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Most of the constructed panel and brick houses did not provide for the insulation of facades. Concrete and brick have high density and low thermal insulation properties. The result is cold walls and uncomfortable temperatures. There are several ways to insulate from the inside, the main thing is to avoid the appearance of dampness.
Dew point - physics of the phenomenon
A cold wall is not the only drawback of panel or brick houses. Often dampness and accompanying fungus and mold appear on it. The best way to fight is to insulate the wall from the outside (this is also a requirement of SNiP), but this is not always possible. Therefore, you have to fight the cold wall, insulating it from the inside. But there are pitfalls here.
Even if the cold wall was previously dry, then when it is insulated from the inside, dampness may appear. And the so-called dew point will be to blame.
The dew point is a conditional boundary at which the temperature of water vapor becomes equal to the temperature of condensate formation. It manifests itself, naturally, in the cold season. With proper design of the house (taking into account the characteristics of the region), it is approximately in the middle of the thickness of the facade of a material of uniform density.
If insulation is carried out from the outside, then the dew point shifts in the direction of decreasing density (that is, to the outer surface of the wall). When insulating from the inside, it moves inward, and condensate may appear on the surface of the main wall or inside the insulation.
And in order to assess the scale of possible damage, it is enough to say that as a result of the life of one person, about 4 liters of water evaporate per day (cooking, wet cleaning, personal hygiene, washing, etc.).
Features of cold wall insulation from the inside
There are several ways to prevent condensation on a wall insulated from the inside:
- Creation of a layer of heat-insulating material with a vapor permeability lower than that of the facade material.
- Warming with materials with minimal water absorption.
- Application of ventilated facade technology (taking into account internal placement).
Liquid thermal insulation
polyurethane foam
PPU insulation meets all requirements for vapor barrier, water absorption and the absence of seams. Therefore, even if there is a dew point inside the layer, it will remain “conditional”, since there is no condensation in vapor-tight materials. It turns out from the side of the room a completely sealed heat-insulating layer.
The environmental friendliness of PPU after curing meets the requirements for residential premises. Harmful fumes are present only when the components are mixed during the spraying process - after polymerization, the structure of the material remains stable.
Thermal insulation is applied between the crate and sewn up with moisture-resistant sheet materials (GKL, OSB or plywood). In fact, it is like a large prefabricated sandwich panel.
The disadvantage of this method is the use of special equipment.
liquid ceramics
This is a relatively young heat-insulating material, the action of which is based on the use of two principles - the creation of a thin layer with high resistance to heat transfer and the reflection of heat towards the radiation source.
Of course, a thin heat-insulating layer cannot provide good thermal insulation - this is an auxiliary, but a mandatory factor. Although it gives a fairly high effect - the wall becomes much "warmer" to the touch.
The main task of reducing heat loss is performed by microscopic ceramic spheres that reflect infrared radiation.
According to the manufacturers, the effect of a 1.5 mm layer can be compared with thermal insulation with 5 cm thick foam plastic or 6.5 cm mineral wool.
The method of application is the same as for acrylic paint (the base is the same). After polymerization, a dense and durable film is formed on the surface, and latex additives improve the waterproofing properties.
Roll thermal insulation
Penofol
Penofol is a combination of polyethylene foam with aluminum foil. This is a whole series of materials (including single-sided, double-sided, laminated, with an adhesive layer). Moreover, it can be used both in combination with other heat-insulating materials, and independently. By the way, penofol is popular for warming the bath from the inside, and there is much more steam there than in an ordinary residential area.
To insulate a cold wall, penofol is used with one layer of foil (one-sided) and up to 5 mm thick.
In the case, as with liquid ceramics, the effect is achieved due to the low thermal conductivity of foamed polyethylene, as well as its low vapor permeability and high reflective properties of the foil (up to 97%).
But unlike seamless coatings, complete sealing and prevention of cold bridges cannot be achieved. Consequently, condensation may form on the surface of the foil. Even the obligatory sealing of joints with adhesive aluminum foil will still leave gaps inside between adjacent sheets.
