In our time, foam concrete and aerated concrete have gained wide popularity in construction. Aerated concrete is modern material, which has heat permeability and vapor permeability. The opinion of manufacturers is that insulation of aerated concrete walls is not required. However, is it really so? I will talk about the reasons, choice and process of warming in this article.
Do walls need to be insulated?
To figure out whether to insulate your home, you need to highlight several factors:
- Take account climate zone your residence;
- Determine the density and thickness of the blocks;
- Determine the thickness of the seams between the blocks.
I can say that the best option- this is to think over the insulation even at the stage of building walls. This is explained by the fact that laying blocks on cement and thick seams (they are called “cold belts”) can lead to the fact that heat will leave the house. To prevent this, the blocks must be laid out on a special glue, and the seams should be made no more than 3 mm.
If the thickness of the blocks themselves exceeds 375 mm, then only cladding can be done. In this case, two conditions must be met: the blocks are not too dense, and the seams are made perfectly.
Your home needs insulation if:
- high-density aerated concrete (more than D500) was used during construction;
- low-density aerated concrete (below 300 mm) was used during construction;
- load-bearing frames during construction were filled with aerated concrete blocks;
- very thick seams are used;
- when laying the blocks, not glue was used, but cement mortar.
All these factors together make it clear that it is necessary to think about thermal insulation so that in winter there is no cold and discomfort.
Related article: Moroccan style in the interior photo. Interior in Moroccan style
The choice of insulation
There are several types of material for insulating walls made of aerated concrete.
Mineral wool (glass wool and stone wool) is made from vitreous fibers in the process of industrial processing of waste from the metallurgical industry and silicate minerals. Mineral wool is environmentally friendly, vapor-permeable and does not burn.
Expanded polystyrene is easy to use. The material is waterproof, inexpensive, but has not very high soundproofing performance. It is vapor-tight and not as fire resistant as mineral wool.
Polyurethane foam The material has high thermal insulation performance and is easy to apply.
There are also: extruded polystyrene foam, foam glass and wood and cork boards. These materials are not so common, and if you have already decided to insulate with them, then it will not be superfluous to consult a specialist.
Walls can be insulated with ordinary plaster with the addition of sawdust or swollen glass. The material is relatively cheap, comfortable and practical. The main disadvantage: aerated concrete with such a heater loses its "breathing" properties.
When choosing a heater, you need to determine: do you need a vapor-tight or vapor-permeable wall? If the first, then you need expanded polystyrene, if the second - cellular concrete. When working with polystyrene foam, it is worth making ventilation both exhaust and for air intake.
Vapor-permeable paints, plasters, facing bricks, lumber and siding are very popular.
Where to insulate - outside or inside?
There are two ways to insulate a house. From inside and outside. Many experts do not recommend insulating walls from aerated concrete, explaining this by the fact that it belongs to "breathable" materials. It stores heat very well, and ordinary heaters are often inferior to it with their vapor permeability. It is also worth remembering the danger of moisture appearing between the wall and the insulation, as a result of which a fungus can form. Therefore, in order to prevent this, the vapor permeability of the insulation must necessarily be higher than the blocks of aerated concrete.
Related article: Drywall niche for curtains - features and benefits
When insulating your home, you:
- keep the heat in the house better;
- get the best sound insulation;
- protect porous blocks from moisture;
- take care of the aesthetic side, due to the fact that the blocks themselves do not have a very “commercial” appearance.
We warm the house from the outside
Warming concrete walls outside is the more popular option. The two most common types of insulation are mineral wool and polystyrene. Sufficient thickness - 5 cm.
Installation of insulation on aerated concrete wall
When insulating a house with polystyrene foam, do not forget that this material will not allow the wall to "breathe", so you need to take care of ventilation. And this pleasure is not cheap. If the vapor permeability mode is violated, then condensation may occur between the wall and the insulation. Therefore, at a sufficiently high humidity, working with foam is not recommended.
Important! When insulating walls made of aerated concrete, follow the rule: a lower level of vapor permeability inside is a higher level outside.
We warm from the inside
Partially, this option is more convenient than the first, because damaged material can be quickly replaced. When warming, you should work very carefully with the material, making sure that there is no displacement. Otherwise, thermal insulation from the inside is carried out using the same materials and in the same sequence as the outer one.
At the same time, this method has serious drawbacks: the area of \u200b\u200bthe room decreases, and the threat of the appearance of fungi looms.
My advice is this: if it is possible to insulate aerated concrete walls both from the outside and from the inside, choose the first option.
