How to insulate the walls inside. How to avoid unpleasant consequences with internal insulation. Insulation technology Materials

If it is cold and uncomfortable in a house or apartment in cold weather, and you continue to pay huge sums for heating, then it is worth considering whether there is a reason why heat is not kept indoors. The simplest assumption is that heat escapes through the walls.

But internal insulation is usually carried out only in extreme cases, for example, when the authorities impose a ban on changing the facade. If there is a seam between buildings behind the wall, then external thermal insulation will also be impossible. Sometimes this approach cannot be implemented when there is an elevator shaft behind the wall or an unheated room to which there is no access.

Features of insulation from the inside

If you are faced with the question of how to insulate the walls brick house from the inside, then you must remember that the main problem in carrying out such work is the fact that the wall can begin to freeze even more. This results in a dew point shift as moisture begins to condense onto the surface of the wall. Condensation causes dampness, which destroys the materials and the finishing layer. All this contributes to the deterioration thermal insulation properties insulation, and heat loss at the same time is even higher, high humidity is also added to this problem.

Brick walls are exposed to greater destruction. In order to avoid this, you should choose heaters, the vapor permeability of which is minimal, and there is no moisture absorption. During installation, there should be no joints and seams between the canvases through which condensed moisture could penetrate into the premises. These criteria do not fit:

liquid ceramics;
mineral wool;
drywall;
cork coating;
warm plaster.

The latter option can only be used for final stage. Moisture-absorbing fibrous and vapor-permeable materials are not suitable for thermal insulation of walls from the inside. It is better to refuse from expanded polystyrene, because it is rather difficult to achieve proper joining of the material with the walls without using a solution. The joints between the canvases will play an important role in reducing tightness.

What to consider before starting insulation

Before you insulate the wall from the inside with your own hands, you must make sure that it is as dry as possible. The insulation must have a minimum vapor permeability and high moisture resistance. The wall from must be protected by hydro and vapor barrier. The insulation layer should not have cracks, joints and gaps.

If you want to insulate the walls in the apartment from the inside in panel house, then as one of good decisions stands the construction of another wall inside the room. It should fit snugly with the outer one or be separated from it by an air gap. Sometimes a layer of thermal insulation is placed between these surfaces, which acts as a buffer. But such measures reduce the useful area of \u200b\u200bthe room to 7 m 3.

Material selection

Before starting work, you should ask yourself how to insulate the walls of the house from the inside. For example, polyurethane foam allows you to create a moisture-resistant barrier with high thermal insulation properties. The problem can only be expressed in the method of application. Initially, the material is a foamed liquid that quickly hardens. To form an even base and sufficient thickness, formwork should be installed, filling the internal space in parts. Using wireframes will not work. Elements of such a system made of metal or wood can also become sources of dampness.

After forming the surface of the insulating layer, it is necessary to install hydro- and vapor protection. For this, a plastic film is used, which is fixed to adjacent walls, floors and ceilings with the help of rails. Gluing is carried out with mastic or sealant.

Polyurethane foam is characterized by low strength and density. This indicates that the next finishing facing and plastering will be impossible to implement. To do this, it is necessary to erect drywall walls, which are erected on a frame and fixed on an adjacent wall, floor and ceiling. in this case, it will be located at the junction of polyurethane foam and the wall or in the thickness of the thermal insulation.

Insulation with a double wall

If you want to insulate the wall in the apartment from the inside, then you can use the "Double Wall" technology. A warm floor will act as a thermal barrier. Heating elements are installed on the surface of the wall. Heating can only be turned on in severe frosts in order to warm the inner surface of the wall and shift the dew point.

For normal finishing of the room, a second wall of drywall or brick is installed. The insulation is mounted on a false wall from the side of the opening. This option will save in severe frosts and eliminate destruction, as well as the formation of dampness. But you will spend a lot of money on electricity. This is due to the fact that you will heat not only the volume of air in the room, but also the street.

The use of penoplex

If you still have not decided how to insulate the walls of the house from the inside, then you can use polystyrene foam or foam plastic. For the reason that it does not meet the characteristics for carrying out such work, it is necessary to pay Special attention installation work. The material is smooth sheets of dense material. Joints will certainly form between them during the installation process. It will not be possible to completely get rid of them, so a layer of sealant will have to be applied to the ends.

The technology of applying the solution with separate cakes should be abandoned. This is due to the fact that air chambers are formed as a result, where condensate accumulates. Water in this case finds cracks to enter the room. The only option would be to apply glue to the entire sheet and tightly adhere the material to the wall over the entire area. Before applying the solution, it is necessary to use a needle roller, which processes the surface of the material. This will ensure the best penetration of the solution. This is especially true for the option with penoplex.

This mounting method will require wall alignment. Use normal cement-sand mortar it is forbidden. It is better to use a mixture that forms a waterproof layer. The use of anchor fasteners should also be abandoned. This is due to the fact that leaky transitions will form in the places of their installation.

If you plan to use the mesh reinforcement method and apply plaster over the foam, then the structure should be reinforced with profiles that are located between the insulation sheets and are fixed from above and below to the floor and ceiling.

Work procedure

If you decide to insulate the wall in the apartment from the inside, then after choosing a specific method of work, you must bring the surface into perfect condition. To do this, the old coating is removed from the base in the form of lining, decorative elements, paint and wallpaper. The plaster is also removed. You must see concrete slab or brickwork.

The surface should be cleaned of dust and dirt with a broom and a vacuum cleaner. Particular attention should be paid to places where the walls were especially damp. Before insulating the wall from the inside, it should be treated with an antiseptic and coated with a primer. After each operation, the base is left until dry.

