House person should be a safe haven not only from the ills of life, but also from various weather phenomena. If it's cold outside, the man puts on his clothes. Home in a cold, too, need suitable clothing. Since ancient times, people built houses, and the problem of maintaining a comfortable temperature and humidity decided differently. Or did the walls thicker, or tossed into the furnace of firewood more. There was another way to heat a house - it goes deep into the ground and the top is also covered with earth or turf. All these methods of warming were either very expensive, or deprived of housing comfort. In the Middle Ages began to build a house with a wooden wall, filled with sawdust. These walls can be considered the ancestors of modern thermal insulation.
The main objectives of insulation of walls:
- to ensure comfortable conditions in the house;
- reduce costs during the construction phase;
- reduce operating costs.
The main function of the material from which to build the wall - to protect the premises and carry the weight of the roof and upper floors. For him, first of all, important strength, durability and reasonable price.
Characteristics such as thermal conductivity and vapor permeability are secondary. Thus, styrofoam layer thickness of 12 cm for its properties to insulate corresponds to two meters brick wall.
But the walls of polystyrene will not sustain even its own weight (or for that they also have to do a two-meter thick). Therefore, modern combine base material builders walls, providing strength and carrying capacity, with the heat insulator, which reduces heat loss repeatedly. Researchers and engineers have developed a lot of insulation materials and methods of their application.
Outside or inside?
So, there is a wall and there is a heater. Which side to attach it? In terms of pure thermodynamics, absolutely still. But real life is more complicated scientific models. Further predetermined temperature must be maintained in the building and the air humidity. At each specific temperature, the air may contain appropriate temperature strictly proportion of water vapor. When the temperature is lowered the proportion decreases, and the "extra" moisture condenses into a mist of droplets, depositing on the surface. This point on the plot of the percentage of moisture depending on the temperature is called the "dew point".
The figure shows the location of dew point for three variants - from the inside insulation, thermal insulation and the wall without insulation. At this point it happens condensation occurs.
Wall insulated from the inside:
- Wall material is gradually cooled to the outside temperature, since the heat from the space to it hardly arrives. The wall material and microcavities on their surface will condense moisture, without any chance to dry before joining of heat.
- Place the dew will be close to the room, the humidity will rise by a heater, and evaporate this moisture will be nowhere (if not to take special measures to ensure ventilation). In conditions of high humidity inevitably will mold and fungus, they will sooner or later will penetrate and accommodations. To withdraw the mold from beneath the layer of insulation without disassembling virtually impossible.
- Even in the absence of moisture warming mode is better.
The wall is insulated from the outside:
- Wall material is protected from humidity and cold street insulation and Hydro. The inside wall warms from the warm space. Even if some moisture and will go on the wall, it will be dry.
- Place the dew point is shifted to the side of the street, her leaves and condensate.
- Excessive moisture is removed parogidroizoliruyuschimi membranes arrange removal of moisture and ventilation clearances outside the wall a lot easier and more comfortable than inside.
External thermal insulation ensures the best microclimate in the residential and residential areas with less effort and money. That is why it has become the most popular type of insulation.
Internal insulation reduces the area and volume of buildings. This type is generally used in cases where the building exterior wall insulation for some reason impossible.
Top insulation materials
Despite the various raw materials for production and different appearance of heaters, they must meet the following requirements:
- Low thermal conductivity.
- Low specific weight.
- The strength sufficient to prevent the vertical shrinkage.
- Low hygroscopicity, maintaining insulating properties when moistened.
- Easy installation or application.
- Sufficient water vapor permeability and air permeability for removing water vapor, caught in the material.
- Acceptable price.
The materials used for thermal insulation of external walls of the building from the outside, belong to the following varieties:
- Solid. These materials consist of a foamed plastic, a little exposed to moisture, it is convenient to install.
- Fiber. Mats or rolls formed of compacted fibers. Inexpensive, have good thermal insulation. Sensitive to moisture when wet loses insulating properties.
- Bulk. Traditional bulk materials - sawdust, expanded clay, etc. The cheapest, have the weakest insulation. Separately allocated ecowool - not cheap, but extremely effective material.
- Evaporation. Modern coating of expanded plastics. Post sprayed without forming joints and seams. The best thermal insulation, very expensive equipment.
Expanded polystyrene
Inexpensive heater, domestic called "foam" has an average thermal insulation performance.
Advantages:
- Cheapness.
- Easy installation.
- Low water absorption.
- Sufficient compressive strength.
Disadvantages:
- High brittleness, is prone to chipping.
- Shallow flexural strength and elongation.
- Emit noxious fumes, and when burning - poisonous gases.
- Lack of water vapor permeability.
Budget material is gradually losing ground to more perfect.
extruded polystyrene
Produced from the same raw material, one hundred and foam, but for a different technology. Material characteristic smaller size and greater strength microgranules.
