with an antiseptic. After this, you need to build a good frame from wooden blocks or aluminum metal profiles. The racks are fastened to the wall using self-tapping screws. The pitch of the elements is selected depending on the width of the insulation. For mineral wool, you will need such a step that there is 58 cm in the light. For foam plastic and penoplex, the distance in the light should be exactly 60 cm.
After installing the frame, the insulation is laid between the racks. The joints between polystyrene foam and the frame are filled with polyurethane foam. After this, you can begin finishing.
When performing work using any of these technologies using mineral wool, it is important not to forget about insulation from moisture. The waterproofing is attached directly to the wall before installing the wool, and the vapor barrier covers the material and protects it from internal steam. Fastening the layers is usually done with a construction stapler. The length of the material overlap must be at least 10 cm.
It is best to insulate walls immediately, when building a house. However, there are times when walls need to be insulated from the inside. As a rule, apartment owners encounter this when harsh winters stronger than the developer's insulation. Professionals say that insulating walls from the inside is not recommended for several reasons.
- This will “steal” some of the space. The fact is that in addition to the insulation, which in itself is quite voluminous, space will also be taken up by facing materials, without which you cannot do without. You can insulate walls from the inside yourself, without resorting to the services of professional builders.
- At temperatures below -18 degrees, concrete walls in apartment buildings freeze, ice comes into contact with the insulation, and this affects the main characteristics of the insulation materials.
- At temperatures from 0 degrees to +10, condensation forms in the gap between the insulation and the wall. This can also degrade the quality of the insulation system.
Therefore, when insulating, you must adhere to the two most important rules:
- It is imperative to create a vapor barrier. This will protect against the formation of condensation and all the negative consequences associated with it.
- It is necessary to consider the ventilation system. If the ventilation is poorly done, then the moisture that should be removed through it will settle in the corners of the room. Because of this, a whole colony of unwanted and harmful microorganisms can form in the room.
You can insulate walls from the inside yourself, without the help of professional builders. However, in order to do this, you need to study a sufficient amount of information in order to avoid mistakes.
The point is that for different walls There is different types insulation materials. What's good for concrete wall, may not be suitable for brick or wood at all.
Today we will look at three types of materials that are suitable for keeping your home warm and cozy. Each of them is good in its own way and has a number of its own shortcomings.
In everyday life, this type of insulation is often called simply mineral wool. This is a synthetic insulation with a fibrous structure. It is also called stone because it is made from basalt minerals. During construction modern buildings Heat and sound insulation is usually carried out using mineral wool. Mineral wool has a number of advantages that consumers rely on:
- Mineral wool is cheaper than many other materials, and this is an important factor, especially when carrying out large volumes of work.
- The length, width and thickness of mineral wool can be different, which means that you can choose the option that you need and not have to adapt to the characteristics of the insulation.
- During operation, its structure reduces atomization.
- Mineral wool is packaged in small, neat bales, which simplifies its transportation.
- Has a low level of thermal conductivity.
- It exfoliates well.
- Resistant to chemicals.
- Does not change shape under pressure.
- Mineral wool is a non-flammable material, resistant to temperature influences
- Water repellent.
In the end, mineral wool is very easy to use and therefore perfect for insulating a room with your own hands.
However, the negative qualities of mineral wool for thermal insulation of a house should also be taken into account. When exposed to strong heating, toxic substances are released: phenol-formaldehyde, carcinogenic fractions, etc. It is also not at all beneficial for the body to inhale mineral wool particles from the air.
From what is written above, it is clear that working with mineral wool is unsafe for your health. Therefore, prepare thoroughly before you begin. The room that needs to be insulated must be separated from other rooms using a partition. Try to make sure there are no drafts around. Be sure to use a protective respirator, rubber work gloves, and safety glasses. Keep children and animals away. When finished, clean up immediately and thoroughly, and change all your clothes to clean ones.
Before starting work, you need to choose the material that suits you to achieve your goals. Mineral wool is divided into several types and types.
Types of mineral wool:
- Lungs. Density – 10-90 kg/m3. Used to insulate structures with a frame.
- Heavy. Density over 90 kg/m3. They are used to insulate frames, as they are resistant to heavy loads.
- Technical. This type is of no interest to us; it is used for insulation of technical equipment.
Types of mineral wool depending on the materials from which the insulation is made:
- Stelovat
- Stone wool
- Slag wool
Internal wall insulation with cotton wool is always done in the same sequence. With experience, you will cope much faster.
