Many are wondering why you need to insulate the foundation of the house. In the discussion of this issue, people are divided into two categories: some argue that it makes no sense to insulate the foundation of the house if there are no basements in it, others categorically disagree with this. They believe that this part of the building is the beginning of the wall of the house. If you insulate it, then the room on the lower floor will become warm. Waterproofing and insulation of the foundation of a residential private house depends on many factors. It is worth considering in more detail the options for warming and possible pitfalls.
What are the goals for insulation?
Not everyone knows that in addition to poorly sealed windows and cracks in the walls, the foundation of the house affects the temperature of the room. Often heat "leaves" through it. According to building statistics, one-fifth of the total room heating is wasted.
If you insulate the foundation of the house in a timely manner, then the basement may be dry. The most common problem in private homes is high humidity. Residents try toavoid.
To avoid cracks in the winter on the outside of the house, you need to insulate the base of the building outside and inside. Warming the foundation inside the house is a rather painstaking work. It is easier and more efficient to make insulation from the outside.
In the cold season, the soil often freezes through, in which case the soil shifts. The level can move up to a maximum of 35 centimeters. The foundation of the building is deformed. Therefore, warming the foundation of a house is a very important process for creating a comfortable temperature inside.
Many citizens set up billiard rooms and a gym in the basements of their houses. In this case, warming the foundation of the house will be a necessary measure.
When is the best time to do this work?
Warm weather is needed for this kind of work. Humidity should not exceed the permissible limits, so spring and summer are ideal. It is important that there is no rain.
What to look for when choosing a material?
At the planning stage, it is worth considering the entire range of products offered. The materials used to insulate the foundation of the house must be resistant to the pressure exerted by the soil. They must not deform. It is important that they do not absorb moisture.
What are the insulation methods?
Methods of warming the foundation of a house differ from each other in approaches to this process. Each has its positives and negatives:
- Insulation with expanded clay. This method has been used for a long time, since expanded clay is a good and cheap insulation. Nowadays, better quality materials are known, but they cost much more. In order to maintain a positive temperature in the room, it is necessary to fill the foundation with a thick layer, about one and a half centimeters. Do not forget about waterproofing work after backfilling. From above they make a blind area. The process will require a lot of effort.
- Using polystyrene. This method is considered the simplest. Warming the foundation of the house from the outside with polystyrene foam has many advantages: the material has good moisture resistance, it is very durable. Its service life is measured in years. Even a non-professional can fix it on the foundation of the house. Polystyrene is very durable, even rodents are not afraid of it. It is convenient to plaster it at the finishing stage of finishing. This material is the most popular among products for self-finishing. Another advantage of polystyrene is its low price. The thickness of the layer should be at least 5 centimeters, and preferably closer to 10 centimeters. The material, due to its characteristics, has a positive effect on the waterproofing of the entire foundation. The insulation of the foundation of an old house is often carried out using polystyrene foam. The building will stand for many years, from forty years and more. Another advantage of the material is its reaction to compression. Durability does not suffer.
- Polyurethane foam. This is a composition that is sprayed directly onto the foundation of the building. Its main advantage is that the coupling occurs quickly and without glue. Polyurethane foam easyapply even to beginners. It quickly hardens on the foundation. When using this material, additional joints are not created, which is a definite plus. Usually it is through the joints that the cold penetrates into the room. The obvious advantage of polyurethane foam is that the base of the foundation can not be leveled. It is cleaned of contaminants and sprayed with insulation. This way of working saves a lot of time for workers. It is great for warming the foundation of a brick house. The layer is applied with a thickness of not more than five centimeters. In addition to the fact that heat is perfectly preserved, polystyrene foam is a moisture-resistant coating. The only moment that makes the work difficult will be the search for equipment for applying polystyrene foam. It is worth asking specialized companies, suddenly someone rents it out.
The last method is the most expensive of the available options. The price of materials is moderate. Polyurethane foam also does not have high vapor permeability. It is reliable and can compete with others in its adhesive properties. No additional waterproofing required.
The only downside is that the desired material is "afraid" of ultraviolet rays.
Pros of warming
Trying to insulate the foundation has many positives:
- Heat loss is greatly reduced.
- Savings on heating costs.
- Reduces the risk of freezingsoil.
- The temperature in the room does not drop, the positive value is stable.
- No condensation inside the building.
- Protects the waterproofing layer from mechanical damage.
- Helps keep the design for years to come.
Styrofoam insulation process outside
When choosing a material for insulating the foundation of a house outside, people often stop at polystyrene foam. It is necessary to learn how to properly install the slab into the foundation. Insulation is placed at a depth to the place of freezing of the soil. If the sheets are set even deeper, then this will be an inefficient method.
The strongest thermal insulation must be done in the corners. It is necessary to retreat one and a half meters from each corner and begin to increase the thickness of the layer of material used.