Priming should be done with a deep penetrating compound. If you plan to use foam or heating elements, then the wall is plastered and leveled. In the process, you can use water repellents, ready-made mixtures for finishing pools and bathrooms. In this case, the method of plastering with the help of beacons is suitable. The technology is relevant if the magnitude of the differences is more than 10 mm.

The plaster layer should dry for several days. Only in this way will the material gain normal strength. This process should not be accelerated by heaters. The surface of the plaster is primed again. This step should be omitted if concrete walls, which are equal. In the case of them, you can seal the joints with a moisture-resistant mortar, mastic or sealant.

Warming process

Quite often, home craftsmen are faced with the question of how to insulate a wall from the inside. In each case, the technology will be different. Some of the details have been described above. After the installation of the thermal insulation layer, a drying period follows. Only then can you proceed with the installation of the second wall, where the finishing finishing layer will be applied like tiles, wallpaper, paint or cork.

For the installation of drywall boards, you must form a frame. Plates will be attached to the ceiling, floor and walls. A gap of 5 cm should be left between the thermal insulation and the wall. If you want to use high-density polystyrene foam, then you can limit yourself to applying reinforcing mesh and plastering. But the durability and the result will depend on the quality of the installation of the foam. The joints between the sheets must be coated with sealant, and the canvases are fixed on a uniformly thin layer of mortar.

Insulation of a corner apartment with mineral wool

If you were among those who wondered how to insulate corner wall from the inside, then you can use mineral wool as a material for work. It consists of natural fibers, is environmentally friendly and is made from rocks by melting them. Cloths of this thermal insulation have low weight, excellent sound insulation and low thermal conductivity. Mineral wool is ready to serve for quite a long time, and is installed on the wall between rails made of metal profiles or wood bars.

How to insulate a wall from the inside? This question is quite relevant for residents of corner apartments. When installing mineral wool on the walls you have to take care of waterproofing. This is important, because the moistened heat insulator loses its properties. Before installation, the walls are covered with a moisture-proof film. You can make a frame from wooden slats, the distance between which will be equal to the width of the insulation plate. From this value it is necessary to subtract about 2 cm.

After laying the mineral wool, a layer of vapor barrier or a superdiffusion membrane is then covered. Rails are stuffed onto the guides, which will create an air gap, which is necessary for moisture to evaporate from the superdiffusion membrane. Plasterboard or plywood is stuffed onto the rails. With mineral wool it is better to work with glasses and gloves, as well as a respirator.

Insulation of a corner apartment with foam

If you are concerned about the question of how to insulate a wall in a corner apartment from the inside, then for this you can also use foam. It is more common for the reason that it is easy to mount, and its cost is affordable. For an apartment, you can purchase polystyrene foam, which contains substances that prevent ignition. Before laying the slabs on a leveled wall, apply liquid waterproofing. Tile adhesive should be applied to the sheets of insulation. A comb spatula acts as a tool for this.

After filling the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe wall, a mounting grid is glued on top, which is covered with putty. Once dry, the surface can be wallpapered or painted. Before insulating a wall from the inside, you should consider what material to use. If foam or foam plastic is used, then fungus and mold can form between the moisture-proof layer and the wall. This also applies to foil penofol. This is due to the fact that the wall in the panel or brick house stops breathing, and in conditions of a cold circuit and access to moisture, it begins to become covered with condensate.

Insulation with drywall

If you want to solve the problem of how to insulate brick wall from the inside, you can use the technology that involves the use of drywall. This method is fast and simple. A distance of 3 cm must be maintained from the draft surface to the front base. With an increase in this space, more insulation will fit into the voids of the structure. This method is great for large rooms, because the wall thickens during the installation of thermal insulation.

The process begins with the installation of a frame made of metal profiles. They are removed from the wall by 2 cm. The frame must be made of a galvanized profile. A tape is glued to the sole of the elements to isolate the surface from the plaster. This will protect the drywall from the cold that is transmitted through metallic profile. Mineral wool is placed in the cavity of the frame, and the layer between the wall and drywall will also become a heater.

The next step is the installation of drywall. When insulating rooms with high humidity, you should not save money - it is better to purchase moisture-resistant material. At the final stage, the tiles are finished with wallpaper.

Thermal insulation in a panel house

How to insulate panel wall from the inside - this is an urgent issue that interests many apartment owners. For work, you can use plaster. If it's about brickwork, then you will be able to cope with the work in a short time. The material is laid in three layers, each of which dries well.

At the first stage, the composition is applied by spraying. This will fill in all the bumps and gaps. The thickness does not exceed 10 mm. The main stage is the application of a primer layer 5 cm thick. The effectiveness of thermal insulation will depend on the quality of this stage.

If you want to know how to insulate a wall in a panel house from the inside, you can use foam. Even a beginner can handle its installation. But mineral wool, although it is great option but takes up more space. She has one important advantage, which is expressed in the fact that in the process of fixing the material does not need a prepared layer of plaster.

September 7, 2016
Specialization: facade finishing, interior finishing, construction of dachas, garages. The experience of an amateur gardener and horticulturist. He also has experience repairing cars and motorcycles. Hobbies: playing the guitar and much more, for which there is not enough time :)

If you want to insulate the house, then any specialist will tell you that it is better to do it outside. However, in some cases it becomes necessary to insulate the walls from the inside, for example, if the facade is already finished or the external insulation is not enough. Therefore, below I will tell you how to insulate the house from the inside so that this event is effective and does not lead to mold and destruction of the walls.

