Instructions for insulating walls from the inside. We insulate the wall of an apartment from the inside with our own hands How to insulate a concrete wall in an apartment from the inside

Insulating an apartment is troublesome, but very useful procedure, which allows you to improve the microclimate in your home, create comfort and coziness. The need for this measure arises if the heating networks do not cope with their task, or when the configuration of the room contributes to an increase in heat loss. For example, corner apartments that have an additional window, but in return receive a cold corner that constantly gets wet or becomes covered with a crust of ice. The recommended SNiP increase in temperature by 2° or an increase in the number of sections in heating radiators does not give the desired effect, requiring more effective methods. Let's figure out together how to insulate a wall in a corner apartment from the inside and what needs to be done for this.

What does "corner apartment" mean?

Corner apartments are located in the end areas of residential buildings. One or two rooms in such apartments have two adjacent walls bordering the street. The layout of such apartments is no different from the configuration of all the others in the house, only an additional window and a heating radiator appear, and such an addition is not found in all corner rooms. To compensate for heat loss through the enclosing structures resulting from an increase in the area of ​​external walls, an increase in internal temperature by 2° is provided, which is ensured by increasing the standard number of radiator battery sections. In practice, this is achieved either by having a battery installed under an additional window in the room, or by installing a radiator bigger size(number of sections).

These measures rarely have the intended effect, since they are designed to solve the problems of a conventional premises and do not take into account many of the influencing factors that exist in reality:

• The outer wall is located on the windward side of the house;
• Deterioration of heating networks, non-compliance of heating mode with regulatory requirements;
• Errors and shortcomings made during the construction of a house.

These factors are often present all together, significantly changing the temperature in the apartment for the worse. The cold surface of the walls begins to get wet due to the active formation of condensation, and the apartment becomes cold and uncomfortable. Such situations occur quite often and require appropriate measures to be taken.

Wall freezing is a common occurrence in corner apartments

Methods for insulating an apartment

Insulation consists of installing a special material - a heat insulator - on the external walls. There are two methods of insulation:

1. External (external). Experts unanimously believe that this method is the only correct one. The heat insulator is installed on the outside of the walls, which are separated from contact with outside cold air. As a result, the heating circuit of the room begins to operate in nominal mode, the surface temperature of the enclosing structures returns to normal, and the formation of condensation stops.
2. Internal. A forced option used when it is impossible to provide external insulation. The insulator is installed with inside walls The volume of the room decreases (slightly), and it becomes necessary to install a durable protective layer on top of the heat insulator. The main disadvantage of this method is the exclusion of walls from the thermal contour of the room. From now on, they perform only the functions of an external mechanical barrier, without participating in the heat conservation of the apartment.

External insulation has a lot of advantages:

• The work is carried out outside without creating any inconvenience for living.
• The surface of the walls remains intact, the interior of the room does not change, there is no need for cladding or finishing.
• The microclimate of the room improves, a feeling of coziness and comfort appears.

The disadvantage of external insulation is the difficulty of carrying out work outside, the reasons for which may be:

• The apartment is located on one of the top floors;
• The facade of the building has architectural value, as a result of which the installation of any materials is excluded;
• There are any technical or decorative objects installed on the wall;
• The building is located close to other buildings or structures;
• Work can only be carried out during the warm season.

Internal insulation is almost completely devoid of these shortcomings; no permit is required to carry out the work; work can be done at any time of the year. And, nevertheless, experts prefer external insulation. The reason for this is the presence of water vapor in the internal air of the apartment. It is gradually absorbed into the outer walls, passes through them and evaporates from the outside. This process occurs constantly in any living space. Installing an insulator from the outside does not stop it, you just need to properly organize the progress of the work. With internal insulation, water vapor is trapped inside the apartment, which has a sharply negative effect on the microclimate. Appear high humidity, feeling of stuffiness, lack of comfort.

It is important! The solution to the problem is to install a high-quality ventilation system that removes internal air saturated with water vapor.

The choice of internal insulation is usually due to the inability to work outside. Exterior work requires a permit, which is not easy to obtain. In addition, to install the heat insulator you will have to involve industrial climbers, which will be quite expensive.

External thermal insulation more preferable, but associated with higher costs

Therefore, most apartment owners choose a more affordable and simpler option - internal insulation. The method allows you to get a positive result; it is only important to correctly understand the physical essence of the process and organize it in the right way.

Types of insulation

There are many insulation materials available on the market. Let's consider the most popular insulation materials in detail.

Mineral wool

One of the most good options is stone (basalt) wool. Usually, when we talk about mineral wool, we mean stone wool, although the term refers to a wide group of materials, which include slag wool, glass wool and other types of similar insulators. Basalt wool is more convenient to use and has a good set of operational and technical characteristics. It doesn't burn, it doesn't emit harmful substances and is not subject to rotting. Available in different forms - from roll to more rigid slab. The disadvantage of mineral wool is its ability to absorb water, which makes installation somewhat difficult and requires additional operations.

Mineral wool slabs are one of the popular insulation materials for walls and other surfaces.

Styrofoam

This insulation is a confident leader among all other types in popularity. The reason for this is the low price of the material, light weight, ease of installation and processing. The material is resistant to water, has stable dimensions and plate geometry, and is impenetrable to water vapor. For internal insulation, this is the most preferable option, budget-friendly and not time-consuming.

Polyfoam is suitable for both internal and external insulation

Penoplex

From a chemical point of view, this material is a complete analogue of polystyrene foam - both of them are variants of expanded polystyrene. But unlike polystyrene foam, which is polystyrene foam granules joined together during heat treatment, penoplex (extruded polystyrene foam) is a monolithic material, hardened foam. It is stronger and heavier than polystyrene foam and has a higher price.