The method of combating the formation of condensate on the foil is traditional - a crate with a ventilated gap between the foam and the outer lining.
polyph
Another version of polyethylene foam, but already made in the form of a kind of wallpaper - there is a layer of paper on both sides. Polyfoam and is designed for gluing wallpaper on it.
Of course, its thermal insulation properties are not as high as those of penofol, but to make a cold wall feel warmer to the touch, they are quite enough.
In most cases, the insignificant thickness of the insulation does not lead to the dew point moving to the inner surface.
The disadvantage of this method is that only a dry wall is insulated.
Insulation with expanded polystyrene
Expanded polystyrene (or extruded polystyrene foam) is glued to a prepared and leveled wall. Both materials have very low water absorption (especially extruded polystyrene foam), so the formation of condensate in the insulation layer is excluded. The main danger is its appearance on the surface of the insulated wall.
Therefore, it is best to glue sheets on special hydrophobic adhesive mixtures applied over the entire surface of the sheets. And to prevent the penetration of water vapor from the side of the room, treat the seams with sealant (you can also use foam plastic with a step or a tenon-groove connection).
Finishing can be done in two ways:
- mesh reinforcement and plastering;
- sheathing with panels on a supporting frame fixed to the floor, ceiling and adjoining walls (false plasterboard wall).
Warming with mineral wool
Mineral wool does not meet the requirements for vapor permeability and water absorption for insulation from the inside. But it can be used.
The main thing is to provide maximum protection from moist air from the side of the room and the weathering of water vapor from the insulation layer. That is, to perform a ventilated facade, but in the reverse order: wall, gap, vapor-permeable membrane, mineral wool, vapor barrier film, decorative cladding indoors.
It is necessary to create a false wall at a distance of 2-3 cm from the main wall. And to weather the water vapor from below and above, make ventilation holes.
Frosts are rapidly approaching, and the temperature in many apartments is far from the most comfortable. We are forced to put on warm clothes, buy heaters, sleep under several blankets, which causes discomfort. What to do if it's cold in the apartment? It is quite possible to solve this problem on your own.
What to do if the apartment is cold
Cold batteries in the apartment: what to do?
High-quality radiators are the key to warmth and comfort in the house. If the radiators are many years old and the apartment is cold in winter, it may be worth replacing them. But before you run for an expensive purchase, do a survey: sometimes the batteries do not heat up due to air jams or due to the negligence of utilities. Where to complain if it's cold in the apartment, we told.
Many modern radiator models are made with, so you can set the right temperature. High-quality heaters can serve faithfully for decades, therefore, having spent only one time, you will forget about cold batteries in the house for a long time.
There are several types of radiators:
- Cast iron - the most classic option, which has been used for heat supply for over a hundred years. Cast iron batteries are durable, corrosion resistant and have high heat dissipation. They are not afraid of hard, low-quality water and pressure drops. The disadvantages of cast iron radiators include bulkiness and unaesthetic appearance. Nevertheless, the modern design of these batteries with monograms and original coloring will fit well into the interior of a classic style.
- Aluminum - durable, lightweight and elegant heaters. Ease of installation, optimal price and high heat dissipation make aluminum batteries an ideal choice for many. However, this type of radiator is prone to corrosion at a high alkali content in the water.
- Steel radiators are often used for heating private houses and offices. They have excellent heat dissipation and corrosion resistance. Their disadvantage lies in the sensitivity to water hammer - sudden pressure drops in the pipe.
- Bimetallic the radiator, in simple terms, consists of a steel core and an outer aluminum layer. This design is optimal for city apartments: the steel pipeline is not subject to corrosion, and aluminum, which has good thermal conductivity, perfectly supplies heat to the room. However, all these advantages are overshadowed by the high cost of the product.
- Copper batteries provide efficient space heating due to their thermal conductivity - it is much higher than that of aluminum and even more so than that of steel and cast iron. But the price of copper radiators, as well as bimetallic ones, will not please everyone.