Features of warming the house from the inside

Many people who have not previously encountered insulation are interested in whether it is possible to place insulation on internal walls? Of course, this is perfectly acceptable, and, if the procedure is performed correctly, the house will become much more comfortable and economical in terms of heating.

after the installation of the insulation, the walls of the building will no longer be heated, as a result of which there is a possibility of cracks;
condensation occurs under the insulation;
the usable area of the premises is reduced;
there is no way to insulate the ceiling, as a result of which a cold bridge remains.

Therefore, this method should be resorted to only in cases where it is really impossible to implement other insulation options. If, despite these disadvantages, you still decide to carry out insulation from the inside, you must strictly adhere to the technology, which we will discuss below, especially when it comes to wall insulation.

If you insulate an extension, for example, a veranda, you can increase the living space of the house. The only thing before the extension is insulated, you need to eliminate the gaps in the windows and doors.

Warming technology

materials

So, if you take this work independently, then the first question that will arise in front of you is the better to insulate the walls inside. The most common are the following materials:

mineral mats- are an environmentally friendly fireproof material with vapor permeability. The cost of mineral wool is 1500-5000 rubles per cubic meter, depending on the brand and manufacturer;
expanded polystyrene - has a small weight and costs a little cheaper - its price ranges from 1000-3000 per cubic meter. True, expanded polystyrene is more fire hazardous and does not "breathe", unlike mineral wool, however, with good ventilation, this drawback does not matter.

In a wooden house, it is better, of course, to use mineral wool. If the house is brick, you can also perform insulation with foam.

In addition to insulation, you will also need other materials:

wooden slats with a section of about 20x20 mm;
wooden bars or a profile for mounting drywall;
adjustable brackets;
vapor barrier film.

It makes sense to insulate the house not only if you will live in it in the winter. If you insulate the garden house from the inside, then in the summer it will become cooler and more comfortable for relaxation. This is especially true of the thermal insulation of the roof, which is heated during the day under the sun.

Floor insulation

It is necessary to carry out insulation from the inside of the house in a complex manner, i.e. in addition to the walls, the floor and ceiling should also be insulated. Therefore, first of all, I will tell you how to carry out this procedure with the floor.

If the floor is wooden, the instructions for warming it are simple:

first of all, you need to dismantle the floor and place bars with a section of about 15x15 mm near the lag;
then the base is laid on the bars. To do this, you can use thin boards, moreover, they do not have to be fixed to the bars;
further, the resulting shields should be covered with a waterproofing film, which must be laid directly on top of the log. At the joints of the canvases, it is necessary to provide an overlap of about 10 cm;

after that, a heater is laid on the film, which should fit snugly against the logs, leaving no gaps. I must say that not only polystyrene or glass wool can be used as a heater, but also bulk materials, for example, expanded clay, ecowool or even sawdust;
a waterproofing film is laid on top of the insulation. It also needs to be laid with an overlap, moreover, it is desirable to glue the joints with adhesive tape;
after that, you can lay boards on top of the log or other draft material.

Can also be used to insulate a wooden floor natural material- reeds. To perform insulation with reeds with your own hands, you need to stock up on them with the onset of the first frost. Dry the stems well before use.

If the floor is concrete, you can make a dry screed with your own hands. To do this, you must perform the following steps:

first of all, a waterproofing film is laid;
further, beacons are installed to level the dry surface. Special beacons are used aluminum profiles, which are stacked on lumps of cement. To install beacons, you must use a level so that they are located in the same horizontal plane;

a damper tape is laid around the perimeter of the room, which prevents floor squeaks and other unpleasant moments;
after that, expanded clay is poured into the space between the beacons and leveled with a rule or just a board along the beacons;
sheets of plywood, chipboard or drywall are laid on top of the expanded clay, on which the finishing floor covering is subsequently placed.

Another floor insulation technology is to pour the screed directly onto the mineral mats. This is done as follows:

the base is waterproofed with a film;
then mineral mats are laid;
then waterproofing spreads over the mats;
beacons are mounted on top of the waterproofing and a screed is poured. At the same time, it is desirable to use fiber for reinforcement, and not a metal mesh, so as not to damage the waterproofing film.

On our portal you can find more detailed information about how to install beacons and pour the screed.

Wall insulation

When performing insulation inside the house, special attention must be paid to the thermal insulation of the walls, since the effectiveness of this event largely depends on them. The wall insulation process is as follows:

first of all, it is necessary to fix the rails with a section of 20x20 mm on the wall. Most often, the slats are placed horizontally in increments of a meter and a half. To fasten the rails, you can use dowel-nails;
then a film is stretched over the rails. I note that it must be precisely stretched so that a ventilation gap forms between the wall and the insulation. The latter is necessary to remove condensate, which will necessarily form in winter time.
To fix the film, you can use a construction stapler;
further to the horizontal rails should be attached vertical racks, between which the insulation will be located. The hardest thing to this stage- install the racks correctly so that they are located strictly vertically and in the same plane. It depends on how smooth the walls will turn out.
The step of the racks is the width of the insulation. Moreover, the latter should go in tightly so that it does not need to be additionally fixed;

after mounting the frame, you need to fill the space between the racks with insulation from the floor to the ceiling;
after filling the frame with insulation, another layer of vapor barrier film should be fixed on it;

at the end of the work, a finishing material is attached to the frame. If you are insulating a suburban wooden house, you can sheathe the walls. If you want to stick wallpaper or use other finishing materials, you should use drywall.

If the house is built of CBB, aerated concrete or other material that does not hold ordinary dowel-nails, special butterfly dowels or chemical fasteners should be used.