Installation of insulation on the walls
For insulation you need to have a set necessary tools and materials:
- thermal insulation material;
- special glue that will attach the sheets to the walls;
- dowels ("umbrellas") - if you need to fix mineral wool mats;
- fiberglass mesh;
- any container for the preparation of the adhesive mixture;
- building level;
- notched trowel;
- perforator;
- perforated corners.
Today, the construction of private houses from aerated concrete blocks is becoming increasingly popular. Aerated concrete blocks have a rather interesting porous structure, which has low thermal conductivity, but is susceptible to moisture. This causes the use of a small amount of the heat-insulating layer of insulation, usually one or two. This is enough for the most severe frosts in winter season and is necessary condition to protect blocks from damaging effects environment. How to insulate a house from aerated concrete?
Warming of the house from aerated concrete
Whether it is necessary to insulate a house made of aerated concrete is no longer a question, but how to do it right? Experts recommend making insulation from the outside of the house. This will avoid unnecessary waste of usable space, as well as provide additional protection to the outer walls of the house and the transition of the "dew point" to the outer walls. Dew point - temperature limit, at which the cooling air reaches a state of saturation and condenses into dew. In addition, you should not experiment with the thickness of the aerated concrete wall, so the option of 300 millimeters disappears immediately. According to the recommendations of experts, 375 millimeters is the minimum thickness of the walls of a private house made of aerated concrete! It's minimal allowable rate, taking into account the use of insulation.
Before proceeding with the insulation, it is necessary to select the insulation material and make a calculation of the amount of material that will be required in the process of work. The choice of insulation material should be taken responsibly, because this factor will determine the final cost of the work, the method of installation, as well as the quantitative consumption insulation material. But before choosing the insulation material, you need to decide on the option of warming a private house.
Options for insulating a house from aerated concrete blocks:
- From within. In any case, with this method, living space will suffer, which can be used in a more efficient and rational way. In addition, you will need to install a rather expensive ventilation system, but even this will not save you from the appearance of fungi and mold in the space between the insulation and the aerated concrete wall.
- Outside . The walls of the house from the outside are recommended to be insulated from the outside. This method is used not only for additional protection walls from precipitation or the scorching sun, with this method of insulation, time is saved due to the relatively easy installation, no additional space is required for the production of work. In addition, if it is necessary to change the facade of the house, this can be done without unnecessary complications. In addition, external insulation provides additional sound insulation and gives the house a more attractive appearance.
Warming process
What type of insulation to choose, how to make insulation and what may be required for this? It is required to take into account the fact that aerated concrete has vapor-permeable properties. Therefore, in order to well insulate the walls of a house made of aerated concrete from the outside, the insulation must have a vapor permeability higher than aerated concrete blocks. Otherwise, moisture will begin to accumulate in the internal walls, which will gradually lead to their destruction or costly restoration. The most used materials as a heater for external walls aerated concrete houses are mineral wool and polystyrene.
Important! A necessary point that should be considered when warming a house is the influence of rodents. Small dirty tricks do not come close to mineral wool and simply adore polystyrene. They gnaw it, forming minks in it, so the facade must be completely covered with plaster to prevent the appearance of a family of rodents.
How to properly insulate with foam?
Styrofoam does not let steam through, so choosing such a heater, you should take care of a high-quality air ventilation system. But the undoubted advantages of using polystyrene include its low cost (almost several times cheaper than mineral wool).
Work procedure:
- Irregularities that occur over time or due to factory defects should be leveled;
- Near the windows it is required to stick a fiberglass mesh. It is fastened in such a way that there is at least 10 centimeters of mesh under the outermost layer of insulation, and it is also possible to glue about 10 centimeters more on top of it. This procedure is performed for additional reinforcement;
- Special glue is applied to the foam sheet (experts recommend using a notched trowel for uniform application and coverage of the entire foam surface);
Is it possible to insulate with mineral wool?
Mineral wool as an insulating material is much more practical than polystyrene. Of course, it has a higher cost, but it also has a number of undoubted advantages: high strength and vapor permeability. This material is recommended to be used to maintain a stable level of humidity and a comfortable microclimate in a private house. The working life of the insulation material without loss of working features is more than 50 years. Mineral wool insulators are produced in the following versions: some are in the form of plates, others are produced in the form of rolls. For ease of installation, the plates are produced in sizes of 500 * 1000 millimeters.
