The system of external insulation of facades is a special design that protects the walls from the penetration of cold air currents. There is a wide segment of systems on the market, each of which assumes compliance with certain installation rules.
Types of work
External insulation of the facade of an apartment building or private house is distinguished by its durability and high level of heat retention. Internal cladding is used if, for some reason, it is impossible to implement an external type. The material used in the latter variety serves as a reliable protection from the cold. It ensures the same temperature in the walls and in the room.
With internal insulation, moisture begins to collect in the area of \ u200b \ u200bthe connection between the material and the wall, provoking the multiplication of mold. Over time, the wall can undergo destruction, since in severe frosts and the presence of condensation, it begins to freeze and expand.
Outside
The external method makes it possible:
- protect the premises from external factors;
- protect from severe frost and moisture formation;
- isolate from noise;
- increase the duration of the operation of the walls without repair work.
The main tasks that external insulation solves include:
- keeping warm in the room;
- savings on heating in winter;
- improving the level of sound isolation;
- destruction of barriers during evaporation of moisture;
External insulation is carried out after:
- waterproofing the building foundation;
- installation of all room systems;
- shrinkage of the base of the building;
- drying the building.
Insulation of the facade of the house from the outside is not carried out in extreme heat or frost. Usually, facing is carried out in the autumn or spring. Concrete work must be carried out, as well as external finishing, screed, pouring, installation of alarm and electrical wiring.
Inside
The internal method is resorted to in the case of:
- finding the elevator shaft behind the wall of the apartment;
- the presence of an expansion joint between houses, which is monitored by the meteorological service;
- assigning the status of a historical monument to the building.
The main disadvantage of this type of insulation is the appearance of a dew point - a place in which steam from a room, at certain temperatures, turns into condensate. Dampness and mold growth can be avoided by using a vapor barrier. The dew point remains inside, but moisture does not penetrate to it, the wall remains dry.
The negative point is the reduction in the area of the room. The thickness of the mineral wool is 80 mm. To this indicator, add the thickness of the air gap and drywall sheet. As a result, about 100 mm is lost. When using extruded polystyrene foam, the loss is less, since the thickness of the board is 30-50 mm, and when finishing work they resort to plaster.
The disadvantages can also include the temporary eviction of tenants from an apartment or house, as well as the destruction of walls due to periods of freezing and thawing.The last drawback is eliminated when installing an additional ventilation facade, which reduces the humidity in the room.
When using an internal type of insulation, you can:
- align the walls;
- hide communications;
- provide sound isolation in the room;
- increase the temperature in an apartment or house;
- do the installation of insulation materials with your own hands, which significantly reduces costs.
When placing facade insulation inside, the installation process and the choice of material are very carefully chosen. The advice of specialists is taken into account.
Facade insulation materials
There is a wide range of different facade insulation materials for the exterior of the house on the market. Each of them has certain qualities and is suitable for a particular type of building. Mineral wool, expanded polystyrene and polystyrene foam are used as insulation for a wet facade, which involves the application of a layer of plaster.
When insulating facades, the following requirements are put forward for the materials:
- optimal indicator of the level of thermal conductivity;
- high environmental friendliness, since the release of toxic substances negatively affects health;
- resistance to fire;
- duration of use;
- invariability of characteristics over a long service life.
An additional plus will be the optimal installation time and the minimum amount of construction waste.
Styrofoam
A non-flammable type of foam is used. To reduce the risk of fire, they resort to the implementation of special notches made of mineral wool.
The material is not blown by the wind, so the installation of a protective film is not necessary. If there is a wooden frame for ventilation of the material, a gap is left. With a frame made of steel, this condition is not required.
Expanded polystyrene
In terms of its characteristics, the material is similar to foam, but differs in a higher degree of density and reliability. It better protects walls from low temperatures. Many companies produce clinker tiles for the facade with insulation based on expanded polystyrene. They imitate brickwork. Such facade insulation is often used for cladding private stone houses. Foam blocks have an attractive appearance.
The opinions of experts regarding the effectiveness of expanded polystyrene differ: some it is regarded positively, while others - negative. The latter opinion is based on the fact that the material has a low level of steam transmission, as well as a poor quality of connection with adhesives. The room insulated with expanded polystyrene must be equipped with ventilation.
Plates are gnawed by mice, so there should be no large cracks and holes in the skin.
Having a closed structure, the material becomes vapor-tight. Its installation is contraindicated for log cabins. When condensation accumulates, wood begins to collapse. Houses with a wooden frame are also not insulated with expanded polystyrene.
Mineral wool
Brick and wooden facades are usually insulated with mineral wool. The material does not allow cold air to pass through and does not release heat from the room. Mineral wool is environmentally friendly, prevents the growth of mold. Its use is justified with a dry method of insulation.
Mineral wool has a fibrous structure, has a high level of vapor permeability, is not flammable and is not susceptible to damage by rodents. It is suitable for insulating all types of buildings, including frame and wooden structures.
For dry installation using mineral wool, an air layer with a thickness of 20-40 mm should be made, which will provide a free air flow throughout the sheathing.
Insulation thickness
The definition of this parameter of the material depends on the indicator of the coefficient of its heat transfer through the walls. The indicator is lower with a large thickness of thermal insulation. The degree of insulation depends on the thickness of the material and its thermal conductivity. Excessive insulation thickness does not lead to an increase in the thermal insulation index.