Here, in fact, are all the nuances of thermal insulation of walls. However, the insulation of the house has not yet been completed.

Attic insulation

Finally, I will tell you how to properly insulate the attic. This procedure resembles floor insulation, however, there are some nuances.

I must say that the insulation of the ceiling can be implemented both from the inside with your own hands, and from the side of the attic. From the inside, the work is done as follows:

you need to start work with attaching a vapor barrier film to the floor beams and attic flooring;
then a heater is laid in the space between the beams and fixed with slats;
from below, another layer of vapor barrier is attached to the beams using a construction stapler;
at the end of the work, the ceiling is hemmed with drywall or other material.

By the same principle, attic insulation is carried out.

I must say that it is very difficult to insulate the ceiling from the inside alone with your own hands. Therefore, to perform this operation, it is better to call an assistant.

Attic insulation from the outside is carried out in the same way as floor insulation. In particular, it is possible to use bulk thermal insulation materials, which are mentioned above.

The heat insulator can also be placed between the floor beams if the house is two-story. This will provide sound insulation.

Here, in fact, are all the main nuances regarding the insulation of the house from the inside. Finally, I note that in order to achieve maximum effect from insulation, attention should be paid to windows and doors. In case of poor sealing, it will leave through the cracks a large number of heat, which can be seen if you look at the house through a thermal imager.

Conclusion

Warming the house from the inside, although it contains a number of disadvantages, nevertheless, allows you to make housing much more comfortable and economical. Moreover, if you do the work yourself, which, as we found out, is completely simple, then this will not entail large financial costs. The only thing, as mentioned above, is to adhere to the technology and perform thermal insulation carefully, without leaving cold bridges.

For more information, see the video in this article. If some points are not completely clear to you or you encounter difficulties in the process of warming your home, leave questions in the comments, and I will be happy to answer you.

September 7, 2016

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If you have to pay round sums for heating or the apartment is cold and damp, then there is a clear problem that the heat does not linger inside. The most logical thing would be to insulate the wall in the apartment from the inside, and for a simple layman, this is associated with complex installation work. However, it is not always necessary to use any special tools.

Pros and cons of insulating an apartment from the inside

Professional builders do not get tired of arguing about how to insulate the walls in the apartment. Some of them argue that insulating from the inside is a waste of money, while others claim that thermal insulation material brings good results. However, both agree that wall insulation from the outside is much more effective than from the inside.

But how to insulate a wall in an apartment for those who live in high-rise buildings, where thin walls freeze through in winter? After all, it is often simply impossible to insulate such a house from the outside. In addition, it is impossible to insulate houses in the historical center, when the apartment is close to the elevator shaft, and many more reasons are contraindications to this type of insulation. Therefore, there is only one option, the pros and cons of which have long been known.

The disadvantages of insulation inside most often include:

on average, the area of \u200b\u200bthe apartment is reduced by 0.5–2 square meters;
at the time of work it is necessary to completely vacate the premises;
it is necessary to provide many additional measures: ventilation, heat insulator protection, etc.;
the formation of fungus or mold.

The advantages of this type of insulation are:

low cost;
the ability to work at any time of the year;
accessibility (you can install it yourself).

The good news is that if the insulation is carried out in compliance with all the rules, then most of the stated disadvantages can be avoided.

How to avoid damage to interior finishes?

Before you start dealing with the consequences of improper insulation, you should understand the causes of the problems.

At a certain temperature, water vapor condenses from the air. This temperature is called the "construction dew point", at which condensation occurs on cool surfaces i.e. water droplets.

According to the norms, the air temperature in residential premises should be at least 22 and not more than 27 degrees Celsius. In this case, the dew point is 10.7 degrees Celsius. Simply put, if you insulate the walls and they reach the dew point, condensation will definitely appear. Where exactly it will be depends on many factors. For example, if it is cold outside, it will move further away from the facade.

Condensation negates the effect of insulation, moreover, mold appears on the walls. So, task number one is dry walls. To achieve this is quite realistic, the main thing is to follow a few rules:

for warming choose the highest quality materials, when connecting the vapor barrier film, seal the joints;
pay attention to the vapor permeability of the insulation, the lower it is, the better. If the vapor permeability of the wall is higher than that of the heat insulator, then the steam will go outside;
when gluing the insulation, it should not lag behind the wall. To do this, it is best to use a comb;
put valves on the windows to reduce the humidity in the room;
calculate the thickness of the insulating layer, taking into account the characteristics of the climatic zone. The insulation should not be thinner than this value;
before warming treat the walls with a special compound which prevents mold and mildew. Start warming after the walls are dry.

It is worth considering that where the floors are connected to bearing walls, insulation can not be carried out. A heat insulator is applied to these places with the help of a vapor barrier, then they are masked with the help of false columns, etc.

How to choose a heater?

Every year more and more new building materials. Some of them are suitable for warming apartments, but there are three proven heaters, the pros and cons of which are well studied:

mineral wool;
expanded polystyrene;
polyurethane foam.

Many of us have heard that it is possible to insulate an apartment from the inside with mineral wool. No wonder, after all this material is quite easy to work with: enough to lay it inside drywall construction. Most often, the work is done quickly, the material is chosen the cheapest, the vapor barrier is neglected. The result is the same: it does more harm than good. Ordinary mineral wool in rolls has a very low coefficient of thermal resistance.

The positive thing is that she seems to "breathe". On the other hand, moisture penetrates through the wool fibers to the dew point, and then it is absorbed into the material. Of course, there are more expensive and quality options, but if you insulate with ordinary cheap mineral wool, then it does not guarantee dryness.

