In order not to heat cold attic v winter period, you need to insulate the attic floor of the room. Do not heat the attic if it is not being used for its intended purpose.
In order to solve this issue, you need to think about how to insulate the attic with the help of modern building materials. The process can take place both from the inside of the room and from the outside. Insulation is carried out in the course of complex repairs before final finishing.
Even if the attic was not insulated during construction, you can always tackle this issue and carry out additional work.
Most of warm air masses leave through the roof. Therefore, when building a house with a non-insulated attic, you need to carefully approach the topic of insulating an attic floor with wooden beams. After all, it creates a certain barrier between warm rooms and a cold attic space.
Consider the special criteria for the thermal insulation of the attic, which affect the preservation of the temperature in the house:
The ingress of warm air masses into the technical attic (non-residential) leads to negative consequences:
In order to choose the right type of insulation for the ceiling, you need to know several factors. The heat insulator must not only have a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, but also have certain properties:
Based on the foregoing, in order to insulate attic wooden structures, there are several popular types of insulation:
Mineral wool is produced in two types - rolled and in mats. It is produced by melting rocks at very high temperatures. Basalt wool is most suitable for insulating an attic. It combines all the properties of a heat insulator. Mineral wool is quite light and fragile. To protect it from mechanical stress (push, crush), a wooden flooring is laid on top of the insulation.
The most the best view insulation for these purposes will be a rigid mat of high density, reinforced with foil on one side. It is laid with the foil down. At the same time, it provides heat reflection and has a vapor barrier.
The production technology of the material is very similar to the production of basalt wool. But melted glass is taken as the main component. It has good spring properties. But at the same time, there is fragility in it. It breaks down under mechanical stress. Glass wool is cheaper than mineral insulation, so it is suitable for those on a budget.
But it must be borne in mind that when moisture gets in, its thermal insulation properties deteriorate. It is harmful to humans, as small pieces of glass injure the skin and can lead to irritation.
Expanded clay is rounded pebbles Brown... They are made from certain types of red clay that are sintered at a very high temperature. Expanded clay has a very low coefficient of thermal conductivity, since its structure consists of closed spheres. Each pebble is protected from moisture by the fact that there is a dense clay layer on its surface. Small pebbles of expanded clay are able to fill hard-to-reach places, hidden cavities in load-bearing wooden elements.
This natural mineral heat insulator is not subject to combustion, there are no harmful substances in it, mold does not start, and rodents do not like it.
A heat insulator with a polymer structure is produced by sintering small spherical granules. His standard size 100x100 cm. Thickness ranges from 1 to 15 cm. Styrofoam is one of the available and cheapest insulation materials. But at the same time it has the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient. Since it consists of polymers, there is no organic matter in its composition. This means that it is moisture resistant, does not rot and mold does not form in it. The heat insulator is not affected by fire, but under conditions elevated temperature it starts to exude toxic fumes and there is a risk of high smoke. The disadvantages of polystyrene include the fact that, due to its closed structure, it does not allow water vapor to pass through at all.
In terms of the composition of substances, they are the same as foam, but the methods of their manufacture are radically different. Expanded polystyrene is obtained by hot extrusion, when a prepared polymer mixture is passed through a special apparatus. The specific density of the material is higher than that of foam, its structure is porous and homogeneous. This leads to higher thermal conductivity values. The insulation is strong and can withstand a heavy weight load.
The construction name of the material is penofol. This is a roll-shaped insulation made of foamed polyethylene, covered with foil. It can be combined with other types of heat insulators, since by itself it has a limited scope. The closed cell structure gives a low thermal conductivity. Air, liquid, water vapor does not pass through polyethylene. Therefore, penofol is a good waterproofing agent. Foil acts as a reflector, that is, it returns heat back to the living room. Its thickness is from 3 to 15 mm.
This is, first of all, availability and low cost. They are used as insulation for ceilings in sheds, baths, outbuildings. The method of application is the coating of wooden attic structures with a mixture of clay and sawdust. The method, although primitive, is effective. Sawdust can be bought at the sawmill. Clay is also available in available quantities. Kneading the solution is not difficult. With a low specific gravity, the mixture is very hard, especially after complete drying. Therefore, it does not load wooden floors. The material is vapor-permeable, but mold bacteria can develop due to sawdust, and rodents like to spoil this type of insulation.
