If you have even the slightest opportunity to insulate the walls from the outside, do it. This is the most best option, because insulating walls from the inside is headache. There are only two correct and more or less acceptable options, and one takes up a lot of space, and the second requires significant costs during the winter. There is also a method suitable for insulating balconies and loggias. And that's all for now. All other options with polyurethane foam, liquid-ceramic thermal insulation, penofol and other materials only bring dampness and mold.

Insulating walls from the inside: what is the problem

Anyone who insulated the external walls of a house or apartment with inside- from the premises - they are faced with the problem of the appearance of fungi, mold and high humidity. These consequences are natural and appear regardless of the type of insulation that was used. You can get rid of moisture and fungi only by removing the internal insulation, making major repairs to the walls, treating them with antifungal compounds and plastering them.

Let's look at the reasons. The so-called dew point is to blame. This is the line where warm and cold air meet and where condensation results.

The figure on the left shows the situation with the dew point if the wall is not insulated. It is located somewhere in the thickness of the wall, depending on the temperature and humidity, it shifts first to one side, then to the other, but is always quite far from inner surface. In this case, moisture accumulates in the wall and freezes. In the spring, as it thaws, it evaporates, and evaporates into the atmosphere. If dampness is observed in the room, it is for a short time and at the level of sensations.

The photo in the center shows a situation where the wall is insulated from the inside. In this case, condensation falls in the insulation, or, if this is not possible (expanded polystyrene is used, for example), at the boundary of the insulation and the wall. Even if the wall freezes and the condensation turns into ice, in the spring it will begin to melt, the insulation, wall material and finishing will become wet. Since there is a large distance to the outer surface facing the street, moisture dries very poorly in this case, which “comes out” in the form of dampness, mold and all the accompanying delights.

And the third option is to insulate the wall from the outside. In this case, the dew point is in the insulation. How to get it out of there is another story (make a ventilated facade or choose the right vapor permeability of materials), but for our topic it is important to understand that in this case the wall inside the room will definitely be dry and warm.

To summarize, we can say, if possible, insulate from the outside. Insulation of walls from the inside of premises has to be done only in a few cases:

• if they are not allowed to be insulated from the outside (the building is a historical monument or prohibited by local authorities);
• if the wall goes into the joint between two buildings;
• the wall opens into the elevator shaft.

But before you start this work, thoroughly inspect the floor, ceiling, and windows. Sometimes most of the heat escapes not through the walls, but through these surfaces, and it is easier to insulate them (in the sense of less hassle with the dew point).

Proper internal insulation of walls in a house or apartment

There are only two ways to insulate indoor walls from the inside and avoid problems with dampness:

• recreating multilayer wall(place a half-brick wall with insulation at some distance);
• Heat the wall and then insulate it.

These options work, but, as you can see, they “eat up” a significant amount of space and cost a lot of money. In each specific case, it is necessary to consider what kind of insulation and how much is needed, but the wall pie remains the same.

Second wall

At some distance from the main wall, a second wall 10-12 cm thick is installed. Between the two walls, a layer of insulation, which is required for these conditions, is attached to the inner wall. At the same time, up to outer wall There should be a ventilation gap of at least 3 cm. In total, this entire structure will be 20-25 cm away from the main wall. It will “eat up” a considerable area.

As you can see, in this case the dew point may be located inside the insulation or on the inner surface of the wall facing the street. To be able to remove the formed moisture, you can do forced ventilation by installing one or two exhaust fans.

Since in this case the insulation will get wet, it is necessary to choose one that is not afraid of moisture. These are polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam, foam glass. You can also use some types stone wool, but only those that are not afraid of moisture (there are some).

Thermal insulation material must be fastened simultaneously with the construction of the walls. They laid it out to a certain height and secured the thermal insulation. It’s inconvenient to work, but there is no other choice.

Electrical heating

The idea of ​​this method is that when internal insulation concrete or brick wall, move the dew point inside the wall. To do this, it must be heated. The easiest way is to attach an electric heated floor mat. At some distance from it, insulation is installed, on top of which there is a finishing layer.

In this case, there are no problems with moisture removal, and much less space is required to install the system: from 8 cm (with a ventilation gap of 3 cm and an insulation thickness of 5 cm).

With this method, the thermal insulation material can be of any kind. To install it, first they make a sheathing, then a counter-lattice, and then a suitable insulation is attached to it.

Option for insulating a balcony from the inside

In the case of a loggia and a balcony, the situation is often completely different. If the authorities do not allow the installation of a wall, they demand that the existing reinforced concrete screen be left, it is cut off from warm air thorough thermal insulation made of extruded polystyrene foam (EPS).

In this case, it is better to make the insulation excessive than at least slightly insufficient. The total thickness is divided into two layers. They are laid without a gap (preferably with locks), and so that the seams of the first layer overlap the sheet of the second. There should be no through access of warm air to the screen.

It is necessary to approach the issue of insulating the floor and ceiling of the loggia/balcony very carefully and ensure tightness at the junction of them with the walls. Also pay attention to how the glazing will be installed: there may also be problem areas: joint with the screen, walls, insulation of the part above the frames. All of them must be well finished, excluding the possibility of contact of warm/cold air. In this case there will be no problems. Even if .

Both builders and manufacturers of insulation materials argue about whether it is possible to insulate houses from the inside, but everyone agrees that in most cases, walls will not be insulated from the inside. the best solution- if possible, it is better to do external thermal insulation of the house. However, if there is no choice, you should carefully study the features and rules for choosing and installing insulation so that the internal thermal insulation is effective, safe and durable. How to insulate the walls of a house from the inside and how to do it?