Penoplex does not crumble during processing and is completely resistant to moisture or water vapor.

Polyurethane foam

A specific heat insulator, sold in liquid form and applied by spraying onto the surface to be treated. In air, the material foams and hardens, resulting in a sealed layer resembling polyurethane foam. Polyurethane foam is ideal for insulating walls with complex geometry, the presence of small defects or protruding parts. The price of the material is quite high, and special equipment is used for application. These factors somewhat limit the use, although the performance qualities of the insulator are very high. It is completely impervious to moisture, sealed and perfectly covers the surface without cracks or gaps.

Wall insulation with sprayed polyurethane foam

There are other materials that can be used for internal insulation. It is impractical to list them all, since they are noticeably inferior to the named types in terms of operational and technical characteristics or are expensive.

It is important! When choosing a material, it is necessary to take into account an important parameter - vapor permeability. For internal insulation, it is important to properly cut off the wall from any contact with internal air, otherwise it will begin to get wet. If a non-vapor-permeable material is used, install it tightly enough and without gaps on the surface.

Permeable types of heat insulators require the installation of a vapor barrier film, which increases the number of installation operations and requires additional costs. Permeable types of insulation include mineral wool and polystyrene foam; penoplex or polyurethane foam are impermeable to steam or water.

Carrying out work

The insulation process consists of installing a dense layer of heat insulation on the entire surface of the external walls. A feature of insulation is the need to install protective and decorative sheathing on top of the insulation, which requires the creation of a supporting structure - sheathing. It consists of a series of planks forming vertical plane, located at a distance from the wall equal to the thickness of the heat insulator. It fits tightly between the sheathing strips, forming a continuous layer with no gaps or gaps.

Insulation of corner apartments requires the installation of thermal insulation on two adjacent walls, which increases the consumption of sheathing, insulation and vapor barrier. In addition, the total amount of work increases. It will be necessary to efficiently and hermetically insulate the junction of the two walls.

Procedure:

1. Surface preparation. All foreign objects, hanging lamps, brackets, flower beds, etc. are removed from the wall.
2. The walls are marked and the attachment points for the sheathing strips are determined. The markings should take into account the width of the insulation and the sheathing strips, so that the heat insulator does not have to be adjusted later.
3. Installation of sheathing. Are used wooden blocks or metal guides for drywall. Installation of metal elements is more convenient and allows you to obtain an exact distance from the wall corresponding to the thickness of the insulation. At the same time, metal parts are capable of creating so-called cold bridges, forming pockets of condensation. Wooden planks do not form cold bridges, but require great precision in installation.
4. Installation of vapor barrier. This item is only necessary when using mineral wool. The vapor barrier is an ordinary polyethylene film (you can take a standard sleeve). Installation is carried out in horizontal stripes. The first row is from below, the next one overlaps at least 10 cm above it - and so on until the wall area is completely covered. The joints of the film must be taped with construction tape. Installation is carried out on top of the sheathing strips, the film is crumpled around them and fits tightly to the wall.
5. Installation of heat insulator. Plates (or cut pieces) of material are tightly inserted between the sheathing strips. You should keep a can of polyurethane foam on hand to immediately fill cracks or gaps if they appear. Some experts recommend covering polyurethane foam all edges of the insulation to seal even the smallest cracks.
6. A second layer of waterproofing is installed on top of the heat insulator. For impermeable materials, a polyethylene film is suitable, but for mineral wool it is better to use a vapor-waterproofing membrane. It has the ability to pass water vapor in one direction. When installing, you must carefully ensure that the material allows steam to escape from inside the resulting cocoon. This will ensure that the insulator dries out if water gets into it in any way.
7. After this, a layer of protection is attached to the surface of the sheathing planks. Actually, the sheathing is installed precisely so that there is supporting structure for installation of sheathing. Commonly used sheet materials- plywood, plasterboard or similar. Some owners prefer lining or Wall panels. The choice is determined by the capabilities and preferences of the owner.

Stage of installation of waterproofing for internal wall insulation

One option for installing a protective layer is to apply plaster. The work involves the use of wet solutions and requires some time to dry, but the result is quite decent, masking the work done in the best possible way. If you plan to use plaster, you can do without lathing. The insulation is tightly installed on the wall using an adhesive composition, after which a fiberglass reinforcement mesh is attached to the surface and a layer of plaster is applied. This option is best used if penoplex is used as insulation. The ability to avoid installing sheathing allows you to use fairly thin insulation while maintaining the volume of the room. Work in the area of ​​radiators and risers of the heating system is simplified, it becomes easier insulation window opening.

Application warm plaster- one of effective ways reducing heat loss

After installing the casing, finishing. All work is carried out indoors, so it does not depend on the time of year or the weather outside. No permits are required for internal insulation; these actions do not constitute redevelopment or even reconstruction of residential premises.

Insulating a room in a panel house

In panel houses, the main problem areas are interpanel joints. Insulation will not be effective enough if the joint is not first sealed, which requires opening it as much as possible along the entire length of the wall. Typically, slab joints are sealed with tow, plaster or plaster. The gap must be opened as much as possible using a spatula or narrow chisel. Remove old tow, filler or other material. Then you need to inspect the resulting gap and determine its depth. The best option The joint will be filled with polyurethane foam. This is not difficult, is done quickly enough and allows you to effectively seal the joint.

It is important! After the foam has hardened, the parts protruding from the crack are carefully cut with a knife to form an even angle. Further work is carried out in accordance with general technology insulation.

