A lot depends on the correct calculation of thermal insulation: both the comfort of the house and the cost of heating it. Therefore, it will not do without a heater. Moreover, you will have to deal with such a question as calculating the thickness of the insulation for the walls - what should it be. What materials are best suited for the conditions of your region of residence, and which is better: polystyrene foam, foam plastic, mineral wool, ecowool, plaster or other finishing material.
How to deal with the calculation of insulation yourself
In this case, the value of the minimum thermal resistance is not the last value. Its value directly depends on the climatic features of the region. When calculating this indicator, the duration of the heating season is taken into account, as well as the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures. With this in mind, please note that the coefficient of heat transfer resistance for the exterior walls of a residential building should bebe at least 3.28 for Moscow, 1.79 for Sochi and 5.28 for Yakutsk.
Thermal resistance of walls is equal to the sum of the resistance of all layers of the structure, regardless of whether they are load-bearing or insulating. It follows from this that the thickness of the thermal insulation depends on the type of material used during construction. Therefore, brick and concrete buildings require more insulation compared to wooden and foam blocks.
Pay attention to the thickness of the building material chosen for the construction of the structure, as well as its thermal conductivity. The smaller the thickness of the supporting structure, the greater the thickness of the insulation should be.
If it is necessary to use insulation for walls with a thickness greater than usual, it is recommended to carry out external wall insulation. This approach will help maintain the laws of ergonomics and save the interior space of the house. Another advantage of outdoor insulation is the prevention of moisture accumulation inside the room.
What is thermal conductivity
Thermal conductivity is the property of a material to transmit heat. Wood, brick, concrete, foam blocks have different thermal conductivity, and increased air humidity, among other things, contributes to its increase. Thermal conductivity also has an inverse value, which is called thermal resistance. To determine this number, use the dry thermal conductivity index indicated in the passport for the material used. If there is none, then you can use a special table.
Pay attention to the fact that in corners, junctions of load-bearing structures and other special structural elements, thermal conductivity is higher than on the surface of a flat wall. It is in such places that the so-called cold bridges arise, due to which heat escapes. You can recognize this phenomenon by smudges on the walls from the inside of the building. To prevent this phenomenon, experts recommend increasing the thermal resistance to ¼ of the minimum allowable rate.
Calculation of thermal conductivity of a building using an example
To cope with this task and determine the thermal conductivity, a regular calculator will come in handy. First, it is necessary to deal with the heat transfer resistance for load-bearing structures. To do this, the thickness of the structure is divided by the thermal conductivity of the wall insulation used in this case. For example, foam concrete blocks with a density of about 300 are characterized by a thermal conductivity index of 0.29. It turns out that with a block thickness of 30 cm, the thermal resistance is:
0, 3 / 0, 29=1, 03
Then proceed to subtract the calculated value from the minimum allowable. So, for Moscow and Moscow Region, the thermal conductivity of wall insulation should be no less than 2.25 (3.28 - 1.03=2.25).
The next step is to multiply the thermal conductivity of the insulation by the required thermal resistance, resulting in a number indicating the thickness of the required layer. For example, the thermal conductivitymineral wool - 0.045, which means that its thickness must be at least 0.1 m (0.0452.25=0.1).
Things to keep in mind when calculating thermal conductivity
Among other things, you will need to determine the location of the dew point and do not forget about this indicator when determining the thickness of the insulation for the outer wall.
The dew point is a conditional place in the wall where the temperature drops to such a level that condensation forms - dew. When this place is located on the inside of the room, this leads to fogging, as a result of which the putrefactive process begins. Consider this indicator when calculating the thickness of insulation for walls.
Note that the cooler it is outside, the closer the dew point is to the indoors. The higher the temperature and the more humidity inside the room, the higher the dew point shifts.
What is the thickness of the insulation for frame walls
Mineral wool, or ecowool, the best of its kind for insulating the walls of a frame house.
The required thickness is determined using the same formulas discussed above. If it is necessary to organize an additional layer for a multilayer wall, add 10% to its value. This is due to the fact that the thickness of the walls for the house, the insulation for which you select, is less than with traditional technology, and this indicates the possibility of shifting the dew point closer to the inner surface. That is why experts recommend not saving on the thickness of the insulation.
How to calculate the thickness of the foam
Polyfoam is a popular material that attracts attention because of its low thermal conductivity, light weight and moisture resistance, and most importantly, its cheapness. This material practically does not let steam through, so pay special attention to this and keep in mind that this material is not suitable for internal insulation.
Preferably, foam blocks are placed outside or inside the wall. The thermal conductivity, as in the case of other materials, depends on the density of the foam. For example, with a density of 20 kg/m3, the thermal conductivity is 0.035. Therefore, foam with a thickness of 0.05 cm will be enough to provide optimal thermal resistance at the level of 1.5 meters.
Features of calculating the thickness of insulation for the roof and attic
Nothing new with the formulas for calculating - they are all the same. But with a minimum thermal resistance, everything is a little different. Unheated attic spaces, as a rule, are insulated with bulk insulation. In this case, no thickness restrictions are put forward, therefore it is recommended to increase them up to one and a half times in relation to the calculated ones.
If we are talking about attic rooms, then in this case it would be appropriate to use materials with a low thermal conductivity property.
Now, knowing what thickness of wall insulation will be optimal for one or anotherbuilding material, as well as guided by the examples given and using formulas, the calculation of the required indicators can be done without problems, this will not be a difficult task.