Indoor walls can be insulated only in cases where the facade of the building cannot be changed or there is no access to the outer surface of the wall. It is recommended to avoid insulating walls from inside the house because it has a number of significant disadvantages:

• The dew point moves indoors. The wall begins to freeze through its entire thickness, the cold meets warm air at the junction of the wall and the insulation, and condensation forms on its surface. This has many negative consequences: wet wall fungus may develop, the effectiveness of the thermal insulation material decreases, it lags behind the wall and collapses; In addition, the decorative finish deteriorates.
• A frozen wall loses its heat-accumulating properties. It becomes difficult to control the air temperature in the room - it begins to warm up faster due to work heating devices or direct hits sunlight out the window and cool faster when ventilated.

• It is impossible to provide 100% thermal insulation, since it will not be possible to insulate the walls from the inside over their entire surface - cold bridges will remain at the intersection external wall with internal partitions.
• The humidity in the room increases. This, again, contributes to the formation of mold and is generally harmful to health. To ensure good air exchange, you will have to constantly ventilate the apartment, which will lead to increased heating costs.
• Decreases usable area apartments - especially if, due to climatic conditions in the region, it is necessary to install a thick layer of insulation for the walls of the house.
• If thermal insulation work is not carried out before starting renovations in the room, it is necessary to dismantle the entire decorative finishing, which complicates the work and makes it more expensive.

The most dangerous consequence of internal thermal insulation is condensation inside the room, which leads to accelerated destruction of walls and damage finishing materials. This can be partially avoided by accurately calculating required thickness layer of insulation and choosing the right material. Thus, insulating a house from the inside is expensive and unsafe, but sometimes unavoidable.

How to avoid condensation

If you still had to deal with internal thermal insulation, then before you figure out how to insulate the house from the inside, you need to understand whether negative consequences can be avoided. Dry walls inside the house can be ensured by protecting the area where the dew point forms from moisture.

To do this you need:

• Use a high-quality multi-layer membrane for waterproofing. Plastic film will not work. In addition, it must be laid correctly - overlapping, with sealing of the joints.
• Choose insulation with minimal vapor permeability. If the material from which the walls of the house are made is higher, then the moisture formed between the insulation and the surface of the wall will not condense, but will come out.
• Install the insulation close to the wall. To do this, glue must be applied to it in an even, continuous layer, and not in beacons.

• Provide forced ventilation of the room, as well as install windows with air exchange valves.
• Accurately calculate the thickness of the insulation layer. You can’t rely on average parameters, since you can properly insulate walls only by taking into account all the characteristics specific material, premises and climatic features of the region.
• Treat the insulated wall with antifungal and antibacterial agents. You can use a special antiseptic primer. You can start working only after the wall surface is completely saturated and dry.

When insulating an apartment from the inside, it is very important to get rid of all possible cold bridges. They form at the joints of insulation slabs and in those places where the wall connects to ceilings and internal partitions. To improve the efficiency of insulation, it is necessary to lay thermal insulation material extending onto the internal walls, floor and ceiling.

Selection of thermal insulation material and insulation installation technology

Mineral wool

It is not recommended to choose this material, since it will not be effective enough to insulate a wall in an apartment from the inside. However, cotton wool is the easiest to use and cheaper than other options, so they often resort to using it.

Vata exists in two versions:

• rolls;
• basalt slabs.

If there is no other choice, it is better to use cotton wool in the form of slabs - this insulation is denser, has better thermal resistance, and does not settle over time. The rolled variety of cotton wool is too different high rate vapor permeability, absorbs moisture well, so the walls insulated with it will probably get wet. However, there is a possibility of moisture penetrating under the insulation when using slabs with a density of 75 kg/m3 or more. You can reduce the risk of condensation by using a good vapor barrier material and correctly installing thermal insulation.

Insulation from the inside with mineral wool is carried out as follows:

1. At a distance from the wall surface, a frame is constructed from wooden slats or aluminum profile.
2. The first layer of mineral wool is laid under the frame. It is necessary to glue it to the wall as tightly as possible.
3. The second layer of basalt wool slabs is laid between the frame slats with the joints offset relative to the first layer.
4. A layer of vapor barrier membrane is laid.
5. Drywall is mounted on the frame.

Due to the nature of mineral wool, vapor barrier needs to be given special attention when internal insulation of the walls of the house is carried out. You cannot use polyethylene film; you need a more effective vapor-tight multilayer membrane. TO wooden frame it can be attached with a stapler, always with an overlap; It is glued to the profile with double-sided tape.

The overlap when laying the membrane should be at least 100 mm, the joints should fall on the frame elements and be securely glued. The vapor barrier should extend to surfaces adjacent to the wall. The places where the membrane comes into contact with surfaces should be additionally sealed. Liquid sealant is applied to a wall, pipe or other structure, then a membrane is pressed to the junction; After the sealant has dried, the membrane is fixed with tape.

High-quality installation will reduce, but will not completely eliminate, the risk of condensation when using mineral wool. It is better to consider other, polymer, types of insulation for walls from the inside.