The choice of a radiator depends not only on your tastes and financial condition, but also on compatibility with your heating system. Therefore, before buying, you should determine whether the characteristics of the heater (pressure, allowable temperature, heat transfer, etc.) correspond to the indicators of the heating system.
Very often it is required to insulate apartments in buildings with panel walls, due to their insufficient thickness. At the same time, the room quickly cools down, and the heating system does not always fully cope with its tasks, which leads to a drop in temperature in the rooms. How to insulate a wall in an apartment from the inside, what materials and how to use, it is proposed to get acquainted from the article.
A more effective way to retain heat is external wall insulation. But, this option is quite expensive due to the great complexity of its implementation, requiring the use of special equipment if the apartment is located above the first two floors.
In addition, the thermal insulation of the walls from the inside in the apartment is justified when:
- There is a ban from the authorities that does not allow changing the facade of the building: its cultural value, the front side, which overlooks the central streets.
- Behind the wall is an expansion joint between two buildings.
- Placement behind the wall of an elevator shaft or other unheated room in which it is impossible to install insulation.
In this case, the best option is to insulate the walls from the inside in the apartment, despite the decrease in the useful area of the room: a warm apartment of a slightly smaller area is always better than a large one with cold rooms. In addition, all work inside the rooms can be done by hand, without involving specialists. The main thing is to prepare the necessary materials and tools.
When installing autonomous heating equipment in an apartment, insulated walls help save energy.
The pros and cons of internal wall insulation are presented in the table:
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Proper insulation from the inside
Thermal insulation of the walls of the apartment from the inside, which prevents the formation of condensate due to temperature changes in winter, the appearance of mold spots on the walls, should be carried out with careful observance of all technological recommendations.
Of great importance in the design of the structure of the thermal insulation "pie" is the device of high-quality vapor barrier, which protects the insulation from the penetration of moisture into it.
Before you insulate the wall in the apartment from the inside, you should get acquainted with some recommendations for the process:
- Purchase a high quality vapor barrier film, waterproof adhesive tape for sealing butt joints between sheets.
- Prepare a material with low vapor permeability, lower than that of the walls. This will ensure the evaporation of moisture towards the street, and not into the apartment.
- Insulation must be glued very tightly to the plane of the wall.
- Indoors, it is necessary to equip natural or forced additional ventilation, which will avoid the appearance of excess moisture. For example, for this, valves are installed on the window frames through which air will enter the room, as in the photo.
- Before you insulate the walls of the apartment from the inside, you should accurately calculate the required thickness of the insulation. This value depends on the average daily temperature in the region in winter.
Tip: If the thickness of the thermal insulation material is less than the design parameters, the steam and heat balance will be disturbed.
- Installation of the wall insulation system is carried out after treatment with special primer solutions. This will prevent the appearance of mold, increase adhesion when installing thermal insulation.
- You can mount the insulation only on a well-dried wall.
- When installing insulation, “cold bridges” should not be allowed, especially at the butt joints, which can ruin the whole process.
Materials for insulation
How to insulate a wall in an apartment from the inside - everyone chooses for himself.
The table shows some types and features of materials:
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These are the main materials than to insulate the walls in the apartment from the inside.
Tip: When insulating walls in an apartment, two basic rules must be observed: the creation of a strong vapor barrier that prevents condensation between the wall and the insulation; a device for reliable ventilation, to remove moist air from the room.
Before you insulate the walls from the inside in the apartment, in order to avoid unnecessary expenses, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the information on this issue, but it is better to watch the video in this article. All thermal insulation materials are divided into groups that correspond to the material used to build the walls of the house.
For example:
- For a brick wall, a heater is used that cannot be taken for a concrete wall. In this case, it is best to purchase foamed polystyrene foam.
- It is better to insulate concrete walls with expanded polystyrene (see How insulation is performed with expanded polystyrene walls), but extruded.