Most often, the insulation of a concrete structure occurs with a mineral slab, mineral wool, chopped straw and sawdust concrete.
First you need to prepare thermal insulation materials and tools:
Decide what kind of insulation will be used:
Then you should carry out the installation work.
Depending on the choice of insulation, the method of installation also differs.
Cotton wool is laid in three ways: cells, grooves and a continuous layer. The choice depends on the degree of stress. The most best design is obtained from a solid layer. First you need to install a vapor barrier film. It removes water vapor, which is directed from the room to the attic. The film is laid strictly in accordance with the marking, with an overlap. Wooden structures must be tightly covered with foil, otherwise they will rot.
At the second stage, cotton wool is laid. This is a simple procedure, the insulation is cut into strips. When laying, make sure that the insulation does not wrinkle and that there are no gaps between the sheets.
Attic floors must be waterproofed. Then lay the rough covering, which will later be the basis for the finishing.
It is quite easy to install rigid insulation. First you need to level the base, remove irregularities, floor drops. Lay a cement-sand screed. Sheets are stacked between the beams. If no one will live in the attic, then the insulation must be covered with plastic wrap. And if the floor is to be operated, then OSB boards should be put on the foam plastic or filled with a cement mortar screed.
In the modern construction of private houses, one cannot do without insulating an attic space, a roof or attic with a complex structure, since during the heating season up to a quarter of the heat goes through the roof. This requires costs, but with high-quality insulation on the beams of any type of attic space, heat savings will be noticeable during the operation of the house in the winter. When installing the roof and attic space, it is imperative that they be insulated according to wooden beams to reduce heat loss different ways, and each method and type of insulation has its own advantages.
Many residents of the upper floors of city apartments know what "bad" thermal insulation of an attic or roof is - in winter it is much colder than the middle floors, and in summer it is unbearably stuffy. But competent insulation of attic floors easily solves this problem, and the temperature difference is not particularly felt with a large amplitude of the external environment.
Having an attic space is extremely important for the home, especially for gable roof- precipitation will not accumulate on its surface, and with good insulation, less icicles are formed. Enough simple construction the roof assumes a well-equipped attic with thermal insulation of the ceilings inside.
If you do everything according to the rules, then it is necessary to provide for ventilation and vapor barrier using a foil layer. Heat-insulating filler is placed between wooden beams and covered with mounting foil. A well-thought-out ventilation scheme for the attic is also important in order to timely remove excess moisture from condensation, which leads to the formation of hard-to-remove fungus on the wood.
If all these points are taken into account, then it is not so important wooden house or another type of construction made of modern building materials, the correct heat exchange will be ensured. Wooden beams are the highest quality eco-material for attic floors, although concrete and metal structures are partially used.
Wooden beams are preferred for many reasons, for example, because of the low cost of the material, convenient processing and excellent thermal insulation properties. Therefore, no matter how far they go modern technologies, and you have to return to natural wood. Insulation of the attic floor on the beams is a relatively simple process, especially when the insulation is conveniently packaged, it remains to fix it between the beams. Sometimes small bars are additionally nailed to the beam ceilings to fasten the isolate.
Tip: Before installing the insulation, lay a layer of good vapor barrier material so that the accumulated steam does not linger and destroy the wood. It is important to monitor the air circulation, but it should not enter the house from the attic. Foil-clad isolate is laid down with a layer of foil. Good insulation with insulation can combine several materials, a bit like a layer cake, but it will be most effective for keeping warm in a house built to all energy saving requirements.
Modern thermal insulation of floors is equipped with different methods, and experts recommend several varieties:
You can use only one type of material or combine them, but bulk insulation is usually laid on the logs of a flat horizontal surface, for example, expanded clay, dry organic matter, slag or a mixture.
Loose material is placed no thicker than 4-5 cm on top of a vapor barrier material such as roofing material. The attic assumes full-fledged floors, where logs for expanded clay are laid on top cement screed and covered with plywood or other flooring material.
Rolled products are most convenient for installation, for example, a variety of technical cotton wool. With all the advantages of such styling, it is important to remember about the fine suspension that gets into the respiratory system and onto the skin, causing irritation. Therefore, these materials are used for insulating non-residential premises or for cladding.
It is convenient to lay the tile material when insulating a wooden floor, especially when it is installed in 2 layers. To prevent cracks, you can stack the pieces in a checkerboard pattern, but sometimes the cracks are simply stuffed with tow.