Insulating a room in a brick house

The brickwork is well tied at the corner joints and has no gaps with access to the outside. This allows you to carry out work without preliminary insulation of the connection of planes. In this case, the properties of the material require hydrophobization before installing the heat insulator. To do this, the brick wall to be insulated is cleared of a layer of plaster over the entire area. After this, the surface is covered with a layer of water repellent using a brush or roller. It is necessary to use deep penetration material for interior works. Some types require application in several layers, as described in the instructions on the package. After the composition has dried, a heat insulator is installed on the surface of the walls using conventional technology.

Video: how to insulate a wall in an apartment

Insulation of corner apartments is a forced measure, dictated by mistakes made during the construction or design of housing. The owner’s main task is to install a heat insulator tightly and airtight, completely cutting off the external walls from contact with the internal atmosphere of the apartment. Any crack will form an area that will constantly get wet and gradually saturate the entire area of ​​the wall, which sooner or later will lead to its destruction. Accuracy and thoroughness when performing work will allow you to obtain a high-quality and effective result, changing the thermal conditions in the room and increasing comfort for residents.

If your house or apartment is cold and uncomfortable in the cold, and you continue to pay huge sums for heating, then it’s worth considering whether there is a reason why the heat is not retained 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 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 walls brick house from the inside, then you must remember that the main problem when carrying out such work is the fact that the wall may begin to freeze even more. This causes the dew point to shift as moisture begins to condense, moving onto the wall surface. Condensation causes dampness, which destroys materials and the finishing layer. All this contributes to the deterioration of the thermal insulation properties of the insulation, and heat loss is even higher, and high humidity is added to this problem.

Brick walls are subject to greater destruction. In order to avoid this, you should choose insulation materials that have minimal vapor permeability and no moisture absorption. During installation, there should be no joints or seams between the panels through which condensed moisture could penetrate into the premises. These criteria are not suitable:

• liquid ceramics;
• mineral wool;
• drywall;
• cork covering;
• warm plaster.

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

What to consider before starting insulation

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

If you want to insulate the walls of your apartment from the inside in panel house, then as one of good decisions the construction of another wall indoors is in progress. It should fit tightly 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 usable area of ​​the room to 7 m3.

Material selection

Before starting work, you should ask yourself the question of 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 a level base and sufficient thickness, formwork should be installed, filling the internal space in parts. Using wireframes will not produce results. 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 purpose it is used polyethylene film, which is fixed to adjacent walls, floor and ceiling using slats. Gluing is carried out with mastic or sealant.

Polyurethane foam has low strength and density. This indicates that the subsequent finishing cladding and plastering will be impossible to implement. To do this, it is necessary to build plasterboard walls, which are erected on a frame and fixed to the 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 using a double wall

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

For normal finishing of the room, a second wall made of plasterboard or brick is installed. The insulation is mounted on the false wall from the side of the opening. This option will save you in severe frosts and prevent 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.

Using penoplex

If you still haven’t decided how to insulate the walls of your house from the inside, you can use expanded polystyrene or penoplex. Due to the fact 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 get rid of them completely, so you will have to apply a layer of sealant to the ends.

The technology of applying the solution in separate cakes should be abandoned. This is due to the fact that as a result, air chambers are formed where condensation accumulates. In this case, water finds cracks to escape into 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 to treat the surface of the material. This will ensure the best penetration of the solution. This is especially true for the option with penoplex.

This method of fastening will require leveling the wall. Use regular cement-sand mortar it is forbidden. It is better to use a mixture that forms a moisture-proof layer. You should also avoid using anchors. This is explained by the fact that leaky transitions will form in the places where they are installed.

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

Work order

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

The surface should be cleaned of dust and dirt using a broom and vacuum cleaner. Particular attention should be paid to places where the walls were particularly 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 it dries.

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

The layer of plaster should dry within several days. This is the only way the material will 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 we are talking about concrete walls that are smooth. In the case of them, you can seal the joints with a moisture-resistant solution, mastic or sealant.

Insulation 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 nuances have been described above. After installing the thermal insulation layer, a drying period follows. Only then can you begin installing the second wall, where a finishing layer such as tiles, wallpaper, paint or cork will be applied.

To install plasterboard boards, you must form a frame. The slabs 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, you can limit yourself to applying reinforcing mesh and plastering. But durability and results will depend on the quality of foam installation. The joints between the sheets must be coated with sealant, and the sheets are fixed to an evenly 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 the work. It consists of natural fibers, is environmentally friendly and is made from rocks by melting them. The fabrics of this thermal insulation have low weight, excellent sound insulation and low thermal conductivity. Mineral wool is ready to last for quite a long time, and is installed on the wall between guides made of a metal profile or wood blocks.

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

After laying the mineral wool, it is followed by a layer of vapor barrier or superdiffusion membrane. Slats are packed onto the guides, which will create an air gap, which is necessary for moisture to evaporate from the superdiffusion membrane. Drywall or plywood is placed on the slats. It is better to work with mineral wool wearing glasses and gloves, as well as a respirator.

Insulation of a corner apartment using polystyrene 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 polystyrene foam. It is more common because it is easy to install and its cost is affordable. For your apartment, you can purchase expanded polystyrene, which contains substances that prevent ignition. Before laying the slabs on the leveled wall, apply liquid waterproofing. Tile adhesive should be applied to the insulation sheets. The tool used for this is a comb spatula.

After filling the entire area of ​​the wall, a mounting mesh is glued on top, which is covered with putty. Once it has dried, the surface can be wallpapered or painted. Before you insulate a wall from the inside, you should think about what material to use. If you use foam plastic or penoplex, 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 is panel or brick house stops breathing, and in conditions of a cold circuit and access to moisture, it begins to become covered with condensation.