To reduce the risk of moisture ingress, don't skimp on insulation and glue with the highest quality glue. If smudges appear on the walls, or, even more so, a fungus, then all the insulation work will have to be redone.

Styrofoam

Expanded polystyrene is considered one of the best insulation for walls from the inside. It is increasingly used both in Russia and abroad. This material has all the necessary properties to displace mineral wool and become the most popular insulation of all.

Expanded polystyrene does not conduct heat well and does not absorb moisture, while it has low vapor permeability. It easily copes with loads, can survive strong compressions and tears, while being very light and pliable: it can even be cut with a knife. Therefore, the installation of insulation will not be a problem.

Respectively, a thin layer of expanded polystyrene will solve the problem with insulation and will not allow moisture to reach the dew point. The only negative is that it does not protect against noise and is destroyed at temperatures above 80 degrees Celsius. The latter, as a rule, is irrelevant for the weather conditions in Russia.

polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is the latest material that is designed to quickly and efficiently solve the problem of wall insulation from the inside. Moisture cannot penetrate the material, so it does not get wet. Moreover, it does not need to be glued, it is enough to spray on the wall. Thanks to this, seams and joints are not formed, even a room with curved corners will look perfect.

Of course, the material has its downsides. Most often, the first thing consumers pay attention to is the price. Polyurethane foam - rather expensive heater Moreover, installation work is also expensive. In addition, if it catches fire, it will smoke heavily and release various toxic substances. When exposed to UV, it quickly decomposes into products that can cause great harm to health in a few years.

Self-insulation of the wall from the inside

Since expanded polystyrene is available and quality material, it will be used as an example. Before you start insulating the walls, you need to prepare their surfaces. Depending on whether the walls are covered with something or not, you need to carry out a few simple steps.

If the walls are already pasted over, painted or covered finishing materials, then it follows:

remove wallpaper or paint;
primed;
wait until the primer dries;
putty;
let the putty dry.

If the walls are not covered with anything, then:

primed;
level the wall with plaster;
putty;
let the putty dry.

It is possible to insulate the walls only after the putty is completely dry. It usually takes from 2 to 6 hours, the exact time is indicated on the package. Then you should knead the glue, there is always an instruction on the mixture. Then take a notched trowel and apply glue to the styrofoam, make sure the layer is even. Install the insulation in the desired position and check that there are no air pockets. Sealant is applied to the ends. Then, when all the sheets are ready, the glue should harden.

Now start applying the finish coat:

apply a thin layer of construction mixture with a thickness of approximately 2-5mm;
until the mixture has solidified attach reinforcing mesh; it should sink into the mixture, you can use a notched trowel. The mesh will protect the plastered walls from cracks;
apply the solution and level the surface with a spatula;
sand the wall every other day so that there are no bumps. There will be a lot of dust, you should take care of respiratory protection.

When installing, try to glue the sheets so as to avoid gaps. This will prevent moisture from penetrating the wall and prevent condensation from forming. If the gaps still remain, use the mounting film to blow them out.

After completing the work, do not forget to regularly ventilate the room. Warming may lead to poor ventilation conditions. which will be harmful to health. To maintain a healthy microclimate, ventilate the rooms daily. Such care will certainly give its results and the room will remain dry and warm.

How to competently solve the issue of insulation of a building, house or cottage after the completion of the main construction work? Any experienced builder will unequivocally answer: not only external insulation is necessary, especially if the building is made of brick and other materials that conduct heat well.

Causes of moisture

In the winter season, with the onset of frost, the walls of our houses freeze through. In a correctly calculated wall thickness, the transition point from sub-zero temperature to positive, it is called the dew point, it is located inside the wall and condensation does not occur. That is why they used to build houses with stone walls no less than 80 cm thick. Today, with the use the latest technologies construction and innovative materials, it has become possible to build houses with thinner walls, but such buildings require the installation of additional heat-insulating structures.

The question arises: from the outside or inside conduct insulation?

Question exterior finish disappears in the case when the house is made of timber and does not require external finishing. If the house is made of stone, then it will be more competent to make insulation from the facade, but this does not exclude the carrying out of internal work.

There is the only exception - the internal insulation of the walls of an apartment in a multi-storey residential building, where the use of any type of thermal insulation material will not give tangible results.

How to insulate your home

If you decide to abandon facade insulation, then how to insulate the house from the inside to avoid condensation? After all, it is he who leads to the appearance of fungal formations, the destruction of thermal insulation materials. Each owner needs the entire thermal insulation internal structure to work efficiently and functionally. There are several widely used home insulation technologies.

Insulation of a log house or log house has its own characteristics. The thermal conductivity of wood is, of course, lower compared to stone, and wood retains heat well, however, when walls are insulated from the inside, moisture can form between the inner surface of the wall and the surface of the insulation. To avoid this, an air gap is made to blow wood and insulation. Technically, the problem is solved using a frame crate made of wood with a frame width equal to the width of the insulation boards. The crate is mounted at a distance of several centimeters from the wall to provide a ventilation effect.

From the side of the wall, a windproof membrane is pulled onto the frame, which performs a dual function: it protects the air gap from overlapping with the fibers of the heat insulator and limits excess air movement inside the insulation. In this case, it is more expedient to insulate the walls from the inside with natural environmentally friendly materials. Exists wide choose mineral wool insulation, the most famous manufacturers in Russia are URSA, ISOVER, ROCKWOOL, KNAUF and others. From the side of the room, the insulation is hermetically covered with a material that provides protection against the penetration of steam into the inner layers of the heat insulator.