So let's begin.
The first stage is preparation
It is necessary to clean the surface of any remaining paint, wallpaper and other materials, and remove all protrusions. Then treat the walls against mold. It is not at all necessary to level the walls; all unevenness can be eliminated during thermal insulation.
The second stage - installation of the frame
Assemble the frame itself from metal strips at a distance of 5-10 cm from the wall. The frame may well be wooden, but wood, as builders say, “walks” and therefore this option is undesirable. The profile pitch in the vertical direction is from 60 to 100 cm.
Stage three - vapor barrier
Sheets of foil film with the shiny side are laid overlapping in the room. It is better to secure the joints of the film with special adhesive tape.
Stage four - laying mineral wool
We place cotton wool between the slats of the finished frame. Lay it as tightly and carefully as possible, because the quality of thermal insulation in the room depends on this.
The last stage - facing work
Cover the frame with drywall or plywood. Thoroughly plaster the surface.
Ready! In an insulated room you can begin finishing works. Create! Nothing will limit your imagination, since such insulation will withstand any materials.
Drywall
Drywall (GKL) good choice when insulating the room. It itself has an insulating effect, which will be enhanced by the air cushion that forms behind it.
How to insulate a room from the inside with plasterboard with your own hands?
This operation can be easily carried out without the help of professionals in several stages.
Measure the room and estimate how many sheets of gypsum board you will need during the work process.
Then clean the walls of any remaining wallpaper, paint, stucco and other debris. Be sure to carry out mold treatment; such walls should never be covered with plasterboard. Putty the walls and let the putty dry completely, only then can you move on to the next stage.
Build the frame. Of course, you can sculpt drywall directly onto the walls, but such insulation will not be of much use due to the lack of an air cushion between the wall and the gypsum board. It was already mentioned above that wooden frame is subject to deformation and it is better to give preference to metal. It is necessary to lay a tape made of foam materials under the hangers and guide profiles. This prevents cold penetration from the external wall.
We sew sheets of drywall onto the finished frame.
That's all, you can start finishing work. Drywall not only insulates the room, but also improves the microclimate in it.
Penofol
Penofol insulation with a base of polyethylene foam of different densities, covered thin layer polished aluminum foil. Foam thickness varies from 2 to 40 mm, but 4 cm is only used in conditions harsh climate. The thickness of the foil layer is only 20 microns. In essence, penofol is the same thermos. For the first time it was used for the manufacture of spacesuits. Later these technologies were used in construction.
This material has a lot of positive qualities:
1.Environmentally friendly. The same materials are used for storage food products. According to some reports, penofol even protects against radiation.
2. This insulation is very thin, so it practically does not hide the living space. And this is a strong argument in favor of penofol for insulating walls from inside the house.
3. Additional vapor barrier will not be required, which means that thermal insulation with your own hands will be easier to do.
4.During operation, penofol will not crumble or break; it is easy to cut and does not require any additional complex tools or special clothing.
- It will not be chewed by rats and mice. This is especially true for private houses, in the thermal insulation of which rodents often gnaw passages.
- It is easy to transport due to its small thickness.
But, like any insulation, penofol has its disadvantages:
- It is impossible to apply finishing materials to it, because... it is very soft and will simply bend under their weight.
- It is difficult to attach, although there is a type of penofol with a self-adhesive film. It is not worth nailing it, this will worsen its basic characteristics.
Therefore, penofol, with all the variety of its advantages, is often used as an additional material that will protect walls from moisture and reflect thermal energy.
How to insulate walls from the inside with penofol with your own hands?
Check the quality electrical wiring where you will insulate the room. The fact is that the aluminum foam layer is an excellent conductor, which means it should not be allowed to come into contact with bare wires.
The frame on which the insulation will be attached should provide 2 cm after and before the penofol. The step between the vertical slats of the frame should not exceed 1 meter.
Penofol is attached to the frame end-to-end (if it is attached overlapping, it can form condensation) using a furniture stapler. The seams are taped with aluminum tape.
The process has its supporters and ardent opponents. In their own way, both of them are true, it all depends on the situation. But before choosing this particular type of insulation, you need to know which insulation is suitable and study the nuances of performing insulation work.
Insulating indoor walls means making your home comfortable and cozy for living. This type of heat saving is unconventional and is usually used. But there are situations when there is no other way out.
