Insulation of concrete ceiling slabs. How to insulate a concrete ceiling? (26 photos)

Large heat losses in the room and cold air blowing from the ceiling are the result of improper or poor-quality thermal insulation. Heat loss through the ceiling can reach 20%, since the heated air rises, and if there is no obstacle on its way that can keep it inside the room, it will be “blown out”, like your budget. Measures for the insulation of the ceiling must be carried out at the stage of building a house. But if for some reason this did not happen, or the old thermal insulation has become unusable, you will have to do it all over again. What are the ways to insulate the ceiling, how best to implement them in one case or another, what materials to use - these are the main questions that the owners have. At the same time, it is important to do everything right so that the insulation does not dampen, condensation does not accumulate on the surface, mold or fungus does not appear. And for this it is necessary to understand the very essence of the work performed and the processes occurring in the insulation.

Why and how to insulate the ceiling

What is meant by ceiling insulation? If it blows from above, from the side of the ceiling, we say “it is necessary to insulate the ceiling”, but what actions are meant by this? In fact, there are several technologies, and which one is suitable in each case depends on the starting conditions.

In a private house, the ceiling is always insulated from the side of the upper room.: whether it is an attic, next floor or attic. Laying heat-insulating material on top of the ceiling or in the voids of the ceiling ensures the retention of heat inside the room. At the same time, the height of the room to be insulated does not decrease, additional ceiling finishing is not required, and there is no need to install thermal insulation directly above the head, because it is not so easy to fix it, and particles will penetrate into the living room. But the most important thing is that the processes occurring in the ceiling and the heat-insulating material provide warmth and dryness of the room and materials, condensation does not form and the insulation does not get wet.

What is the principle of attic insulation? It's no secret that the most the best insulation is air. All modern thermal insulation materials are essentially air enclosed in one way or another in a form. But how can you use air for insulation, so as not to pay for it? Our ancestors acted very wisely when they built houses with a gable roof and an exceptionally cold attic, in which there were two windows in the gables. Our climate allows us to play this situation to our advantage. gable roof holds snow well, which is also a heater. The snow-covered roof retains heat so well that even if it is -25 ° C outside, the temperature inside the attic is about 0 ° C. The air trapped in the attic room is an ideal insulator, the characteristics of which can be changed depending on the season or the weather by opening and closing the windows in the gables and ventilating the room. The attic floor has always been insulated with loose natural materials, in combination with air, this made it possible to maintain the temperature inside the heated room +20 - +25 ° С. The advantage of floor insulation in the attic is that the material does not dampen, it can be dried by ventilating the room.

Extremely important! In order for the attic to act as a heat insulator, it is impossible to insulate the roof slope from the inside. This will lead to the fact that the snow on the roof will melt, and icicles will form on the overhangs. In addition, the construction of an uninsulated roof is always open for inspection and repair.

Important! An attic insulated from all sides with heating is no longer an attic. This is an attic, more suitable for the climate of warm countries Western Europe. The design and operation of the attic has its own rules.

In the apartment high-rise building everything is a little different. It is not possible to insulate the ceiling or floor of the upper floor. And the problem of a blown ceiling most often occurs among residents of the last floor. What to do? The only option is to insulate the ceiling from the inside of the room, although this is not recommended, there is no other choice.

When insulating the ceiling, it is important to remember this rule: each subsequent layer in the direction from the room should have a greater vapor transmission capacity.

Below we consider separately the methods of warming the attic from the outside and from the inside.

Insulation of the ceiling from the outside (from the side of the upper room)

Insulation of the ceiling from the side of the upper room implies the laying of heat-insulating material on top of the ceiling or in its voids, if any. As already mentioned above, this is done in private houses and cottages. The type of material for insulation and the very technology of its laying depend on whether the floor is wooden or concrete. For overlapping on beams, which is a wooden floor on logs, light backfill materials or roll-type materials are suitable. But for the insulation of a concrete slab - dense mats or slabs, as well as heavy backfill materials.

One of the most ancient and time-tested ways to insulate the ceiling is to insulate the attic with sawdust. In some regions, you can buy sawdust for next to nothing or even get it for free if there is woodworking nearby. Quite often at the enterprise they themselves do not know what to do with sawdust, therefore - stop by and take it at least every year. It is better to fall asleep sawdust from above wooden floors.

The only downside this method that sawdust burns. Therefore, there have been several various ways sawdust insulation.

Method 1. Grease all the cracks in the wooden floor of the attic with clay, a little liquid. Sprinkle sand on top. If suddenly the clay cracks somewhere, sand will immediately fall into the gap, and integrity will be preserved. To protect sawdust from mice, cover with a layer of slaked lime interspersed with carbide. Next comes the main layer - sawdust. For different regions, the thickness of this layer may be different, but the minimum is 150 - 200 mm, 250 - 300 mm is considered optimal. Since sawdust is a combustible material, a thin layer of spent slag is sprinkled on top of it, especially around hot communications - a chimney, for example. Nothing is laid on top. You can only lay out the boards for the convenience of walking in the attic.

Method 2. The floor surface must be protected from moisture. This can be done in two ways: the first is to lay a waterproofing film on the wooden floor that can pass steam from the side of the room, the second - just like in the first method, coat the entire floor with clay. Then you need to mix sawdust with cement. To do this, take 10 parts of sawdust, about 1 - 2 parts of cement and 1.5 parts of water. First sawdust is mixed with cement, then water is added. The sawdust should be slightly wet for the cement to stick to it. The resulting mixture can be poured on top of the attic floor or poured between the floor beams on the subfloor. A layer of 200 mm will be enough. It is necessary to start doing all these works in the spring, so that the sawdust with cement has time to dry well over the summer (they dry for a long time).

Important! It is easy to check if the sawdust is dry or not: just walk on it. Dried sawdust will not break, but will slightly crunch.

Method 3. Similar to the second way. Only clay is used instead of cement.

Method 4. Similar to the first way. Slag can not be sprinkled on top. Sawdust can be smeared on top with clay, but not very liquid, so that it does not spill deep inside.

Considering that expanded clay is a rather heavy material, it is not recommended to insulate wooden floors with it. There is too much risk that wood flooring may fail. The ceiling is insulated with expanded clay with concrete ceilings.

First of all, the surface of the concrete floor must be covered with a vapor barrier film. It should be laid with an overlap, the joints should be glued with adhesive tape. An overlap is made on the walls, approximately 40 - 50 cm. The wooden rafters and the chimney must also be pasted over with a vapor barrier film.

Next, crumpled clay is laid on the film. And already from above - expanded clay. For better thermal insulation, a mixture of coarse and fine fractions of expanded clay is taken. Then the small one will fill the voids, and the backfill will turn out to be more homogeneous. For a cold climate, the expanded clay layer should be 50 cm. Recommended in some sources, 15 - 20 cm will not save the situation. It is precisely because of the fact that expanded clay must be covered with such a large layer for high-quality thermal insulation, it is rarely used.

A light cement-sand screed with a layer of 50 mm is installed on top of the expanded clay. The solution should be thick enough not to spill deep into the backfill. Thus, in the attic, a sufficiently strong floor will be obtained, and it can be used for storing something or as a boiler room. A big plus is also the complete fire safety and environmental friendliness of this method.

Clay is an ancient building material, the scope of which is diverse and multifaceted. Clay itself is not used in insulation, since for effective thermal insulation its layer must be simply colossal - 50 - 80 cm. wooden ceiling, and such a thickness of the backfill is simply impractical, it is better to choose a modern material.

Therefore, to insulate the ceiling, clay is used in a mixture with sawdust.