Expanded polystyrene and EPS

Expanded polystyrene, or foam plastic, is much better suited for insulating walls in an apartment from the inside. This is facilitated by the following characteristics:

• low thermal conductivity due to the presence of air in the cells of the material;
• low vapor permeability and almost no hygroscopicity;
• high strength, including compression and tensile strength;
• small weight;
• Easy to process with your own hands - you can cut the material with a regular knife.

Regular or extruded polystyrene foam of sufficient density, even with a relatively small thickness, will provide sufficient effective thermal insulation premises. It is recommended to choose it not only because of its ease of installation, but also because it can be used to insulate an apartment from the inside most effectively: it does not allow moisture to pass through, so condensation will not appear. The main thing is to properly glue the foam boards, sealing the joints and ensuring a tight fit to the wall.

When using expanded polystyrene for thermal insulation of residential premises, it is important to take into account some of its disadvantages. So, it practically does not protect against noise. In addition, when burned, it releases toxic compounds into the air. Another disadvantage is the high cost of EPS, but this is compensated by the fact that it does not need to be laid vapor barrier membrane, and you definitely won’t have to redo the thermal insulation due to destruction of the insulation, as is the case with improper installation of stone wool.

Polystyrene insulation for walls inside an apartment should have a high density - 25–30 kg/m3. The density can be determined by the marking, which looks like “PSB-S-25”, where 25 means the desired parameter.

Installation of polystyrene foam boards on interior wall carried out as follows:

1. The wall surface is cleaned, primed and dried.
2. Insulation boards are glued in rows with offset joints. It is advisable to use polyurethane glue, which is applied to the entire surface of the polystyrene foam board.
3. Additionally, the plates are fixed with special plastic dowels.
4. The joints are sealed silicone sealant, large gaps are filled with polyurethane foam.
5. Reinforcing fiberglass fabric is overlapped over the insulation. On top of it you can lay plaster for decorative finishing. Another option is to immediately glue drywall instead of reinforcement.

There is another installation method. At the long ends of the PPS slabs, grooves in the form of corners are selected. The two slabs are joined and the seam is sealed. Then a wooden board is placed into the groove. The resulting structure is fixed to the wall using self-tapping screws. This method is more convenient, since insulating the room in this case can be done faster and more economically. In addition, the boards can be used as a frame for attaching drywall.

Should we consider other options?

There are more modern insulation materials for interior walls - polyurethane foam, thermal insulation plaster, foamed polyethylene and even ceramic-based thermal paint. Among them, only the first material is worthy of attention; other options are actually of little use for insulating an apartment from the inside. Polyurethane foam is ordinary foam, similar to mounting foam, which is applied to the surface to be insulated using a special sprayer.

The good thing about the material is that it reliably adheres to any surface, penetrates into all cracks, is monolithic and vapor-tight. It hardens quickly and does not form any cold bridges. However, polyurethane foam is quite expensive, and you won’t be able to work with it yourself.

Thus, if you need to insulate walls from the inside, it is best to use expanded polystyrene. This heat insulator has the most suitable characteristics, and installing it yourself is not difficult. If the insulation technology is followed, it will effectively protect the house from the cold.

Insulating a house from the inside is the least labor-intensive way to solve the problem low temperatures indoors. However, this method of insulation is fraught with a pitfall, ignorance of which can lead to very serious consequences. What is this pitfall? First, a short excursion into school course physics.

Insidious dew

Some people remember, others don’t, that three points are associated with different states of matter: the freezing point (melting point), the boiling point and the dew point. In the first of them, the substance freezes (thaws or melts), in the second it passes into a vapor state, in the third it condenses into liquid state. This third point is the stumbling block in the issue of the possibility of insulating the room from the inside.

The difficulty is that if everything is simple with the first two points - they are fixed for each substance - then the dew point “walks” over a very wide range depending on the humidity and air temperature.

But what exactly does this “walking” point have to do with the issue of insulation? The most direct: if the temperature of the inner surface of the wall under the insulation is below the dew point or even equal to it, the wall will become wet due to condensation. Under such conditions, mold will inevitably appear on it over time, and in the worst case, fungus (people who know what we are talking about will shudder at the mention of the latter). Result - bad smell, unhealthy air, and in the case of fungus - destruction of walls.

Here's the insidious dew for you! You need to think seven times before deciding to insulate your home from the inside. In addition, it is necessary to at least approximately calculate the dew point value for your specific conditions. Detailed Guide for calculating the dew point you can find in the article “How to insulate - from the outside or from the inside?”

The general principle is this: the less relative humidity indoors in winter period, the lower the dew point value and the lower the likelihood of these problems occurring.

It should, however, be noted that, as with any rule, there is one exception: problems associated with the position of the dew point are relevant for all thermal insulation materials, except for one - sprayed polyurethane foam.

The point is that everyone else thermal insulation materials more or less leave a gap between themselves and the wall. It is in this gap that moisture condenses on the cold surface of the wall.

Sprayed polyurethane foam does not leave any gap: it becomes an extension of the wall, as happens, for example, with plaster. And this, by the way, is not the only thing unique property this insulation. If you are interested in the topic of sprayed polyurethane foam, you can find detailed information on this issue on the website kucherenkoff.ru.

To summarize, we can say that in only one case do you not risk anything when insulating a house from the inside: if sprayed polyurethane foam is used as the insulation material.

Added: 01/20/2015 11:37:41

More articles on this topic:

How to properly insulate a house with your own hands: home insulation technology

The purpose of this section is to answer the question: “how to insulate a house?” That is, the articles presented below examine technologies for insulating foundations, walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, etc. The main thing that attention is constantly drawn to is how to insulate all these structures correctly? Well, with your own hands, without “invited specialists.”