This option can also be considered in apartment building when insulation interior walls the only way to insulate a room. This process will help prevent the formation of fungus in the room.
Disadvantages of internal thermal insulation
This method has its drawbacks, which is why it has many opponents.
Problems with internal thermal insulation of walls arise as follows:
- at external thermal insulation, the walls of the building are protected from the cold, which cannot be achieved by insulating from the inside. The base is in contact with environment, cracks may appear on it;
- the occurrence of condensation. With internal heat conservation, it moves behind load-bearing structure and is formed between the insulator and the surface. The result may be the development of fungal formations that will be difficult to notice;
- reduction in area. Modern heat insulators have excellent characteristics, but have not yet come up with such material that would take up little space. At the moment, during insulation work, the room will become 10 cm smaller on each side.
Before making a decision on internal insulation, it is worth weighing all the disadvantages and considering the advantages; this is the only way to avoid errors and shortcomings during installation.
Thermal insulation materials
This technology allows the use of various thermal insulation materials for walls, which have their pros and cons.
The most popular thermal insulators:
- wood fiber board;
- ecowool;
- glass wool
These insulators are available everywhere and are inexpensive. Let's look at the characteristics of each type of insulator that can be used as insulation from the inside.
Penoplex and foam plastic
A productive and affordable heat insulator, which is very often used for insulating apartments and high-rise buildings. It is enough to take a slab 5 cm thick. No need special tool, and installation is not difficult.
But this material has disadvantages:
- flammability;
- low strength;
- vapor tightness - if not done working ventilation in the apartment, otherwise it will turn into a greenhouse.
Ventilation must be forced - this may require additional costs.
This thermal insulation option is only suitable for concrete, brick, and foam block structures, since wood covered with this heat-insulating material loses its ability to “breathe.”
Mineral wool
A very common heat insulator. It is widely used in apartments and industrial buildings; in addition, it is used as a filler in plasterboard partitions, as it has excellent soundproofing properties.
Mineral wool is inexpensive and has excellent vapor barrier. For an apartment or house, it is better to purchase rigid basalt wool slabs; they are easy to install. Another advantage of the material is its non-flammability.
But you should use this material with great caution if the walls in the apartment are damp, basalt wool is hygroscopic, and when wet it completely loses its insulating properties. Therefore, before laying it on the walls, you need to arrange a waterproofing layer, and before finishing cladding, tighten the vapor barrier.
For waterproofing work, it is better to use membranes; they are vapor permeable and will not interfere with the “breathing” of external walls.
Wood fiber boards
This material has a number of positive characteristics:
- good heat conservation and sound insulation;
- not afraid of temperature changes;
- moisture resistant;
- easy to process and install;
- Rodents are not bred in it.
Often this material is used specifically for exterior finishing; it is treated with special impregnations that can be harmful to human health.
Foil insulation
Technological processes do not stand still, so innovative developments in the field of insulation and construction are constantly appearing on the market. This new product is a foil insulator.
The material is a layer of foamed polyester, onto which a layer of thin aluminum foil is glued. The property of this material is that heat is reflected from the foil layer and directed into the house.
Many manufacturers produce polyester with a self-adhesive layer, so it is very convenient to work with this material; just carefully prepare the surface and stick the insulation onto the wall.
Ecowool
The material appeared on the market quite recently, but immediately gained popularity among ordinary people due to a lot of advantages:
- naturalness and safety. The thermal insulator is produced by processing recycled cellulose and is therefore non-toxic;
- excellent thermal insulation performance;
- air tightness;
- fine-fiber structure;
- durability;
- does not shrink.
But, despite positive characteristics, the material has several significant disadvantages that prevent its widespread use:
- impossibility of installing it yourself. The material is applied by wet spraying using special equipment. For insulation you will have to invite specialists;
- when vertical spraying, the laying of the material must be carried out in stages, since there is a possibility of the layer slipping;
- flammability;
- the hardening time of the mass is 24 hours, subject to good ventilation;
- price;
- the need to equip the frame.
Internal thermal insulation of walls using ecowool is carried out strictly on wooden lathing, the pitch of which can vary from 60 cm to 1 meter. The frame is constructed so that when sprayed the material does not slide off the vertical surface.
Glass wool
This heat insulator has been used in construction for a very long time. The main component of this material is fiberglass.