First, the floor is covered with a vapor barrier film that does not allow water to pass through. Next, you can prepare a clay-sawdust solution. Water is poured into a large barrel, into which 4-5 buckets of clay are added. Then the clay is kneaded in water so that the water acquires a dirty color and the clay almost dissolves. Next, part of the resulting mixture is poured into the concrete mixer and covered with sawdust. While stirring, the amount of water is added. As a result, the solution should be neither liquid nor thick.

A great option for insulating the ceiling in the attic wooden house- reed mats. Modern reed mats, tied with twine or wire, are simply laid on top of the ceilings apart. It is better if there are 2 layers, the second of them will overlap the joints of the mats of the first layer, removing the "cold bridges". The disadvantage of this method is the fire hazard.

For those who want to insulate the ceiling with natural materials, seaweed is suitable. In coastal regions, this material can be bought for pennies, and with great desire You can also order delivery to another region. The advantage of seaweed ladders is that mice do not start in them, they are hypoallergenic and even medicinal, as they are saturated with iodine and sea salt, the vapors of which are useful, and also do not support combustion and do not smoke. In algae, insects and microorganisms do not start.

Seaweed is not afraid of moisture, so there is no need to vapor barrier the floor. Ladders are laid directly on the ceiling or floor with a layer of 200 mm. From above, you can equip the floor or lay boards for ease of movement.

Ecowool or cellulose wadding is a modern material that is positioned as natural. To reduce flammability, it is treated with flame retardants or boric acid. Ecowool absorbs moisture in itself, so it is not necessary to lay a vapor barrier film.

Ecowool is laid immediately on wooden or concrete floors. This requires a special blowing unit, due to which all the cracks are blown out, the insulation layer turns out to be monolithic and saturated with the air enclosed inside. For most regions of the Russian Federation, a layer of ecowool of 250 mm is sufficient, but in colder regions it is better to make 400 - 500 mm.

Ecowool ceiling insulation technology sometimes includes water spraying. It is needed in order to accelerate the process of lignin formation. Then, after 1 - 3 weeks, a crust appears on top of the ecowool. Due to the fact that this material tends to cake, it is always necessary to take a margin of 5 - 15%.

Penoplex is a member of the extruded polystyrene foam family. This material has greater strength than polystyrene, which means that it can be used to insulate concrete floors before pouring a concrete floor from above. A good option for insulation of ceilings on the first or second floor of a low-rise private house.

It is not recommended to insulate the ceiling with Penoplex if the floors are wooden. The fact is that XPS is a material that is absolutely not “breathable”. As a result, moisture will accumulate in wooden structures, this will lead to the appearance of mold and fungus.

Before laying Penoplex on a concrete floor, the latter must be checked for irregularities. First, the surface is leveled, only then you can lay steam insulating material.

Then the Penoplex plates are laid out. Definitely on the run. They are attached to the surface with special dowels with a mushroom cap. The joints between the plates are filled with mounting foam. After the foam dries, a cement-sand screed with a layer of 50 mm is poured on top. It will serve as a solid floor of the attic or second floor.

Insulation of the ceiling with mineral wool (Ursoy)

The most popular modern material for ceiling insulation is mineral wool. One of the manufacturers of thermal insulation materials based on minerals or fiberglass is the Ursa company, in the assortment of which there are both roll positions and rigid slabs.

Mineral wool Ursa in rolls is good for warming wooden floors, it is convenient to lay it between the beams. But rigid mineral wool slabs are used for thermal insulation of concrete floors, although it is also possible for wooden ones.

Ursa insulation of the ceiling is carried out in this way:

For wooden floors. A vapor barrier material is laid between the floor beams. Its laying is mandatory, as mineral wool is afraid of moisture. The film is spread with an overlap, and the joints are glued with adhesive tape, an overlap of 15 - 25 cm is made on the walls. Next, Ursa mineral wool rolls with a thickness of 100 to 250 mm are laid between the beams, depending on the calculations of heat loss. The material must enter the space with force. To do this, it must be cut with a small margin of 2 cm more than the distance between the beams. Then there are two ways: the first - you can leave the mineral wool open, but then you can’t walk on the floor, the second - you can make a wooden floor from above, leaving a gap between the mineral wool and the floor boards of 3 mm. The advantage of mineral wool is its fire safety.

For concrete floors. The surface of the concrete is leveled, then covered with a vapor barrier film. Mineral wool slabs are laid on top, always apart. Next, a wooden floor or flooring made of boards, plywood, etc. is equipped. It is not recommended to perform a screed over mineral wool, since concrete has low vapor permeability, which means that the main rule of thermal insulation will not be observed.

Ceiling insulation with foam (polyurethane foam)

Polyurethane foam is a modern material that is advertised everywhere as the most ideal insulation for ceilings and attics. Virtues this material are incombustibility, good adhesion, neutrality to microorganisms and insects, waterproofing and soundproofing properties, resistance to temperature fluctuations, absence of cold bridges. The disadvantage is complete vapor tightness, this has a bad effect on the microclimate of the room.

Insulation of the ceiling with polyurethane foam is carried out only by an organization specializing in this. The material is sprayed under high pressure so that it is blown into all the cracks and envelops the protruding elements - columns, etc. The layer is usually 10 - 12 cm.

Insulation of the ceiling from the inside

An extremely undesirable measure is the insulation of the ceiling from the inside of the room. In addition to reducing the overall height of the room, there is an extremely high risk of insulating material or its fumes getting inside the room, as well as the likelihood of mold and fungus appearing in the insulation. But if there is no other way out, you will have to at least take into account a number of restrictions: do not use mineral wool and form a ventilation gap between the insulation and the ceiling finish.

Ceiling insulation with extruded polystyrene foam (Penoplex)

EPPS is a good option for insulating a concrete ceiling. First, a crate is nailed, on which drywall will be attached in the future. The height of the lathing beam should be 2 - 3 mm more than the thickness of the insulation. The step between the rails should be equal to the width of the Penoplex minus 1 - 2 mm. Further, a heater is shoved between the crate, it should go in with effort. For greater reliability, it must be fixed with dowels to the ceiling. Then drywall is attached to the crate and a suspended ceiling is obtained. Instead of drywall, you can mount a stretch ceiling.

Penofol is a foamed polyethylene, one side of which is foil-coated. Its thermal insulation properties are not that great, but if the heat loss is not too large, it may be sufficient.

It is necessary to fill the crate on the ceiling, to which Penofol is fixed, with the foil side inside the room. It can be nailed to the crate. On both sides of this material, it is necessary to make a ventilation gap, so another crate is stuffed on top of it, to which drywall is attached. A stretch ceiling option is also available.

The second way to insulate the ceiling with Penofol is to use it in conjunction with Penoplex.

In addition to the Penoplex insulation method described above, Penofol is stuffed onto the crate, and only then drywall.

Ceiling insulation with heat-insulating plaster mixtures

For some unknown reason, the option of insulating the ceiling with special heat-insulating plaster mixtures is not popular. But in vain. This is an excellent material for insulating a concrete ceiling. Plasters are absolutely eco-friendly, decorative, do not suffer from moisture and steam, do not burn and are not afraid of fungus or mold. Among the materials of the UMKA company there are positions that can be used indoors.

Ceiling insulation with white bark agglomerate cork tree- an environmentally friendly natural way of warming. It is convenient to use the cork when installing an Armstrong false ceiling, fixing it to the crate. The use of a vapor barrier is optional, as the cork is not afraid of moisture.