The technologies considered are suitable not only for insulating private houses and cottages, but also apartments; the main thing is to understand the basic principles of insulation, the rest is not important.

Insulation of a house can be carried out according to three schemes, depending on where the insulation is located in the “pie” of the structure:

• insulation outside the room;
• insulation from inside the room;
• insulation inside the structure (there are claims that this can only be done during new construction or during the reconstruction of an old house, but in fact, in some cases this can already be insulated ready house without altering it...

  but more on that in a separate article).

Read about these three insulation schemes in the following articles.

Heat loss in the house, or Where does the heat go from the house?

Is it possible to make a house warmer... without insulating it? After all, we all normal people... I hope 🙂 This means we understand that rather than working, it’s better not to work.

It’s better to spend money not on what is needed (or maybe not needed?), but on what is pleasant. In general, conclusions can be drawn by reading the article.

How to properly insulate a house, or the Main rules for insulating a house

In this section, actually, there are articles about different technologies insulation of the house.

However, I offer you information that you need to know before choosing a technology. And even before choosing insulation. Compliance (or non-compliance) with these rules determines how comfortable it will be to live in the house later.

External wall insulation: wet and dry insulation methods

In fact, you can retain heat inside the house in a simpler way than insulating walls: insulate/replace windows and doors, it’s easier and cheaper.

But it just so happened that I wanted to talk about the walls today, and about the windows later, someday, not soon, maybe...

This article is about two common methods of insulating external walls.

Insulation of external walls with polystyrene foam: “wet” method of insulation

Expanded polystyrene and polystyrene foam are the same thing.

So, if you want to insulate the wall with foam plastic, then the article will still help you.

Insulation of a wooden house from the outside with mineral wool or polystyrene foam

The article is intended for everyone who needs to insulate wooden walls - no matter what these walls are: houses, bathhouses, cottages, extensions, verandas, etc.

(Again, maybe all you need to do is plug up the cracks between the logs?.. But you know better.)

Insulating the outside walls of a house with your own hands

In fact, all the articles on this site are written for those who want to “do” some kind of “business” with their own hands.

Yes, with small forces. But, it must be admitted that the “wet” task of insulating walls is not for everyone and not for every beginner. Although, of course, you can do some of the work yourself - the least labor-intensive and not requiring serious qualifications. For other things, hire specialists (well, this is me from my bell tower, because I’m not a plasterer).

But the method described in the article can be used to insulate walls by anyone who is able to hold ordinary hand tools: drill, hammer, level...

Spray insulation of a house

Well, you can also insulate the walls from the outside.

Although this method has not only advantages, but also disadvantages... however, where are they not? (I’m being silly: we all know that there are things that have no downsides at all, but we’re not talking about them).

Insulation of walls inside the house: advantages and disadvantages

There are reasons that prevent you from insulating a house from the outside.

How to insulate a house from the inside and with what

For example, you need to insulate the walls in an apartment on God knows what floor... high in one word. Then, willy-nilly, you will be puzzled: how to insulate a wall from the inside of a room? And although I am not a supporter of internal insulation, there is a problem and I have to look for solutions.

Methods for insulating walls from the inside

Well, there is nowhere to go, despite all the shortcomings, we have to insulate the walls from the inside.

There are three ways to do this. Choose.

Ventilated facade: design and installation technology

An article concluding the topic of do-it-yourself external wall insulation.

Although, perhaps, you have already understood everything from previous articles, and you will not discover a single “America” for yourself here.

Insulating a house with thermal panels, or How to turn a hut into a palace?

The good thing about modern materials is that they allow you, with a simple tool and basic skills, to give almost any hut a presentable look.

At the same time, it will be difficult to guess what kind of rubbish material “it” is made of.

Ventilated brick facade

In one of the previous articles, I promised to wrap up with the topic of ventilated facades.

But I remembered that they are also made of brick, maybe it will be useful to someone.

Ventilation of the attic, attic, roof

Warmth in a house is not only about the materials of walls, floors, ceilings, the integrity of windows and the absence of cracks in doors.

This is also the absence of excess moisture in structures. And excess moisture is removed very simply: just by properly arranged ventilation.

How to insulate the roof of a house from the inside?

Roof insulation is of interest, first of all, to those who dream of a residential attic (attic).

I understand you... And it doesn’t matter at all what the house is built from, because the roof insulation technology is the same.

Is it necessary to insulate the foundation of a house? (a little theory)

When is it necessary to insulate the foundation of a house, and when is it possible to do without it? And also “what?” and “how?” - also important questions. What dangers threaten a well-insulated foundation and how can these dangers be overcome? This is such an informative article.

Insulating the foundation of a house from the outside with your own hands: insulation technologies

In this article we will consider the technologies of external insulation of the main types of foundations: strip, pile-screw, slab, columnar.

And, by the way, let’s answer the question: what is external insulation? better insulation from the inside?

We’ll also learn how to insulate a foundation when groundwater is close.

Insulating the basement from the inside

Insulating the basement from the inside is an alternative to insulating the foundation from the outside.

Not the best option for insulation, as with walls, but it happens that there is nowhere to go.

Do-it-yourself insulation of a wooden floor

In theory, the floor temperature should not differ from the air temperature by more than two degrees.

I mean, the floor needs to be a couple of degrees colder. Then it will not harm the health of the residents. But very cold floors (by the way, just like very warm ones), on the contrary, are harmful.