The use of glass wool is due to the following characteristics:
- high sound insulation qualities;
- flexibility - due to its structure, glass wool can take any shape;
- fire resistance;
- immunity to chemical influences;
- affordable price;
- breathability.
But it’s worth talking about the disadvantages:
- the material is not resistant to mechanical stress, therefore it is mounted only on the frame;
- has a high degree of shrinkage over time;
- service life is 10 years, then glass wool loses its thermal insulation properties;
- destroyed by sun exposure.
Despite the disadvantages, the material is very often used for insulating rooms, as it is low cost and easy to install.
When working with glass wool, you need to use protective equipment - glasses, a mask, gloves and thick clothing, since small, sharp particles of the material cause severe itching when they come into contact with the skin.
How to choose the right material for indoor insulation
Before installing wall insulation from the inside with your own hands, we select the right insulator that meets the following requirements:
- safety for humans;
- environmental friendliness;
- durability;
- fire resistance;
- vapor permeability;
- low thermal conductivity;
- moisture resistance.
When insulating a house internally, even before installation begins, a good ventilation system must be installed, otherwise the microclimate in the room will become unfavorable over time.
Comparative table of thermal insulation materials:
| Name of material | Density | Thermal conductivity coefficient | Vapor permeability | Moisture absorption |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foam plastic | 40 | 0, 037 | 0,05 | 2 |
| Penoplex | 28 | 0,028 | 0,006 | 0,2 |
| Wood fiber | 250-400 | 0,045-0,09 | 1 | 12 |
| Minvata | 30-220 | 0,07 | 0,38-0,60 | 70 |
| Ecowool | 35-65 | 0,032-0,042 | 0,67 | - |
| Glass wool | 10-50 | 0,029-0,052 | 0,5-0,6 | 10-15 |
Technology for insulating walls from the inside
Experts advise using insulation of the room from the inside only in special cases, For example:
- if the apartment is located above the second floor, and industrial climbers need to be involved for external insulation;
- in new buildings, if it is not possible to rent facade finishing and make external thermal insulation;
- if the insulation of the facade disrupts the architectural ensemble.
Methods for insulating walls from the inside:
- on the frame;
- on glue.
The first method does not require careful leveling of the bearing surface. Besides this facing material It’s very easy to attach to the frame, so if you plan to build walls from plasterboard after insulation, then you don’t need to install the sheathing. If after insulation you plan to plaster the surface, then there is no need for a frame. In any case, the method of fastening the material directly depends on the further finishing of the walls.
Insulation on the frame
Like a wall from the inside of a room on a frame? This thermal insulation of walls from the inside is a labor-intensive process, but more reliable. Thanks to the frame, fragile material is not exposed mechanical impact, this is especially true if polystyrene foam is chosen as the thermal insulation material.
There is no need to level the wall, but before installation it is worth clearing the surface of the plaster, if it has peeled off, dirt, dust and covering it with an antiseptic compound.
The frame is constructed using aluminum profiles or bars. Fastening is done using dowels or self-tapping screws, depending on the material from which the base is made. The pitch of the racks should be equal to the width of the material, for example, if soft insulation is chosen for walls inside the walls, then the distance is reduced by two centimeters; when using polystyrene foam or polystyrene, it is exactly 60 cm.
If a decision is made to use wooden elements, then they should be treated with impregnation, which will prevent rotting and the formation of fungus.
As soon as the frame is ready, a heat insulator is placed in the gaps, and all seams between the material are sealed with polyurethane foam. After the foam has dried, it is cut flush. After this, you can begin the final finishing.
Thermal insulation of indoor walls on the frame is made with the following materials:
- glass wool;
- basalt insulation;
- foam;
- wood fiber.
Any of the above materials can be mounted using lathing on the walls, except for foil insulation.
Installation of insulation with glue
This type of installation requires careful preparation of the wall plane before insulation.
They are cleaned of dust and contaminants and degreased. Further work proceeds according to the following algorithm:
- After cleaning, the walls must be leveled and repaired. The cracks are filled with putty, large protrusions are knocked down, and the depressions are sealed with mortar;
- all surfaces are treated with an antiseptic or primer with an antimicrobial effect;
- the primer is applied in two layers;
- after drying, you can begin installing the slabs with glue; it is applied to the wall and to the material using a notched trowel;
- the glue will dry for 2-3 days;
- as soon as the surface dries, you need to perform additional fixation with umbrella dowels.