- For walls made of concrete, any insulation is suitable, but subject to the placement of a vapor barrier material, such as foil, on one of its surfaces.
Insulation with foam phenol
To achieve the maximum effect, it is necessary to provide an air gap of up to two centimeters on both sides. In this case, roll foam is attached to a wooden crate attached to the base.
For this:
- Wooden planks two centimeters thick are attached to the wall surface vertically or horizontally in increments along the width of the roll.
- Planks are fastened to wooden walls with self-tapping screws; dowels are used for concrete and brick walls.
- Strips of the required length are cut from the roll of material and shot with staples using a construction stapler to the planks.
- Installation of penofol sheets is carried out end-to-end, with the foil side inside the room.
- All joints are carefully glued with aluminum tape.
- They are installed and fastened with self-tapping screws to the crate of the lath, providing an external air gap.
- Outside, the walls are lined with plasterboard sheets, clapboard or other materials.
Use of mineral wool
This is a more complex process that requires the use of additional elements - wooden slats.
The installation procedure is as follows:
- Vertical slats are installed on the walls, using a building level to ensure one plane for all elements.
- A waterproofing material is laid between the slats and fixed directly to the slats.
- The heater itself is installed.
Tip: In order not to form “cold bridges”, the heat-insulating material must be laid very tightly in the space between the slats, cutting it to a size slightly larger than the distance between the slats. There should be no gaps between the canvases.
- The vapor barrier material is laid and attached to the rails.
- In the absence of a plaster layer, it is better to lay mineral wool in two layers.
Insulation with expanded polystyrene
This is a fairly simple and cheapest option for warming an apartment. If the masonry of the wall is made of brick, it must first of all be plastered.
Then:
- After the coating dries, the wall is leveled with putty.
- A waterproofing material is laid, which gives a 100% guarantee of protecting the wall from the formation of condensate at the junction between it and the insulation.
- Insulation sheets are laid on a special glue. In this case, the composition is applied to the surface of the wall, and not to the foam.
- Foam panels are located end-to-end, without gaps (see How to do-it-yourself wall insulation with foam plastic).
- Vapor barrier material is laid.
Insulation with polyurethane foam
For spraying polyurethane foam, special equipment is used.
Wherein:
- A wooden crate is mounted on the wall, which will serve as guides when spraying the material and the basis for fixing the decorative finish.
- Polyurethane foam is being installed.
- Finishing panels are attached.
The use of plaster
Before you insulate the walls of the apartment from the inside with plaster, you need to get acquainted with a number of features and nuances of the work. Apply warm plaster on the walls in three layers:
- A spray is made from a liquid plaster solution to ensure its penetration into all cracks. The composition is thrown onto the wall evenly and with effort, with a layer thickness of up to 10 millimeters.
- A layer of soil is applied. When thermal insulation with plaster, it is the main one. The thickness of the coating is 50-60 millimeters.
Tip: The primer should be applied in two or three layers, the thickness of each should be 20-30 millimeters. This will prevent the coating from separating from the wall under its own weight. Each layer must dry well after application.
- Covering is in progress. This is the finishing layer, the thickness of which is up to 5 millimeters. For its manufacture, pure fine sand diluted with water is used. The composition is simply rubbed into the surface of the wall, forming a flat surface.
How to insulate a wall in an apartment from the inside with a cork, the video will tell. The process begins with the preparation of the walls to a perfectly flat surface, the control of which is carried out by the building level.
For this:
- Insufficiently smooth wall surfaces are plastered, any protrusions, cracks, depressions and other flaws are removed.
- The room is left to dry.
Tip: It is impossible to insulate the walls inside the room with cork material on damp surfaces. This will cause deformation of the panels and the appearance of fungus.
- When installing the insulation, the instructions for using the adhesive must be strictly observed.
- Durability of a covering at operation will provide exact observance of technology of work.
- A cork cloth coated with glue is applied to the wall and strengthened. At the same time, everything must be done carefully and accurately: many adhesive bases for cork seize almost instantly, which will not allow changing the location of the panel after laying it on the wall.