The technology for insulating concrete or stone walls is similar to the previous design, but in this case it is necessary to provide for a larger number of technological openings for air to enter. Much more condensate will appear than in the first case, and the air gap must be wide enough for intensive ventilation. In fact, it is necessary to build an additional internal wall.

When conducting thermal insulation works indoors, it must be understood that natural physical processes will affect the entire structure. This work requires a competent professional solution.

As a result, several main conclusions can be drawn:

When installing thermal insulation on the inside of the walls of the house, the dew point inevitably moves to the inner surface of the wall. This will happen even if correct calculations thickness of the heat insulator. As a result, the service life of the entire thermal insulation structure is reduced.
The thermal insulation structure must necessarily include a vapor barrier membrane. As a result, it is necessary to solve the issue of normalizing the humidity in the room (increase in the cost of heating and ventilation systems).
Insulation inside the room reduces the volume of rooms.
Since the entire structure is installed inside the house, the issue of human safety becomes the most important. It is important to understand which of the heaters best meets this requirement. Materials from natural raw materials are the most the best choice. Soft slabs or mineral wool rolls, which have high heat-shielding and sound-proofing properties, are well suited. All materials with good vapor permeability and ability to absorb moisture will lose their functional properties over time.
The use of expanded polystyrene or polystyrene, as materials that practically do not absorb moisture, is more beneficial. In this case, it is necessary to consider the hermetic fit of the plates to each other. The main disadvantage of this option is a completely synthetic material, and they will have to breathe.
Today there is a lot of talk about polyurethane foam, which hardens when applied to the surface, and, of course, gives a strong adhesion to the inner surface of the wall. Condensation does not form, but for the work it is necessary to construct technological formwork. This process is quite long, while the wall does not breathe.

There are many wall heaters, there are plenty to choose from, but the decision must be made correctly. People will live, work and breathe in this house.

Video tutorial on interior insulation

You can insulate the house from the inside yourself. To do this, it is better to familiarize yourself with the video material:

September 7, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works(laying the foundation, erecting walls, constructing the roof, etc.). Internal construction works (laying of internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communication, high tech, computer technology, programming.

I know various ways do-it-yourself home energy efficiency improvement. However, their use in a city apartment is limited by the design features of a panel skyscraper and the lack of equipment for high-altitude work. Therefore, most often it is necessary to insulate the room from the inside.

Today I will tell you what kind of wall insulation are from the inside, how they are correctly installed and the final interior decoration.

Advantages and disadvantages of internal insulation

The greatest scope for engineers and insulation specialists opens up when it is necessary to insulate a private house. There you can mount heat-insulating material indoors, on the facades of the building and even build multilayer walls with insulation inside.

As for a city apartment, and especially one located on a high floor, the choice of solutions is limited here. You will have to fix the insulation for the walls inside the room or use expensive high-rise equipment. The latter option for self-implementation is unacceptable, so most resort to the first.

I want to note a few more disadvantages of internal insulation, because of which experts resort to it not very willingly:

With the internal placement of thermal insulation material, the dew point shifts, and moisture can condense under the insulation (between the enclosing and additional wall), causing the appearance of fungus. In addition, due to constant wetting, the building envelope will collapse faster.

The warming layer inside the room does not allow the wall to warm up, having accumulated thermal energy. As a result, thermal inertia decreases, that is, the microclimate inside the room will depend more on the air temperature outside.
The heat-insulating layer has a multilayer structure, and for effective work it is necessary to use a heater with a thickness of at least 10 cm. Therefore, an insulating cake reduces the already not very large usable area in an urban dwelling.
Technology for installing insulation on internal surfaces walls does not allow high-quality joining of the plates on the walls and floors, therefore, cold bridges often appear in these places, reducing the effectiveness of thermal insulation.
Some types of heat-insulating materials release chemical compounds dangerous to humans into the air, which accumulate in a residential area.

However, internal insulation has its advantages:

use climbing equipment, aerial platforms or scaffolding don't have to;
work on thermal insulation can be done at any time of the year, regardless of the air temperature outside;
insulation measures can be combined with the process decorative finishes apartments, which will save a certain amount of money.

To make the most of the pros and minimize the cons, you need to choose the right heat-insulating material for the job. Therefore, in the next section I will talk about the types of insulation for walls from the inside.

The choice of insulation

Before you define the best insulation, list possible options, which can be used for thermal insulation of the apartment:

Mineral wool. An effective and environmentally friendly insulation, which is often used in private construction.
Polyurethane foam. Sprayed polymer foam, which, covering the walls of the apartment, forms a homogeneous waterproof heat-insulating layer that well protects the room from heat loss.
Heat insulating paint. Minus - a very high price.
Styrofoam. Sheet cellular insulation, which has excellent specifications from the point of view of application for internal insulation of an apartment, but at the same time it is very cheap.

In my opinion, the best choice would be expanded polystyrene, or, as it is popularly called, polystyrene (although this is not very correct). In addition to the low price, which I have already mentioned, this thermal insulation material has several additional advantages, which I will describe in the table below.

Characteristic	Description
Good heat keeping properties	The material has a very low thermal conductivity, so for effective thermal insulation a city apartment is enough to use sheets with a thickness of 5, maximum - 10 cm.
hydrophobicity	Insulation from hermetic polystyrene cells practically does not absorb water, therefore, during installation and operation, it does not need additional waterproofing.
light weight	Thermal insulation does not exert a large load on the enclosing structures of the house.
Antiseptic	The material has antiseptic properties; mold, fungi and other microorganisms do not develop on its surface and inside.
Durability	If the operating conditions are observed, the insulation retains its properties for at least 30 years.
Ease of installation	Expanded polystyrene is easily mounted on insulated surfaces without the use of complex engineering equipment.