Insulation using drywall

If you want to solve the problem of how to insulate brick wall from the inside, you can use technology that involves the use of drywall. This method is fast and simple. A distance of 3 cm should be maintained from the rough surface to the front base. As this space increases, 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 2 cm from the wall. The frame must be made of galvanized profile. A tape is glued to the base 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 into the cavity of the frame, and the layer between the wall and the drywall will also become insulation.

The next step is to install the 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 slabs are finished with wallpaper.

Thermal insulation in a panel house

How to insulate a panel wall from the inside is a pressing question that interests many apartment owners. To carry out the work, you can use plaster. If we are talking about brickwork, then you will be able to complete the work in a short time. The material is laid in three layers, each of which is well dried.

At the first stage, the composition is applied by spraying. This will fill in all the bumps and crevices. The thickness does not exceed 10 mm. The main stage is the application of a 5 cm thick primer layer. 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 polystyrene foam. Even a beginner can handle its installation. But although mineral wool is excellent option, but takes up more space. She has one important advantage, which is expressed in the fact that during the fixation process the material does not need a prepared layer of plaster.

Insulating walls from the inside is an unconventional way to protect a building from the cold. It is much more efficient to insulate the walls of an apartment from the outside, but this option is not always available to residents for purely technical reasons. To avoid problems during the subsequent operation of housing, during work you should strictly comply with all technologies and requirements of building regulations. In this regard, before insulating a wall in an apartment from the inside, you should consider in detail all stages of this process.

Advantages and disadvantages

The need for an effectively working thermal insulation layer in the building structure is quite obvious - the better the walls are insulated, the less heat loss will be in the building. winter time of the year. And this, on the one hand, will lead to significant savings on heating the apartment, and on the other hand, it will create a comfortable microclimate in the room.

However, internal insulation of the walls of the house entails whole line problems affecting the longevity of the building and the comfort of living in it. These shortcomings stem from the design and technical features of the building and the elementary laws of physics. Among the main disadvantages of insulating walls in an apartment from the inside, the following can be noted.

External walls exposed to cold

One of the main indicators of the durability of any structural material is its frost resistance. This criterion characterizes the ability of a building material to withstand a certain number of freezing/thawing cycles without visible destruction. At the same time, the technology of insulating walls from the inside does not protect them from the effects of seasonal temperature changes, and, as a result, the service life of the building is significantly reduced.

With the external insulation method, the effect on the walls of temperature fluctuations is significantly reduced, which, accordingly, increases the life of the house. In addition, placing heat-insulating material outside the building allows you to create protection from precipitation, aggressive chemical elements and solar radiation.

Dew point offset

Another unpleasant effect that accompanies the insulation of walls from inside an apartment is a shift in the dew point to their internal surfaces under a layer of heat-insulating material.

The “dew point” is the conditional point of condensation of water vapor contained in the air. This phenomenon occurs when heated air comes into contact with any cold surface.

As for the walls of the building, when they are insulated from the outside, they are heated by internal heating devices, and air passes freely through them, condensing only on the street side. From here, moisture is easily removed, evaporating under the influence of sunlight or wind.

If thermal insulation is installed on the side interior space, then the dew point shifts to the inner surfaces of the walls. And this, in turn, causes the occurrence of fungus and mold. And what’s most unpleasant is that this whole process occurs unnoticed by the residents under a layer of insulation and wall decoration.

Such damage to the walls is discovered mainly by accident during current repairs, or due to a pronounced putrid odor in the room, therefore, before insulating the walls of the house from the inside, care should be taken to create reliable vapor and waterproofing.

Reducing the volume of premises

Another disadvantage that you should pay attention to before insulating the walls of an apartment from the inside is the reduction in internal space. Depending on the type of insulation and its thermal insulation properties, the length and width of the room will be reduced by 5 - 10, or even more, cm.

Such little things are not so critical for large apartments with an improved layout or country mansions with an area of ​​hundreds of square meters, but for old Khrushchev apartments every square is relevant, so you don’t want to lose them “out of the blue.”

Proper insulation of walls from the inside

Having become familiar with all the shortcomings of “internal technologies”, many homeowners will ask the question: “Is it possible to insulate walls from the inside in principle, or is it better to resort to the external method?” It should be answered right away that internal application of thermal insulation has been successfully used for many years.

The main thing here is to properly insulate the walls to avoid unpleasant consequences. Moreover, this method is sometimes the only possible one. For example, if cold apartment is located on the upper floors of a high-rise building, and covering the external walls with heat insulation is not possible without the involvement of expensive special equipment or industrial climbers. Almost any home craftsman can insulate walls from the inside with his own hands.

In addition, unauthorized covering of the façade of a building with thermal insulation material may cause a conflict with management company and the architectural committee. According to housing legislation, a tenant apartment building has no right to make any unauthorized changes to the external appearance of the building.

In this regard, you should understand in more detail how to properly insulate a wall from the inside. . If anything is done with the protection load-bearing walls in this case it is impossible to avoid temperature changes, precipitation and ultraviolet radiation, but it is quite possible to solve the problem with condensation. There are several methods for this that can be used both individually and in combination to achieve greater effect.