If the floor is made of a “warm” material—wooden—but very cold (you can’t splash on it barefoot) all year round), then it is necessary to insulate.

Insulation of concrete floor

We offer you four ways to insulate a concrete floor.

Do-it-yourself ceiling insulation in a private house

There are two ways to insulate wooden ceiling. In the article we will talk about them. And also about materials suitable for this.

And what is not unimportant is when you can do without ceiling insulation.

(You can use the same methods to insulate the ceiling in a bathhouse.)

Insulation of a concrete ceiling

Continuation of the topic about insulating ceilings.

Only now will we begin (to wash the bones) to insulate the concrete ceiling. There are three ways to do this in my collection.

How does heat escape through windows?

From this article you will learn what affects heat loss through windows, what is the optimal window area, how to reduce heat loss with large glazing areas, why a multi-chamber double-glazed window is more effective than a single-chamber double-glazed window and what to look for when choosing a double-glazed window...

Insulation of plastic windows: when can you do without it?

If plastic windows good quality and installed correctly, they do not require insulation.

Alas, there are problems with both the first and the second when everyone gets down to business.

Do-it-yourself insulation of wooden windows

Even high-quality and even new wooden windows have to be insulated.

The reason for this lies in the characteristics of the material – wood. Well, insulation of old wooden windows- in general, if anyone remembers, it was national tradition, to which tribute was paid twice a year, both in parades on May 1 and November 7.

Insulation of earthen floors

With the current desire for a “return to origins”, “to nature”, to environmental friendliness... even such an atavism as earthen floors can occur.

So I offer my own observations on the issue of insulation of earthen floors.

How to dry boards at home?

(personal experience)

Speaking about insulation, I kept mentioning the frame in which the insulation is laid, about the counter-lattice, which will provide a ventilation gap in the ventilation facades... For all this you need wooden boards or bars to which they are presented certain requirements. Well, at least they should be dry and even.

That’s why this article was written, which tells about my method of drying lumber, as a result of which the boards remain smooth, without “sabers” and “helicopters”.

how to properly insulate a house

Most specialists in finishing works are inclined to choose external insulation of the house, believing that insulating walls from the inside should be resorted to only in extreme cases. In fact, the internal insulation of a room helps to create coziness and warm atmosphere in the house, you just need to choose the right one best option finishing.

Read also: How to insulate floors in a private house with your own hands

Internal thermal insulation blocks the penetration of warm air into the wall itself, while in cases without insulation, air masses penetrate deep into the walls, thereby warming them up, so in the first case there is a risk of cracks.

Insulating a house from the inside or how to make life more comfortable and reduce heating bills

Despite such prospects, most homeowners are increasingly resorting to insulation from the inside in order to preserve heat and save on heating costs.

Insulation options

How to insulate walls from the inside in a private house?

This question is very relevant today. There is a wide range of materials used for such purposes and having different properties, advantages and disadvantages. Each consumer is able to choose for himself the most suitable option, taking into account the features of the building.

Read also: How to properly insulate a steam room in a bathhouse from the inside with your own hands

How can you insulate walls:

1. Mineral wool – light material and fibrous.

   A special advantage in this case will be the presence of a certain layer of air between the wall and the insulation layer, provided correct installation. To do this, you will need to build a frame made of wood, dividing its entire area into certain sections (compartments), which will subsequently be filled with mineral wool.

2. Penoplex is a material intended for both external and internal insulation of premises, distinguished by its thickness and density.

   Attached to a special adhesive base, has special grooves on the edges of the plates, which allows you to connect them together like a puzzle without forming gaps. When thermally insulating with penoplex from the inside, it is best to use slabs 2-3 cm thick, this will reduce the likelihood of condensation forming.

3. Foam insulation is the most cheap way, and quite effective.

   The use of this material does not require special skills, knowledge and abilities, and the thermal insulation is decent.

4. Cover the walls with penofol - one of the most simple ways thermal insulation, which can be easily done with your own hands. This is a polymer porous material, covered with a layer of foil, used for insulation of premises for various purposes. Installation work include placing wooden slats on the wall to form a gap between the coverings, onto which penofol is subsequently attached.
5. Thermal insulation of walls with plasterboard involves placing some kind of insulation underneath (glass wool, polystyrene foam, etc.).

   Initially, a frame is mounted, in sections of which insulation material is mounted, and only then a sheet of drywall is attached.

Read also: How to properly insulate iron front door with your own hands

Today, more and more people are resorting to building a house from foam blocks; this material is quite durable, but at the same time affordable.

When insulating such a building, it is best to use balsa wood. This insulation can be purchased in the form of plates or in a roll.

It is fixed to pre-prepared walls with special glue. It is necessary that the stopper is in the room when room temperature at least one day before the start of work.

While focusing on thermal insulation, do not forget about floor insulation.

IN one-story houses Significant heat leakage occurs through an uninsulated ceiling. IN multi-storey building the situation is somewhat different, on the second floor you don’t have to insulate the floor, and on the first floor you don’t have to insulate the ceiling, since this ceiling will not be a source of heat loss.

To date alternative option for insulation are special mixtures various manufacturers who have thermal insulation properties.

Applying even a small layer of the product will reduce heat loss.