Work procedure:
- External walls must be cleaned of dust and dirt. For this, aggressive detergents, a hard brush and a metal sponge are used;
- Wall insulation mineral wool will require special glue;
- Additional fixation is provided by the use of plastic dowels;
- After the mineral wool dries a little, a fiberglass mesh is attached to it, which subsequently protects the walls from cracking paint or plaster;
- Another layer of glue is applied on top of the fiberglass mesh;
- It is recommended to start plastering and painting the insulation material after the glue has dried.
Other materials used for insulation
In addition to mineral wool and polystyrene, foam (extruded polystyrene foam) and polyurethane foam can be used as insulation. Insulation of aerated concrete from the outside with foam plastic significantly reduces heat loss due to the low coefficient of thermal conductivity. In addition, this material is suitable for mounting on any surface. Polyurethane foam as a heater outside the house forms foam when it begins to interact with the insulated surface.
Finishing blocks of aerated concrete
Aerated concrete blocks are several times higher than wooden materials by vapor permeability. This is one of several reasons for the popularity of aerated concrete blocks. But violations made during installation or operation can affect vapor permeability. Aerated concrete walls for siding - perfect solution by application finishing materials. Sometimes aerated concrete blocks can hide behind brick wall, decorative tiles or plaster mixtures. The work becomes easier when it turns out that an extended foundation was used in the construction of the house. When refining appearance brick should remember to create ventilation holes.
Interior decoration. Work procedure:
- A primer is applied on top of the insulation;
- The plaster is applied after the primer has dried;
- It is recommended to smooth the walls after the plaster has dried. This stage is carried out 2 times in a row (the interval between repetitions is a day);
- The wall is insulated with an internal facing material- drywall, using a special adhesive solution. Prepare in advance wooden frame from rails, and plasterboard panels are mounted on them, which are subsequently painted with vapor-permeable paint.
An alternative to using aerated concrete blocks
It is most rational and effective to provide for the insulation of aerated concrete with foam plastic, mineral wool or foam plastic at the stage of building a house. It is better to insulate the house at the very beginning than to work later, when the labor intensity will increase several times. But the most common mistake in building a house is laying aerated concrete blocks on concrete mortar. After all, it is he who passes the cold. Through the seams, outside air enters the house, increasing heating costs.
Possible variant efficient styling- a special adhesive base, the thickness of which does not exceed three millimeters. The better the roof, window openings and foundation are insulated, the better. After all, these objects are insulated at the very beginning of construction.
Afterword
Now you are probably wondering - is it necessary to insulate a house made of aerated concrete and what materials to use? Of course you do! After all, an insulated house built of aerated concrete has a number of advantages: the relative ease of work that does not require special skills, low cost and high thermal insulation of the walls provide residents of a private house with a fairly comfortable stay. But in order to exclude possible troubles associated with climatic features and the manifestation of the vital activity of rodents, best solution is the insulation of aerated concrete with foam plastic, foam plastic or mineral wool.
One of distinctive features aerated concrete - its high thermal insulation properties. This is achieved by introducing concrete mix special foaming agent (aluminum powder or powder can be used). As a result, the released hydrogen bubbles are evenly distributed throughout the volume of aerated concrete. Compared to conventional concrete, aerated concrete conducts heat much worse.
It would seem that, additional insulation for such material is not required, but this assumption is not always true. Perhaps, only in a warm climate and in conditions of a very mild European winter, additional thermal insulation will not be required. In all other cases, it is desirable to insulate aerated concrete both inside the building and outside. In this case, many factors must be taken into account when choosing a heat-insulating material and the technique of performing work.
How to insulate a house from aerated concrete
When insulating walls made of aerated concrete, many materials can be used, from conventional plaster to special "breathing" materials with high thermal insulation properties. The following materials are used:
- ordinary plaster(with the addition of aggregates such as sawdust, perlite, expanded glass). The advantages of this material include low cost, convenience and practicality. The main disadvantage is the loss of "breathing" properties of aerated concrete. Compared with mineral wool and other thermal insulation materials, they have low efficiency;
- Styrofoam(polystyrene foam). Its vapor permeability is at least 3 to 10 times less than the vapor permeability of aerated concrete, so foam is used for insulation only as a last resort.
Styrofoam insulation is not recommended in humid climates. The fact is that moisture will accumulate between the surface of aerated concrete and polystyrene, which, ultimately, will lead to rotting of aerated concrete blocks.
- mineral wool. The vapor permeability of mineral wool is even higher than that of aerated concrete, so that the insulation of walls made of aerated concrete using this material allows you to maintain a given microclimate in the room. Most often, mineral wool is used for insulation;
- polyurethane foam. Combines ease of application and high thermal insulation qualities.
