Thermal insulation of the aerial parts of the foundation is carried out at the stage of construction work. If for some reason this has not been done, an additional insulation of the base is carried out. This procedure can be performed both externally and internally. This will increase the strength of the structure, reduce heat loss. Also, a healthy microclimate will be established in the premises, and dampness and cold will not be dangerous for the structure. How to perform the warming procedure yourself, will be discussed in detail in the article.
Why is the aerial part of the foundation insulated?
The insulation of the basement of the house on stilts, strip or solid foundation is carried out at the stage of construction work. Not only the temperature regime in the rooms, but also the period of operation of the building, the microclimate in the room depends on the correctness of this work.
The base is the top of the foundation. It rises above the ground, forming a support for the building. The basement is adjacent to the ground, as well as to the ceilings of the base in the house. With the correct arrangement of the insulation layer of the basement node (all vertical and horizontal ceilings), it is possible to reduce heating costs in the winter to 15%.
A layer of thermal insulation and decoration can extend the life of the foundation. It will be further protected from various adverse weather conditions. The strength of the support structure will be maintained for many decades.
If the thermal insulation layer was not installed correctly, the foundation and floors in the house will freeze. Because of this, condensation may appear and mold, fungus can develop. This can cause various diseases of the respiratory system of home owners, allergic reactions.
The insulation of the basement of a private house should also be carried out to reduce the likelihood of deformation of the building. In frost, an effect such as heaving of the soil can be observed. This picture is typical mainly for the middle zone of our country. Here, the soils have a clay structure. In frost, their volume increases. Because of this, the soil exerts high pressure on the foundation. In the presence of complex insulation of the base unit can minimize the likelihood of deformation on the facade.
Indoor and outdoor insulation
It is possible to carry out insulation of the cap outside and inside. The first option is more practical and common in our country. This approach allows you to improve the indoor climate. In this case, the structure receives additional protection from moisture, which enters the structure from the atmosphere, soil and through the underground part of the supporting structure.
Insulation of the basement from the outside avoids the appearance of condensation on the walls of the foundation. In this case, premature structural failure can be avoided. Warming from the outside performs similar functions, but to achieve the same high effect in this case will be more difficult.
Externally, the base looks more aesthetically pleasing if it was insulated from the outside. In this case, the finish is also laid on the insulation layer. In this case, it is not necessary to equip the insulation layers both inside and outside the room. Choose one of the approaches.
It is also worth considering that the external thermal insulation layer additionally protects the structure from weathering, atmospheric precipitation, etc. Therefore, this option for arranging the thermal insulation layer is chosen more often.
Features of the pile foundation
The insulation of the base on piles has a number of features. In this case, take into account the peculiarities of the location of the building, the height of its piles, as well as the characteristics of the material from which the support pillars are created. After that, choose the appropriate type of insulation work.
You can mount a layer of additional thermal insulation around the perimeter of the structure. To do this, you need to build a frame for the basement. It will extend from the surface of the earth to the beginning of the walls of the building. In this case, the frame will encircle the house from all sides. This method is the best option if the piles are low and the floor is not far from the soil surface.
You can also perform external insulation on the back of the floor. If the piles are very tall, creating a frame is impractical. In this case, it is easier to insulate the ceiling of the building. This is also a fairly effective method. If the piles are high, carrying out insulation work on this technology does not cause difficulties.
Insulation of the basement base on piles can be done by insulating the frame both outside and inside. In this case, a waterproofing layer is first created on the piles and for the grillage. Next, the frame is erected from the ground to the walls. A layer of thermal insulation is arranged inside the basement. After that, decorative panels are installed on the structure. Inside the base is covered with soil or expanded clay. The second option is preferable. Also insulate the floor in the house. This technique allows you to get a good result.
The foundation on stilts in this case will also last a long time. The thickness of the insulation and the method of insulation are selected in accordance with the type of climate. The north the house is located, the more efforts will be required to create a high-quality insulation of the facade. In most cases, it is enough to insulate the facade of the house and the floor from inside the rooms.
Material selection
The insulation of the basement of the house should be carefully planned by the master. This will allow you to purchase the optimal amount of materials. To do this, make up a plan. It is necessary to calculate the dimensions of the supporting structure. Most often, the necessary information can be obtained from the design documentation of the building. Experts recommend double-checking the dimensions of the foundation.