The soil is insulated around the entire perimeter of the building. A layer of material is placed under the blind area. The purpose of such work is to reduce the degree of soil freezing along the perimeter of the building, as well as inland. Ideally, the permafrost boundary should not extend beyond the bulk soil layer. As it is used sand or fine gravel. It is important to observe the correct laying angle of polystyrene foam. It must be at least two percent. The blind area should be equal in width to the depth of freezing of the soil.
Before starting the insulation of the foundation of the house outside with polystyrene foam, it is necessary to level the surface of the walls. You need to take care of waterproofing in advance.
An important nuance is that mechanical fasteners cannot be used to fix polystyrene foam. Plates from thismaterial hermetically “packed” the foundation. If fasteners are used, the tightness will be broken.
Slabs are fixed in two ways:
- A special adhesive is applied, it holds the composition at six points of adhesion.
- The layer melts a little, hold for several minutes until it solidifies.
Mount the plates to start from the bottom row. The rows are joined end to end. It is important to use plates of the same thickness. Vertically, it is better to move the seams slightly apart from each other. This method is called "chess".
If the slab is torn off, it cannot be reused. If the coating has settled on the adhesive solution, it will not be possible to move it to the side. If a seam is obtained, the thickness of which is more than 5 millimeters, then it must be filled with mounting foam. The most popular are slabs with a stepped edge. Thanks to it, the tightness of the thermal insulation layer is ensured. Improves waterproofing of the entire perimeter of the building.
How to choose the right glue?
It is bought, focusing on the material chosen for waterproofing. If you purchased material based on bitumen, then you need to take bituminous mastic. It should not contain substances that destroy polystyrene foam. It is necessary to study the composition of the adhesive before buying, make sure that it is suitable for the planned work.
Important nuances in the work
It is important to remember that bituminous waterproofing dries completely in seven days. Before insulating the foundation, you need to wait a week until it dries completely.layer. If you start installing the plates on a poorly dried layer, then the plates will “spread”, forming visible defects in the work. When the waterproofing is not dry, there may be wet solvent in it. It can also destroy Styrofoam.
If the slabs are below the ground level, then the glue is applied pointwise. This method of operation is used so that moisture can get down. If the expanded polystyrene plate is above ground level, then use an additional fastener - dowel. Requires 4 fasteners per plate. The plate, which is in the ground, is attached only with adhesive. It must be pressed down with a layer of soil.
Method of insulating the foundation slab
In order for the insulation to be noticeable, you need to start from the base. A layer of waterproofing is laid, plates for insulation are already laid on top of it. If a power floor is planned, then special knitted reinforcement is installed. Then the heat-insulating layer is covered with polyethylene, after which it is glued with construction tape.
When welded reinforcement is used, a layer of concrete screed is placed on the film. A cement-sand screed option is possible. After completion of this stage of work, they proceed to welding activities.
How to insulate a pile-screw foundation at home?
Often, the insulation of the pile-screw foundation of a wooden house is done by hand, without the involvement of professionals.
This type of foundation is used in places where the soil has its own characteristics, creating problems for construction. Usually in such an area, the ground begins to move for periods, and it is especially necessarysolid foundation. Insulation of the foundation of a house made of timber is best done at the initial stage of construction.
This type of base is resistant to stress. Its disadvantage is the rapid release of heat, it occurs due to the space that is present between the floor of the building and the ground. Such a foundation must be insulated. The best option is to do this at the initial stage of construction. A false base is being made. It protects from wind and draft. As a heater, it is better to use expanded polystyrene plates. It is possible to insulate the foundation of the house with foam plastic. The advantage of this material is its durability and durability. He is not afraid of moisture.
On top of the waterproofing, you can put layers of roofing material. To construct a false base, tools such as a welding machine and a screwdriver come in handy. You should stock up on a concrete mixer. A hammer and spatula must be available. A tape measure and a trowel will also come in handy. A stationery knife can be replaced with a regular one.
You can make a brick wall half a brick, it should be thin and be under the grillage of the building. This option requires a lot of effort and expense. Its advantage will be the durability of the structure.
Another option would be to use decorative panels. They are placed on top of the grillage. The panels are easy to install, but there is a possibility of damage. Brickwork will be more reliable.
Initially, a trench is dug around the perimeter, it should be a little larger than the brick that is used in the work. The resulting ditch is poured with M400 concrete. Get the foundation for the plinth of bricks. Since the depth is minimal, thenreinforcement will be required. Its diameter will be no more than 12 millimeters. When the concrete becomes completely solid, the brick plinth can be erected. Inside, foam panels are installed. To fix the desired material, you will need an adhesive composition. It must not contain organic solvents.
After insulation, the plinth is plastered outside. It is possible to use a decorative facing material. The siding worked well. Some people prefer ceramic tiles, they like it more. Others use the budget option - lining.
Installation of false plinth panels is much easier than brickwork. A metal frame is installed to the piles by welding. Sometimes a wooden beam is used as a frame. It is treated with an antiseptic solution that counteracts the processes of decay.
Insulation plate is fixed on the frame. It should not go beyond the border of the grillage. It must be remembered that decorative panels still need to be installed on it.
So, we found out how, when, in what ways and materials the foundation is insulated with our own hands.