By the advantages of foam are added as follows:
- Reduced to one-third of the thermal conductivity.
- The increased compressive strength and flexural strength. The material can be used under great loads, insulated base foundations and flat roofs.
- Even more low vapor permeability allows the use of the material without the vapor barrier layer.
- A convenient form of release in the form of grooved panels facilitate installation and sealing of joints.
The material also emits toxic gases during combustion.
Due to the practically zero vapor permeability is only suitable for the external insulation layer.
Epps usually do "color".
Stone or basalt wool
Popular fibrous heat insulator is made of volcanic rock. It has short stiff fibers.
Advantages:
- Do not burn or smolder. Suitable for thermal insulation of furnaces and chimneys.
- High vozdupronitsaemost. Well ventilated.
- Not reducing characteristics when wetted.
- High compressive strength. Used for thermal insulation of flat roofs.
- Affordable price.
Disadvantages:
- The thermal conductivity higher than that of polystyrene, and a half times.
- Low elasticity complicates installation on vertical surfaces.
Inexpensive material retains its popularity among consumers.
fiberglass
Made of glass production waste and recycled glass. It has a long elastic fibers, less than that of basalt wool, density and greater flexibility.
At a rate of slightly inferior Warm basalt wool.
An important advantage is the ability to recover from deformation, which allows mounting mats in girth.
A notable drawback - highly hygroscopic and loss of thermal insulating properties when wet. Waterproofing and parootvedeniyu have to pay attention.
Popularity is not inferior to basalt.
polyurethane foam
It is used in the composition of the formed thermal panels in factories and as a spray material.
Thermopanel - a layer of surfacing material (plastic or ceramic tiles) with deposited on it a layer of insulation. It is mainly used for thermal insulation of foundations.
Traditional bulk materials
These types of traditional insulation used for the walls of a detached house on the outside, like expanded clay, sawdust, shavings fading. They are cheap - only their dignity. Thermal conductivity, ease of use, durability and shrinkage they can not compete with modern heaters.
sprayed plastic
If these materials are available for self-assembly with the average master general construction skills, then sprayed require the use of expensive equipment and high skilled workers.
Application of sputtering to create a monolithic layer of material without seams and joints, and close the thermal conductivity coefficient overall effect on reducing heat loss through the walls is obtained at higher 10-30%.
The high cost of the equipment causes the appearance on the market of disposable cylinders.
When small amounts of work it can achieve substantial savings.
Ecowool
Recently appeared in the Russian market promising material has not gained wide popularity. He refers to fibrous, and backfill, and sprayed materials. Ecowool is made from low-grade waste paper and paper and cardboard waste. It consists of only three components:
- Cellulose fibers 80%.
- Borax - 12% effective in preventing fire, smoldering produces no harmful substances.
- Boric acid protects against microorganisms, rodents, mold and fungus.
According to its characteristics similar to the mineral insulation vatam, but when wet almost does not lose properties when dry as they fully recover.
Ecowool - perhaps the most environmentally friendly insulation. All of its components, including the composition of the adhesive for wet application method - natural origin and biodegradable.
On the horizontal surface is applied a dry method, preferable for vertical wet-glue method. It protects material from shrinkage over time. When applied strictly required to observe the flow recommended by the manufacturer.
Can I insulate the walls in the winter?
Of course, it is more convenient to do it in the summer. Restrictions due to weather conditions exist for all materials, except polystyrene in the form of plates - they can not be installed in the rain, snow or strong winds. Furthermore, ecowool can be used at temperatures above 23aboutFROM. Evaporation polymers also have a limitation on the application temperature, depending on its composition.
Selection based insulation material walls
Brick
What is better insulate the facade of his house from the outside? For stone, brick, foam concrete homes can use any heaters. This applies to the insulation of the concrete walls. Finishing is performed by one of the following schemes:
- Facing brick. There should be an air gap for ventilation.
- Wet facade. Suitable basalt wool and polystyrene. special items are set for ventilation.
- Ventilated facade. It is lined with porcelain tiles or plastic wall panels. Usually used with mats basalt wool.
Scheme ventilated facade
Wood
Houses made of logs or timber can be insulated with mineral wool under wooden hinged facade lining and vinyl siding. laying the insulation plates between the rails and which is attached lining.
frame
The most widely used material - mineral wool again. It is gaining popularity use as backfill cellulose Cellulose Fiber.
Related article - insulation of apartment inside and outside.
Insulation of exterior walls in an apartment house
Spray foam plastic - perhaps the only way insulation of exterior walls, available to residents of apartment buildings.
All other materials meant facing the device on top of the insulation from the base to the roof. In high-rise building that is not possible. A layer of foamed plastic can just plaster on top. To carry out these works have:
- Make an external insulation of external walls with the operating organization. You may be able to get them to pay for such work.
- Contact the organization having a license and equipment for work at height. Independent attempts may result in a fall and serious injury.