Heat insulation of the above-ground part of the foundation is carried out at the stage of construction work. If for some reason this was not done, additional insulation of the basement is carried out. This procedure can be performed both outside and inside the building. This will increase the strength of the structure, reduce heat loss. Also, a he althy microclimate will be established in the premises, and dampness and cold will not be terrible for the structure. How to perform the warming procedure yourself will be discussed in detail in the article.
Why is the above-ground part of the foundation insulated?
Insulation of the basement of a house on piles, strip or solid foundations is carried out even at the stage of construction work. Not only the temperature regime in the premises depends on the correct performance of this work, but also the life of the building, the microclimate in the room.
Plinthrepresents the top of the foundation. It rises above ground level, forming a support for the building. The plinth adjoins the ground, as well as the base floors in the house. With the correct arrangement of the insulation layer of the base unit (all vertical and horizontal ceilings), it is possible to reduce heating costs in winter by up to 15%.
Insulation layer and finish can extend the life of the foundation. It will be additionally protected from various adverse weather effects. The strength of the supporting structure will be maintained for many decades.
If the thermal insulation layer was not properly installed, the foundation and floors in the house will freeze through. Because of this, condensation may appear and mold and fungus may develop. This can cause various diseases of the respiratory system in the owners of the house, allergic reactions.
Insulation of the basement of a private house should also be carried out to reduce the likelihood of deformation of the building. In frost, one can observe such an effect as heaving of the soil. This picture is typical mainly for the middle zone of our country. Here the soils have a clay structure. In frost, their volume increases. Because of this, the soil exerts high pressure on the foundation. In the presence of complex insulation of the basement unit, it is possible to minimize the likelihood of deformations on the facade.
Internal and external insulation
It is possible to carry out basement insulation outside and inside. The first option is more practical and common in our country. This approach improves the indoor climate. At the same time, the structure receives additional protection from moisture, which enters the structure from the atmosphere, soil and through the underground part of the supporting structure.
Insulation of the basement from the outside avoids the appearance of condensation on the walls of the foundation. In this case, premature destruction of structures can be avoided. Insulation on the outside performs similar functions, but it will be more difficult to achieve the same high effect in this case.
Outwardly, the plinth looks more aesthetically pleasing if it was insulated from the outside. In this case, the finishing layer is also laid on the thermal insulation layer. At the same time, it is not necessary to equip layers of thermal insulation both inside and outside the room. Choose one of the approaches.
It is also worth considering that the outer thermal insulation layer additionally protects the structure from weathering, precipitation, etc. Therefore, this option for arranging the thermal insulation layer is chosen more often.
Features of the pile foundation
Insulation of the basement on piles has a number of features. At the same time, the features of the location of the building, the height of its piles, as well as the characteristics of the material from which the supporting pillars are created are taken into account. After that, choose the appropriate type of insulation work.
You can mount a layer of additional thermal insulation around the perimeter of the building. To do this, you need to build a frame for the base. It will extend from the surface of the earth to the beginning of the walls of the building. In this case, the frame will encircle the house from all sides. This method is the best option ifthe piles are low and the floor is close to the ground.
It is also possible to perform external insulation from the back of the floor. If the piles are very high, the creation of a frame is impractical. In this case, it is easier to insulate the floor of the building. It is also a fairly efficient method. If the piles are high, insulation work using this technology does not cause difficulties.
Insulation of the basement of the foundation on piles can be done using the insulation of the frame both outside and inside. In this case, a waterproofing layer is first created on the piles and for the grillage. Next, a frame is erected from the ground to the walls. A layer of thermal insulation is installed inside the basement. After that, decorative panels are installed on the structure. Inside, the base is covered with soil or expanded clay. The second option is preferable. They also insulate the floor in the house. This technique allows you to get a good result.
The foundation on piles in this case will also last a long time. The thickness of the thermal insulation and the method of insulation are selected according to the type of climate. The further north the house is located, the more effort will be required to create high-quality facade insulation. In most cases, it is enough to insulate the facade of the house and overlap the floor from the inside of the rooms.
Selection of materials
Insulation of the basement of the house must be carefully planned by the master. This will allow you to purchase the optimal amount of materials. To do this, make a plan. It is necessary to calculate the dimensions of the supporting structure. Most often, the necessary information can be obtained from the design documentation of the building. Experts recommend checkingfoundation dimensions.
To do this, you will need to measure the length of the base. It is worth considering that the result obtained may differ from the perimeter of the walls. Next, you need to measure the foundation in several places and determine its highest place. If the height differences are insignificant, you need to multiply the length of the supporting structure by its height. Get the total area of the base, which will need to be insulated. The result should be rounded up. It is also worth keeping a small supply of materials.
Insulation of the basement of the house can be done using special materials. They must meet all building requirements. Experts do not recommend saving on the quality of thermal insulation. Otherwise, the work will need to be redone soon.
Insulation should have a minimum level of thermal conductivity. The thickness of the material is chosen in accordance with the characteristics of the climatic zone. Thermal insulation must reliably retain heat inside the structure. The stronger and thicker the insulation, the better it will cope with the duties assigned to it.