Polyurethane foam is applied to the surface of aerated concrete by spraying. Thanks to this, a seamless surface of the insulation is created.
Methods of insulation of aerated concrete walls
There are several methods for performing external sealing of aerated concrete walls, depending on this, the composition of the required tools and materials also varies. There are such technologies:
- . A separate frame (metal or wooden) is created in the cells of which heat-insulating material is laid. Then it is sheathed with decorative elements.
- Wet facade technology(easy option). Plates of heat-insulating material are attached to glue and plastic dowels, then the surface is plastered in 2 layers with a reinforcing mesh placed between them.
- Heavy version of "wet" technology. In this case, you will have to expand the foundation. The insulation is attached to the aerated concrete wall with powerful hooks. Then the surface of the insulation is plastered with simultaneous reinforcement with a mesh. After the plaster has dried, the wall is revetted natural stone or other material.
From the point of view of efficiency and cost, it is the light version of the “wet” insulation technology that is preferable.
Materials and tools for warming a house made of aerated concrete
To insulate a house made of aerated concrete, you will need:
- heat-insulating material (foam sheets or mineral wool in the form of rigid mats);
- special glue;
It is better not to try to save money and use cheap adhesive mixtures, in the future this may cause the mineral wool to peel off the wall.
- dowels "umbrellas" (for additional fastening of mineral wool mats);
- fiberglass mesh;
- container for the preparation of the adhesive mixture;
- perforated corners;
- building level;
- notched trowel;
- perforator.
The technology of warming a house from aerated concrete outside
Even before the start of the work, it is necessary to decide on the heat-insulating material, the technology for performing the work will depend on this. The main thing to pay attention to is the purpose of the building, as well as the vapor permeability of aerated concrete blocks and heat-insulating material.
You should not try to save on the thickness of the heat-insulating layer. The fact is that the cost of glue and other materials will hardly change, but thermal insulation characteristics will drop significantly
The work is carried out in several stages:
- Preparatory stage. The surface of the wall is cleaned of dirt and dust, possible defects are repaired with a conventional cement mortar. If the area of the defect is large, then "breathing" plaster mixes can be used to correct it. For better adhesion of the adhesive to the wall surface, you can use a primer.
- At the level of the base, a frame is mounted, which will serve as a support for the insulation mats.
- Vertical beacons are placed at the corners of the house.
- The insulation is attached to the wall with a special adhesive. Glue is recommended to be applied along the perimeter of the mineral wool (or foam) slab and with several strokes in the center.
It is allowed to apply the adhesive mixture over the entire surface of the plate using a notched trowel. Cross-shaped joints should be avoided; for this, each subsequent row of plates is shifted relative to the previous one. Quite often, for the strength of the connection between the slab and the wall, plastic dowels and umbrellas are also used. They are located at the corners and in the center of the plate.
Gaps between plates should be avoided. The presence of gaps (the so-called "cold bridges") significantly reduces the effectiveness of insulation
- mineral wool pretty soft material, to give it rigidity, a fiberglass mesh is used. Glue is applied to the surface of the insulation with a spatula, then a mesh is placed (overlapping, the overlap should be at least 10 cm), another layer of the adhesive mixture is applied on top of the mesh.
- After reinforcing the insulation, it is necessary to further strengthen the corners of the building, window and door openings. To do this, perforated corners are glued to the corners.
- After that, the surface is either primed and plastered (in 2 layers) or a layer of putty is applied and then the walls are painted.
If you plan to arrange hinged facade, then even before gluing the insulation, it is necessary to mount a frame on the wall, on which the facade panels will then be attached.
A well-insulated house made of aerated concrete will not only make you feel cozy and comfortable in the cold season, but will also save on heating bills.
Warming a house made of aerated concrete is not mandatory, but in some cases it is very desirable. In this article we will try to explain: why insulate aerated concrete; what to choose, polystyrene or mineral wool; what thickness of insulation to use; when to insulate.
At first glance, it seems that there is only one reason - to save money on heating, but let's look at this in more detail.
Reasons for insulating aerated concrete:
- Reducing heat loss through walls, as the thermal resistance of the wall increases, as a result - lower heating costs.
- Closing of cold bridges in the walls, such as armored belts, lintels, thick seams. Not only do they speed up the removal of heat from the home, but they can also become wet areas in the home that mold can grow on.
- Increase the durability of the building. External insulation of aerated concrete with a thickness of 100 mm or more transfers the dew point from the wall itself to the insulation, that is, moisture in the aerated concrete will not freeze, from which the service life of aerated concrete will be much longer.