The methods of ceiling insulation described above are the most common, but on them common list does not end. There are many other natural and synthetic materials that can be used to insulate the attic of a private house. When choosing one or another method and material, be sure to consider the general concept of your home. For example, to insulate the ceiling of an environmentally friendly wooden house with Penoplex or Penofol is at least stupid. To keep the wood dry and allow it to "breathe", it is necessary to choose natural vapor-permeable materials, such as algae, reeds, sawdust or ecowool. And for a house made of concrete, foam concrete or brick, EPS and polyurethane foam will come in handy.

One of the problems in a private house is heat leakage through the ceiling. If in an apartment building there is a warm apartment on top, then in our case there is only cold attic or even just a street. How to insulate the ceiling from the inside in a private house, if for some reason it is not possible to do this from the attic?

Material selection

Let's start with the structure of the insulation. It will be multi-layered; we have to follow in sequence:

  • External vapor barrier insulation;
  • Crate for filling with heat-insulating material;
  • actual thermal insulation;
  • Internal vapor barrier;
  • Finally, the ceiling must be hemmed with any finishing material.

vapor barrier

As a vapor barrier, glassine is most often used - an inexpensive material with quite acceptable consumer properties. However, if you need additional insurance against leaks - the best choice there will be good old plastic wrap. It is absolutely impervious to water and has a service life of at least fifty years.

Vapor barrier sheets are laid with an overlap. If the ceiling is sloping (for example, in the attic), the film is laid in rows from the bottom up so that condensate cannot flow under the lower sheets. It is better to additionally glue the inner layer of the vapor barrier with adhesive tape. This will ensure absolute tightness.

Why are all these measures necessary? The worst enemy of mineral and ecowool insulation is condensate. Wet mineral wool greatly reduces the thermal insulation qualities. And indoor humidity in winter is always much higher than outdoors (see).

Please note: if we insulate from below reinforced concrete floor, the top layer of vapor barrier is not needed. Between moisture-impermeable concrete and thermal insulation, there is simply nowhere for water to come from.

heat insulating material

Most often, two materials are used as insulation.:

  1. Styrofoam. It's styrofoam. The slabs it is sold with are large enough; the recommended thickness for a temperate climate is 5 centimeters, for Siberia and Far East — 10.

The main advantage is that this insulation is non-hygroscopic, it does not dampen. If so, with any fluctuations in humidity, the quality of the thermal insulation of the ceiling will not change (see).

  1. Mineral wool(glass wool, ecowool, basalt wool and other variations on the same theme). The material is noticeably cheaper than polystyrene with the same degree of thermal insulation provided.

In addition, it is considered more environmentally friendly: mineral fiber does not emit anything into the atmosphere, and heated debates about the properties of polystyrene foam do not subside. possible harm for good health .

The debate about which material is better can also be endless. On any construction portal you can meet convinced adherents of both methods of insulation; Therefore, we will not impose a certain position on the reader.

Let's just say that the foam plastic changes properties over time to a lesser extent, not only in a humid environment: mineral wool caking over time. Even if perfect vapor barrier is provided.

If you choose expanded polystyrene plates as thermal insulation, the inner layer of vapor barrier is also useless. It is enough just to glue the seams between the plates with a wide adhesive tape (see).

Sometimes the foam is simply put on glue. From below it is covered with a layer decorative plaster- and the ceiling is ready.

crate

Two types of lathing are used: wooden and galvanized profile.

Wooden one is a little cheaper and a little easier to install. But the galvanized profile is not deformed by fluctuations in temperature and humidity, is not affected by the fungus and does not serve as food for insects.

Nuance: if we are talking about insulating the ceiling of a wooden house from the inside, you can safely make a crate from a bar or slats. Indeed, what is the point of making a suspended ceiling stronger and more durable than walls and ceilings? Of course, it is worth treating the material for the crate with an antiseptic.

Binder

Here everything is in your hands. The fastest way to hem the ceiling - Wall panels from PVC. In addition, they are easy to wash.

However, drywall will give a smooth surface without seams; can be built and rack ceiling, and suspended tiled ... The choice of material is solely a matter of personal preference and the budget allocated for repairs.

Basic operations

As an example, consider the insulation of the ceiling from the inside in a private house for the case when overhead there are beams with a plank ceiling hemmed to them. The climate is temperate; we will be insulated with mineral wool 50 mm thick.

  1. Armed with a stapler, we attach to the ceiling polyethylene film. It will completely stop the flow of moisture to the boards from the room and extend the life of our ceiling. An overlap of a dozen centimeters is required.
  2. We fill the crate. Hemming the ceiling will become PVC panels; a thin mounting rail is sufficient for them. But let's not forget about the thickness of the thermal insulation and take a bar 50x50.

We will fill it across the future panels with a step of 60 centimeters: in this case, the panels will not sag, and the mineral wool will not have to be cut in width. Most rolls are this size.

  1. We fill the gaps between the bars with mineral wool. It is better to wear textile gloves and protect your eyes and nose: cotton wool fibers are volatile.

  1. Again armed with a stapler, we hem the crate from below with a second layer of polyethylene. Additionally, we glue the joints of the canvases with adhesive tape: greater tightness we will provide, the longer the insulation will retain its properties.
  2. Finally, the last stage: we hem the wall panels from below. We will not focus on how this is done: installation methods have already been described hundreds of times.

Hemming the panels to the wooden crate is a more than simple task.

Conclusion

Our goal is achieved: the room is insulated from the inside. Winter is not to be feared. The downside was that we lost about six centimeters of ceiling height. Unfortunately, the victim was inevitable... Good luck with the repair!

During construction residential buildings often use concrete floor slabs. These reinforced concrete products are used both for and in the construction of walls. They are made of high quality concrete using a reinforced frame. The reliability and durability of buildings mainly depends on the quality of the materials used.

Floor slab structures

Overlapping with a monolithic slab

It features reinforced strength, which allows them to be used in places with an increased risk of sagging. Maximum protection against various deformations, but poor sound insulation. It has a large weight, which is a significant disadvantage of this type during construction.

Hollow structures

The most popular, due to the lightening of the mass of the product. Due to the voids, these plates have low thermal conductivity and good sound insulation. Manufacturing costs are significantly lower than manufacturing costs monolithic slabs. They are often made of ribbed or cellular concrete.

Mostly made in fixed sizes. And when designing a building, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions of standard manufactured plates. Depending on the requirements for future construction, the slabs are also classified by weight. Their average weight varies from 500 kg to 4 tons.

The use of concrete hollow core slabs in the construction of the foundation has been carried out for quite a long time. But the installation of frost protection for floor slabs is not always thought out.

Damp and freezing walls are one of the most serious factors in the fragility of buildings.

The appearance of mold significantly affects the health of the inhabitants of the houses.