1. Creating a vapor barrier membrane or a reliable layer of waterproofing on top of the insulation to prevent moisture from penetrating the inner surface of the walls. In this case, access to wet warm air to the cold external walls of the building will be blocked. But this method has one big drawback - the process of natural gas exchange will be disrupted, which will lead to an excess of moisture in the premises and a lack of oxygen.
2. Using the difference in vapor permeability of structural wall material and heat insulator. In this case, before insulating the walls from the inside, you should familiarize yourself with this coefficient for the walls of the building and the insulation material. The vapor permeability of the wall should be greater than that of the heat insulator. This will allow condensation formed under the insulation to be quickly removed, preventing its significant concentration.
3. Before you insulate the walls from the inside, you need to install an efficient ventilation system. It will allow exhaust air saturated with steam and carbon dioxide to be removed, replacing it with fresh air. If you have such a ventilation system, it will be possible to safely waterproof wall surfaces for maximum protection from the effects of condensing moisture.

You can reduce the loss of internal volume of rooms by selecting an insulating material with a minimum thermal conductivity coefficient. This will allow the use of a thinner layer of thermal insulation with similar thermal protection indicators.

Material selection

From the right choice The effectiveness of the thermal insulation layer largely depends on the material, so the question is “what is the best way to insulate walls from the inside?” is by no means idle. Currently used as a thermal insulator for internal surfaces Three main groups of insulation are used:

• Mineral wool.
• Foamed polymers.
• Foil materials.

Mineral insulation

This group includes thermal insulation materials made from mineral wool obtained from glass, stone, and slag. The technology for obtaining mineral wool is as follows:

1. The raw materials are heated to the melting point, after which they are placed in special centrifuge drums.
2. In centrifuges, the molten material is saturated with compressed air, resulting in the formation of mineral fibers.
3. Thermal insulation of various densities is made from mineral fiber by pressing, in the form of slabs or rolls.

pros

The technical characteristics of mineral wool largely depend on its density. The denser the material, the lower the thermal conductivity it has. The most porous types of mineral wool have a mass of 50 kg per cubic meter, and a cubic meter of the densest types can weigh up to 200 kg. Moreover, their thermal conductivity coefficient can vary from 0.04 to 0.07. As insulation for walls inside an apartment, mineral fiber has a number of positive qualities.

• First of all, these are high heat-saving properties. In terms of this quality, mineral fibers are in many ways superior to other types. thermal insulation materials. Thanks to this, mineral insulation allows you to create a reliable protective belt from external temperature fluctuations.
• Ease of installation. Minslabs are attached to the wall surface using mushroom dowels or slats. Before insulating the walls with mineral wool, there is no need to clean and level them, which greatly simplifies the entire work process.
• Ecological cleanliness. No toxic components are used in the manufacture of mineral fiber insulation. Mineral wool is completely safe for the human body, therefore it can be used for internal thermal insulation not only of industrial premises, but also of residential premises.
• Fire resistance. Mineral wool is absolutely non-flammable and can easily withstand heating with an open flame up to a temperature of 1000 degrees. In this regard, layer mineral insulation can be used as fire protection for wooden walls.
• Noise insulation. In terms of noise absorption coefficient, mineral fibers are in first place among all construction and finishing materials. Walls finished with mineral slabs significantly reduce the noise level inside the premises, which is especially important if the house faces a busy street.

Minuses

In addition to its undeniable advantages, mineral wool also has a number of disadvantages that impose restrictions on the scope of its use. The main disadvantage of this material- fear of dampness. Fibers tend to absorb moisture from the surrounding air and retain it. At the same time, the mineral wool becomes denser and significantly, tens of times, loses its thermal insulation properties.

Even after the insulation has completely dried, the thermal conductivity coefficient is not restored to its previous limits, so before insulating the walls in the house, you should take care reliable protection a layer of mineral wool from exposure to dampness, especially if insulation is carried out in damp rooms such as a kitchen, bathroom or toilet.

Another disadvantage of mineral wool is the weak adhesion between the individual fibers of the material. As a result of this, when working with it, there is an increased separation of dust and microscopic particles of raw materials, which can have an irritating effect on skin and mucous membranes.

For this reason, when working with mineral fiber, you should use protective clothing, gloves, goggles and a respirator. Such precautions will help to avoid problems such as damage to the eyes, respiratory tract and skin from mineral particles.

Foamed polymers

This group includes several types of thermal insulation materials - polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, polyethylene foam, etc. All of them are obtained by saturating the polymer melt with air or gas. Thus, in the production of the familiar polystyrene foam, round granules filled with air are initially obtained, from which sheets are glued together using hot pressing. the desired shape and size. More modern variety polystyrene foam - extruded polystyrene foam (penoplex), which has improved strength and thermal protection. The density of polystyrene foam can be different and reach from 30 to 150 kg per cubic meter.

Among the advantages of expanded polystyrene sheets are:

• Good thermal protection indicator, not inferior to that of mineral wool. The thermal conductivity coefficient of expanded polystyrene is on average 0.05.
• Low weight of material. When covering walls with foam plastic sheets, the total weight of the building practically does not increase and no additional reinforcement of the structure or foundation is required.
• Budget cost. Polystyrene foam has the most balanced price/quality ratio. The cost of the material depends on its density and linear dimensions of the sheet.
• Resistance to dampness. Unlike mineral wool, polystyrene foam practically does not absorb water - even when immersed in it, it is able to absorb no more than 2% moisture. At the same time, the material does not lose either its shape or technical qualities.
• Easy to attach. Applicable to polystyrene foam different ways insulation of walls from the inside. It can be attached both to plastic mushroom dowels and to clamps, fastening strips and other devices. Also, sheets of expanded polystyrene are easily attached to walls using various construction adhesives - “ liquid nails», tile adhesive, concentrated PVA, etc.