Disadvantages of insulation from the inside:

• reducing the area of ​​the room due to the thickness of the insulation;
• the need to completely free the space from furniture and other objects, which means the impossibility of living in it for a certain period of time;
• implementation of related measures - additional ventilation, as well as protecting the heat insulator from excess moisture and condensation;
• decent financial costs to comply with all standards when performing installation work.

For acceptance the right decision when choosing the type of wall insulation, it is necessary to weigh all the positive and negative aspects, assess how much the acquired benefits will exceed possible losses from undesirable consequences.

Insulation of a brick wall from the inside with mineral wool

The modern construction market has an incredibly rich range of materials from which private houses are built. These are foam blocks, wooden materials, aerated concrete and more. Building bricks are no less popular.

A brick wall does not retain heat well, and therefore additional insulation is simply necessary.

The main advantages of the building brick house are practicality and durability.

Such material will delight more than one generation of residents, and this is what homeowners are guided in their calculations when choosing brick as a basis. Despite the fact that brick houses are more expensive to build than, for example, wooden houses, all additional costs pay off over time. U brickwork There are practically no shortcomings. The only significant disadvantage that many builders note is that a brick wall does not retain home heat well.

Therefore, when building a brick house, first of all you need to take care of high-quality heat and waterproofing.

Insulation of house walls

Insulating the walls of a house is an important issue when solving the problem of heat preservation in residential premises.

A visual diagram of how insulation works inside and outside the house.

Brick walls without insulation are susceptible to freezing and destruction under the influence of moisture.

Insulation can be carried out outside and inside the room.

External insulation is used in cases where the building is old and requires cladding with frame, block or wood covering. At the same time, insulation from the outside is better, more reliable and easier to carry out than from the inside. It does not reduce the internal area of ​​the premises, does not require additional ventilation and does not create a “greenhouse” effect indoors.

If the house was built recently, the walls are made of expensive and beautiful brick or external finishing building is prohibited due to the preservation of the architectural appearance of the building, it is better to use internal insulation.

In addition, insulation from the inside is used in cases where it is impossible to insulate only one wall of a living space from the outside in an old apartment building that does not meet modern requirements thermal protection. In this case, external thermal insulation of the entire house is required, since a single external insulation will not be of much use.

Scheme of insulation of a brick wall from the outside.

External insulation is easier and cheaper to carry out, but in practice it is not always feasible.

It should be borne in mind that with internal insulation the area of ​​the room is reduced, but this inconvenience is compensated by other advantages this method. Insulating a house from the inside is cheaper than insulating it from the outside, and you do not need to obtain any permits to carry out insulation works or invite specialists in external work.

If a decision is made to carry out internal thermal insulation of a house, then it is necessary to take into account other difficulties that arise during the work.

The main difficulty of thermal insulation

It lies in the appearance of condensation between the wall and the insulation.

And it doesn’t matter which side the wall was insulated on. If the measures are carried out incorrectly, condensation will appear after a short period of time. The resulting moisture will harm not only the insulation, but also other materials used in finishing the room. Firstly, when moisture gets into the insulation, its effectiveness as an insulator is significantly reduced.

Secondly, condensation causes the appearance of mold or mildew, which has a bad effect both on the operation of the entire insulation system and on the health of people and animals living in the room.

Finally, moisture settling on the wall of the house from the inside leads to corrosion of materials, which affects not only the insulation, but also the durability of the building itself.

Scheme of insulating a brick wall from the inside. Before starting insulation, you should consider methods of dealing with condensation.

Therefore, before starting work on thermal insulation of a room, you should think about how to prevent condensation.

Typically, two calculations are made for this: required thickness insulation and the location of the dew point (condensation point) in the wall. If the dew point hits the wall, then there will be no problem. If it is located between the wall of the house and the insulation or inside the insulation, then such a room cannot be insulated from the inside. The difference in the temperature of the wall and the insulation design will lead to the wall freezing more strongly and condensation forming on it, which will lead to the problems described earlier.

Various materials are used to insulate a room from the inside.

The most common methods are insulation with polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam, plaster, and mineral wool. Less commonly used for wall insulation cork panels, concrete slabs with special heat-insulating fillers, etc.

Is it possible to insulate your home from the inside?

Let's look at these materials in more detail.

Materials used

Expanded polystyrene is attached to a special adhesive solution, which forms a moisture-proof layer.

• insulation with polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam.

The most affordable, popular and reliable insulation for the home. Foamed polystyrene materials (foam plastic, expanded polystyrene, penoplex) are often used as insulation for the inner surface of walls, including brickwork.

In addition to low thermal conductivity, foam insulation also has noise-absorbing functions. In addition, it is affordable, easy to install, and can be done with your own hands without any special construction skills.

The only drawback of foam insulation is the space it takes up. However, if the room allows you not to think about its area, then foam insulation is one of the best options;

Insulation brick walls plaster mortar is a time-tested method. It is quite inexpensive and one of the simplest methods of insulation, like foam insulation, but at the same time the longest and “dirtiest”.

The work of insulating from the inside consists of stretching the mounting mesh onto the wall and then applying several layers of plaster mortar to it;

Insulating a brick wall with plaster is the most budget-friendly, but at the same time the most labor-intensive method.

• insulation with mineral wool.

She represents natural material, made from silica or basalt. If mineral wool treated with special hydrophobic substances, it effectively repels water, which allows it to be used in conditions of high humidity.

To insulate brick walls, semi-solid or solid slabs based on mineral wool are used.