- When installing the cork, it is necessary to ensure thorough ventilation of the room, the adhesive bases have toxicity and a sharp unpleasant odor.
The article briefly describes how to insulate the walls in the apartment from the inside. But you should always follow simple rules: apply the right heaters in the right places, find the real reason for the penetration of cold into the apartment and eliminate it.
September 3, 2016Specialization: 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 :)
Recently, with the constant increase in energy prices, people tend to insulate their apartments. This procedure really allows you to save on heating and make your home more comfortable, but at the same time, it must be done correctly so that you do not encounter a number of problems later. Therefore, in this article we will consider how to insulate the walls of an apartment inside, and whether it makes sense to do this at all.
Is it worth it to insulate the walls from the inside
Insulating walls from the inside, of course, is much easier than from the outside. However, I will immediately note that this is far from the best solution for a number of reasons:
- after the installation of thermal insulation, the walls will no longer warm up at all, as a result of which between them and the wall will be formed. This, in turn, can lead to the formation of mold and even the appearance of cracks on the walls;
- when the heater is located from the inside, it is not possible to insulate the ceiling, as a result, the ceiling also turns out to be “cold”, and condensation may form on it;
- insulation from the inside takes up living space. In a large apartment, this, of course, will be practically unnoticeable, but for a Khrushchev apartment, where every square centimeter counts, the usable area decreases significantly.
This raises the question - why do internal insulation at all, if it has so many shortcomings? The fact is that it is not always possible to insulate the walls from the outside. For example, if the facade of your house faces the central city street or square, then local authorities are unlikely to allow you to change its appearance.
In addition, sometimes it is not possible to perform external insulation for technical reasons, for example, if the wall is adjacent to an unheated elevator shaft. Thus, it makes sense to implement wall insulation from the inside in the apartment in the following cases:
- if it is not possible to place the insulation outside;
- if internal insulation is used as an addition to the external one. Even if the additional insulation on the walls is thin enough, it will become much more comfortable inside the housing.
After the walls are insulated from the inside, it is necessary to ensure high-quality ventilation of the room, since the apartment, in fact, turns into a large sealed thermos. This, in turn, will lead to an increase in humidity and a deterioration in the microclimate.
In other cases, it is better to insulate the apartment from the outside.
Warming technology
The process of insulating walls with your own hands from the inside includes several stages:
Each of these stages has its own nuances, which we will discuss below.
Preparation of materials
You need to start work on insulation, of course, with the preparation of materials. Since people are often interested in the best way to insulate housing from the inside, I will say a few words about the insulation.
In principle, you can use any thermal insulation material, since their degree of thermal conductivity differs slightly. However, it should be borne in mind that the material will not be located in housing, but outside it. Therefore, it is better to refuse polystyrene, but mineral wool is a good solution - this heat insulator is much more environmentally friendly, and also fireproof.
In addition to insulation, you will need the following materials:
- vapor barrier film - prevents the penetration of moisture into the insulation. If it is not used, then the insulation will be saturated with water, which entails a number of negative consequences;
- material for mounting the frame - it can be wooden bars or boards. However, most often they use a regular mounting profile. In this case, you will need more brackets and guides;
- drywall or other material for sheathing the frame (lining, plastic panels, etc.)
To complete the purchase of all these materials, you must first calculate the square of the walls. Knowing what the price of each of the materials is, you can calculate the cost of internal insulation in advance.
Wall preparation
So, we figured out how to insulate the walls of the apartment from the inside. Now let's get to work.
As mentioned above, before insulating the wall from the inside in the apartment, it must be prepared. This is done as follows:
- first of all, it is necessary to remove the old coating from the wall - wallpaper, tiles, etc. If the wall is covered with gypsum putty or plaster, it is also desirable to remove it.