The insulation of the ceiling along the wooden beams of the attic is made with slab and roll fillers and the gypsum board is covered under plaster in order to get additional living space. A cold and non-residential attic space does not require finishing, so the spray layer or briquettes (slabs) of thermal insulation are left without additional processing. Roll insulation does not require special fastening and upgrading.
Tip: Remember the laws of physics - heat always rises upward, therefore, ceiling insulation from the roof side always gives an overall savings in heat in the house.
1. Mineral or basalt wool- reliable and inexpensive material, but allergy sufferers need to carefully work with it, it can give a painful reaction, but it does not harm during operation. Mineral wool is one of the lightweight and inexpensive insulation materials that are known for their durability and ease of installation directly in the niches between the beams.
Basalt wool is made by processing rocks from dust and waste, so it has a low cost. Delivery - rolls and briquettes (plates). In the cold climatic zone of Russia, it makes sense to lay basalt wool in 2 layers, for greater thermal insulation - in a layer of up to 15-20 cm. When laying, the layers of cotton wool are cut with a knife or large scissors and fit tightly without bending corners and edges. The main advantage is that it does not require additional vapor barrier.
For attic rooms, you will need a crate for insulation with mineral wool so that it does not cake. Laying of insulation of floor beams is carried out in compliance with safety rules. To avoid breathing in this construction slurry, use goggles, a respirator and gloves.
2. Glass wool in many respects resembles mineral wool, but has a different composition. It is known for lower performance in some parameters, for example, fire resistance, and its cost is lower than basalt briquettes. The installation technology also requires protection of the skin, eyes and respiratory organs during installation, the installation process is about the same. Remember that small fragments of glass wool tend to cling to clothing, if it comes into contact with the skin, hands and face itch from it, used clothing after laying the glass wool is best disposed of.
3. Ecowool is known for the absence of allergic reactions, since it is made from fluffed cellulose fibers. It is supplied in bags and filled between the beams. Ecowool is known for being almost non-combustible, thanks to special impregnations, but because of this, it is slightly more expensive than other isolates. Under it, a vapor barrier is also required to insulate the floor beams, but it does not mold or rot, despite its wood origin. Ecowool does not like drafts, therefore it is not suitable for an open attic.
4. Loose materials for thermal insulation are sometimes at hand, for example, in coastal areas attics are insulated with algae collected on the shore, and rodents do not like them. As an isolate, a mixture of slag and sawdust, expanded clay or even hay, straw and dry leaves, which have long been covered with horizontal attic surfaces in villages, is used. When it is not possible to use high-quality insulation, bulk materials or slag are packed in a small layer under cellulose sacking and fastened between the beams with a crate. However, this can be considered as a temporary measure, because there is no guarantee of fire protection with such insulation.
5. Expanded clay is also often poured onto the logs of the flat surface of the attic or mixed with bulk materials, for example, with foam granules, but these fillers are loved by rodents, and organic matter is compressed over time and loses its thermal insulation properties. Warming with expanded clay on beams will be difficult for roof filing. Perlite can be used for filling under beam niches, but it will cost more.
6. Styrofoam and expanded polystyrene are the most economical materials, repelling moisture and having bending or compressive strength. It is easiest to cut and install such material, especially in 2 layers, carefully filling all the niches for thermal insulation of the attic floor. Expanded polystyrene (PPS) is produced in in different ways, it requires a good vapor barrier so that vapors from its plates and condensation do not enter the living space. Extruded polystyrene foam is fire hazardous, loved by rodents, but very effective as thermal insulation in attics. However, when it burns, it emits toxic substances, therefore, the installation and operation of premises requires careful adherence to fire conditions. It is good to cut PPP with a knife or large scissors, but it is important to make a tight fit without gaps. Sometimes it is attached to polyurethane foam, which is poured into all the cracks.
7. Spraying with polyurethane foam for insulating the attic floor over the beams is very effective, somewhat reminiscent of a snow-covered surface, and its application does not depend on the complexity of the roof structure. This is a more expensive, environmentally friendly and durable method of insulating attic spaces that will last up to 50 years without any problems, but specialists should deal with this spraying.