Wall freezing factors

  1. Incorrect filling of joints between plates. Poorly filled joints lead to a violation of the heat-shielding properties of the floors. Increases the chance of cracking. Through them, the plate gains moisture.
  2. Poor quality solution in the production of products. The choice of cheap or dilute solutions results in frequent moisture penetration. Usually they have a very loose structure and do not withstand pressure.
  3. Errors in the design of the heating system. Poorly heated rooms are much more prone to frostbite on the walls. After the accumulation of moisture, they begin to freeze both from the outside and from inside.
  4. Subcooling of metal reinforcing elements and anchors. When various cracks appear, moisture begins to get into the metal components of hollow-core slabs. As a result, corrosion may occur. The structure of such plates softens and is more prone to decay from low temperatures.
  5. Exhaust pipes collect condensate. If the draft is weak, moisture accumulates inside the chimneys, which leads to icing and reduced efficiency. At the same time, poor air circulation contributes to the accumulation of unnecessary moisture.
  6. Small wall thickness. The thickness of the walls for their use in the climatic conditions of the region is not taken into account.
  7. Low thermal properties of the materials used. When choosing materials, the balance is generally outweighed in the direction of strength, while often, when installing insulation, the low level of thermal insulation is simply not taken into account.
  8. Insufficient through ventilation. In poorly ventilated rooms, the outer walls freeze through much more, losing their heat-shielding properties. Poor internal waterproofing between the wall and the insulation leads to freezing of the outer surface, and then to the destruction of the masonry.
  9. Foundation with poor waterproofing, especially in houses without basements.
  10. Violation of the vapor barrier structure in attic floors. Poorly executed thermal insulation transfers the performance of its functions to a cement screed. The concrete surface collects moisture, accumulating condensate, and moistens the insulation. The heat-shielding material begins to lose its original properties, which are significantly reduced, as a result of which the floor slabs begin to freeze through. The insulation also increases its weight due to the accumulated fluid.
  11. Frequently flooded basements.
  12. The blind areas are incorrect or missing.
  13. The vertical waterproofing of the basement walls is not done correctly. Low air circulation leads to mold and condensation.
  14. Bad in the production process. The quality of concrete compaction determines the frost resistance and water tightness of the structure of manufactured hollow core slabs. A poorly compacted compound becomes too porous and the protection of the substrate is greatly reduced.
  15. Installation of insufficient thickness of the finishing layer.

Saving on the finishing layer, as a result, you can get global destruction. When the air temperature fluctuates, the lining gradually crumbles, reducing the protection of the wall from getting wet and frost. And as a result, the fortress of the entire building is broken, increasing the chances of emergency situations.

Prevention measures

To protect floor slabs from freezing, you need to take the following measures:

  1. Carefully and tightly fill the gap between the plates.
  2. High-quality installation of sealing joints must be waterproof (due to sealing mastics) and heat-shielding (using insulation packages). With air protection, the distance between the plates is filled with sealing gaskets. Compression of the material of such gaskets should be at least 30-50%.
  3. Monitor and check the ventilation of the building as often as possible.
  4. Poor air circulation in the premises contributes to the long drying of the heat-insulating layers, the accumulation of excess moisture and the appearance of mold. It should not be allowed to freeze through the heaving soil under the base of the foundation and the walls of the basement floor, and not allow the air temperature on the basement floor to fall below zero.
  5. If the building does not have a basement, then it is necessary to install horizontal waterproofing between the ground and the basement surface.
  6. Increase the layer of thermal insulation on attic floors.
  7. Contain in good condition blind areas and drainage devices. The reduction in the probability of freezing of hollow core slabs depends on the efficiency of their work.
  8. During the first 3 years of operation of the building, it is necessary to clean the distance of the drainage systems at least twice a year, in the future - once every three years.
  9. On damp sections of the walls, carry out drying without starting their condition.
  10. Try to reduce humidity in rooms with poor ventilation. In any room, the humidity of the air should not exceed 60%.

Ways to fix

Of course, it is always better to prevent a problem than to fix its consequences. But if the measures were not taken on time and freezing nevertheless began, you need to take up the correction of errors as soon as possible. There are a number various methods fixes troubles with freezing walls.

Depending on causes and locations

The appearance of dampness and black spots in the area of ​​​​the last floors, as a rule, occurs if the installation of the insulation of the attic floor is insufficiently or poorly performed. First of all, defects in the joints between the plates are eliminated, which reduces the appearance of moisture on the internal walls. Typically, expanded clay is used as insulation on attic floors. According to the norms, for its productive action, it must be at least 30 cm.

Be sure to check if there are any problems with the ventilation of the attic space. The lack of high-quality air exchange leads to the appearance of condensate and hypothermia of the floor slabs. Check for roof leaks.
Problems can also arise due to poor-quality sealing of seams in the walls and balcony slabs. Moisture can penetrate into the seams between the wall and the slabs, which contributes to damp spots. Dry the walls as soon as possible and close up any moisture ingress.

If the gap is not more than 8 cm, then you can use mounting foam. To use it, you must first clean the edges of the gap from concrete crumbs. Polyethylene and silicone surfaces require additional treatment with acetone. The hardening of the foam occurs during the day. Then the excess foam must be cut off, you can use a clerical knife, and the surface should be plastered, thereby closing the bridge of cold. If the gap at the junction is more than 8 cm, then you will have to use thick cement mortar.

Check the effectiveness of balcony drains. If the sealing of the joints of the seams is broken, it is best to carry it out again, using newer and better materials. The strength of the building structure largely depends on the quality of the filling of the seams. Proper sealing should be carried out only after careful preparation of the surface:

  • repair the outer surfaces of the wall panels;
  • dry all wet and damp areas;
  • remove any damaged sealant before applying a new coat.

In no case should mastic be allowed to be applied to wet and untreated areas. It is best to repair joints in positive and dry weather.
If an imbalance in the thermal protection of the walls is detected, insulation should be taken up due to their expansion.

Wall insulation options

For example, using a layer of brickwork, you can clad the outside of the wall. This can be done without special skills. For this you will need:

  • bricks;
  • level, tape measure and ordering, if the wall needs to be built high;
  • sand-cement mortar in a ratio of 4: 1 or adhesive mortar for masonry;
  • drill with mixer;
  • trowel and mortar container;
  • access to electricity.

You can also insulate the walls with plaster insulation on a reinforcing mesh. To do this, with the help of dowels, the reinforcing mesh is mounted to the wall. The latter does not have to be metal. Plaster is applied between the wall and the mesh and on top. It can be a cement mortar, and a ready-made dry mix for wet rooms. they are more expensive, but serve much longer than usual, because they have special additives in their composition.

Another one of the most qualitative methods is the installation of vapor barrier material and insulation from the inside concrete wall. Installation is carried out by installing a frame lined with tiled insulation. To make such a frame and fill the distance with insulation between the wall and the finishing material, you can use various clamps and hardware. These can be mounting brackets, and plastic dowels, “fungi”, and glue, as in ready-made, and in the form of a dry mixture that requires preparation. After that, it is imperative to make the cladding with plaster or any other finishing material.

Materials for the frame and insulation:

  • metal profiles or wooden slats;
  • self-tapping screws for metal or wood;
  • sealant and polyurethane foam;
  • vapor barrier membrane or aluminum foil on isoplen;
  • sheet insulation, mineral or fiberglass wool;
  • dry mix for plaster.

Tools for mounting the frame and insulation:

  • grinder with circles for cutting metal or special scissors;
  • drill with mixer nozzle;
  • screwdriver or screwdriver;
  • tape measure, level and pencil;
  • spatulas and graters for grinding;
  • solution container.

Between the frame and the wall, you need to leave a place of about 50 mm and fill it with expanded clay. This material will perfectly absorb the remaining moisture from the wall and stop the appearance of mold. Thus, the wall thickness is increased by 150 mm. There are 80 mm foam blocks that successfully replace such frame structures. Installation is carried out on a conventional cement-sand mortar (1: 4).

On especially cold and damp walls, you can install a system called "warm floor", or run a warm skirting board around the perimeter. This solution is best suited for corner rooms. When choosing a method for heating walls, the most suitable option is an electric film version, or an infrared floor. It should not be installed by yourself. To heat the seam under the plinth, you can use a warm floor, where a cable is used as a heating element.

Installation of a stationary wall-mounted electric heater will not completely solve the problem of poor-quality insulation between the plates, but you can install it yourself.

For this you will need:

  • drill or perforator;
  • anchors or dowels;
  • a hammer;
  • socket.