The use of mineral wool as insulation is also due to the fact that this does not require preliminary leveling of the walls, as with foam insulation. Mineral wool can stick to the wall, filling all the recesses.

The thickness of the insulation depends on temperature regime room and area, but is at least 10 cm. The insulation is sold in slabs (100x60 cm) or in rolls up to 9 m long and from 50 to 120 cm wide with a density of 80 to 150 kg/m 3.

Insulation of walls with mineral wool

The material is quite easy to work with, as it lends itself to bends and kinks, something that foam insulation cannot boast of.

The only condition: it cannot be cut with scissors, since squeezing breaks the thermal insulation structure. It is best to use a saw or sharp knife. When adjusting the size of the slabs, it is necessary to leave up to 2 cm of margin at the edges so that the insulation fits tightly into the designated sections.

As a vapor barrier, it is better to choose film membranes that have a two-layer structure.

In order to insulate a brick wall with mineral wool from the inside, you will need a frame, as when working with polystyrene foam, which will later be covered with plasterboard or other suitable material.

The frame consists of cells wooden sheathing, into which insulator slabs are laid so that their height does not exceed the height of the sheathing. You should not compact the mineral wool too hard, as the thermal insulation properties are lost.

Instead of wooden sheathing, you can use a metal profile frame.

On top of the sheathing there is a layer waterproofing material. Next, each cell of the resulting frame is filled with mineral wool in one or two layers, depending on the calculated thickness of the insulator.

A layer of vapor barrier is placed on the mineral wool with the foil side facing towards the room. Both hydro- and vapor barrier materials are attached directly to wooden or metal frame. Well, in the future the frame itself is covered with plasterboard or other materials that will form the design of your interior.

Insulating brick walls with mineral wool or polystyrene foam is an optional process, but highly desirable for improving the comfort of living in the house.

The mistake of many novice, inexperienced builders or too economical home owners is the desire to ensure that the temperature remains high in winter by insulating the house from the inside.

Before starting work, craftsmen are obliged to warn the owners why it is impossible to insulate the house from the inside, and what consequences await them in the end: unpredictable climate change in a confined space, high humidity and violation of the integrity of the walls, fungus, mold and even small puddles from large quantity condensate

Why can you insulate a house from the outside but not from the inside?

Preserving living space and reducing the difference between external and internal temperature fluctuations, preventing dry air and the formation of increased moisture makes external insulation more expedient. Why is it better and how to insulate a house from the outside:

• polystyrene foam Retains heat, prevents moisture, but is vulnerable to direct sun rays. Highly flammable;
• fibrous mineral wool. Good vapor permeability, sound insulation and fire resistance;
• penoplex. It has minimal thermal conductivity, is not susceptible to moisture and is resistant to combustion;
• liquid polyurethane foam insulation. Prevents the formation of condensation and humidity, does not form cracks, the material is resistant to mold and fungal infections;
• basalt slabs. They contain a sufficient amount of formaldehyde, which repels small rodents, quickly covers the required area, is not susceptible to sudden temperature changes, and eliminates rotting and inflammation. Provides warmth and sound insulation.

The outer surface of log cabins is treated a little differently. Environmentally friendly natural material quickly absorbs moisture, which means it requires more careful and reliable protection. To insulate a house made of timber from the outside, glass wool, modern polymers and felt are sufficient.

But even qualified specialists in some cases refuse to work because of customers who have absolutely no idea why you can’t insulate a house from the inside:

• the area of ​​the room is reduced;
• danger strong humidity interior space and insulation. The heating temperature of the walls may differ from room temperature, condensation begins to form, fungus and mold appear;
• ventilation disturbance;
• reduction in the strength and thermal insulation characteristics of walls.

Improperly carried out insulation will entail a change in the facade of the building, large expenses, and an insufficiently ventilated room will also provoke diseases of the respiratory system.

Is it possible and why not to insulate a house from the inside?

You should not carry out any construction work that involves changing the premises yourself. Only an experienced specialist will determine how to insulate a house from the inside:

• warm seam Ideal option For wooden house. The sealant is placed only between the logs on the ceiling and facade. Linen tape and felt are also used. As a last resort, the seams can simply be caulked;
• mineral wool. An environmentally friendly and inexpensive product, it provides noise insulation and retains heat in log houses, and is not affected by fungus. Disadvantages include the need for additional installation on top of mineral wool with a special vapor barrier. It dries quickly when wet internal material, but does not eliminate the accompanying problem, such as shrinkage at high humidity;
• expanded polystyrene. A lightweight and moisture-resistant polymer analogue of synthetic foam. It is susceptible to fungal diseases, so before using it, the walls are pre-treated with protective agents. Walls and ceilings are cleaned and leveled, joints are foamed. TO wooden surfaces and does not apply to log houses;
• liquid polyurethane foam. Requires a pre-fabricated frame, which will fill the material. After insulation, you will need to plaster the ceiling and walls using a special mesh.

All materials that are usually used to insulate a room before the onset of cold weather have a lot of disadvantages and side effects. It is a pity that many people do not want to accept why it is impossible to insulate a house from the inside.

Question about proper insulation at home is always relevant for regions with harsh climatic conditions. High-quality thermal insulation reduces heating costs in winter and maintains normal room temperature in summer. If the need for insulation is beyond doubt, then when choosing where to place it, difficulties arise. Having studied the pros and cons of external and internal thermal insulation, you can confidently judge their effectiveness.