8. When the attic floor beams are insulated using a combined method, using foil vapor barrier, the most reliable heat-saving technology is obtained. The fewer slots and areas for cold penetration, the more effective the thermal insulation of the floor beams. Sometimes a complete loft cladding is done from the inside, including wooden beams, but this is not necessary. An exception is the arrangement of the attic for a residential heated room. For this, effective and expensive foam glass and other modern insulating materials are also used.
9. Modern construction works attics of office premises are impossible without treatment with penoizol, and this method of thermal insulation is performed with special equipment and only specialized firms... However, the most labor-intensive work is more than compensated for by effective insulation and economical consumption of energy resources.
The production of eco-materials for thermal insulation of attic floors is moving forward, as the latest technologies are involved in the development of technologies. scientific achievements... Concern for the health of consumers ultimately leads to the popularity of a fairly expensive isolate, therefore, when choosing a material, it is important to focus not only on its cost, but also on technical characteristics.
Important parameters:
The choice of material depends on the consumer, but the efficiency of heat saving in this case ranges from 15% to 35%. In a harsh climate, the overpayment for heating turns into high costs, if the insulation of the attic floor on the beams is performed ineffectively, that is, in reality, money "flies into the chimney." The warmer the attic space, the lower the temperature difference and the conditions for condensation under the roof in living quarters, as well as additional protection from bending and mildew.
According to most indicators, in aggregate, these requirements are met:
The materials listed earlier have their own advantages and differ slightly in a number of parameters. For example, Styrofoam and its derivatives are very good until they start to burn, releasing toxic substances. Dry free-flowing natural materials and extruded polystyrene foam are good as long as there are mice in the attic. Heavy expanded clay makes the overall structure heavier, which is undesirable with a weak foundation on floating soils, and spraying is not suitable for using an attic for temporary housing.
1. With high-quality thermal insulation of the attic, the temperature amplitude in winter and summer will differ significantly from external parameters, approaching the optimal microclimate inside the house.
2. Modern thermal insulation of ceilings along the beams guarantees not only the protection of the attic space at extreme low temperatures in winter, but also saves from the suffocating heat in summer, saving on air conditioning.
3. Compliance with thermal insulation technologies is evident from the minimum amount of condensation and humidity in a closed attic, but ventilation is necessary in all cases.
4. Good vapor and waterproofing significantly increases the operating time of roof load-bearing structures, prevents the formation of mold and mildew on wooden beams, and corrosion destroys metal parts less.
5. Correctly equipped attic windows and ventilation openings help to reduce humidity in the attic and do not create unnecessary drafts.
6. Outside, the minimum formation of icicles and ice on the roof testifies to the well-equipped thermal insulation of the attic. Outside, roofing materials must be kept cool to prevent snow and ice from forming on the roof surface.
Insulation of the attic floor of a house allows you to save more heat inside the room, and not spend it on heating a cold attic. It is good if it is used as a utility room (technical attic) or as an attic, but if not? Then it makes no sense to waste resources on heating an unheated attic space.
That is why it is worth making the insulation of the cold attic floor using heat-insulating materials. It is possible to carry out insulation from the side of the attic or from the side of the room (from the inside / outside). It is best to do this during the construction of the building, or just before finishing the room. But even during the operation of the house, there is no reason not to insulate the ceiling from the attic side.
The thickness of the attic floor insulation is standardized using SNiP II-3-79 "Construction heat engineering". This manual contains detailed recommendations on the selection and formula for calculating the heat transfer resistance of various thermal insulation materials. The calculations take into account not only the type of material, but also the average annual temperature, the duration of the heating season, wall material Houses.
The insulation technology of the attic floor depends on the selected material.
In this article we will look at the most popular insulation materials.
Mineral wool is a heater, the fibers of which are arranged in a certain way. Namely, this randomness leads to the formation of an air cushion between the fibers, which informs the insulation of its properties. However, this same feature of cotton wool increases the ability to absorb moisture. To avoid this, you need to know how to properly install mineral wool.
Among the disadvantages: the ability to absorb moisture.
There are three main ways of laying cotton wool: continuous, in grooves or in cells (see photo). The choice of method depends on what kind of load will fall on the floor in the future. The most stable framework is obtained in the latter case.
It starts with the installation of a vapor barrier film. The foil will help remove steam that rises from a warm living space to a cold attic. To lay the film correctly, you need to carefully read the markings on it. It is imperative to observe an overlap of 100 mm.