Whatever the reason for the freezing of hollow core slabs, it is necessary to significantly reduce the humidity in the premises, it is imperative to check the efficiency of the ventilation and control the quality of the heating system. All work to repair the building and eliminate the causes of freezing should be carried out carefully and accurately. Forgetting about some detail, you run the risk of facing this problem again, and very soon.

The ceiling and roof account for, depending on local conditions and the design of the house, 15-40% of its heat loss. Builders for the insulation of ceilings, ceilings and roofs count the extra charge, because. the work is laborious and often it has to be done on weight. However, do-it-yourself ceiling insulation is quite possible without having a building qualification: the technology is not complicated and in most cases does not require special equipment. To help those who decide to warm themselves from above on their own, this article is intended.

General scheme of ceiling insulation modern materials it doesn’t look very complicated, on the left in the figure: a vapor barrier (vapor barrier) does not allow moisture vapor from the inside to the insulation that can ruin it. The waterproofing membrane does not let liquid moisture into it, incl. and condensate in the attic, but releases water vapor to the outside, which nevertheless penetrates to the insulation. In negligible amounts, but, accumulating, it is able to nullify the insulation and spoil the structure of the building.

However, behind the external simplicity is a long evolution of insulation technology and many subtle nuances, without knowledge of which the work may be in vain. So will be considered next:

  • Physics and features of insulation technology from above.
  • Properties of modern insulating materials and additional coatings for them: roofing films, hydro- and vapor barriers; how to choose the right materials for insulation.
  • The possibility of using traditional cheap insulators and heaters: clay, expanded clay, sawdust, etc.
  • Schemes and methods of ceiling insulation: from the side of the attic, from the inside of the rooms; also from the inside from the side of the roof - for houses without an attic (eg summer houses and temporary houses) or with an attic.
  • How to insulate the ceiling in a house with a cold roof and concrete floors.
  • Ways to insulate the ceiling in utility rooms; primarily in the garage and bath.

Cold and warm roofs

A cold roof is called without the so-called. roofing cake: a multi-layer insulating building structure between the counter-lattice under the roofing and the inner lining along the rafters. The device of the roofing pie belongs to another topic - roof insulation, but then we will have to get to know it. Firstly, for non-attic buildings and attics. Secondly, in a private house, the insulation of the ceiling from the side of the attic and the roof are inextricably linked technologically and constructively, as can be seen on the right in the upper figure. Thermal insulation of the ceiling from the attic, along with the roof from the inside, provides the following advantages:

  1. 2 layers of insulation 100 mm each, separated by an extensive thermal buffer in the form of an attic, are equivalent to 1 layer of the same material 270-280 mm;
  2. From paragraph 1, savings in the cost of insulation up to 40%, and the total, taking into account the greater consumption of the film, by 10-15%, which allows the use of more efficient insulation materials;
  3. By insulating the ceiling from the outside and the roof from the inside at the same time, you can get by with inter-beam insulation (see below), which is technologically simpler and more accessible to an unprepared amateur;
  4. "Two-stage" insulation of the top of the building will allow in the future, if necessary, to additionally insulate the rooms from the inside separately without the risk of dampness of the room.

About mineral wool

Warming with mineral wool in the Russian Federation breaks all records of popularity: The material is inexpensive and easy to work with. This is explained primarily by large reserves of readily available raw materials and production technology that has been developed for many decades. The disposal of blast-furnace slag in the USSR had to be taken care of even during the industrial leap of the first five-year plans, and for a breakthrough into space, thermal protection for return capsules was developed based on fibers from remelted heat-resistant rocks. So the “modern” methods of producing slag wool and stone (especially basalt) wool are actually not so new.

Professionals especially like mineral wool: it does not need expensive special equipment, but there is a wide range of special fasteners and accessories for sale. As a result, the ceiling area up to 20-25 square meters. m, it is possible to insulate in less than 1 work shift, or even in 2-3 hours, this is who knows how. How it looks technologically, you can see in the video below.

Video: an example of ceiling insulation with mineral wool

After reading the following, you may have a question: where is the membrane between the insulation and the ceiling? It is quite possible that in this case it is not needed if the attic with the roof is already insulated; Why same hosts spread superfluous. More Attention should be paid to the following precautions when working with mineral wool:

  • Established electrical wiring rolled into a bay and hanging on the wall.
  • Judging by the fact that a lamp on a temporary hut is used for working lighting, the room is completely de-energized, and its wiring is disconnected in the nearest junction box or on the inlet panel - this is absolutely correct and absolutely necessary.
  • The master puts on a full set of personal protective equipment (PPE): special overalls, gloves, goggles, a respirator. For the hobbyist it is important point, because rather expensive PPE will have to be used once.

Here it is already clear that mineral wool is not without drawbacks: it is an allergen and carcinogen of group 3, i.e. suitable for residential premises, but it is necessary to work with it using PPE. In addition, which all manufacturers and sellers, without exception, are prudently silent about, under the influence of even negligible amounts of moisture vapor and its own weight, mineral wool gives irreversible shrinkage, as a result of which its thermal conductivity drops by 50% in 3 years: air gaps in the insulation are the same thermal bridges , like metal lintels, only based on microconvection. The gaps between the plates in 5% of the area of ​​the insulated surface increase heat loss by 30-35%

From this follows another unpleasant circumstance: the simplicity of working with mineral wool is apparent. When cutting boards / rolls to size, it is necessary to give an overlap (usually 20-40 mm) so that the boards fit tightly into the openings without sticking out, as on the right in the figure, but also so that cracks do not go from shrinkage in the future. Perhaps this is only on the basis of experience, because. material properties vary significantly from batch to batch.

Finally, the thermal conductivity of a completely new mineral wool significantly depends on its moisture content - in the direction of deterioration. An increase in air humidity in a room insulated with mineral wool from 60% to 85% leads to an increase in heat loss by 10-12%. Therefore, in the further presentation, focusing on mineral wool as the most popular insulation, we will give, where possible, recommendations for replacing it with something better.

Note: look also at the mounting jig (circled in green on the left in the figure). If you use a propylene linen cord instead of fishing line, then the jig can be left constant. Then special fasteners are not needed and, when mounted on a ceiling and surfaces with a negative slope, sagging of the middle and corners of the plates will be excluded.

Physics and technology of insulation

As you know, the critical factor for insulation is the dew point., the temperature at which this absolute, in g / cu. m of air, the content of water vapor in it corresponds to 100% relative humidity and condensation occurs. The dew point in residential premises is unacceptable: excessively humid air is detrimental to health, and for asthmatics and heart patients it can be a fatal circumstance.

For building structures the dew point is no more useful: from periodic saturation with moisture, concrete and brick crumble, wood becomes moldy and rots, because. the resource of its antiseptic impregnation is not unlimited. Since it is impossible to drive the dew point out forever, it remains to let it “walk” on the insulation, ensuring its isolation from moisture vapor and ventilation. The easiest way to implement such a scheme of insulation is when installing a heater from the outside, pos. 1a in fig.

Ways to "fight" with the dew point during insulation

Sometimes it is technically impossible to insulate from the outside. Or additional insulation is required to the existing one. Analogue - in the old days, in especially severe frosts, they wore 2 fur coats: naked with fur inside, and on top of it - with fur outside. In this case, i.e. when insulating from the inside, its scheme is developed so that the condensate in the insulation migrates to the cold surface, and there it flows into the collection and is removed or evaporates to the outside, pos. 1b. In this case, the most insulating material is needed that does not lose its insulating properties when moistened. Such exist, see below.