External insulation - installed on the external part of the building, its advantages include:

• surface protection from impact weather conditions, extending the service life;
• the dew point remains outside the room and the walls are not covered with condensation;
• heating costs are significantly reduced;
• the internal area of ​​the house remains unchanged;
• most insulation materials create a layer of sound insulation and reduce the level of penetrating noise;
• there is an opportunity to change the architectural appearance of the house to your liking.

Disadvantages:

• high cost of materials;
• The thermal insulation process depends on weather conditions - when negative temperature or during rain, work cannot be performed.

Internal insulation - installed from inside the house. This option has many negative points, but provides an increase in room temperature by several degrees. Thermal insulation is placed from the inside in several cases:

• if access to the external surface is difficult (high-rise buildings);
• It is necessary to preserve the external appearance of the house, for example, wooden decor.

Disadvantages of internal insulation:

• useful area is lost;
• condensation forms between the wall and the insulation at the dew point, which provokes the growth of mold and mildew;
• The walls are not protected from external influences; they freeze and collapse.

The comparison shows that external insulation is better than internal insulation. It supports more effectively high temperature and optimal humidity, extends service life load-bearing structures. Thermal insulation placed from the inside loses on all counts, except the ability to perform it at any time. But you cannot refuse it; for many owners of apartments and houses this is the only option to reduce heat loss.

External insulation: materials and technology

To perform correctly external thermal insulation At home, you need to start with preparing the surface. All cracks on the walls are sealed with mortar, and a primer is applied to the surface for better adhesion to the insulation. Installation of thermal insulation is carried out in two ways.

Curtain facade - a structure is created on the walls from a frame, insulation and finishing panels. A wooden beam or galvanized profile is used as lathing. Insulation is carried out with mineral wool or polystyrene foam boards. For a wooden house it is better to take basalt wool, which does not burn and has good vapor permeability.

A ventilated facade is installed for any building: brick, panel, concrete. Its structure is represented by several layers arranged in a strict sequence:

• vapor barrier membrane;
• sheathing;
• insulation;
• waterproofing ( polyethylene film, glassine);
• second sheathing;
• decorative cladding (siding, lining, metal cassettes).

“Wet facade” - the technology consists of gluing insulation to the wall, followed by applying a primer and decorative plaster. Thermal insulation materials are polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, and mineral wool slabs. The work is performed using the following technology:

• the walls are cleaned and coated with primer;
• fastened starting profile at the base level to maintain a layer of thermal insulation;
• special glue is applied to the insulation boards in stripes around the perimeter and in the center;
• polystyrene foam or cotton wool is pressed tightly against the wall; umbrella dowels are hammered in for reliability;
• joints are treated with glue or foam;
• a reinforcing mesh is applied to the surface of the insulation and secured with glue or a mixture for external use;
• After the solution has dried, decorative plaster is applied.

When insulating a building externally, one must not forget about the foundation. For its thermal insulation, foam glass, polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam are used - materials that are resistant to moisture and low temperatures. Coating waterproofing must be applied under the insulation, the material is covered with a film on top and finished with plaster.

Insulation from the inside, how to avoid condensation

When it is not possible to install thermal insulation from the outside, it is installed from the inside. The main task is to avoid the appearance of condensation and moisture that is harmful to materials. Why do water drops appear on the wall? This occurs when cold material comes into contact with warm steam from the room. In order for the wall to remain dry, it must be insulated from steam penetration. To do this you need:

• use insulation with minimal vapor permeability, preferably its value is lower than that of the wall;
• perform high-quality finishing from moisture-resistant plasterboard;
• use waterproofing fabric when installing insulation;
• reduce the humidity in the room using ventilation.

When choosing a material for thermal insulation, it is worth focusing on vapor-tight products: polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam. It is possible to use mineral wool, but its installation will require a lot of effort:

• it is necessary to fix the waterproofing to the wall surface;
• make a frame from wooden blocks impregnated with an antiseptic, or a galvanized profile;
• lay mineral wool, preferably with a layer of foil glued on;
• perform a vapor barrier;
• install plasterboard trim.

As vapor barrier material You can use penoplex, consisting of foamed polyethylene and aluminum foil. The canvases are laid end-to-end and fastened with staples; at the joints they are taped with foil tape.

Polyurethane foam is a synthetic two-component composition sprayed onto the wall. It is moisture-resistant, vapor-tight, and creates a monolithic surface without cold bridges. The insulation is used for any surface and effectively resists energy loss. A layer of material 5 cm thick is considered effective. From the side of the room it is covered with a plasterboard partition. The disadvantage of this method is the high cost of services for applying polyurethane foam.

Polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam are more often used than other insulation materials for thermal insulation of walls from the inside. The work is divided into several stages.

1. Surface preparation, including removing old finishes, cleaning and priming with an antifungal agent.
2. On insulation boards, glue is applied over the entire surface, and not pointwise as on the outside.
3. For better adhesion to the wall, the surface of the polystyrene foam is pierced with a needle roller.
4. The glue should be thick enough to fill any minor imperfections. The slabs are pressed tightly against the wall. Installation is carried out end-to-end.
5. After the glue has dried, after 3-4 days, the fastening is strengthened with umbrella dowels.
6. The joints of the plates are treated with polyurethane foam.
7. Using glue, a reinforcing mesh is attached to the surface of the insulation. Plaster is applied over the dried layer.

Having compared the two methods, we can confidently say that external insulation is more appropriate. It significantly reduces heat loss and protects the walls of the house from premature destruction.