If insulation is carried out on wooden beams, then the film should bend around all protruding elements. Otherwise, the beams can rot.
At the junction of the film and walls or other protruding surfaces, you need to raise it to a height equal to the thickness of the insulation plus 50 mm. and glue it with tape or wrap it on an insulation plate.
Insulation (cotton wool) is being laid. This is a fairly straightforward process. The slabs or strips are easily cut with a construction knife to the required dimensions.
When laying the sheet, you need to make sure that there are no gaps or the mineral wool material is not strongly compressed. Both will lead to a decrease in the quality of insulation. Typical mistakes in the photo.
a) insufficient thickness of thermal insulation material;
b, c, d) the thickness of the attic floor insulation was incorrectly selected.
Waterproofing flooring is carried out if the attic is not supposed to be used, but rafter system not protected by a waterproofing film. If roofing material separated from the attic with a film, then you can proceed with the final stage.
Rough floor. It is laid on top of the insulation and serves as the basis for the final finishing.
The installation process is similar to the insulation of an attic floor with expanded polystyrene.
The advantages of these materials:
Among the disadvantages: flammability.
The process of installing rigid insulation based on is more than simple and can be done by hand. The work can be divided into two stages:
Tip: Seal any seams carefully, incl. joints with beams. Bypassing the obstacle, try to cut the holes as accurately as possible. A homogeneous thermal insulation layer retains heat better.
Rough coating
Polyfoam must be protected from destruction with a film in a non-residential attic. In a frequently used or residential attic, you need to somehow move, therefore, it is better to equip a subfloor from OSB or perform a sand-cement screed on top of foam or expanded polystyrene.
Sawdust - finely ground wood.
Advantages:
The disadvantage is flammability.
Expanded clay is obtained by firing clay.
Advantages:
The disadvantage is associated with the difficulty of lifting expanded clay to the height of the attic.
Expanded clay is usually used if it is necessary to insulate the attic floor on the slabs.
The work is carried out in three stages:
Advice: when backfilling expanded clay, it is better to combine granules of different sizes (diameters). In this way, voids can be avoided.
At the end, a subfloor is mounted or poured with a sand-cement screed.
The attic floor insulation scheme for different types of insulation is given below.
In this article, we focused on the main stages and features of the insulation of the attic floors of a private house using heaters different types... We hope this information is helpful to you.
Are you insulating your house for winter and don't know how to insulate an attic floor using wooden load-bearing beams? Having gained experience in this matter, I will accurately convey the technical aspects of thermal insulation, and I will also describe the procedure for carrying out the work step by step.
We must not forget that a significant part of the heat loss occurs through the roof. Therefore, when constructing buildings with cold attics, it is very important to pay attention to competent thermal insulation of the ceiling, between the heated room and the attic.
Below I will try to explain in an accessible language how the attic insulation affects the internal microclimate and general heat loss in the house:
All the factors described are characteristic not only for residential buildings... They should be taken into account in the design and construction of any outbuildings on the site in which the heating system will be used (for example, a garage, a bathhouse, a barn, etc.).
When choosing materials for ceiling insulation, you should be guided by several criteria. In addition to low thermal conductivity, the insulation of the attic floor must have the following qualities:
Taking into account all these factors, several types of thermal insulation materials can be used to insulate attic floors:
Expanded clay has the following characteristic qualities:
All mineral-based thermal insulation materials, to one degree or another, are capable of passing water vapor and air outside. To protect such heaters from the formation of condensation or the penetration of moisture from the outside, they must be installed using a vapor-permeable waterproof membrane.
In addition to insulation, you will need lumber, waterproofing, as well as the usual set of joinery and carpentry tools for work:
If you plan to use mineral or glass wool for insulation, then I recommend purchasing a special protective suit that is designed to work with these materials. Otherwise, from small glass fibers, severe irritation may appear on open skin areas.
During construction attic floor or erecting a sloped roof, you can do without expensive and heavy concrete slabs overlap. Instead, all the load from the roof is taken on by wooden load-bearing beams made of logs or beams, with a cross section of at least 120x120 mm. They are usually placed on top of two main external walls, perpendicular to the long side of the house.
Such beams serve supporting structure for the ceiling of the uppermost floor, and for the attic floor. The same beams will be used for the installation of insulation, between residential building and an attic. This type of overlap is called hemmed, because both the rough and final ceilings are hemmed from below to the load-bearing beams.