To do this, you need to measure the length of the base. It is worth considering that the result obtained may differ from the perimeter of the walls. Next, you need to measure the foundation in several places and determine its highest place. If the differences in height are insignificant, you need to multiply the indicator of the length of the supporting structure by its height. The total area of the base will be obtained, which will need to be insulated. Round up the result you need in a big way. It is also worth making a small supply of materials.
The insulation of the basement of the house can be performed using special materials. They must meet all construction requirements. Experts do not recommend saving on the quality of thermal insulation. Otherwise, the work will need to be redone soon.
The insulation must have a minimum level of thermal conductivity. The thickness of the material is chosen in accordance with the characteristics of the climatic zone. Thermal insulation must reliably retain heat inside the structure. The stronger and thicker the insulation, the better it will cope with the duties assigned to it.
Thermal insulation must not absorb moisture. If such a material is impregnated with condensate, it will not be able to qualitatively prevent heat loss. Therefore, they choose materials that differ in a zero rate of water absorption. If you neglect this advice and use moisture absorbing material to warm the supporting structure, it will deform in severe frost. Water in the structure will expand during freezing. This will cause deformation of the fibers. The material will need to be changed after the first season of operation.
For this reason, mineral wool is not used for such purposes. This material is used only in combination with high-quality waterproofing. This increases the cost of construction work. Therefore, synthetic materials in the form of plates are very popular today. They do not pass moisture and demonstrate high thermal insulation qualities.
Material selection
Most often, the basement is insulated with extruded polystyrene foam. This material meets all the requirements that are put forward for thermal insulation for supporting structures. It has some similarities with polystyrene. However, there are a number of differences that make polystyrene foam a popular material for construction work. Polyfoam is used to finish the base quite rarely. It will be necessary to purchase plates of large thickness so that the layer does not allow heat to pass from the room. In this case, the foam is quite fragile. It can be damaged if the object accidentally hits the wall.
A good option for creating a layer of insulation is the use of polyurethane foam. This material fits snugly against the wall, preventing even a small space under it. It has high thermal insulation characteristics and repels water.
Installation is fast. Material is sprayed onto the surface. Reacting with air, liquid polyurethane foam expands. He quickly fills the space. This material has a long service life.
However, it is worth considering that for applying a layer of polyurethane foam it will be necessary to use special equipment. Acquiring it is quite expensive. Therefore, you will need to seek help from a specialist. This greatly increases the cost of the work. Therefore, polyurethane foam in our country is rarely used for insulation of supporting structures.
In some cases, expanded clay is used. This is a clay based material with a porous structure. It consists of a fraction of 2-4 cm in size. Expanded clay is poured into the prepared formwork around the basement. It creates a gap with a thickness of 15 cm. A layer of cement mortar mixed with expanded clay is poured into it. This method is also not simple and cheap. Therefore, it is used infrequently.
Basement insulation with extruded polystyrene foam is much more common. Therefore, we will further consider the methodology of its application when creating a layer of thermal insulation for the facade.
Expanded polystyrene and foam
When creating a layer of insulation, 80% of such insulation as polystyrene foam is used. Penoplex is one of its varieties. It has a lot of positive characteristics. Warming the basement with foam allows you to do the job quickly and efficiently .
Penoplex is made from synthetic material. It is processed in a special way, due to which a strong structure is obtained. It is filled with air. However, you can walk on the sheets of foam in shoes. It will not bend or deform. In this case, the thermal insulation coefficient of this material is 2 times higher than polystyrene or mineral wool. Penoplex also tolerates temperature extremes and other adverse weather effects.
The cost of polystyrene foam (polystyrene) will be slightly higher than that of polystyrene. However, the price of such a material will be an order of magnitude lower than that of polyurethane foam. At the same time, installation does not require much effort and time. It will be quite possible to perform it yourself, without the help of a specialist.
Thermal insulation of the base with foam allows you to reliably protect the facade of the building from premature destruction. The disadvantage of this material is its combustibility. Therefore, it is better to use expanded clay or mineral wool for a house made of wood. Moreover, in the process of burning, foam can release toxic substances into the environment. Otherwise, this material is one of the best options for finishing the supporting structure.
On sale are sheets of this material, which have a thickness of 2 cm or more. The choice of material depends on the climatic conditions in the area. The north the house is built, the thicker the insulation will need to be used for decoration. The minimum allowable thickness of the sheets is 3 cm. This material is only suitable for facade insulation in the southern regions of our country. It is better to get plates 5-7 cm thick. However, this material will be significantly thinner than polystyrene foam. Where a 3 cm foam sheet can be installed, a 5-6 cm foam plate will be required. In this case, the material does not deform under mechanical stress. These advantages make polystyrene foam popular.