Foam polishing foam is sprayed directly onto the wall using specialized equipment. However, this method is practically unsuitable for independent use. To obtain polyurethane foam, expensive equipment and special chemicals are required. In addition, you should have the skills to operate this equipment.

The main disadvantage of foamed polymers is their flammability. They are quite flammable and burn with the release of asphyxiating gases, so when decorating walls with such insulation, special attention should be paid to protecting them from exposure to open fire.

Foil materials

This category includes insulation materials that “work” on the effect of reflecting infrared radiation. To do this, any materials, even those that do not initially have heat-shielding properties, are covered with metallized foil. The base for the foil can be polystyrene foam, rolled polyethylene foam, and even ordinary plywood.

The principle of operation of such insulation is based on the principle that a significant amount of thermal energy is lost by transmitting infrared radiation to the walls. Foil is capable of reflecting up to 85-90% of all IR rays from heat-heating devices (stoves, heating radiators, air heaters), which helps preserve internal heat.

Calculation of insulation thickness

Before insulating the walls in an apartment, a number of calculations should be made. First of all, you should correctly calculate required thickness heat insulating layer. To do this, you will need to know two technical indicators: the thermal conductivity coefficient of the selected insulation (k) and the required thermal resistance of the walls for the construction region (R).

The first indicator can be found on the packaging by reading technical characteristics material, and the thermal resistance coefficient is given in the summary tables of SNiP “Building Climatology”. The minimum permissible thickness of the heat-insulating layer is calculated using the following formula:

δ = Rk, where δ is the thickness of the heat insulator, R is the regional coefficient of thermal resistance, and k is its thermal conductivity. Based on these calculations, the following results can be obtained. The minimum permissible layer of polystyrene foam is about 15 cm for the Moscow region, and from 18 to 23 cm for Siberia. Mineral wool, respectively, is 20 and 30-40 cm, and polyurethane foam is 8 and 12-14 cm.

The video shows how to properly insulate an apartment.

After reading this article, any homeowner will be able to get an idea of ​​how to properly insulate walls from the inside of a room. The main thing in this matter is to comply with the requirements and recommendations of building codes and regulations in order to obtain an effective heat-protective layer for walls.

Not all apartments have good thermal insulation. We will tell you about the reasons for the cold in apartments and explain how to insulate your home without serious expenses.

Doors and windows

Let's start with entrance doors, often they simply release heat from the apartment into the entrance. First of all, check how tightly your door closes and whether there are any drafts. If the door does not close tightly, buy and stick a rubber seal. It is sold in hardware stores and hypermarkets. Costs approximately 100-250 rubles.

It's the same story with plastic windows. You need to check how tightly they close and, if necessary, purchase a seal. You can also call a specialist and adjust the window fittings - after a couple of years of use, window handles often become loose and the window simply does not close completely.

Insulating windows with rubber seals

U plastic windows There is another common problem - poor-quality installation. Check if there is any blowing coming from under the window sill. Often builders leave gaps and voids under the window. They need to be discovered and filled with foam.

If you have old wooden windows, insulate them in the old-fashioned way: cotton wool is inserted into the cracks and sealed over with masking tape. Removing such insulation in the spring will not be difficult.

Heat reflectors

In old houses, Khrushchev-era buildings and nine-story panel buildings, heating radiators are often located under the window and heat the wall facing the street. To direct heat into the apartment, you can install a reflective panel behind the radiator.

Foil heat reflector

The heat reflector can be foil-foamed polyethylene foam or polystyrene foam. It is sold in rolls in construction stores. This material will serve as a screen that will direct all the heat from the battery into the apartment.

Curtains and carpets

In winter, you can change the curtains to thicker ones. Curtains from thick fabric not only decorate the room, but also retain heat and close the thermal circuit.

You can insulate the floor using a proven method - carpets. Currently, stores have a huge selection of not only “grandmother’s”, but also modern carpets with designs to suit every taste.

If you live on the ground floor, you can replace the flooring with carpet. Yes, it requires careful cleaning, but it is much warmer than any coating.

Wall insulation

Corner and end apartments often have cold walls. The solution to the problem can be wall cork, wool panels or, again, a carpet. A more complex solution is to insulate the wall with plasterboard, but this will require repairs.

Cork wall covering

Due to poor quality construction or shrinkage of the house, cracks and voids may appear in the corners of the walls. They can be filled with polyurethane foam. But unfortunately, for this you will have to remove the wallpaper and plaster.

If the causes of the cold are unclear

It happens that the radiators are hot, the windows and doors are in order, but the apartment is still cold. A thermal imager will help determine the cause. This is a modern device, the screen of which shows the temperature of objects. With its help, you can clearly understand where the cold is entering your home. You don't have to buy a thermal imager; you can rent one.

Thermal imager

If the utilities are to blame

During the heating season, the temperature in apartments should not be lower than 18 degrees. The temperature should be measured in the middle of the room, no less than one and a half meters from the walls and floor.

If the temperature in the apartment is below normal, write a statement to the management company. They should come to you with a check within 24 hours. After the inspection, a report must be drawn up. Without the act, you will not be able to prove or achieve anything later.

If you do not agree with the results of the inspection, do not sign the act and contact the housing inspectorate, which will conduct a second inspection based on your request.

If the inspection confirms that your apartment is colder than normal, utility services must take action within a week. After this, another check should be carried out and a report should be drawn up, which should indicate how long you did not have sufficient heat.

Based on this act, you can demand from the management company a recalculation of heating fees, since you were provided with poor-quality services.

To avoid freezing in the future

You can insulate your apartment as much as you like, but this will not help if the heating system is outdated or the walls in the house are frozen. To avoid problems, it is worth attending residents’ meetings and asking the management company what the funds collected from residents are used for. If your house is old, you need to demand that the management company speed up major repairs.