Before insulating the attic floor, you need to mount a rough ceiling:
| Illustration | Description of work |
 |
Installation of a rough ceiling. For filing a rough ceiling, dry edged boards with a thickness of 25 mm, or plywood sheets with a thickness of 10 mm or more, should be used. |
 |
Hemming boards. They must be fixed to the lower plane of the supporting beams and beams along the perimeter of the room. Sewing boards must be fastened without gaps or crevices, close to each other. For fastening, use galvanized self-tapping screws 5-6 mm. |
 |
Waterproofing. When the entire rough ceiling is hemmed to the supporting beams, you need to fix the sheets of foil-clad polyethylene foam to it from below. This can be done with a stapler. Penofol will perform the functions of heat and waterproofing. It should always be placed with a foil layer towards a warm room. |
 |
Sealing joints. In order to prevent the ingress of humid air from the room into the insulation, the ends of the plastic film must be wrapped on the walls by 150-200 mm. The joints between the panels must be glued with metallized tape on an aluminum base. |
 |
Fastening the lathing. From below, over the entire area of the draft ceiling, nail a counter batten made of wooden slats 15-22 mm thick. It is needed in order to provide a ventilation air gap between Penofol and the clean ceiling. The distance between the slats should be about 400-600 mm. In the future, a fine ceiling covering will be attached to them from below. |
Before starting work, all wooden structural elements must be treated with antiseptic and flame retardant impregnations. Antiseptics are needed in order to protect the wood from rotting and the development of mold. Fire retardants impart fire retardant properties to dry wood.
After filing the rough ceiling, the transverse load-bearing beams will be on the side of the attic. Insulation will be laid in between them.
Depending on the thermal insulation materials used, further installation technology may have some differences. Therefore, below I will briefly talk about the use of the most common types of insulation.
| Illustration | Description of work |
 |
Vapor barrier. First, a vapor-permeable waterproofing membrane must be laid on top of the rough ceiling. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it freely passes water vapor molecules, but does not allow bound liquid water molecules to pass through. Membrane sheets should overlap each other, not less than 150 mm; |
 |
Insulation installation. Place sheets or rolls of mineral wool between wooden beams. If it is very soft, then it does not need to be squeezed or squeezed too much. Lay another layer of vapor-permeable membrane on top of the mineral wool. So that over time it does not move, it must be attached with a stapler to the beams and walls, over the entire area and around the perimeter of the attic. |
| Illustration | Description of work |
 |
Styrofoam laying. Styrofoam or extruded polystyrene foam panels can be installed between the crossbeams, directly on top of the sub-ceiling planks. I advise you to lay them in two layers, so that the joints of the sheets are located in different places, and do not intersect with each other. |
 |
Polyurethane foam. So that the sheets of insulation do not move to the sides, they can be glued to the rough ceiling using a special glue for polystyrene or polyurethane foam. Thus, it is necessary to fill the entire area of the attic floor with insulation. If there are gaps and gaps between the foam sheets, then they must also be blown out of the cylinder with polyurethane foam. |
| Illustration | Description of work |
 |
Preparation of the solution. To make the sawdust-clay solution plastic, the clay must be soaked in water 2-3 days before starting work. To prepare the solution, you need to take 3-4 parts by volume of sawdust, and 1-2 parts of dry red clay without large solid particles and impurities. To displace the soaked clay with water until a liquid flowing solution is obtained; Add sawdust to the resulting mixture, and mix thoroughly until smooth. To protect against mold formation, a small amount of copper sulfate can be added to the prepared solution. |
 |
Laying sawdust-clay mixture. Lightly moisten the load-bearing beams and boards of the rough ceiling with liquid clay milk. After that, fill all the gaps between the beams with sawdust-clay solution, and leave for several days until it dries completely. |
| Illustration | Description of work |
 |
Preparatory work. Expanded clay pellets do not absorb moisture, and, accordingly, are not afraid of water ingress or condensation. Therefore, they can be used with or without a waterproof membrane. To prevent condensation from seeping into the house through the ceiling, I advise you to underlay a waterproofing membrane under the pellets; |
 |
Pellet filling. Expanded clay pellets must be poured on top of the boards of the rough ceiling, and evenly distributed in a thick layer over the entire area of the attic. On top of expanded clay, no covering material is required. |
In order to prevent the expanded clay pellets from piling up and spreading throughout the attic, a retaining plastic geogrid is used. It needs to be stretched in the intervals between the bearing beams, and then expanded clay should be poured into its cells.