Features of ceiling insulation

Features of ceiling insulation, firstly, is that it is impossible to organize a condensate drain. Even if the ceiling is sloping, does the water flow along the walls? Drained walls in construction are known, but their complexity and cost are such that it only remains to be mentioned here. Secondly, the warm (exuding water vapor) and cold sides of the ceiling in a low-rise building can also change places in the cold season, due to solar heating. Therefore, the ceiling insulation technology is primarily focused on ensuring that there is no condensate in the insulation. And if it has already formed, then you need to give it the opportunity to evaporate outward as quickly as possible, i.e. to the cold side.

cold overlap

On the ceiling of a material that conducts heat well, e.g. concrete, when insulated from the outside with loose material, 3 air gaps a, b and c, pos. 2a. Gap a, between the vapor barrier (vapor barrier) and the insulation layer - safety, in case of abundant condensation, which is possible on a cold surface. Gap a is necessarily ventilated, it is technically difficult to fulfill it, so the ceilings are concrete floors it is desirable to insulate from the inside massive, i.e. impervious to moisture, insulation. One of the practically important cases of this kind is considered below. Gap b is accumulating, it creates a partial pressure of water vapor, which ensures their diffusion through a semipermeable membrane that allows gases to pass through but retains liquid moisture. Gap c is the main working one, it is also ventilated, but, since it is located closer to the outside, it is easier to ensure its “ventilation”, for example, in the form of a slot around the perimeter.

Note: if there is a technical possibility and the ability to make the gap also ventilated, this will only benefit the insulation.

Warm overlay

"Warm", i.e. a ceiling that conducts heat poorly, creates a rather high barrier on the way of heat from the inside to the outside, shifting the dew point up into the insulation layer, if you look at pos. 2b. This makes it possible to do without gap a, which in turn simplifies the insulation of the wooden ceiling from the outside. Suddenly, the condensate at the border of the vapor barrier and the base will nevertheless fall out, then in a small amount, it will immediately be absorbed into the tree, and then, without bringing the humidity in the room to a critical level, it will slowly evaporate. Residents will most likely not notice this - wood keeps its mechanical and thermal parameters in a wide range of humidity.

Therefore, it is preferable to insulate the wooden ceiling from the attic, pos. 3: the base is covered with an inexpensive film vapor barrier (see below), a conventional waterproofing film without metallization will also go to the membrane. It is only necessary to arrange an air gap between the insulation and the membrane; its role has been discussed above.

Aweigh

The requirements for the vapor barrier are tightened if it is possible for water vapor to enter from free space, because. in this case, the intensity of their "attack" is unlimited. Then a vapor barrier is needed from a foil film, pos. 4, because no plastic is an absolute barrier to water vapor. Gap a between the vapor barrier and the insulation is also necessary, but now it is easier to provide it structurally. Press the vapor barrier against the insulation, as in pos. 5 is undesirable in all respects, even if the vapor barrier with the substrate, see below: both the work is superfluous and the insulation is worse.

Materials for insulation

Modern successes in building insulation technology are largely due to advances in the field of separating films (membranes). The “good old” roofing material and glassine with their counterparts still find application, but when working for yourself, the last thing you should save on films. And in view of the quality with durability, and in view of the fact that, having spent a little “above” on insulating membranes, you can save more on insulation. Therefore, we will start with membranes.

Barriers and membranes

As is clear from the previous one, separating coatings used in building insulation are divided into vapor barriers, or vapor barriers, which cut off liquids with their vapors, and waterproofing (membranes), which retain only the liquid phase. Vapor barriers, in turn, are divided into film, foil and foil with a capillary substrate (the so-called foil isols), and membranes are divided into single-layer film, microperforated film with double-sided vapor transmission, and the so-called. superdiffusion membranes that allow vapor to pass only in one direction.

Vapor barriers

Film vapor barriers are effective only polypropylene with a thickness of 60 microns. Polyethylene of any thickness, by virtue of its very nanostructure, is vapor permeable, no matter what anyone claims to the contrary. PVC under the influence of changes in temperature and humidity soon becomes brittle and cracks.

The basis of the foil vapor barrier can also be polyethylene, because. gases do not pass a layer of foil on it. On high-quality material of this class, the edge of the foil is felt at the edge of the tape, and it can be picked up by the corner with a sharp knife, i.e. foil is thick enough. Foil insulators with a substrate also have a layer of fibrous material (most often synthetic winterizer) on the back, i.e. the side facing the heater. If condensate falls out, it quickly goes through the capillaries of the substrate to the edges of the coating, so the foil insulation with the substrate must be mounted with lapels, like waterproofing the floor, going into the ventilation gap around the perimeter.

Note: in insulation structures on foil insulations with a substrate, the “insurance” gap “a” (see above) is not required.

membranes

Simple film membranes are common waterproofing, incl. and polyethylene. For insulation of ceilings, they are suitable only in heated rooms, because. in addition to vapors, liquids are also passed in a noticeable amount. When insulating from the attic, it is desirable to use microperforated films. Most often they are produced in 3-layer with reinforcement, on the left in the figure; are also used as coatings for greenhouses and greenhouses. To insulate the ceiling in them, it is good that the reinforcing mesh does not allow the film to sag much and ensures a stable gap height b.

Superdiffusion membranes are commercially available as roofing films, in the center in fig. Them outer side smooth, metallized, designed for resistance to atmospheric precipitation. Vapors pass through it to the outside; the outer side is either marked, or it is outside and in a roll. The wind strength of the underlay films is provided by through reinforcement: for high-quality membranes, it is easily felt from the inside, and the film looks as if quilted, on the right in Fig.

Heaters

Materials for the actual insulation are divided into:

  • Monolithic, or massive - dense, waterproof. The dew point can wander in them as you like without compromising the quality of insulation.
  • Loose, fibrous and porous - are produced in the form of plates (mats) or rolls. The cheapest and most technologically advanced in comparison with the quality of insulation. They are hygroscopic, the properties of the material deteriorate from moisture, often irreversibly, so measures are needed to protect the insulation from moisture and its ventilation.
  • Bulk / sprayed - an insulating layer is formed on the spot; high-quality insulation requires special equipment.

Monolithic

From monolithic heaters for independent work expanded polystyrene is suitable. The attic and ceiling under a cold roof must be insulated with extruded polystyrene foam - EPS. For insulation, EPPS is produced with grooved boards, which eliminates the formation of air thermal bridges; therefore, foam insulation schemes are very simple and inexpensive due to the low cost of membranes, see for example. in fig. XPS does not shrink, is not hygroscopic. It is durable, able to work as part of load-bearing structures, its insulating qualities are the highest, and its durability is outdoors, according to recent data, up to 100 years or more.

Conventional granular foam against strong vibrations external conditions it can begin to crumble in just a winter, but it is cheap, easy to process and mount on any surface with water-based tile adhesive or PVA. Its layer of 30 mm is equivalent to 100 mm of mineral wool, so it is advisable to insulate heated rooms with low ceilings from the inside with foam.

Foam and XPS boards do not bend, so they can only be mounted on open surfaces; to insulate the EPS roof, you will have to disassemble the roof. However, a more serious drawback is its flammability and the release of a huge amount of highly toxic gases when ignited. If a fire in a room insulated with polystyrene foam from the inside occurred at night, when everyone is sleeping, then the residents are actually doomed: it is possible to evacuate people under such circumstances only in some cases. Therefore, use polystyrene foam for internal insulation it is possible only in limited quantities and when it is impossible in any other way; see one of these options below.

Fibrous/porous

The main advantage of loose insulation is high labor productivity with them without the use of special equipment, which is why professional individuals are so committed to them, for whom time is money. Mineral wool and sheet / slab polyurethane foam (neoprene) are suitable for independent work from "rukhlyakov". Mineral wool was analyzed in detail earlier, and neoprene for insulation large areas too expensive, although it is not afraid of moisture and is comparable in durability to XPS.