There are materials on the market with three thickness markers:
- 50 cm;
- 100 cm;
- 150 cm.
The calculation is simple. The initial wall thickness and an estimate of the indicator that is missing to the norm are taken as a basis.
In addition to the thickness of the insulation, the following is taken into account:
- a layer of plaster;
- external finishing;
- layer of air.
Each room has its own individual characteristics, therefore, when choosing a thermal conductivity marker, one should take into account the heat capacity of the floor, the specificity of the basement and roof insulation, as well as the glazing area.
Methods for external insulation of the facade
Modern building approaches involve the following types of exterior wall insulation:
- light plaster;
- heavy plastering;
- multilayer;
- siding.
Each type of installation has its own pluses and minuses. Sometimes you can do the insulation yourself, but more often you need the help of an experienced specialist.
Under plaster
The basis of insulation is a simple plaster construction. The option is popular. The main advantage lies in the use of safe and environmentally friendly materials. Also of note is the low installation cost. The facade system includes many components.
The list includes:
- polymer-based glue;
- attractive finish;
- heat insulation from a polymer-cement layer.
An indisputable disadvantage is the impossibility of installation at low temperatures (below +5 degrees), as well as in the presence of precipitation.
Self-installation is impossible, since the plaster needs an absolutely even and dense application. Experience and practice is required.
Dry method
The dry method of warming consists in carrying out the outer cladding of the room with a structural frame. In the intervals between the elements, a heater is placed that does not interfere with the penetration of steam. The insulation is covered with a diffuse membrane that protects from the wind. The frame is sheathed with finishing finishing material. This is a heater for a ventilated facade: an air layer is left between it and the cladding.
With the help of the frame, the unevenness of the walls is hidden, there is no need to clean them. Warming is carried out regardless of the temperature conditions of the environment. Installation is carried out in stages, which is impossible with wet technology.
A dry system of external thermal insulation of a room does not require qualifications and the use of expensive tools. A person with the skill of handling carpentry tools can carry out insulation with their own hands.
The dry method is divided into light and heavy.
The first method involves the use of finishing materials that are lightweight. Large panels or boards are used. They are attached to the frame with hardware. They are screwed on or nailed. The easy way is suitable for any type of building.
The second method involves the use of heavy finishing materials made of stone or porcelain stoneware. High demands are placed on the level of strength of the building: it must withstand the large weight of the slabs.
Multilayer method
Aesthetic, durable facades are created using a hard method.The high price point explains their use in construction with a large budget. Heavy plasterboards are attached to the wall using special brackets.
The system is a structure with several layers:
- heat insulating;
- reinforcement;
- plastering.
The thickness after the thermal insulation layer is 50 mm. The technology is similar to the application of a wet facade. The difference lies in the consumption of material, since the plaster layer is thicker. A dense reinforcing galvanized mesh and anchors are also used to strengthen the slab to the wall.
Heavy plastering systems are robust and durable. The service life of such devices is approximately 50 years. No glue is used during work. The material is fastened with dowels, which preserves the integrity of the plaster layer when the house settles, since the insulation is inherent in mobility in relation to the base.
The multi-layer system is applicable for the first floors. Installation requires high qualifications.
Under siding
Siding insulation is a fairly common method. Siding is a material that includes a set of panels of various colors and shades.
Panels can be:
- metal;
- wooden;
- vinyl;
- cement.
Insulation is placed between the bars of the wooden lathing. The slab is fixed with special dowels or with glue. After that, the barrier layer is fixed. Siding panels are screwed to the frame with self-tapping screws.
Renowned material manufacturers
The most popular brands that produce insulation include:
- Russian company "Technonikol". Produces insulation for ventilated facades. Among them are the "Prof", "Optima", "Standard" and "Technovent" lines. The last model consists of two layers. The technical characteristics of the products of this manufacturer are suitable for thermal insulation of walls with an increased level of convection of air flows.
- Danish firm "Rockwool". Produces a series of Butts facades made of basalt fiber. The material is used in ventilated hinged structures.
- Finnish company Paroc, which produces mineral wool brands WAB and WAS. The material is characterized by a high degree of strength and rigidity. It is used in one-layer and two-layer façade structures with a ventilation gap. The cost of the material is high, but it is justified by its excellent quality and reliability.
- Russian enterprise ZAO Izorok. It produces panels for insulation of facades "Isovent", "Isolight", "Isolight-L". The material is characterized by vapor permeability and low thermal conductivity.
- French concern Saint-Gobain. Produces mats for insulation of the Isover brand KT-11, TWIN and KL-E. They differ from min-plates in lower weight, which does not exclude installation on light facades that are not designed for heavy loads.
- Subsidiary of the Spanish concern Uralita, Ursa company. The market is represented by the facade insulation "Ursa Geo Facade". The outer side of the material consists of fiberglass. Thanks to this, no additional installation of a layer of wind protection is required. Products have a low heat conductivity, high adhesion, show resistance to chemical solvents, but when ignited, they begin to emit toxic substances. For this reason, they are not shown for installation in industrial plants. The materials have a low coefficient of heat conductivity, high adhesion, resistance to various chemical solvents, but they emit toxic substances during combustion. For this reason, they are not recommended for thermal insulation of industrial facilities.
External insulation of the facade walls is a necessary measure. Installation of panels is a practical solution. The procedure is carried out in accordance with the detailed instructions. You should choose the right material and seek help from a specialist.