Insulation should not absorb moisture. If such material is impregnated with condensate, it will not be able to qualitatively prevent heat loss. Therefore, materials are chosen that have a zero water absorption index. If you neglect this advice and use a material that absorbs moisture to insulate the supporting structure, it will deform in severe frost. The water in the structure when it freezes willexpand. This will cause deformation of the fibers. The material will need to be changed after the first season of operation.
For this reason, mineral wool is not used for such purposes. This material is used only in combination with high-quality waterproofing. This increases the cost of construction work. Therefore, synthetic materials in the form of plates are very popular today. They do not allow moisture to pass through and demonstrate high thermal insulation qualities.
Selection of materials
Most often, the basement is insulated with extruded polystyrene foam. This material meets all the requirements that put forward for thermal insulation for supporting structures. It has some resemblance to foam. However, there are a number of differences that make polystyrene foam a popular material for construction work. Styrofoam is used to finish the basement quite rarely. It will be necessary to purchase plates of large thickness so that the layer does not let heat out of the room. At the same time, the foam is quite fragile. It can be damaged if an object accidentally strikes a wall.
A good option for creating a layer of insulation is the use of polyurethane foam. This material fits snugly against the wall, not allowing even a small space under it. It is highly insulating and water repellent.
Installation is fast. The material is sprayed onto the surface. Reacting with air, liquid polyurethane foam expands. It quickly fills the space. This materialhas a long service life.
However, it is worth considering that special equipment will be required to apply a layer of polyurethane foam. Buying it is quite expensive. Therefore, you will need to seek help from a specialist. This greatly increases the cost of the job. Therefore, polyurethane foam in our country is rarely used to insulate supporting structures.
In some cases expanded clay is used. This is a clay-based material with a porous structure. It consists of a fraction of 2-4 cm in size. Expanded clay is poured into the prepared formwork around the base. It creates a gap 15 cm thick. A layer of cement mortar mixed with expanded clay is poured into it. This method is also not simple and cheap. Therefore, it is rarely used.
Insulation of the basement with extruded polystyrene foam is carried out much more often. Therefore, the method of its application when creating a layer of thermal insulation for the facade will be considered below.
Expanded polystyrene and penoplex
When creating a layer of insulation, in 80% of cases such insulation as expanded polystyrene is used. Penoplex is one of its varieties. It has a lot of positive features. Insulation of the basement of the foundation with penoplex allows you to complete the work quickly and efficiently.
Penoplex is made of synthetic material. It is processed in a special way, due to which a strong structure is obtained. She is filled with air. However, you can walk on foam sheets in shoes. It won't bend ordeform. At the same time, the thermal insulation coefficient of this material is 2 times higher than polystyrene or mineral wool. Penoplex also tolerates temperature changes and other adverse weather effects.
The cost of expanded polystyrene (foam) will be slightly higher than that of polystyrene. However, the price of such material will be an order of magnitude less than that of polyurethane foam. At the same time, installation will not require much effort and time. It will be quite possible to do it yourself, without the help of a specialist.
Insulation of the basement from the outside with foam allows you to reliably protect the facade of the building from premature destruction. The disadvantage of this material is its combustibility. Therefore, for a house made of wood, it is better to use expanded clay or mineral wool. Moreover, in the process of combustion, penoplex can release toxic substances into the environment. However, otherwise this material is one of the best options for finishing the supporting structure.
Sheets of this material are on sale, which have a thickness of 2 cm or more. The choice of material depends on the climatic conditions in the area. The further north the house is built, the thicker the insulation will need to be used for finishing. The minimum allowable sheet thickness is 3 cm. This material is only suitable for facade insulation in the southern regions of our country. It is better to purchase plates 5-7 cm thick. However, this material will be significantly thinner than foam. Where it is possible to install a 3 cm foam sheet, a 5-6 cm foam plate will be required. In this case, the material does not deform under mechanical stress. Thesethe benefits make styrofoam popular.
Preparation for warming
Insulation of the basement with polystyrene foam is carried out according to a certain method. First you need to prepare the materials necessary for work. Together with expanded polystyrene plates, you will need to purchase a reinforcing PVC mesh. It will need to be purchased 2.5 times more than penoplex. You will also need to purchase a special glue for installing the plates. Its quantity is chosen in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. It is important that organic solvents are not present in the composition. Otherwise, the material will be damaged.
You should also purchase hydro and vapor barrier. If there is no special protrusion on the foundation, you will need to fix the polystyrene foam on the profile. It should have a cross-section in the form of the letter "P".
You will also need to purchase dowels with a wide cap. They will give the structure additional strength. For foam plastic with dimensions of 125 × 60 cm, 4 dowels are required. The larger the sheet, the more "umbrellas" are purchased for fixation. The rod must be made of metal. However, to avoid the appearance of cold bridges, such structural elements of the dowel must be completely enclosed in a plastic shell. Also, their hats should have a special insulating material.
