Every good owner worries about the comfort and comfort of his home. The arrangement of the interior is often accompanied by the installation or reconstruction of the fireplace, the selection of flooring, and the creation of interesting patterns on the walls. An important role in creating a comfortable, cozy and warm home is the insulation of the floor.
Types of insulation
The beginning of work is associated with the selection of insulation. It affects the important factors, so you should consider the features of each of them.
When selecting the necessary material, pay attention to the ability to absorb noise, water, vapor permeability.
Floor insulation dry sawdust is the oldest way. This is a cheap material of natural origin. In the process, such material is easily filled even in inaccessible areas. Eco-friendly, can be used in the form of various modifications: wood blocks, sawdust granules, sawdust concrete, wood concrete. All species have excellent noise and heat insulation, good strength.
However, all materials based on sawdust have a significant drawback - they easily absorb moisture, which leads to the appearance of fungus and mold. Therefore, when choosing this type, you need to take additional care of hydro and vapor barrier.
Mineral wool - one of the most popular and affordable materials. The assortment has three types: stone, slag and glass. The main advantage is perfect resistance to fire. They have a high level of resistance to chemical and biological factors, perfectly isolates noise and sounds, retains heat. However, mineral wool is unstable to the effects of water and steam, rather fragile. During installation, think about good vapor barrier. It should be noted that it is unsafe for human health. It is disadvantageous to use in wet rooms.
The manufacturer produces mineral wool in the form of solid slab or soft mat. A solid slab is often used when warming a wooden floor. The side indicated by the blue mark is stronger. During installation, this mark must be on top.
Soft type mineral wool is designed for sound and heat insulation, has a wide range of uses in construction.
Styrofoam (Styrofoam) - A popular and versatile floor insulation. According to some characteristics, in particular, heat preservation, it is 25 times more effective for expanded clay concrete. The result will pleasantly surprise, since the foam has the property of slowly absorbing heat, does not let steam through, has high strength and is resistant to external factors of a chemical and biological nature. Such qualities are provided by the unusual foam structure, which can create comfort for a long period.
However, such a material is not universal and, in addition to advantages, has some disadvantages. Expanded polystyrene is sensitive to moisture, therefore, before insulation, it is worthwhile to waterproof the surface.
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Penofol - a new invention in the world of insulation technologies. It is made in rolls, one side is covered with a special foil that displays light, and the second is a heater. The advantages of the material are high density, resistance to mechanical stress. Such a heater for different types of insulation (from water, steam, heat) can be used as a main or additional layer.
Ecowool - Another relatively new insulation. This is the result of processing waste paper and special natural additives, it is absolutely environmentally friendly for use in everyday life. Ecowool does not burn, is able to restore its qualities after drying, has low heat conductivity. However, the cost of such a heater is much higher than others.
A more affordable option is isolon, which takes into account all the factors necessary for thermal insulation. Such material is thin and with a low level of thermal conductivity. For example, the thermal conductivity of a brick wall is comparable to an isolon, 10 millimeters thick. Resistant to moisture, resistant to decay, effectively protects against hydraulic effects. Additionally, the isolon will provide good sound insulation. The ergonomics of this material is that it allows you to minimize space loss during floor insulation.
Expanded clay It will pleasantly surprise economical owners, since the price of the material is low and affordable. Moreover, this in no way affects the quality of the material, which provides good thermal insulation in the most severe climatic conditions. However, its installation requires a rather high layer (10-15 cm), which is not always practical in small rooms.
Polyurethane foam created as a result of processing two chemicals. If adjustments are made to the manufacturing process, either hard or soft material can be obtained. Its structure has pores in which there is insulating air and gas, which reduces the thermal conductivity. This fact makes polyurethane foam the best thermal insulation material. It is resistant to external factors, moisture, versatile during installation, it takes exactly the right shape.
Where to begin?
The warming process should be approached reasonably and thoroughly. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the number of floors of the house, the location of the house, the presence of a basement and a basement. The order of further work depends on this. The presence of a basement significantly affects the heat of the whole house. In winter, the soil freezes over a fairly deep distance, which causes heat loss in the house. External thermal insulation of the foundation can limit the effect of cold earth and ice on temperature. This will significantly increase the efficiency of floor insulation inside a private house.
It is necessary to take into account the type of floor: concrete or wood. Based on this, different technologies are used.
Before starting work, you should calculate the desired thickness of the insulation layer, having previously selected the insulation and take into account the location of the building, as well as climatic conditions.
Insulation technology wooden floor lags implies 3 stages:
- heat insulation;
- pair insulation;
- direct flooring.
Glass wool, mineral fibers, sawdust, wood concrete, expanded clay are ideal for a wooden floor. The use of polystyrene is ineffective: it does not pass a couple because of its structure.
Following these steps, you can compose upcoming work algorithm:
- installation of logs from wood;
- laying of the base (boards or boards) for the future insulation;
- tight installation of insulation between the lags, the empty space is covered with sealant or polyurethane foam;
- installation of a vapor-protective material on the insulation. This installation is mounted on the lags, joints and gaps are sealed with special tape;
- the final stage is the installation of a wooden coating and decoration.
Ecowool installation can be done in two ways:
- manual (using lag mounting);
- mechanical: using special blasting machines, the insulation is applied to the surface. Dry flooring is used to cover the floor, wet for walls.
Concrete floor can be insulated with foam (at least 10 cm), since the characteristics are suitable for long and reliable operation.
For a climate with harsh winters (around - 20 ° C), the thickness of the insulation layer should be at least 15 cm.
Laying is divided into several stages:
- perfectly dry concrete surface is covered with plastic wrap;
- foam boards are laid up and covered again with a film;
- concrete screed, at least 0.5 cm thick;
- when the screed hardens, boldly proceed with laying the flooring.
Technology "warm floor"
It is popular among new methods of insulation. There are several types of underfloor heating:
- Water - involves the installation of pipes through which the flow of hot water will be carried out and thus underfloor heating.
- Electric - a cable is mounted under the cover, which converts the current into heat.
- Infrared - the easiest to install, easy to connect or move to another room. You can lay laminate, tile and other types of coatings on top.
Today's market has a wide range of types of insulation, based on personal preferences of customers, characteristics and budget. In choosing the right material, consider the factors and conditions in which the installation will be carried out. The process of floor insulation is an important step for improvement and family comfort.