Is it profitable to insulate aerated concrete or not? If we consider the economic feasibility of insulation, then you need to find out the payback of insulation. That is, how long will the savings on heating pay for the insulation itself.
If the payback of insulation is more than 10-15 years, then there is no point in such insulation, it is more profitable to deposit money in a bank.
But there are cases when warming is very beneficial:
- If gas and electricity are very expensive.
- If the house is in a cold region.
- If the wall thickness is less than 300 mm.
- If the walls are made of high density aerated concrete D600 and above.
- If there are thick seams in the walls and a lot of cold bridges.
To determine the thickness of the insulation, you need to find out what required thermal resistance of the walls is needed for your region, and after what time the insulation will pay for itself.
It happens that people insulate their homes with a thin layer of insulation of 40, 30 and even 20 millimeters. Which is a big mistake in terms of expediency and payback. The thicker the insulation layer, the lower will be the cost of heating in the future.
It should be understood that the cost of glue, foam, dowels, mesh, plaster and work do not depend on the thickness of the insulation. That is, there will be no big savings on materials and work between a thickness of 30 mm and 100 mm. But the insulation will be different at times. Therefore, it is definitely not worth saving on the thickness of the insulation.
Moreover, in order for the dew point to shift from the wall to the insulation, the thickness of the insulation should be about 100 mm.
Optimal, economically justified insulation thickness for aerated concrete walls is 100 mm.
If the walls of the house are made of high density blocks from D600 and above, or if the thickness of the walls is only 200, then 150 mm of insulation can be used.
Aerated concrete walls cannot be insulated immediately after their construction. The fact is that fresh factory aerated concrete is very wet, and this moisture must evaporate somewhere. Moisture comes out of the thickness of the wall both inside and outside the house, but what happens if you close the outer part of the wall with a heater, for example, foam? All moisture will remain in the wall and will go inside the house, creating high humidity, mold and other inconveniences there.
It is worth noting that a damp wall retains heat worse in the house, and when negative temperatures water in the wall turns into ice, slightly reducing the service life of aerated concrete.
Things are better with mineral (stone) wool, because it has good vapor-permeable properties and removes excess moisture. But then the aerated concrete itself is closed from blowing winds, and dries much longer. Plus, the mineral wool itself becomes more humid, worsening its thermal insulation properties.
In general, before insulating aerated concrete with mineral wool, you need to wait 2-6 months, and for foam plastic it is better to wait 6-12 months.
The following factors influence the drying rate of aerated concrete:
- wall thickness
- Air temperature
- Precipitation
- The strength of the blown meters
To insulate an aerated concrete house, mineral wool and polystyrene are usually used. For the impatient, we will immediately answer - mineral wool is more expensive and better, polystyrene is cheaper and worse. Now let's try to figure out why.
Mineral wool has excellent vapor permeability, and removes excess moisture from the house and walls to the street. The vector of movement of water vapor is always directed from inside the house to the street.
This ensures a good microclimate in the house and the walls remain dry, and dry walls retain heat better. Moreover, mineral wool is absolutely non-combustible. Mineral wool slabs are more difficult to process and it is necessary to work with goggles, protective clothing, gloves and a respirator.
In terms of thermal insulation, cotton wool and polystyrene have almost the same properties.
Styrofoam is cheaper, easier to work with, it is easy to cut, and the cracks are filled with foam. Styrofoam is a combustible material and almost does not let steam through, which contributes to the accumulation of moisture in the walls and high humidity in the house. A house insulated with foam plastic requires good ventilation, and intensive ventilation blows heat out of the house.
Recuperators come to the rescue - special fans that heat the air entering the house due to the heat of the outgoing air.
In general, mineral wool has important advantage- vapor permeability, and for an aerated concrete house is the best choice. But if finances put a lot of pressure, foam plastic can also be used, but only with a thickness of 100 mm or more, so that the dew point is in the insulation + was good ventilation in the house.
Aerated concrete insulation schemes with stone wool
Styrofoam insulation technology
Mineral wool insulation technology
aerated concrete- durable and lightweight material that has been used everywhere in construction for more than a decade. Its main advantage is high thermal insulation performance. Yes, the wall is thick. 30 cm according to this indicator corresponds brick wall 60 cm wide. Despite these characteristics, the insulation of aerated concrete houses is a common practice. When should such work be carried out and what materials are used?