Insulation of the basement of the foundation from the outside with foam plastic involves finishing. For this, a reinforcing mesh is purchased. A layer of facade putty will be laid on it. More oftenjust enough to purchase a fiberglass mesh. However, in some cases, the plaster may have a thickness of 3 cm or more. In this case, a reinforcing metal mesh is purchased.
You should also purchase paint for finishing the facade. It must be waterproof. There are special types of materials that can be used for outdoor decoration. It will also additionally protect the material from the effects of sunlight, wind, moisture.
You also need to purchase the necessary tools. You will need a puncher, a set of spatulas, brushes, a building level. To mix the adhesive composition, putty, you need a container of sufficient volume. Having prepared everything you need, you can start warming the basement with your own hands.
Getting Started
Insulation of the basement with foam plastic begins with cleaning the facade from various debris and foreign materials. Next, you need to cut the material. Sheets are cut according to the height of the supporting structure that needs to be insulated. After that, the material is tried on by attaching the sheets to the surface of the base. If everything is fine, you can proceed to further work. If necessary, the height of the foam sheets can be adjusted.
After that, a reinforcing mesh is cut. Its length should correspond to the perimeter of the sheet. The mesh should wrap around the foam board on both sides. For this reason, 2.5 times more reinforcement is purchased than insulation material.
Bottom you need to attach a support profile. For this, dowels will be used. First, the profile is applied to the surface. Using a perforator, create markings for installationdowels. The step between the fasteners should be about 50 cm. Also, the dowels should be fixed at a distance of 10 cm from the edges of the profile. According to the basting, holes are created using a perforator. Next, the reference profile is fixed. Insulation of the basement with penoplex should be carried out exactly according to the level. Therefore, before fixing the reference profile, you need to check its position.
Next you need to prepare the glue. Sometimes the owners purchase ready-made formulations. However, it is cheaper to purchase a dry mix and mix the solution yourself. The savings will be significant, especially if the facade area is significant. Using a notched trowel, you need to apply the solution to the surface of the foam. The sheet is applied to the surface and pressed firmly.
If the reinforcing mesh layer was not mounted directly on the styrofoam sheet, it must be installed on the wall. In this case, pieces of reinforcement must be glued to the wall surface. The mesh should overlap by 10 cm. Only after that you can start gluing the sheets.
The rest of the expanded polystyrene sheets are laid in the same way. They need to be pressed tightly against each other. It is unacceptable that there are gaps or gaps between them. In this case, heat will penetrate through such loose places.
Completion of the warming process
In the process of insulating the basement of the foundation, you need to wait for the glue to dry completely. This information can be specified on the packaging of the composition. This usually takes 2-3 days. After that, you need to create an additional fixation of the panels. Some masters recommend layingfoam in two layers. However, in this case, the probability of delamination of the structure increases. Water can get into the space between the plates. This significantly reduces the thermal insulation qualities of the material. Therefore, it is better to immediately purchase sheets of expanded polystyrene with a thickness of 6-10 cm.
To fix the sheets with dowels with a wide head, you will need to use a perforator. With it, holes are drilled in the corners (at a distance of 5 cm from the edge). They must correspond to the thickness of the fastener rod. This hole must pass through the insulation. It should be 3 mm longer than the dowel rod. If the sheet is large, you can install the fifth fastener in the center of the Styrofoam.
When the holes are created, a dowel is hammered into them. A metal rod is driven into it. This will firmly fix the sheets on the surface, preventing them from moving or sliding over time.
To perform high-quality insulation of the basement, you need to use mounting foam. She blows the space between the wall and the cracks of the house. Foam must be completely sealed system. Otherwise, moisture can enter the system. Particular attention should be paid to the junction of the panels with the foundation surface. When the mounting foam dries, its excess should be cut off with a sharp clerical knife.
If reinforcement has not been applied to the sheet, it is fixed at this stage. You will need to glue the mesh to the surface of the sheets. Then it will be possible to start finishing work.
Facade finishing
Plinth insulation in progressneed to do some decorative work. In this case, the surface is covered with decorative plaster, or a special decorative stone, or finishing brick. The presented options are selected in accordance with the taste preferences of the owners of the house.
Before applying a layer of plaster, the surface is coated with a special primer. It enhances the adhesion of the finish to the base. Next, you need to purchase a special facade plaster.
The composition looks impressive, which allows you to create a certain textured pattern on the surface. Such plaster can be, for example, bark beetle. Its cost will be quite high. However, the appearance of the facade and its durability make many owners of private houses purchase this type of finish.
The composition is kneaded in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Then it is applied to the surface and leveling is carried out. After that, surface treatment is immediately carried out with a grater. Movements can be circular or up and down. The final drawing will depend on the chosen method.
The shade of the facade can be anything. It is better to give preference to pastel colors. They allow you to harmoniously combine the basement with the walls of the house.
You can also finish with decorative stone or brick. To do this, prepare a solution and create a clutch. This option will also look spectacular.
Having considered the features of the choice and installation of basement insulation, you can perform the entire procedure yourself. The design will be strong and durable. Cold and moisture cannotget inside the building.
