Warming of the attic from inside the foam its hands: can it be done?

The process of warming of the upper part of the house is always current, but in recent years the use of foam for domestic heat preservation attic doubt in many people. If you carry out the insulation properly, all the details, you can get warm and safe space, but in violation of technology, the material will cause harm to humans. Several of the recommendations and the intricacies of the process will help to avoid difficulties.

Especially proper insulation

When the owners of the house there is an idea to make the attic extra living space, there is a question about the proper insulation of the attic. To carry out this process better from the inside, but in this case, a number of nuances. The most common material for insulation is a foam - it not only has excellent properties of heat conservation, but has an available value.

Thermal insulation of attic inside slabstock foam has several advantages:

• material does not absorb moisture;
• plate have a small weight;
• foam has low thermal conductivity, therefore copes with the stated functions;
• the material can be easily cutting and fastening.

Thanks to these properties, it is recommended to use raw materials for insulation attic. However, in the absence of experience or in violation of rules and technologies, the process will not bring the proper result. The first thing you need to pay attention to - the thickness of the foam. Optimal parameters range from 100 to 150 mm. It is this thickness will make the loft suitable for a comfortable stay.

Proper insulation has the following features:

1. Sealing. Despite the fact that the foam has a resistance to moisture, the seams between the slabs must also fill special mixtures. For instance, during the rainy season on the roof will drain the water that if improperly insulation will accumulate in the crevices between plates and form stains. In this case, the material will not last for a long time and the whole process will have to redo again. To seal the joints using the remnants of Styrofoam, and large joints appropriate to apply the foam core.
2. Fixation plates. It carried out in two ways: by means of fasteners of the type of nails or by means of foam construction. The first option is considered to be more affordable - nails with a wide hat fixing material to the roof sheathing. The second option is considered more reliable. Here it is necessary to select the right mounting construction foam: it should be improved quality, occupational characteristics, and charged in a special gun to work and fill hard to reach places.
3. The correct calculation of the material. Styrofoam to be enough for a complete insulation of the construction, it is recommended in advance to count the number of plates. In this case, the material is better to take with a reserve, because unexpected moments can occur at the time of operation. For example, the need to cut out the shape of some form, and this nuance does not always work the first time. Do not worry for the extra material - it will prove useful in the future for possible repairs.

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When transporting the raw materials necessary to pay attention to his condition: do not expose the foam deformation, influence precipitation. The basic rule for competent insulation is to respect the integrity of the insulation layer. If it is broken, the steam will be in contact with the wall structure that would cause a violation of procedure.

Technology attic insulation foam with your hands

According to the shape of the roof, you need to have patience in advance and calculate all the costs of the material for insulation. If the roof is flat, the problem will be less, because the cut enough foam pattern and mount it on a crate or in the space between it. If the roof gable or a complex shape - will have to tinker with the pattern of fragments.

Insulating properties of foam allow you to save heat in the attic, but it is recommended that the work of the technology.

To make the insulation with your hands, perform the following steps should be step by step:

1. Preparing the room. From the attic you must endure all things, leaving only the materials for the work. Truss roof system should be checked for wear - if the rafters are damaged, they recommended to replace or to repair, because in the future will not be able to do it.
2. Waterproofing. Over the inner surface of the roof waterproofing stretched film. It is necessary in order to prevent possible moisture contact with the material. The film is attached directly to the entire area of ​​the roof, capturing truss system. If the beams are protruding nails - they must be deleted first. sagging of the film should not be. Installation is carried out by a stapler construction, wherein the film is attached overlapped by 10 cm.
3. Fixing foam. Before fastening material assembly foam, it must be cut. For this purpose, roulette, accurately measuring the distance to fill the space between the rafters. Gaps and cracks should not be - it will cause disturbances in the operation. Material attached to the adhesive.
4. Additional fixation. According to the warming of the technology necessary to additionally secure the foam boards to create a system of cells. Furthermore, it is important to carry out the sealing of joints between panels and rafter via foam.
5. Vapor barrier. Some artists do not use a vapor barrier, however, according to the right technology, it should be. When the roof attic insulation foam is used as a binding layer, just as with insulation of floors. This material is a special film which is compatible with the properties of the foam. It is mounted on top of a heater and tightly fixed.

In the final step necessary oblitsevat roof inside. Then you need to perform insulation of the attic floor - making it much easier than working with a roof. Lags on the floor between the beams stacked foam after application of waterproofing. At the final stage is a vapor barrier layer.

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Wall insulation is also considered an important step in the conservation of heat in the attic. Thermal insulation of wall panels required in the event that the roof does not reach the floor. On the surface of the frame wall mounted wooden planks projecting cells for insulation. Its width is equal to 50-60 cm, and the location of the foam should be thick. As a facing material used OSB plates, as well as plywood or gypsum board.

Why foam is not suitable for the attic: Hazard Cause

Many builders to the question whether it is possible to insulate the attic foam convincing nod, arguing in favor of the material. They argue that the raw material is convenient for this procedure, which is much easier installation compared with other materials. Also, builders are insisting on the use of raw materials due to the low cost and absence of heat loss in the room.

But there is a flip side of the coin in terms of other professionals, there are 4 reasons for not allowing to perform insulation attic floor attic foam:

• structural feature of the roof;
• fragility insulation material;
• Fire safety;
• harm to health.

Due to the fact that the roof structure is made using wood, to achieve a good vapor barrier and waterproofing will be difficult. The condensate flows not only from the living space in the attic, but also from the street. In this case, the foam will be ineffective: even if the wood is thoroughly dried, moisture can penetrate from the outside of the roof and promote that condensation occurs before the layer waterproofing. Here it is necessary to provide ventilation to release water, and with the foam do not work.

The fragility of insulating properties due to the fact that, when filling the joints between the slabs used foam construction. It is also often used for fixing the foam. Due to the temperature drop from the outside of the roof - gathering at snow, rain, sudden heating of roofing material, seams will crack that degrade heat retention within the attic. Heat losses will occur through the destruction of foam.

From the point of view of fire safety foam burns slower and produces less smoke than when burning wood. However, the material emits air harmful and toxic substances. the risk of ignition is in close contact with the tree, and the attic area is considered to be an increased fire hazard. In some countries, there is an admissible norm thickness of the material for his safety - 3.5 cm. In the case of thermal insulation of the attic is 10 cm, so the close proximity to the timber does not bode well.

Due to internal insulation attic requires high environmental material, which is not the foam. Because of the thinness of the covering material, the raw material toxins still penetrate into the room, which can not be avoided, even with good ventilation. In operation, the foam is able to decompose Thus, over 20 years of use it will decompose within 10%. During thermal exposure, which tests the roof in the summer is amplified emission of harmful substances, for example, styrene, which increases the toxicity of the material.

Use foam for insulation of the attic or not - every owner decides the attic itself. Considering all of the properties and the possible harm of raw materials, it is recommended to use it with caution or in combination with other materials, while fully respecting stacking technology.