Do not forget that the installation of layers of material is carried out offset. In this case, it is necessary to waterproof the base surface and vapor barrier the insulation itself after installation.
The installation of insulation with glue has its limitations, since only dense pits are used for this, for example:
- foam;
- wood fiber;
- penoplex;
- forged insulation.
As soon as all the installation of the heat insulator is completed, finishing begins.
Finish coatings
Usually, when installing heat-saving boards with glue, they are plastered using a forming mesh for gypsum composition, and fiberglass for putty. These measures will prevent cracking of the finish coating.
After all the plastering and putty work is completed and the walls have dried, we clean the surface with a fine abrasive mesh and paint it with a water-based emulsion of the desired shade.
One of the ways to reduce heat loss through the building envelope of a house or apartment is to insulate the walls from the inside - option is not the most popular, but sometimes the only possible one. It has not much less disadvantages than advantages, but most problems can be solved by using suitable materials and technologies.
Before starting work and purchasing materials, it is recommended take into account all the nuances of such insulation and be sure to carry out thermotechnical calculation . This will allow you to get a result no less effective than when insulating the building from the outside.
When considering the issue of internal thermal insulation of enclosing structures, it is worth understanding why this option is chosen much less often than exterior finishing. Among the disadvantages of insulating walls from the inside are the following:
- Installation of insulation indoors not only reduces heat loss, but also separates the wall from internal heat , leading to its freezing and decreased performance;
- Between building envelopes and thermal insulation moisture accumulates, which leads to the shift of the “dew point”, the appearance of dampness and mold;
- In a room insulated in this way good ventilation is required.
In addition, when choosing insulation of the inside of the walls, the usable area premises. At the same time, among the advantages of such a solution we can only name more favorable cost and relatively simple installation. The device of such thermal insulation is available not only experienced craftsmen, but also for non-professionals.
When there's no choice
- Location outside the insulated structure of the deformation seam between buildings, elevator shafts or other premises and objects that do not allow the installation of insulating materials;
- Impossibility of violation appearance facade - for example, facing the main street or relating to a building of cultural value(such houses are often photographed, and changing their appearance will affect the architectural and urban appearance of the city);
- Construction of a building, the project already provides for internal insulation– each apartment is insulated multi-storey building or a room of a private building.
There are no other reasons for choosing internal insulation. Whenever possible, you should use them to insulate rooms from the outside.
However, if there are reasons for installing a heat-insulating layer on the inside, you should carefully consider the work, taking into account all the nuances - from the choice of materials to the order in which they are placed.
Brief overview of materials
When considering the materials that are used for internal insulation of housing, it is worth paying attention to several of the most popular options used for both residential (private and multi-apartment) and public buildings:
- Foamed polyethylene(penophenol), installed so that there are two gaps left in the structure - between interior decoration, insulation sheets and a wall. However, violation of the technology leads to a shift in the dew point and moisture entering the material. To improve performance parameters, penophenol is used together with other insulation materials.
- Expanded polystyrene(foam plastic) - practically better thermal insulation walls from the inside, with minimal weight and low thermal conductivity. The moisture resistance of the material allows you to do without vapor barrier. Among the disadvantages is the selection harmful substances when burning.
- Polyurethane foam, which also has good thermal insulation properties And simple installation. Provides maximum sealing, but the disadvantages include, as for foam plastic, the release of harmful substances during combustion.
- Sputtering- an option in which there are no seams left. Suitable not only for internal, but also for external insulation. Considered suitable only as a finishing touch.
- Paint based on ceramic components. It dries quickly (after 12 hours wallpaper is glued over the material), but does not protect against dampness - and therefore against mold and mildew. Used as an additional layer.
Expensive (and this is practically its only drawback), but effective as insulation material, it is considered cork. Provides good protection of premises from heat loss, does not require wallpapering or painting, does not reduce the area of the rooms. Due to its low heat resistance, mineral wool is considered not the most suitable option for internal insulation. Therefore, it is rarely used and only in extreme cases. Due to the low resistance of the material to moisture, rooms insulated from the inside are at risk of dampness and, as a result, the appearance of mold and mildew.
Technology for insulating walls from the inside
The first stage of work to protect the building envelope is choosing a method to insulate the walls from the inside of the building. The main nuances are selection of suitable material and correct adherence to all stages technological process
. 