Sprayed and bulk

In aggregate operational qualities EPPS is almost as good as sprayed foam insulators. When frozen, they look like polystyrene, but are made on a formaldehyde-urea base, so they burn poorly and emit little, not very toxic smoke. The mass forming penoizol can be fed into hard-to-reach cavities, and kraft paper or glassine is enough from the separators, so long as the foaming mass does not stick out through the cracks. However, penoizols themselves are not cheap, and are sprayed using expensive installations. To work with a foam insulation station, serious professional training is required, therefore, equipment for spraying foam insulation is not rented.

You can work with cellulose insulation or ecowool on your own: using a blowing machine for it does not require professional training, so they are widely sold and rented, from those transported by road to small ones like a backpack or suitcase. Ecowool as a heater is relatively little known in the Russian Federation, but compared to mineral wool, it is simply a miracle:

  • In terms of thermal conductivity, 0.037-0.042 W / (m * K) is approximately equal to mineral wool; ecowool thickness of 100 mm is equivalent to a wall of 3 red solid bricks. This makes it possible to get by with inter-beam insulation, see below.
  • Up to a humidity of 20%, the heat-insulating properties of ecowool do not fall; on drying after limiting moisture, they are completely restored.
  • Sorption moisture absorption for 72 hours in an atmosphere with 100% humidity - 16%.
  • Does not shrink, does not puff.
  • Chemically neutral, non-corrosive.
  • Due to the presence of 12% antiseptic ( boric acid) and 7% flame retardant (borax) is slightly flammable and almost does not emit smoke in an extremely hot flame, see on the left in fig. below.

  • Unattractive to rodents: glass wool is eaten, but ecowool is not touched. After 5 years of application in a house where mice are teeming, their moves in ecowool are not detected.
  • Application is possible dry by hand on open horizontal surfaces, with wetting with a blower into hard-to-reach cavities (in the center and on the right in the figure), with wetting and the addition of 5-15% glue on vertical surfaces and with a negative slope, both manually and by spraying .
  • High labor productivity when spraying moistened (which the pros should also pay attention to): the floor, walls, ceiling and roof (!) of a house with an attic area in terms of 120 sq. m are "blown out" for 1 work shift.

Note, for your reference: ecowool goes on sale under the names Cellulose Insulation, EKOFIBER AB, EKOREMA, EKOVILLA, EXCEL, ISODAN, SELLUVILLA, TERMEX. The world leader in production and application is Finland.

The most serious advantage of ecowool is that it is hypoallergenic and hypocarcinogenic., i.e. does not show any of these properties. The raw material for the production of ecowool is waste paper, but who, where and when, has something inflamed or itched from old newspapers? Is that in the brains of the content of the articles. But for the preparation of ecowool, the paper carrier, together with the content, is ground into a homogeneous gray mass.

Ecowool has three disadvantages:

  1. Firstly, the cost per unit of its mass is about 30% higher than that of mineral wool. However, if we take into account the difference in the cost of PPE for mineral wool and the rental of a manual "blower", then the high cost remains approx. fifteen%. Let's also discard the cost of membranes (kraft paper on the warm side is enough for ecowool) - the cost of insulation is almost equal. And if you manually insulate the ceiling from the attic, then ecowool will cost less.
  2. Secondly, ecowool must be prepared before use. The initial mass is sold compressed by 2.5-3.5 times, it needs to be fluffed up in some container, add, if necessary, water and glue. This is already bad for the pros; time is money, and blow molding machines that prepare the mass themselves are very expensive. But for an amateur and one-time work, this drawback is not particularly significant.
  3. Thirdly, moistened ecowool must be applied in any way at temperatures above 23 degrees and air humidity up to 65-70% so that it can dry. This already seriously hinders its use: until the thunder breaks out, the peasant will not cross himself. In the summer, who thinks about warming? And the chills and bills for heating went - you can only apply it dry, far from everywhere and not always.

Note: if you have some ecowool left from work, keep in mind - this great material for crafts from papier-mâché.

Expanded clay and foam crumb

Traditional expanded clay (on the left in the figure), the advantages and disadvantages of which are known, can also be replaced by a slightly more expensive, but better material - foam glass crumb or simply foam crumb, right there. Foam crumb is lighter than expanded clay, so it can be poured onto a weak base: fragile flooring, into drywall pockets (see below), etc. Its heat-insulating properties are higher, allergenic and carcinogenic were not found. An example of a two-stage ceiling insulation with expanded clay and mineral wool is shown in fig. below. The film membrane (bilaterally permeable, not roofing) provides vapor exchange between the insulation stages, which is necessary to avoid condensation in the mineral wool. If expanded clay is replaced with foam crumb, and mineral wool with ecowool, then polyethylene 120 microns thick will be enough instead of a membrane. In this case, the mounting jig is not needed, and the insulation from the inside can be used to the full height of the ceiling beams.

Sawdust and shavings

Waste wood processing is also a traditional heater. How to insulate the attic with shavings, see the video below. Ceiling insulation with sawdust is more attractive, first, because of their poor flammability. Secondly, at the nearest sawmill, they can offer you sawdust for free in any quantity, and even deliver it at your own expense.

Video: insulation with sawdust ceiling and floor in the attic


However, the availability of sawdust is the other side of the coin, they have a very big drawback: they can “oppose”, ferment. In this case, CH3OH vapors are released. Yes, yes, that same wood (methyl) alcohol, from which unlucky drunks, into whose throats with a voluptuous gurgling everything that is not water, it would seem, go blind and die. Therefore, sawmillers are happy to get rid of sawdust: according to modern sanitary requirements, sawdust from under the sawmill must be removed continuously and immediately sent for disposal.

Meanwhile, getting rid of both disadvantages of wood waste is not so difficult and expensive. Approximately in the same way that ecowool is made safe. Proper insulation woodworking waste is produced as follows:

  • Work is carried out in the summer in the very heat and dryness;
  • In advance, in 2 separate containers (necessarily separate), strong solutions of boric acid and borax are prepared;
  • Insulation is poured in layers of 3-5 cm;
  • Each layer is abundantly sprayed with one and the other solutions alternately with the help of a stucco brush or a homemade sprinkler;
  • The next layer is poured and sprayed after the previous one has completely dried.

As for sawdust, a reliable guarantee against their fermentation, even in a damp attic, is also provided by backfilling on a base of slab and clay, see below. To describe why, here, unfortunately, there is no way; the point is the unique properties of clay and the outer layers of coniferous wood. Insulation of this type is known in houses more than 100 years old. But, once again, unfortunately, it is difficult to find oily clay in nature, it is a valuable mineral raw material, and on sale it is not cheap.

How to insulate the ceiling?

From the attic

The main ways to insulate the ceiling from the outside, i.e. from the attic, shown in fig. It is preferable, of course, to get by with inter-beam insulation. In this case, please note that with a sufficiently massive ceiling roll-up, you need to make the lapels of the vapor barrier on ceiling beams or completely encircle them with vapor protection. The vapor barrier can then be film. If the ceiling is hemmed thin, then the jumps in its thermal resistance at the locations of the beams can be harmful. Then the foil vapor barrier is fixed from the inside between the beams and the ceiling sheathing.

With full insulation, i.e. up to the calculated power of the heater, the scheme on the right will be more laborious, but also more efficient, acc. sections of rice: the inter-beam layer is laid in rolls or slabs, and the over-beam layer is made of square mats apart, i.e. with offset seams.

Note: See also the section in Fig. bottom right. This is the same slab insulation with clay, suitable for all types of insulation without the use of synthetic membranes.

