Aerated concrete houses are being built in suburban areas in Russia and the post-Soviet countries very often. The undoubted advantage of foamed blocks is ease of installation, low weight, even geometry. Buildings built using this material, even though it is relatively thin, are warm and comfortable to live in.
Do I need insulation
Aerated concrete protects the interior of the building from the cold quite well. In any case, brick or ordinary cement blocks are superior in this regard. However, building houses from such material without additional thermal insulation is allowed mainly only in regions with a mild climate. Owners of suburban areas located in cold areas should also think about how to insulate an aerated concrete house from the outside.
A feature of foamed blocks is, first of all, that in their thickness there is quitemany times. Through them, in windy weather, cold air can enter the house. The same goes for moisture. Therefore, in the northern regions or in regions with a damp climate, houses made of aerated concrete must be insulated without fail.
What factors should be considered when choosing an insulator
Different materials can be used to insulate aerated concrete houses. Such insulators differ according to the following characteristics:
- degrees of thermal conductivity - some materials can insulate buildings better than others;
- vapor permeability;
- fire resistance - there are combustible and non-combustible materials of this type on the market;
- moisture resistance - some species are afraid of water, others are not.
Since aerated concrete itself, unlike wood, is not subject to fire, you can choose both fire-resistant and combustible materials for cladding such walls. In terms of thermal conductivity, almost all modern insulators have good characteristics. In this regard, almost any material can be used for foam concrete.
Vapor permeability
Owners of suburban areas, wondering how to insulate a house made of aerated concrete from the outside, first of all, when choosing an insulator, you should pay attention to this particular characteristic. The fact is that walls made of such material pass steam very well. This happens, as already mentioned, due to the presence of a large number of pores in blocks of this type.
According to SNiP standards, for insulationexterior facades are supposed to use exclusively materials with a higher degree of vapor permeability than the walls themselves. Otherwise, the "dew point" during the operation of the building will shift into the thickness of the building envelope. This in turn will result in:
- quick destruction of the walls themselves due to dampness;
- deterioration in the quality of living in the house.
If the insulation will have a lower degree of vapor permeability than the material used to build the walls, the humidity in the house will always be higher than on the street. That is, not too comfortable and he althy microclimate will be created in the premises.
In connection with all this, it is, unfortunately, quite difficult to choose a suitable insulation for aerated concrete in terms of vapor permeability. Basically, only the following types of materials are considered suitable for insulating walls of this type from the outside:
- mineral wool;
- styrofoam.
In some cases, insulation outside the facade of a house made of aerated concrete can also be done using ecowool.
Features of mounting insulators
Plaster, unfortunately, has a lower degree of vapor permeability than aerated concrete. Therefore, it is not recommended to finish such buildings with it. Consequently, in most cases it is necessary to insulate aerated concrete walls using the frame method. When using this technology, at the final stage, not plaster is used for finishing the facades of the building, but siding, profiled sheet, lining, etc. At the same time,the installation of such materials in the wall cake is equipped, including the ventilation layer. That is, the cladding of this type does not have a special effect on the vapor permeability of the walls.
Insulation of a house made of aerated concrete from the outside with polystyrene foam in some cases can be done in a frameless way. However, for its finishing when using this technology, it is supposed to use only thin-layer types of plaster.
Pros of mineral wool
It is this material that is most often used to insulate an aerated concrete house from the outside. Mineral wool in the first place has the advantage that it has a low degree of thermal conductivity. In this regard, bas alt slabs are superior to both ecowool and polystyrene foam.
Another indisputable advantage of mineral wool is incombustibility. Also, the advantage of this material, of course, is its low cost. The price of bas alt slabs is lower than that of expanded polystyrene and, moreover, ecowool.
The advantages of bas alt slabs, many private developers include, among other things, the ease of installation. Such material is installed between the racks of the frame when sheathing the facades by surprise, without the use of any additional fasteners. Insulation of the walls of a house made of aerated concrete from the outside using plates of this type, thus, becomes a procedure that even a person inexperienced in construction can perform.
Relate to the pluses of mineral wool and its fire resistance. Such material cannot catch fire in a private house under any circumstances.circumstances.
Cons of bas alt slabs
Mineral wool is, of course, the best answer to the question of how best to insulate an aerated concrete house from the outside. This material has many advantages. But, of course, mineral wool also has disadvantages.
The main disadvantage of this material, private developers believe that it is able to absorb moisture. At the same time, wet bas alt slabs do not perform their task of effectively insulating walls. Therefore, when using mineral wool for insulation of aerated concrete walls, it is necessary to use the highest quality hydro- and vapor barriers.
Another disadvantage of this type of material is considered to be not too high degree of environmental safety. Such plates are made using harmful phenol formaldehydes. And therefore, during operation, harmful fumes can be released into the air.