Aerated concrete house in Riga, built in 1939
There is no urgent need to insulate houses made of aerated concrete, especially when it comes to heat-efficient brands building material. This is due to the cellular structure of the building material, consisting of sand, cement, lime, water and aluminum powder. The components are mixed and placed in an autoclave. There they foam under the influence of corrosion of aluminum powder. The reaction proceeds with the release of oxygen, which forms porosity in the concrete.
The energy efficiency of the material is due to the cellular structure
But still, most often in the harsh conditions of the Russian climate, one cannot do without such a finish. The factors that make the work necessary include:
- Failure to comply with masonry technology, when large seams were formed. They are the so-called cold bridges, on which the thermal resistance is reduced. This also worsens the thermal efficiency of the building.
- Use in the construction of blocks with a density of D500 or more.
- Walls up to 30 cm thick (numbers and 64 cm are called, which makes the material not so energy efficient anymore).
- Filling with gas blocks only load-bearing frames.
Living in regions with a harsh climate is also a condition for insulating aerated concrete walls. An additional layer of thermal insulation will help reduce the thickness of the walls and the load on the foundation, and reduce the cost of building a building.
Several materials are used to insulate a house made of aerated concrete.
After the construction of the building, you must wait at least 2 months
- mineral wool;
- expanded polystyrene (polystyrene);
- penoplex;
- polyurethane foam insulation.
Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. The technology of insulation is also different.
Methods of insulation of aerated concrete walls
Insulation of a house is most often done when it has served for some time, and it turned out that its thermal conductivity is higher than expected. But often such work is carried out at the construction stage. Then do the insulation not immediately. First, completely line up the entire box. Then they wait 2 to 5 months to dry the walls and eliminate excess moisture from blocks.
Insulation of aerated concrete house outside and inside
Insulation of buildings is carried out inside and outside.
Positive aspects of insulation:
- increasing the energy efficiency of the building;
- less thermal energy is required;
- the building is better protected from the heat in summer;
- reduced heating costs in winter;
- sound insulation improves;
- extending the life of the building.
External insulation
The benefit of such insulation is that the dew point moves outward. As a result, the effect of "cold bridges" is minimized. They usually occur at floor slabs, lintels, armored belts. Thermal insulation on inside walls to prevent condensation.
When insulating a house, the main thing is to correctly calculate the thickness of the insulation. This can be done using special calculators, which contain all the necessary parameters, including the region of residence.
At proper insulation dew point moves outward
Warming from the inside
Wall insulation from the inside is less important and often even harmful to structural elements. Usually the work consists in leveling the walls. Often used for this drywall sheets. Internal insulation is inconvenient, since the area of \u200b\u200bthe room is lost due to the installation of an insulating structure.
This method of thermal insulation is allowed in the following cases:
- the authorities forbade changing the facade of the building;
- behind the wall there is an expansion joint between buildings;
- the room is adjacent to an unheated room that cannot be thermally insulated - for example, an elevator shaft.
Therefore, external insulation is still preferable.
Internal insulation is recommended only in extreme cases.
Mineral wool
Mineral wool is produced in sheets, rolls, plates
Mineral wool- one of the most famous and popular heaters. It comes in several types:
- glass;
- stone;
- slag.
Mineral wool is resistant to heat and chemicals. Thermal conductivity of the material - approx. 0.035 W/m*°C. This indicator depends mainly on the density of the material. Over time, its ability to save heat decreases, which is caused by the penetration of moisture.
Advantages of mineral wool insulation:
- fire resistance and the ability to delay the spread of fire;
- vapor permeability (10 times higher than that of expanded polystyrene);
- long service life of the insulation layer (up to 70 years);
- mineral wool in slabs keeps its shape well;
- simplicity and ease of installation;
- decay resistant.
Of the shortcomings, experts note hygroscopicity, or the ability to absorb moisture. Thus, when moistened 2% is lost 10% thermal insulation characteristics.
Important! When insulating buildings with mineral wool, acrylic plasters should not be used. This will cause condensation to form.
When choosing cotton wool, pay attention to rigidity. The higher this indicator, the better the sheet holds its shape. Another important factor- geometry and direction of fibers. It is preferable to choose materials with a random direction of the fibers.
Video - Insulation of aerated concrete house
The disadvantage of mineral wool is that the cost of insulation will cost about a third more than when using foam and foam plastic. In addition, the layer of insulation will be large. Builders also point out that the danger of this material to health is not excluded. The insulation contains formaldehyde. This substance is harmful to the body and is considered a carcinogen.
Therefore, when working with mineral wool, it is necessary to wear a respirator that will protect the respiratory organs from getting the smallest dust particles into the body. But with proper handling of the heat insulator, there will be no harm to health.