From within

No attic

In the private economy, in addition to the additional insulation described above, from the inside, most often it is necessary to insulate non-attic buildings "on the go", in the middle of the cold season. For example, they started to build, built a utility block or a temporary hut for a while, and then it turned out that they would have to spend the winter in it. Or the chickens have stopped laying, the pig has become sad for something and is emaciated before our eyes. There's nothing you can do about it, you'll have to insulate the roof.

A typical design of a warm roof is shown on the left in fig. Insulation lapels down are necessary to avoid freezing of corners. This system has 2 nodes, A and B (ventilated ridge and counter-rail, or counter-bar), which seem to be impossible to complete without dismantling the roof. However, the “bypass” scheme of node A is shown in Fig. top right. Here it is taken into account that, firstly, in light buildings from individual developers, as a rule, there is no ridge beam, and the ridge "beam" is made by knocking down 2 boards in an L-shaped manner. Ventilation holes are drilled 2-3 per span between the rafters. If the entire roof is only roofing material, then there is nothing to do so that the rain does not drip through the ventilation, you need to climb up and install some kind of ridge run with a gap, at least from bent galvanized strips.

How to deal with node B is shown at the bottom right. It uses the fact that in a small samostroy the crossbar (bearing structure) of the roof is not beamed. The role of embedded in rafter legs the longitudinal beams of the crossbar are laid on the boards of the lathing under the roof, and the spans between the rafters are free from top to bottom. In the figure, presumably, everything is clear: the roofing membrane will have to be applied in pieces, and required power insulation is obtained, if necessary, with the help of backing bars.

In an apartment building

Self-insulating ceilings in an apartment building is possible only from the inside. Firstly, tenants do not have the right to work on the roof or in the common attic; Secondly, why do we pay contributions for overhaul? The roof is cold - you need to demand its insulation from the operator; does not want - all legal rights are on the side of the tenants.

Nevertheless, while there is fuss and trials, you can do something with your own hands to insulate the ceiling in the apartment. Typical scheme insulation of the ceiling from the inside on concrete is shown on the left in fig. Its main drawback is not at all expensive, subject to corrosion and far from always as effective as manufacturers say, special metal profiles for insulation with thermal seals-thermal washers. Not the same as thermal washers for mounting polycarbonate! Both can be replaced with a wooden crate. And not special materials for the thermal gap along the perimeter and the complexity of working with them.

The main thing is that 0.4-0.5 m is subtracted from the height of the room. This does not add habitability in modern apartments in any way, but what about Khrushchev houses with 2.5 m ceilings that are most in need of insulation?

But here, too, there is an acceptable way out. Let us take into account, firstly, that in stone houses heat escapes through the ceiling, mainly in the corners. Whoever has not seen how the ceilings in single-family apartments get moldy and moldy, take my word for it. Secondly, block and monolithic houses are very resistant to fires. It is possible to achieve an extensive fire in them only by a well-thought-out malicious influence. Therefore, it is possible to use granulated foam in a small amount.

The scheme for insulating a concrete ceiling, worked out back in Brezhnevka, when drywall appeared on sale, is given on the right in fig. From the height of the ceiling in this way, only approx. 5 cm. It is quite difficult to fill the pockets of the corners along it, therefore this technology did not really take root even then: the corners are sheathed first on the short sides of the room and filled with insulation from the sides. Then the corners of the long sides are sheathed and the insulation is poured into the gaps between the laths of the crate. Styrofoam and horizontal filing are mounted last.

And now let's remember once again about ecowool. Will it be difficult to blow it into your pockets? At least through temporary technological hatches? The question is rhetorical.

Special cases

Attic

Attic insulation is actually the same special topic as roof insulation. Here it is appropriate to mention it again in connection with ecowool. See what is on the left in the figure, filled with red. In private houses, it is either impossible to climb into this attic without dismantling the roof, or it is impossible to work there. And you can blow out with ecowool instead of the recommended roll insulation without much difficulty.

Garage and bath

Garage roofs are often mounted on steel I-beams or channels. Reliable, the price doesn’t really bite, but what to do with such thermal bridges if you need to insulate? The diagram of the garage ceiling insulation on steel beams is given on the left in fig. Its peculiarity is that the insulation boards are laid in at least 2 layers apart horizontally and vertically. In this way, when insulating with mineral wool, it is possible to reduce heat loss to acceptable levels. If you use ecowool, then the cavities between the beams and between the sewing and the beams are simply blown out with it. Folgoizol is then not needed, enough kraft paper from the inside along the ceiling filing.

With a bath, things are simpler: the features of its design, without which a bath is not a bath, and the thermal / humidity mode of operation make it possible to develop a universal scheme for warming the ceiling of a bath, which is shown in Fig. on right. Feature: if the insulation is mineral wool, then it is certainly basalt, the other will not pull thermal loads and periodic dampening. If you insulate the bath with ecowool, then the peculiarity is that you need to cook the mass with the addition of glue.

It is necessary not only to know how to insulate the ceiling from the inside, but also to be able to do it correctly. Usually, property owners move into an already built house, after which they make repairs and insulation in it. Most often, materials such as mineral wool or polystyrene are used for thermal insulation. The reason for their popularity is their low cost.

Advantages and disadvantages of foam

The work is not difficult, so the owners of residential real estate rarely use the services of specialists, preferring to do the insulation of the ceiling from the inside with their own hands.

Styrofoam, like any building material, has advantages and disadvantages.

Among the positives:

  • ease of installation - you do not need to have special knowledge and professional skills;
  • slabs of material can be easily cut to fit specific dimensions;
  • moisture resistance;
  • reduction of heat loss in the room after installation;
  • providing additional sound insulation;
  • long term operation;
  • not subject to the process of decay;
  • low cost.


The disadvantages of foam include:

  • rodents like to settle in this material, for this reason it is not recommended to install thick sheets of insulation in private households during insulation;
  • the possibility of ignition at a critical temperature;
  • during combustion, acrid and hazardous smoke is released;
  • if high humidity is constantly maintained in the room, mold may appear on the foam;
  • brittleness at fracture;
  • exposure to certain chemicals (acetone, benzene, etc.).

Ways to insulate with foam from the inside

For premises of different purposes, there are different options for performing work.

Insulation of the concrete surface

If the ceiling is not plastered and concrete was used as the material, then the sequence of actions is as follows:


Insulation of the ceiling from the inside in the presence of large irregularities

In this situation, experts advise to do this:


Advantages and disadvantages of mineral wool

In terms of popularity, availability and demand, mineral wool is not inferior to polystyrene foam. The choice of one or another material for insulation depends on the purpose of the room. Since the foam is different in that rodents start up in it, it is not recommended to use it in private households, it is more often performed.


When carrying out insulation, regardless of the type of material, one should not forget about creating a layer of hydro and vapor barrier, which will be inexpensive, and there will be many benefits from it. Thanks to this, you can not worry about the accumulation of condensate, while ventilation will not suffer. The order of how to insulate the ceiling from the inside requires paying attention to the side on which the hydro and vapor barrier film should be installed, since it has directional pores. If the insulating material is not fastened correctly, the effect will be the opposite of what is needed.

Mineral wool is perfect for insulating the ceiling surface in a private house. For there is no need to use building fungi, which are on wooden surface not easy to install.


Among the advantages of mineral wool, the following characteristics should be noted:

  • fire resistance and lack of response to temperature changes;
  • perfectly retains heat;
  • has soundproofing qualities;
  • rodents do not start in this material;
  • environmental friendliness, harmlessness to human health;
  • ceiling insulation from the inside is simple, you can do it yourself.
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