Preparing for insulation
Basement insulation with polystyrene foam is carried out according to a certain method. First, you need to prepare the necessary materials for work. Together with expanded polystyrene plates, it will be necessary to purchase a reinforcing mesh made of PVC. It will need to be purchased 2.5 times more than penoplex. You will also need to purchase special glue for installing the plates. Its quantity is selected in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. It is important that the composition does not contain organic solvents. Otherwise, the material will be damaged.
You should also purchase hydro and vapor barrier. If there is no special protrusion on the foundation, it will be necessary to fix the polystyrene foam on the profile. It should have a cross section in the form of the letter "P".
You will also need to purchase dowels with a wide hat. They will give the structure extra strength. For a foamplex with dimensions of 125 × 60 cm, 4 dowels will be required. The larger the sheet, the greater the number of "umbrellas" are acquired for fixation. The rod should be made of metal. However, to avoid the appearance of cold bridges, such dowel construction elements must be completely in a plastic shell. Also on their hats should be a special insulating material.
Insulation of the basement base with foam on the outside involves finishing. To do this, acquire a reinforcing mesh. A layer of facade putty will be laid on it. Most often, it is enough to purchase a fiberglass mesh. However, in some cases, the plaster may have a thickness of 3 cm. In this case, a reinforcing mesh of metal is acquired.
You should also purchase paint for the decoration of the facade. It must be water resistant. There are special varieties of materials that can be used for exterior decoration. It will also additionally protect the material from the effects of sunlight, wind, moisture.
You also need to purchase the necessary tools. You will need a puncher, a set of spatulas, brushes, a building level. For kneading the adhesive composition, putty, a sufficient capacity is needed. Having prepared everything you need, you can begin to warm the basement with your own hands.
Beginning of work
The insulation of the base with penoplex begins with the cleaning of the facade from various debris and foreign materials. Next, you need to cut the material. Sheets are cut to the height of the supporting structure that needs to be insulated. After this, the material is tried on, placing sheets to the surface of the base. If everything is fine, you can proceed with further work. If necessary, the height of the foam sheets can be adjusted.
After this, a reinforcing mesh is cut. Its length should correspond to the perimeter of the sheet. The mesh should wrap the foam panel on both sides. For this reason, 2.5 times more reinforcement is purchased than material for insulation.
Below you need to attach the support profile. For this, dowels will be used. First, the profile is applied to the surface. Using a punch, markup is created for the installation of dowels. The step between the fasteners should be about 50 cm. The dowels should also be fixed at a distance of 10 cm from the edges of the profile. Holes create holes with a punch. Next, the support profile is fixed. The insulation of the base with foam should be carried out exactly according to the level. Therefore, before fixing the support profile, you need to check its position.
Next, you need to prepare the glue. Sometimes the owners get ready-made compounds. However, it is cheaper to purchase a dry mixture and mix the solution yourself. The savings will be significant, especially if the facade area is significant. Using a notched trowel, apply the solution to the surface of the foam. The sheet is applied to the surface and pressed tightly.
If the layer of reinforcing mesh has not been mounted directly on a sheet of expanded polystyrene, it must be installed on the wall. In this case, pieces of reinforcement must be glued to the wall surface. The mesh should be superimposed with an overlap of 10 cm. Only then can you start gluing the sheets.
By the same method, the remaining sheets of expanded polystyrene are laid. They need to be pressed tightly against each other. There should be no gaps or gaps between them. In this case, heat will penetrate through such loose places.
Completion of the warming process
In the process of warming the basement base, you need to wait until the glue has completely dried. This information can be clarified on the packaging of the composition. This usually takes 2-3 days. After that, you need to create additional fixation of the panels.Some masters recommend laying foam in two layers. However, in this case, the likelihood of delamination of the structure increases. Water may enter the space between the plates. This significantly reduces the insulating quality of the material. Therefore, it is better to immediately purchase polystyrene sheets 6-10 cm thick.
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The composition is kneaded in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Then it is applied to the surface and leveling is carried out. After that, the surface is immediately treated with a grater. Movements can be circular or down-up. The final pattern will depend on the chosen method.
The shade of the facade can be any. It is better to give preference to pastel colors. They allow you to harmoniously combine the base with the walls of the house.
You can also finish with decorative stone or brick. To do this, prepare a solution and create a masonry. This option will also look spectacular.
Having considered the features of the selection and installation of basement insulation, you can perform the entire procedure yourself. The design will be strong and durable. Cold and moisture will not penetrate the building.