As mentioned above, moisture will form between the wall and the insulation, as a result of which the gypsum will soak, respectively, this will not lead to anything good. You can remove the plaster with a chisel and a hammer or a puncher turned on in impact mode.
- then be sure to treat the wall with antiseptics that will prevent mold. Instructions for use of drugs are usually available on the package.
To achieve the maximum effect of insulation, it is necessary to insulate the ceiling as well, i.e. overlap, which will be adjacent to the frozen wall. This can be done using the wet method - glue the mineral wool plates and additionally fix them with dowels. The surface of the insulation is plastered, on our portal you can get detailed information on how this is done.
This completes the preparation process.
Arrangement of the ventilation gap
The process of arranging the ventilation gap is carried out at the stage of waterproofing the walls. It should be noted that many construction sites offer thermal insulation from the inside without a ventilation gap.
The big disadvantage of such a scheme is that moisture is necessarily formed between the wall and the insulation, which does not go anywhere, which leads to the destruction of the wall. Therefore, it is better to refuse its implementation.
Arrangement of the ventilation gap is carried out in the following sequence:
- attach wooden slats about two centimeters thick to the walls. You can arrange them horizontally in increments of about a meter. You can attach the slats to the walls with dowel-nails.
The slats must first be treated with a protective compound so that they do not rot in a humid environment; - then several holes must be made in the wall in order for the ventilation gap to work. To do this, drill holes with a diameter of about 20 mm. To prevent the holes from clogging, they must be protected with a mesh;
- further, a vapor barrier film is attached to the resulting crate. Moreover, it should be stretched so that a ventilation gap is formed between the wall and the film.
To drill holes from the inside in a panel house for dowel-nails, you should use a puncher with a pobedit drill.
Frame installation
The frame consists of vertical racks, which are arranged in increments equal to the width of the heat insulator plates. In order for the insulation to fit securely to the uprights, the step between them can be made even a centimeter less than the width of the insulation.
The frame assembly process is as follows:
- first of all, mark the walls, according to which the racks and rails will be located. It should be noted that the distance between the wall (vapor barrier in our case) and the rails that will be mounted on the ceiling and floor must be no less than the thickness of the heat insulator so that the insulation can fit inside the frame;
- further, brackets are attached to the vapor barrier rails according to the markings, which will hold the racks. Multiple brackets should be used for each rack. For mounting the latter, self-tapping screws are usually used;
- rack rails are then attached to the floor and ceiling. They should be located strictly opposite each other so that the racks stand vertically. Therefore, before performing their installation, you should make sure that the markup is accurate;
- then the racks are inserted into the rails and fixed with brackets, as shown in the diagram above.
For cutting a metal profile, you can use special scissors for metal.
By the same principle, the installation of the frame from the bars is carried out. The only thing is that in this case guides are not used, so the racks are installed simply according to the markings.
The installation of the insulation is extremely simple - if the racks are located correctly, then the mineral wool plates are simply inserted between them, and their additional fixation is not required. The only thing to avoid cold bridges should be filled with insulation and the space between the wall and the racks.
To do this, you can cut the mineral wool into strips of the required size. You can cut the plates with an ordinary hacksaw for wood.
Mineral wool fibers getting on the skin and especially in the eyes cause severe irritation. Therefore, when working with it, use personal protective equipment.
If gaps form between the mineral wool plates, they must also be filled with insulation. In addition, it is necessary to ensure a tight fit of the mineral wool to the floor and ceiling. I note that these, at first glance, trifles should not be neglected, since the effectiveness of insulation largely depends on them.
After the insulation is laid, another layer of vapor barrier should be fixed to the frame. If the frame is wooden, then you can use a construction stapler to fix it.
If the frame is metal, the vapor barrier can be temporarily fixed with tape. Subsequently, the film will be fixed with sheathing material.
On forums, people are often interested in how to insulate a wall from the inside in a corner apartment? In fact, the technology is no different.