Insulation is installed in the warm season, when air humidity is minimal.
Laying work is carried out in several stages. The most popular methods of insulating walls from the inside are: gluing the insulation directly to the wall or mounting it on a special frame. The layer intended to be thermal insulation is laid last. On top of it can be performed finishing, thanks to which the room receives a more attractive interior.
Preparing the walls
Before insulating a wall from the inside, you should carry out preparatory work. The list of preparation stages usually does not include leveling the enclosing structures - it is considered sufficient to carry out antibacterial treatment to protect against mold. Most irregularities and defects will be hidden during the installation of thermal insulation.
An important stage of preparation is base primer. When using polystyrene foam, the walls are also plastered using solutions that contain water repellents.
Plastering is also carried out in the presence of large surface differences (from 10 mm).
After drying, the plaster is also primed (except in cases where the structures are concrete), and the joints are sealed with a moisture-resistant solution.
Frame
The most reliable technology for insulating walls from the inside involves constructing a frame. For this, depending on the climate, they can be used wooden beams or aluminum profiles , fixed to the inside of the enclosing structures in the vertical direction. The thickness of the frame is selected depending on the selected insulation, and the horizontal distance between its elements is selected according to the size of the sheets of material.
Frames are not made when insulating building envelopes using polystyrene.
Almost all ways to insulate walls involve installing one layer of heat-insulating material. When installing a second one, it is also recommended to make your own frame for it. If heating radiators interfere with the installation of the selected material, non-penofol is laid behind them.
Finish
Complete internal wall insulation vapor barrier device(not required for polystyrene foam), protecting the insulation from excess moisture. Vapor barriers are often special films coated with foil, directed indoors. To improve insulation efficiency sheets are secured with an overlap, and the joints are sealed with metallized tape.
The last stage of installing thermal insulation on the frame is covering the surface with plasterboard. Plasterboard boards are covered with wallpaper or painted. The type of finish rarely affects thermal characteristics enclosing structures, except when sprayed insulation is used.
Illustrated instructions for internal insulation step by step
Professionals usually do not require special instructions for installing insulation - they have already tested all technologies in practice and can work, guided only by their experience. However, if you are insulating walls from the inside with your own hands, it is advisable to have an illustration in front of you, allowing you to simplify the work and not miss a single important step.
One such illustrated instruction provides making a frame and laying mineral wool indoors. Although the technique will be practically no different when using other materials. For example, foamed polyethylene, for which a frame is required, since performance characteristics penofol depend on the gaps between the insulation and the wall.
How to deal with negative consequences in walls insulated from the inside
When deciding whether it is possible to insulate walls from the inside, you should be aware of the availability of measures that allow reduce the risk of negative consequences in the form of excess moisture and mold. To do this, the contractor is required to follow certain recommendations:
- Reduce the risk of steam getting into the insulation, which leads to the appearance of condensation on the walls. For this, vapor-tight membranes are used or, if necessary, to save on repairs, ordinary polyethylene film.
- Choose thermal insulation with lower vapor permeability compared to enclosing structures - polystyrene foam, sprayed polyurethane foam.
- Give special attention places where insulation joins to enclosing structures, including floors, walls and ceilings. Joints must be made in such a way that do not leave holes for moisture to get inside. The best option is the application of thermal insulation materials to adjacent surfaces and their subsequent gluing.
- Provide additional ventilation, the task of which is to compensate for the vapor barrier of walls indoors and preserve natural vapor exchange.
Efficiency ventilation system should be increased by periodically airing the rooms.
Cladding of enclosing structures is carried out using moisture-resistant plasterboard - you can distinguish it from the usual by the greenish color of the sheets of material. External protection thermal insulation from steam for summer, when moisture may not escape from the room to the street, but, on the contrary, penetrate from the outside, is not performed. In summer, the air temperature is high enough to dry the walls, so external vapor barrier not used for insulation.
Conclusion
To summarize, it is worth noting that Internal wall insulation represents an extreme case- an option chosen if it is impossible to insulate the walls from the outside. If it is possible to place insulation on the outer part of the building envelope, choose this option. Having chosen internal insulation, the homeowner should be guided when choosing the appropriate material thermal engineering calculations, financial capabilities and area of insulated rooms.
In most cases (except for the choice of polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam), all methods for properly insulating a wall require a vapor barrier device that minimizes negative consequences internal insulation.