Of course, sheet building polystyrene foam is not without drawbacks, but they are fully justified by the affordable cost.

So, as we found out, polystyrene-based foam (marked PS) by the non-press method (marked B) is best suited for work. To increase fire safety, it is necessary to purchase a heater with fire retardants added to the raw mass (marked C).

As for density, a material with a density of 25 kg per cubic meter is suitable for thermal insulation of walls inside the room, since after installation it will not experience external mechanical loads.

In the photo - wall insulation with fire properties with a density of 25 kg per cubic meter.

I'll sum it up. For internal wall insulation, PSB-S-25 expanded polystyrene should be used. The manufacturer of the material is absolutely not important.

all granules of the material are approximately the same size;
length, width, and most importantly - thickness, individual sheets of polystyrene foam must match;
the foam should not emit unusual odors that indicate a violation of the production process;
the packaging of the material must be marked, and together with the expanded polystyrene, the seller is obliged to provide the necessary technical documentation.

Tools and materials

In addition to polystyrene foam, the following additional materials are needed:

Primer for concrete with antiseptic properties.
Glue for foam.
Plastic dowels with wide caps.
Polyurethane foam adhesive.
Fiberglass alkali-resistant mesh.
Reinforcing corners.

From the tools you will need a puncher (since you will have to drill a large number of holes in a concrete wall) and graters for working with cement-based adhesive (needed with smooth and jagged edges). And, of course, a standard set of locksmith tools - a hammer, wire cutters, scissors and so on.

Warming technology

How to insulate walls from the inside with foam? The instruction, which is set out below, consists of several sequential steps, which are shown in the diagram:

Step 1 - Preparing the Walls

I always start by preparing the insulated surfaces for work:

I install the necessary engineering communications. Most often we are talking about the air ducts of air conditioners and electrical wiring. Less often - about water supply and sewerage:
- Air channels connecting the inner and outdoor units split systems, must be laid in pre-made strobes, insulated with polyethylene foam shells, and then puttied flush with the main wall.
- Electrical wiring should also be laid inside the strobe. There is another option - to fix the wires on the wall surface in polymeric fireproof channels, and then make recesses in the foam plastic, where the wires will hide.
- Water pipes with detachable connections must not be hidden in an insulating layer and concrete walls, as they may leak. Need to use only plastic products connected by gluing or soldering.
- Sewer pipes should generally be laid only in an open way.

Eliminate defects in reinforced concrete walls. They must be sealed before gluing the foam:
- Small cracks should be filed with a grinder and a diamond wheel, and then repaired mounting foam. After hardening, cut off the excess composition with a knife flush with the wall.
- Large defects should be repaired cement mortar. If a piece of reinforcement is visible inside the recess, it must be cleaned sandpaper from traces of corrosion, after which it is good to coat with a rust converter.

I clean the wall from the remnants of the solution, debris and dust. Be sure to use a puncher or a hammer with a chisel to eliminate the influx of the mounting solution, which can interfere with the alignment of the expanded polystyrene plates. Dust can be removed with a brush.

I prime concrete walls. It is better to do this in two layers:
- Dilute the primer clean water in a ratio of 1 to 1 and treat all insulated walls with it. If the volume of work is large, it is better to use a sprayer.
- The second layer is applied after the first has partially dried. In this case, the primer does not need to be diluted, and for application it is better to use a maklovitsa, with which you carefully rub the primer liquid into the walls.

I do wall markings. It is necessary to mark the horizontal and stretch the guidelines along which the polystyrene foam will be glued:
- At a height of about 52 cm from the floor (50 cm - the width of the expanded polystyrene sheet), it is necessary to make a notch, after which, through this mark, using a water or laser level draw a strictly horizontal line along which the first row of plates will be glued.
- Drill a hole near the ceiling near the corner of the room, where to drive a metal bar. After that, at a distance of 11-12 cm from the wall, tie a rope to it, on which to hang a weight. It hangs strictly vertically.
- Install a similar rod near the floor, and then tie a rope to it so that it continues to hang vertically.
- Repeat the operation at the opposite corner of the wall.
- Stretch a horizontal rope between two vertical ropes. It will serve as a guide for leveling the plates. It can be moved up and down along the guides installed in the corners.

Step 2 - Installation of insulation

Installation of thermal insulation sheets is carried out in the following sequence:

I'm preparing the adhesive. For this, a pre-purchased dry mix is used. Mixing solution:
- A strictly defined amount of water is poured into a clean bucket or trough (indicated on the package with glue), where dry powder is added.
- The mixture is mixed with a low-speed drill and a mixer attachment.
- After mixing, the solution should stand for about 5 minutes to start chemical reaction between additives and plasticizers that make up the adhesive.
- After the pause has elapsed, the finished glue is mixed again.

If necessary, I cut sheets of polystyrene foam. The beauty of this material is that you do not need to use complex or expensive equipment to process it:
- The necessary parts are separated from the pieces of insulation with a hacksaw or sharp stationery.
- For cutting, you can also use a special nichrome wire, which heats up with electric current. Thus, it is possible to cut polystyrene foam not only across, but also along.
- After trimming, the edges must be processed with a foam plastic grater (with holes) or coarse sandpaper.