Take an interest in the life of the house, make sure that your neighbors do not make illegal alterations that could affect the heat. For example, if neighbors connect a loggia to a room and move heating radiators onto it, this will destroy the thermal circuit of the system. This should not be allowed; if you know that someone is destroying your home, contact the housing inspector.

If the windows are closed, the battery regulator is set to maximum, and the apartment is still cold - first of all, you need to deal with the management company. They are required to provide a microclimate (temperature, humidity and other parameters) in accordance with sanitary and operational standards. If the parameters of the water in the batteries meet the standards, it means that there is too much heat loss in the apartment. However, such proceedings can last for weeks and months, and the rooms are already cold. Home master, who knows how to handle tools, is quite capable of solving the problem of cold in the apartment on his own.

What can be done outside and inside

Before you rush to buy materials and start destroying the finish, it would be nice to understand in what ways precious heat escapes from the rooms in a panel or brick house. There are several such ways:

• External walls – up to 50%.
• Walls of adjacent apartments – 5-10%.
• Gender – up to 10% (can reach up to 20%).
• Ceiling - up to 10% (especially on the top floor, it can reach up to 25%).
• Glazed balcony or loggia – up to 10%.
• Windows, doors, ventilation – 5-15%.

Heat leaves a home in two ways:

• Warm air escapes with drafts through leaks in doors, windows and walls.
• Heat leaves the apartment by heat transfer through building structures that do not provide sufficient thermal insulation.

Is it possible to determine which ways heat escapes? folk ways? Yes, the most popular ways are:

• Light a candle and slowly move it near corners, windows, doors. Where the flame fluctuates is where the air flow is. By the deflection of the flame, its direction can be determined.
• Wet your fingertips (the most sensitive skin is there) and move them like a candle. The movement of air will feel like cold.

These methods are qualitative and very inaccurate. It is much safer to use devices that measure temperature remotely. The simplest of them is a pyrometer. It measures the temperature at a specific point on the surface. By taking several dozen measurements, for example, on an external wall, you can find the coldest point.

A thermal imager is even more convenient. It gives a picture of the entire surface and infrared range at once, zones high temperatures are marked on the screen in redder tones, and lower ones in blue. By pointing the thermal imager at the wall, you can immediately see where the heat is going. But such devices are very expensive; it is better to rent them for the duration of the apartment inspection.

Corner apartments on the top and first floors are deservedly considered the coldest. They have up to 3 planes in contact with cold space.

Features of apartment insulation

There are two fundamentally different ways insulation of the apartment:

• from the inside;
• outside.

Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

How to insulate an apartment from the outside

In terms of overall efficiency external method significantly exceeds the internal one. Its main advantages are as follows:

• Higher quality of thermal insulation.
• The best microclimate after insulation (not only temperature, but also humidity).
• The area and volume of the apartment is not reduced.
• The condensation zone (dew point) is carried out from the living quarters to the facade or into the thickness of the external walls.
• The service life of wall structures increases.

Insulation of the outside with sheets of foam plastic under plaster

The disadvantages of the external method are the following circumstances:

• Coordination with the operating organization and architectural supervision authorities is necessary.
• Carrying out such work on your own is very dangerous and is also prohibited by regulations.

For external insulation, it is necessary to involve an organization that has a license to work at height. Formally, the owner can carry out thermal insulation on the ground floor on his own; in practice, regulatory organizations try in every possible way to prevent this.

How to make an apartment warmer from the inside

There are not many advantages to this method. The main ones are the following:

• The cost of materials and labor is significantly less.
• The complexity of the work and the qualifications of the workers are also lower.
• You can do the work yourself without waiting for approvals. Sometimes, especially if there is a small child in the apartment, this is a decisive factor. Literally: we decided in the morning, we already insulated it in the evening.

Insulation from the inside with basalt wool along metal guides

Disadvantages and risks of internal method much more, it is much more difficult to properly carry out internal insulation and not harm your apartment and residents.

Installing insulation inside creates the following problems:

• The dew point moves indoors. It will be necessary to take special measures for waterproofing and condensate removal.
• If this is not done, high humidity in the rooms will lead to the formation of mold and mildew. This can make finding people impossible.
• The wall stops receiving heat from the living space and freezes through.
• The moisture contained in it freezes and thaws, which reduces the service life of the wall.
• At the joints of an insulated wall, floor and ceiling, so-called “cold bridges” are formed.
• Internal thermal insulation reduces the area and volume of rooms, thereby reducing the quality of housing.
• Many insulating materials are not recommended for use in residential premises. They can emit unpleasant or even harmful fumes. During combustion, toxic substances may be formed.

The thicker the layer of internal insulation, the more the wall freezes and the further the condensation zone moves inward

How to insulate a corner apartment

An unpleasant feature of corner apartments is that two wall surfaces are external. Installing additional radiator sections does not always help. The coldest spot will be the corner between the two outer walls. If the seams between the panels are poorly made, it will definitely freeze, no matter how hot the radiators are. Conscientious developers pay special attention to the thermal insulation of corner apartments.

How to insulate a cold corner in an apartment from the inside? First you need to check the condition of the fillet weld. In inexpensive or older homes, the seams may be in poor condition. Heat leakage through the seams is detected by a thermal imager.

Repair it yourself interpanel seams impossible - it is necessary to force the operating organization to carry out this repair. It consists of dismantling the seams (in other words, they are opened from the outside with a hammer drill), laying (or spraying) new insulation and applying a new layer of plaster.