Frame sheathing
As a rule, the sheathing of the frame in the apartment is carried out with drywall. Therefore, in the end, I will briefly describe the technology of its installation and further finishing:
- work must begin with cutting drywall into sheets of a suitable size. To do this, mark the sheets, then cut the cardboard on one side along the marked line with a mounting knife, then break the sheet, and then cut the cardboard on the other side;
- prepared sheets should be attached to the frame with self-tapping screws, which should be located at a distance of 5-10 cm from each other. Self-tapping screws must be recessed;
- then, at the joints of the sheets, you need to cut a chamfer 5 mm wide. If the end is rounded, the chamfer does not need to be cut;
- then a special self-adhesive mesh is glued to the seams between the sheets;
- further, the caps of the self-tapping screws and the joints between the sheets are smeared with gypsum putty;
- after that, the entire surface of the walls is puttied. On our portal you can find detailed information on how to properly perform puttying;
- then the surface is polished with a special grater, on which the mesh is put on:
- after that, another layer of finishing putty is applied and final sanding is performed.
Sanding must be done in bright light. In this case, you will see all the flaws that need to be eliminated.
This completes the wall cladding and finishing process. Now you can paint it or, for example, stick wallpaper on it.
If lining or wooden panels are used as cladding, they are simply attached to the frame with self-tapping screws. Accordingly, the skin takes much less time.
Here, in fact, is all the information on how to insulate the walls of an apartment from the inside with your own hands.
Conclusion
I told you how to insulate the walls inside with minimal negative consequences. Therefore, do not try to simplify the process and move away from the technology outlined above. Its observance will allow you to make the apartment really warm and cozy.
For more information, see the video in this article. If you encounter any difficulties in the process of warming or some points are not clear to you, ask questions in the comments, and I will be happy to answer you.
September 3, 2016If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thanks!
Sometimes it happens that the heating works well, there is a three-chamber double-glazed window, there are no cracks and drafts, but the room is cold. A similar situation can often be observed in a corner apartment. This is due to large heat losses. One of the ways out in this case may be additional insulation of the apartment from the inside.
Inside or outside?
It is most correct to fix the insulation from the outside. In this case, the thickness of the heat-insulating layer will be significantly less, and the likelihood of condensation is reduced to a minimum.
Internal insulation, although not the best option, still has the right to life, especially in the following cases:
- administrative ban on the performance of facade insulation works;
- the presence of a compensatory expansion joint;
- the presence of electrical or gas communications;
- the exit of the wall in need of insulation into the elevator shaft;
- the location of the apartment above the first floor.
The last point requires a little clarification. If the insulation is done by hand, then on the ground floor, thermal insulation can be attached both from the outside and from the inside. With an increase in the number of storeys, the use of climbing equipment is already required, and only the option of internal insulation is suitable for independent work.
Types of heaters
To date, there is a large selection of what you can do with thermal insulation:
- mineral basalt wool;
- glass wool;
- expanded polystyrene (polystyrene);
- extruded polystyrene foam (EPS);
- foam polyethylene.
Fiber materials
Mineral wool and glass wool belong to the class of fibrous heaters. They are mats or rolls of compressed fibers. There is air inside between the fibers.
A characteristic feature of such materials is a sharp decrease in thermal insulation characteristics when wet, which entails the need to use additional vapor barrier from the side of the room.
The only option when mats can be used without additional protection is to place them inside the wall.
The insulation is placed between the outer and inner layers, made of brick or concrete.
Foam materials
Styrofoam and similar in properties to XPS in the form of plates have a closed cellular structure. The air enclosed inside the cells isolated from each other is a good heat insulator.
A significant advantage of such materials is that they are not afraid of moisture. No additional protection is required when using them.
Relatively recently, a new roll material has appeared - polyethylene foam with a thickness of 2 to 10 mm, foiled on one or both sides with aluminum. It can be used as an auxiliary material to improve the thermal insulation properties of the entire wall structure.
Foil polyethylene, in addition to the function of direct insulation, is able to create a vapor barrier and a screen that reflects infrared heat from heating devices into the room.