How to insulate an aerated concrete house from the outside: the choice of mineral wool
Almost any bas alt slab is allowed to be used for cladding houses of this variety. It can be material with a thickness of 5 to 20 cm and a density of up to 220 kg/m3. Too soft wool for insulation of facades, including aerated concrete, is not recommended by experienced builders. Such material will be difficult to mount in the future. In addition, during operation, after a few years, it can slide down a little. As a result, the top of the wall will remain unprotected. It is best to choose for facades not particularly dense, but at the same time quite elastic and elasticcotton wool.
Pros of Styrofoam and Penoplex
Such material for insulation of aerated concrete houses is also used quite often. Its degree of vapor conductivity is lower than that of mineral wool. But at the same time, it is also higher than that of aerated concrete itself.
The main advantage of expanded polystyrene and one of its varieties - foam, in comparison with mineral wool, is a lower degree of thermal conductivity. To retain heat in an aerated concrete house, such material will be somewhat more efficient. In addition, expanded polystyrene, unlike bas alt slabs, is not afraid of moisture. It is not impregnated with water with loss of insulating qualities. Insulating a house made of aerated concrete from the outside with foam or polystyrene foam can therefore be very effective.
Cons of material
In terms of ease of installation, polystyrene foam is somewhat inferior to mineral wool. It is mounted using both frame and frameless methods on glue with the additional use of plastic dowels. In this case, the joints between such plates are sealed with putty. After all, expanded polystyrene, unlike bas alt slabs, does not differ in elasticity.
The disadvantages of this material, in addition to some complexity in installation, include its rather high cost. Warming a house made of aerated concrete with foam or polystyrene foam will most likely be quite expensive. In any case, the price of such boards is higher than for mineral wool.
Another disadvantage of Styrofoamis that it can be chewed on by mice and rats. For insulation of aerated concrete houses, not particularly dense polystyrene foam is usually used. And mice can gnaw through such plates quite easily.
Some owners of country houses sometimes ask, for example, on specialized forums, whether it is possible to insulate the house from the outside with foam. In principle, the insulating qualities of such a material are quite good. The degree of vapor permeability is also quite high. It is allowed to use it for insulation of aerated concrete walls. However, experienced developers still do not recommend using this material for external insulation.
Styrofoam is not too expensive. However, it does not differ in particular durability. In addition, such plates are characterized by a high degree of friability. And therefore, it will be very easy for mice to gnaw through them.
Insulation of the facade of the house from the outside: which polystyrene foam to choose
When buying such a material for insulating aerated concrete walls, you should first determine its thickness. The calculation in this case is made taking into account the density of expanded polystyrene and the location of the "dew point".
Most often, when building aerated concrete houses, this type of insulation is used with a thickness of 10 cm and a density of 10 kg/m3. When using such a material, the house is effectively insulated from the cold and at the same time the “dew point” is taken out of the walls of foam blocks (D500 300 mm thick).
Pros of ecowool
The thermal conductivity of this material is very low. That is, to insulate the house, including from aerated concrete, with itsapplication can be of the highest quality. The undoubted advantages of this insulator can, of course, include its environmental friendliness. This insulation is made from natural materials that are safe for human he alth.
The advantages of ecowool, among other things, include:
- moisture resistance;
- the ability to "breathe";
- microbial resistance.
When using ecowool, it is not even necessary to use vapor barriers. In the walls, including aerated concrete, moisture accumulation does not occur when using such a material.
Like mineral slabs, ecowool is fire resistant. This, of course, can also be attributed to its unconditional advantages. In addition, this material is also hypoallergenic.
Material imperfections
The answer to the question of how to insulate an aerated concrete house from the outside, ecowool is very good. But of course, this material, like any other building material, has certain disadvantages.
The main disadvantage of ecowool, in comparison with the insulators described above, is the difficulty in installation. Aerated concrete houses are insulated using this material mainly only by specialists. The answer to the question of how to insulate an aerated concrete house from the outside with eco-wool correctly is a rather complicated technology.
This material is applied to aerated concrete walls by spraying. Only in some cases when usingof such material can be applied stuffing technology. But this technique is also complex. In this case, the cladding is gradually mounted on the facades, starting from the bottom. At the same time, ecowool is gradually stuffed between it and the walls.
When exposed to high temperatures, ecowool does not flare up. However, small pieces of this material are capable of smoldering. Therefore, it is impossible to spray ecowool near working stoves and fireplaces, for example. Another small disadvantage of this material is the long drying time when applied by the liquid method. In this case, the layer of ecowool hardens in about a day. This can be considered a minus when construction is carried out at a high pace.
What other heaters can be used
To insulate the walls of aerated concrete houses, mainly only the materials described above are used. However, during the construction of such buildings, in addition to the actual facades, the ceilings, as well as the roof, are usually insulated. In this case, mineral wool or polystyrene foam is most often used for insulation.
Expanded clay can sometimes be used to insulate floors. The advantages of this material include, first of all, environmental safety, ease of installation and low cost. A small minus of expanded clay is considered mainly only that it is able to absorb moisture. When using this material, as well as bas alt slabs, it is recommended to use only high-quality waterproofing agents.