If repairing the seams does not give the desired effect and the corner rooms are still cool, you will have to insist on external insulation of the walls.

Insulation on wooden guides

Selection of material and tools

There are many brands of insulation of several main types on the modern market:

• Mineral wool. Basalt, glass and slag.
• Foam plastics.
• Polyurethane foam.
• Ecowool.
• Bulk materials. (They are practically not used when insulating apartments)

When choosing a material, you need to compare available alternatives according to the following parameters:

• Thermal conductivity. The lower the better.
• Moisture absorption coefficient. Materials with lower values ​​work more efficiently.
• Breathability. Lower values ​​also mean better thermal insulation.
• Fire resistance class. Indicates the fire safety of the material.
• Life time.
• Compound. It is better to choose materials without harmful components.
• What is the price. The last but one of the most important characteristics.

The most popular materials have the following characteristics.

Basalt wool

Made from volcanic rocks, the structure consists of short fibers of high rigidity. Supplied in mat form. It has a high density; special attention must be paid to the strength of fastening the mats to the wall.

The material is completely non-flammable and slows down the spread of fire. Does not contain harmful substances. It does not form them either during operation or during a fire.

Installation of basalt wool

Glass wool

Made from industrial waste and broken glass. Its structure is formed by long elastic fibers. Available in rectangular mats and rolls. It has lower density and greater elasticity than basalt wool.

It is also fireproof and does not form harmful substances.

A major disadvantage is the reduction in thermal insulation characteristics when wet.

Cut glass wool

Expanded polystyrene

Foamed polystyrene is often called polystyrene foam. The material has good thermal insulation properties, easy to install on rigid structures.

The main disadvantage of the material is that it burns well, and releases substances harmful to health. Polystyrene foam is also very fragile and not resistant to tensile and compressive loads; it chips easily. Extruded polystyrene foam does not have this disadvantage.

Installation of foam plastic on adhesive composition

Polyurethane foam

This foamed plastic, also called penoizol, has excellent thermal insulation properties. It is sprayed liquid, foams and hardens on the insulated surface in an even continuous layer without seams and without joints that cause heat loss.

It has excellent moisture resistance, zero hygroscopicity and vapor permeability. A significant disadvantage is the high cost of spraying equipment.

Spraying polyurethane foam

Ecowool

a new heat insulator on the Russian construction market is made of cellulose fiber impregnated boric acid and sodium triborate.

The material is the most environmentally friendly, does not burn and does not form any harmful substances. It is also sprayed onto vertical surfaces, wetted with a water-adhesive composition.

The equipment costs less than for spraying polyurethane foam, but also seems expensive.

Auxiliary materials and tools

In addition to the insulation itself, additional materials will be required:

• vapor barrier membrane and double-sided tape for gluing its panels.
• External cladding: plaster or ventilated facade made of plastic or porcelain stoneware.
• Internal lining – moisture-resistant gypsum board, wallpaper.
• Products that prevent the development of mold and mildew
• Lathing made of wooden slats or metal profiles
• Fasteners

The usual tools are needed for general construction work. You will need:

• hammer drill or impact drill;
• construction knife;
• hacksaw;
• Bulgarian;
• screwdriver;
• tape measure, level, square.

For application protective compounds You will need a spray gun or roller.

Description of the insulation process with your own hands

The insulation process varies depending on the type of insulation and material.

How to insulate your apartment from the outside if the heating is bad

The most popular type of external insulation is polystyrene foam. The sequence of actions is as follows:

• Calculate the insulation area and material thickness. Buy it.
• Based on the amount of insulation, purchase glue, fiberglass mesh, mounting metal profile, disc dowels.
• Secure the metal profile while maintaining the level.
• Glue the insulation boards to the wall.
• Secure with disc dowels at the rate of 4-5 per panel.
• In cold regions, polystyrene foam is glued in two overlapping layers.
• Seal joints and cracks with polyurethane foam.
• Apply a thin layer of glue to the foam, press and roll the mounting mesh with a rubber roller.
• After the glue has dried, prime and plaster the surface.
• Instead of plaster, you can use facade paint.

External insulation scheme

Such work can only be carried out independently on the first floor. Above that, you will have to involve a specialized construction organization.

How to insulate a cold room from inside the apartment with your own hands

The sequence of actions will be as follows:

• Calculate the amount of insulation.
• Purchase it and the corresponding quantities of a vapor barrier membrane, guides made of metal profiles, fasteners, primer, plaster or moisture-resistant gypsum board.
• Remove any remnants of old wallpaper or paint from the wall down to the concrete.

Internal insulation scheme

• Impregnate the wall and adjacent surfaces with an anti-mold compound
• Secure the upper and lower starting and finishing profiles. Attach vertical guides to them in increments of 60 cm.
• Place mineral wool slabs between the wall and the profile.
• Secure the slabs with disc dowels.
• Stretch the film of the vapor barrier membrane, securing it with double-sided tape. The joints between the membrane sheets also need to be taped.
• Attach sheets of moisture-resistant gypsum board to the vertical guides.
• Putty it, prime it, then paint or wallpaper.

Placing basalt wool slabs on metal profile guides

All joints of the side walls, ceiling and floor with external wall definitely needs to be covered silicone sealant or foam glass.

Subsequent work after insulation

External insulation will not require any additional work. In the case of internal insulation, you will need to periodically check the condition of the insulation and vapor barrier to see if condensation has accumulated behind the gypsum board. If it is detected, you will have to take care of ventilation of the space between the gypsum board and the insulation. If mold is found behind the drywall, the insulation will have to be disassembled and re-treated with anti-mold reagents.