When working with mineral wool, wear a respirator
Rodents can live in insulation layers. Then the thermal insulation properties of the finish will quickly become unusable. To protect the structure from pests, a metal cornice is installed at the bottom of the crate, in the basement of the building. This is also recommended when using other materials.
Mineral wool insulation technology
Step-by-step instructions for warming with mineral wool:
Step 1. The wall is cleaned of dirt, the seams are rubbed with cement, the surface is leveled. If the damage is significant, use plaster. Otherwise, the insulation will not fit tightly, which will increase heat loss.
Grouting
Step 2 A metal tide is installed at the bottom along the perimeter of the building. Fix on the wall wooden bars. The distance between them should be 1-2 centimeters less than the width of the cotton wool sheet. The sheets should lay down quite tightly.
Surface preparation
Step 3 Attach mineral wool to the wall with glue-foam or glue-umbrella dowels. The plates are inserted between the bars, shifting them in relation to the bottom row to make a “checkerboard”.
Fixing the insulation
Step 4 The insulation is covered with a vapor barrier film, which is attached to the brackets, again covered with an adhesive solution.
Covering with vapor barrier film
Step 5 The corners are reinforced with perforated corners.
Reinforcement
Upon completion installation work with mineral wool, a ventilated facade is installed.
Scheme of wall insulation with mineral wool from the outside
Prices for mineral wool
Mineral wool is usually used only for ventilated facades. The insulation does not have sufficient rigidity to be used under plaster.
When insulating the external walls of the house with mineral wool, vapor barrier films must be used. The coating shields moisture and condensate. At the same time, air penetrates through it, so the walls "breathe".
Expanded polystyrenes
The attitude towards expanded polystyrene, as an insulating agent for walls made of aerated concrete, is ambiguous among builders.
On the one hand, it is a heat-insulating material popular in Russia, which is 98% formed from air. In Europe more 60% produced polystyrene is sent to the thermal insulation of various buildings.
Expanded polystyrene - a popular insulation
There are such advantages of a heater:
- neutrality, absence of secretions harmful substances during operation;
- resistance to rotting, mold formation, but such colonies can form on its surface;
- absence of cases of infection with microorganisms;
- immunity to temperature fluctuations.
The disadvantages of expanded polystyrene include interaction with some chemicals - organic solvents, alcohols, petroleum products. The panel may dissolve upon contact with these products. In addition, expanded polystyrene is subject to combustion.
Table 1. Thermal insulation properties of expanded polystyrene (PSB-S) 12 cm thick in comparison with building materials:
On the other hand, the material has opponents who do not recommend its use on aerated concrete houses. They justify their opinion by the fact that polystyrene foam has a low level of vapor permeability.
Experts note the following. The building codes state that when designing multilayer insulation, the layers must be arranged so that warmer and vapor-permeable materials are outside, and cold and deaf ones are inside. Otherwise, the outer layer of aerated concrete will not have time to dry out over the summer. As a result, moisture gradually accumulates in it, as a result of which the bearing capacity of the wall is gradually lost. Accordingly, the thermal conductivity of the material also increases. Gradually, the dew point shifts inward, and probably by inner wall. Condensation, fungus, etc. will appear on its surface.
These problems do not occur immediately after insulation, but after a few years. For this reason, the use of expanded polystyrene is recommended only in exceptional cases. Opponents of this building material believe that mineral wool is a more suitable material.
In view of these shortcomings, when insulating a house with foam plastic, it is especially important to correctly calculate the thickness of the insulation layer. It is also necessary to take care of the proper ventilation of the premises.
Styrofoam insulation technology
Before insulating the walls with foam, the surface is prepared, as when working with mineral wool. Then the surface of the blocks is treated with antiseptic solutions to prevent the formation of mold and mildew. After drying, cover the facade with a primer.
Installation starts from the bottom, and is performed in this order:
- Apply to the slabs adhesive composition- along the perimeter and in several places on the rest of the square.
- With effort, each slab is pressed against the aerated concrete wall.
- After completing the first row, they put it in a checkerboard pattern.
- Waiting 24 hours.
- Fasten the sheets with dowels-umbrellas.
- Perform finishing(strengthening fiberglass mesh, finishing decorative plaster).
Wall insulation with polystyrene foam
The walls in the room itself are insulated in the same order as outside.
The dowels used to fasten the panels must be made of plastic and not contain metal parts. Metal during operation is able to create additional "cold bridges". Each sheet will require at least 5 dowels.