Basic schemes for performing work
Insulating the walls of an apartment by simply sheathing them from the inside with a thick layer of thermal insulation is a very risky undertaking. There is a high chance that the effort will be wasted.
In the inner layers of the structure, zones favorable for the formation of condensate will form. Moisture, regardless of the type of insulation used (a little faster for wool, slower for EPPS), will come to the surface of the finish in the form of weeping spots, and then fungus and mold. In order for the wall to be dry and warm, there are two solutions.
Construction of an additional wall
In this case, a "well" masonry with internal insulation is reproduced. An additional partition is erected at some distance from the main wall of brick or wall blocks. The thickness varies between 100 - 150 mm. A heater is installed in the resulting gap.
Inside, the possible dew point will be either in the thickness of the outer wall, or on its border with the insulation. The entire array of the inner wall remains dry.
External wall heating
A heating mat of an electric floor is fixed on the insulated surface, which automatically turns on when critical temperatures are reached. On top of the heating mat, thermal insulation and a final fine finish are mounted. In practice, such a scheme is implemented quite rarely due to the high costs of electricity during the cold season.
A similar principle arises when insulating the walls of a panel house with an internal central heating system. Hot water circulating through the pipes heats the wall from the inside and prevents condensation from forming.
It is enough to mount the required layer of the missing thermal insulation to get the desired effect.
Performance of thermal insulation works
Depending on the climatic zone where the building is located, the material and thickness of the walls, the composition and design of the insulation of the internal surfaces of the room will vary. There will be a very large number of possible options. To obtain optimal results, it is necessary in each case to carry out at least approximate calculations before starting work.
To get a general idea of the progress of the work, you can consider the process of insulating a brick and concrete wall using EPS.
Material selection
One of the brands under which XPS is produced is penoplex. This material is 20 - 100 mm thick, 600 x 1200 mm in size. A distinctive feature is the presence of a fold along the perimeter, which provides a tight pairing of adjacent sheets.
Fastening foam to the surface is much easier than in the case of mineral wool. There is no need to build a frame or use plastic "fungi" to fix the insulation. It is quite possible to get by with “liquid nails” construction mounting adhesive (for a more or less even surface) or an adhesive solution based on a ready-made dry mix (if necessary, smoothing out small irregularities).
Determining the thickness of the heat insulator
How much insulation to lay in the wall? The answer to this question can be given by heat calculation, which takes into account the type of building, building material, climate zone and parameters of the heating system.
When doing work with your own hands, such calculations are often problematic. In practice, most often limited to approximate, averaged values.
So, for a brick wall with a thickness of 300 - 500 mm, it is quite enough to lay 100 - 150 mm of foam inside.
This design will be able to withstand up to -30 ° C. In panel houses with an intra-wall heating system, 100 mm of insulation will be enough.
The process of doing thermal insulation with your own hands begins with the preparation of the base. The surface of the brickwork and the joints with the ceilings are examined in order to identify through cracks. If necessary, they are sealed with mortar or foam.
In order to fix the insulation, an auxiliary wall is erected at a certain distance from the outer wall. Thermal insulation sheets are installed in the resulting gap.
Another option for carrying out work involves fixing the penoplex on the surface of the main street wall with the help of adhesives. Then, an additional wall is erected close to the resulting layer.
Thermal insulation of reinforced concrete wall
In panel houses, the probability of cracks occurring at the junction of individual blocks is quite high. For a corner apartment, the search and repair of cracks in the joints is a prerequisite. Through through cracks, heat, despite the insulation, will be blown out into the street.
In large-panel housing construction, very often central heating radiators are hidden inside. During the heating season, the surface always remains warm.
This feature greatly simplifies the thermal insulation scheme. Penoplex is attached directly to the inner surfaces of the walls. Finishing can be done directly on the insulation.
The dew point will be in the depth of the wall closer to the street. Favorable conditions for the formation of condensate are not created. The insulation layer and interior trim will remain dry throughout the entire period of operation.