I smear a sheet of polystyrene with glue. This should be done immediately before installation on the wall, but in this paragraph I will talk about the general rules:
- First, it is necessary to form a roller from the glue along the edges of the slab with a thickness of about 2 cm. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the cement composition does not fall on the end of the polystyrene foam (where the tile joint will be).
- Then you need to put 2-3 lumps of glue in the middle of the sheet, which will hold the plate on the wall.
- Carry out test bonding. Attach the plate to the wall, press down, and then tear off. The distributed adhesive must cover at least 40-60% of the expanded polystyrene board (the exact figure is indicated in the thermal insulation documentation).

I glue sheets of polystyrene foam. Work begins with the bottom row, which is mounted strictly along the drawn line and continues from top to bottom:
- Insulation boards at internal and external corners are installed using the gearing method. This means that the slab of the top row should hang over the slab of the bottom row and so alternately up to the very top.
- The vertical seams of the bottom row should not coincide with the seams of the top. They should be offset relative to each other by at least 15 cm.
- Vertical seams should not be a continuation of the window and door opening. In the corners, specially cut L-shaped parts should be installed.
- It is better to start gluing the second and subsequent layers after the first row of foam boards in the room is glued, and the glue has hardened for at least a day.

I seal the seams between the foam sheets. This is done with polyurethane glue. This operation eliminates the appearance of cold bridges in the insulating layer, which worsen the heat-preserving properties of the walls. The operation is carried out taking into account the following features:
- Seams with a thickness of 1 mm or more are subject to sealing.
- If the gap between the plates is large, you first need to insert a small piece of polystyrene foam there, and only then fill everything with polyurethane foam.
- The foam dispenser should be positioned so that it fills the gap throughout the thickness, and not just on top.
- After hardening, the protruding parts of the adhesive are cut flush with the insulating layer using a clerical knife.

I fix the polystyrene foam with dowels with hats. I used a dowel with a plastic driven core, which has a lower thermal conductivity:
- A ruler is installed on the puncher so that after passing through the foam and glue, the drill is deepened into reinforced concrete wall to a depth of 6 cm.
- Holes are drilled through the foam. Considering that the insulation will not experience wind loads (as on the facade of a building), to securely hold the thermal insulation, it is enough to use 2-3 dowels per sheet of expanded polystyrene.
- After making a hole, a dowel is inserted into it, and then the core is clogged in such a way that the hat is slightly recessed into the polystyrene foam, without rising above the surface.

Step 3 - Reinforcement

Finishing expanded polystyrene with a reinforcing mixture is carried out as follows:

Window and door blocks are made out. For this, special parts are used that are glued to the window trim or door block. The scheme of work is as follows:
- The surface of a window or door block cleaned of debris, dust and adhesive residue, if it somehow ended up there.
- door frame or window block degreased with any alcohol-containing solution.
- Reinforcing corners are cut to desired length at an angle of 45 degrees so that you can dock them with each other.

A strip of protective paper is removed from the adhesive layer, after which the reinforcing corner is glued to the door or horse block.
After that, a small layer of glue is applied to the slope of the window or door, a mesh is applied to it, connected to the corner, which is then embedded in the glue with a trowel to work with the plaster solution.
Are issued outside corners window and door opening. For this, perforated corners with a grid installed on both sides are suitable. They also need to be pressed into the pre-applied glue and smoothed out with a trowel.

At the corners of windows and doorways kerchiefs are glued to the walls - pieces of a grid measuring 20 by 40 cm at an angle of 45 degrees to the horizontal.

I carry out continuous reinforcement of the surface of the walls with fiberglass:
- Glue is applied to the surface of the foam, after which it is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the wall from ceiling to floor using a notched trowel. You need to cover the wall with glue to the width of one roll of fiberglass.
- After the glue is distributed, the fiberglass mesh is pressed against the wall surface and embedded into the reinforcing mixture with a plaster trowel.
- A small amount of glue is additionally applied on top, which is distributed over the surface of the insulation so that the mesh is completely hidden by the solution.
- Adjacent mesh sheets are mounted overlapping each other at a distance of 10 cm.
- In inside corners In the room, the grid must be positioned so that it runs onto another wall at a distance of 10 cm. When smoothing it, it is necessary to work only with the blunt end of the grater, making outward movements so as not to tear the grid.

I leave the wall to dry. It is necessary to dry not until full strength is gained, but only by 75%, so that the surface can be cleaned (more on this in the next section). If the room temperature is too high, I recommend slightly dampening the surface to ensure proper dehydration of the solution.

Step 4 - Decorative trim

Now you can move on to the next step:

I clean the surface of the wall with a grater. In no case should this be done with sandpaper, as you can tear the mesh installed on the polystyrene foam. You can act only with the end of the plaster grater, cleaning off the influx of the solution.

I measure the wall with a rule to detect and eliminate irregularities. Problem areas must first be marked with a pencil, and then additionally sealed with a reinforcing compound.
I putty the surface with a starting putty. After the reinforcing layer has completely dried (the exact time required for this is indicated on the package with glue), it should be puttied with a starting putty in order to eliminate minor defects in the base.

I level the wall with finishing putty. This composition will eliminate the slightest irregularities in the base and prepare the walls for further painting or wallpapering. After the putty has hardened, you need to clean the walls.
I prime the walls. Priming at this stage will reduce the absorbency of the surfaces and improve adhesion to the paint or wallpaper paste.

After that, you can carry out the final decorative finish.

Summary

Now you know how to use expanded polystyrene to increase the energy efficiency of your own apartment. By the way, this material is quite versatile, so you can use it to insulate the attic from the inside with your own hands. You can learn more about this technology in the video in this article.

You can leave your opinion about the information presented in the material in the comments.

September 7, 2016

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