Video - How to insulate a house with foam. All stages
When laying it is necessary to pay attention to the connection of plates at the corners of the building. So, in one row the panel protrudes, and the opposite one rests against it, in the other - vice versa.
Sticking foam boards on the corners
Styrofoam Adhesive
Adhesive compositions for working with expanded polystyrene should not include ingredients that can damage the structure of expanded polystyrene - they were discussed above. For fastening use:
- ready-made dry mixes such as Bergauf Isofix Ceresiy CT 85;
- liquid adhesives such as Bitumast;
- mounting aerosol adhesives - for example, TechnoNIKOL 500.
Works should be carried out in dry weather at an air temperature of 7 °C.
For internal works take the corresponding products, which usually cost less.
Penoplex
Penoplex is an extruded polystyrene foam. The material successfully competes with mineral wool and polystyrene. It is as light as polystyrene, but denser, and is able to store heat no worse than mineral wool.
Prices for popular types of foam insulation
Penoplex insulation
Penoplex is denser than polystyrene foam
The heater has the following characteristics:
- retains 30% more heat compared to expanded polystyrene due to its greater density;
- has a lower thermal conductivity in comparison with the analogue;
- has high compressive and tensile strength due to the special structure;
- fireproof due to the addition of flame retardants (ignites only at a temperature of 500 ° C);
- wear-resistant;
- easy to process;
- is relatively inexpensive.
Among the shortcomings, builders note its low ability to adhere. Since it has a high density, it does not interact well with adhesives. For this reason, the material is more often used inside buildings, even when fasteners are used. Since the plates are thin (5-30 mm), the loss of living space (sometimes even small) with such insulation is insignificant.
Working with penoplex
For the installation of foam boards, it is better to use FastFix adhesive foam. You will also need:
- adhesive mixture for plastering;
- fiberglass reinforcing mesh for facade walls;
- perforated corners;
- plaster and paint external works;
- deep penetration primer.
Deep penetration primer prices
Deep penetration primer
Important! For external work, plates with a thickness of 50 mm or more are taken. But builders recommend laying the slabs in 2 layers, which will give 100 mm of foam.
Insulation with extruded polystyrene foam inside the building
Facade insulation is carried out as follows:
- Clean the wall of old layers of plaster, if any.
- Wipe the walls with a damp cloth or vacuum.
- Treated with a facade primer, repeat after the first layer dries.
- Fix at the bottom metallic profile, which will align the first row of penoplex.
- A layer of adhesive foam is applied along the edges and several strips in the center.
- Glue the foam to the wall.
- Glue the rest of the plates closer to each other.
- The second and subsequent rows are laid, shifting the vertical seams in a checkerboard pattern.
- Lay the plates on the slopes.
- Fix the plates with dowels-umbrellas.
Methods for applying glue to penoplex
For decorative coating first you need to make the surface of the plates rough. To do this, use a grater or sandpaper. Then the facade is treated with a primer that promotes adhesion, also in two layers. The gaps between the plates are filled with foam, which was used for the walls. External corners houses and slopes are formed by perforated corners. The surface is reinforced with mesh. Then make a decorative finish.
PU foam
Another way to insulate facades is to spray polyurethane foam. For aerated concrete blocks, it is recommended to use rigid polyurethane foam with closed cells.
The main advantage is that during spraying there are no gaps between the wall and the insulation, therefore, cold bridges are not formed, and condensate does not settle. After applying the product, a seamless coating is formed, which improves the quality of the thermal insulation coating.
Economically, this method is less profitable, since the cost of thermal insulation increases by at least 1.2 times compared to other materials. But at the same time, it is easier to work with, since no fasteners are required. The service life of such a heater is about 30 years old.
The most popular method of spraying. Although sheets with tongue-and-groove locks and thermal panels with tiles are also used for insulation.
PU foam layer
Material advantages:
- low density, therefore no additional load on the structure is created;
- high adhesion, so you can not use auxiliary products and structures - primer, frame;
- does not decompose and does not rot;
- does not emit harmful substances;
- warranty period of operation - over 20 years;
- thermal conductivity coefficient - 0.024 W/m*°C.
Polyurethane is obtained by mixing a polyol and a polyisocyanate in special installations. If spraying on the facade is planned, then the components are mixed in the spray chamber. Foaming only takes 10–60 seconds.
Each of these materials has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, before using a particular material, it is necessary to conduct careful calculations, to study the characteristics of the materials. After all, making rash decisions will shorten the life of the building and lead to additional energy costs.