Many residents use the cold attic in their private home as a closet for storing lengthy items, seasonal items and all kinds of unnecessary junk. In order for a person to walk safely on the insulated floor, a solid sub-floor must be equipped in the attic.
The choice of material for installing the floor in the attic will depend on the type of insulation used:
| Illustration | Application features |
 |
Mineral wool and foam. These materials themselves are very soft. To prevent them from collapsing or crushing during walking, the upper floor covering must be sufficiently rigid. In such cases, sheets of OSB or plywood with a thickness of at least 18 mm should be laid on the supporting beams. You can also use non-planed edged boards with a thickness of 25 or 30 mm. |
 |
Extruded polystyrene. It has a higher rigidity, so it can withstand significant loads. In order for it not to squeeze when walking, it is enough to put a light flooring of thin boards or plywood 5-9 mm thick on top of it. |
 |
Under the weight of a person, they will creep in different directions. To prevent this from happening, 10 mm thick plywood sheets or light wooden traps made of boards should be laid on top of the beams' overlap. |
 |
Sawdust-clay insulation... After the mortar hardens, it becomes solid like cement. A person can move freely on its surface, even without installing additional flooring. |
When installing a rough flooring in the attic, between boards or plywood sheets, you should always leave gaps of 15-20 mm wide. This is done so that moisture and condensation can freely evaporate from the insulation.
Using this algorithm of work, you can easily insulate the ceiling in the attic in own home... More visual information on each method of insulation can be viewed in the attached video in this article, and I suggest leaving all your comments and questions in the comment form.
Ecology of cognition. Homestead: A significant part of the heat loss in the cold season in private houses occurs through the roof. In this regard, thermal insulation works are carried out in buildings with an unheated attic. In most cases, it is required to insulate the attic floor on load-bearing wooden beams. Let's look at the technology of such thermal insulation.
The main function of an unexploited attic is to smooth out temperature differences between the interior of the house and the street. If the attic is not insulated, on average, during the heating season, up to a third of the heat in the house is lost through the roof, and, therefore, the cost of heating the building increases by the same amount.
How does heat loss occur? The fact is that in unheated attic floors, the air temperature is usually several degrees higher than outside. That is, in winter it is frost in the attic all the time, and in summer, on the contrary, it is hot. The air from the heating systems rises to the ceiling. If the ceiling insulation is weak enough, then the heat partially goes to the attic, and does not heat the premises of the house.
There are other problems associated with inadequate thermal insulation of the attic. For example, warm air in contact with a cold ceiling cools and rushes back to the floor, thus causing increased reverse circulation and drafts. In a hot season, the opposite situation develops - hot air enters the rooms from the attic.
Such processes, in addition to thermal discomfort, are also fraught with the formation of ceiling condensation, which significantly increases the humidity of the air in the house and leads to the appearance of mold. Condensation also forms inside the attic, causing rotting wooden structures and corrosion of metal elements. Heating the roof with air from the premises of the house through the attic in winter leads to the melting of snow accumulated on the slopes of the roof with the formation of icicles and freezing of gutters and low tides.
The essence of insulation work
Thermal insulation of an attic floor is considered to be of high quality if it allows you to achieve certain results.
The main criteria for sufficient insulation of the attic are as follows:
The principle of work on insulation is that a thermal insulating material is laid in the plane of the floor beams between the heated rooms and the attic.
1 - crate; 2 - interior decoration; 3 - vapor barrier; 4 - floor beams; 5 - insulation; 6 - waterproofing
It's important to know! It is also necessary to equip a vapor barrier and waterproofing, since the insulation must always be dry.
The process of insulating the attic is not complicated, but at the same time it is possible to achieve good thermal insulation, subject to the most important condition - a sufficient thickness of the material used. On average, the minimum indicator fluctuates within 300 millimeters, regardless of the type of insulation. If the thickness is less, then heat leaks are inevitable.
The work procedure for insulation is simple - the material is placed at a height of about 200 millimeters between the beams. In this case, the run-up of the seams should be maximum. The rest of the insulation layer is located on top of the beams in a direction perpendicular to the bottom layer of the material. This technique allows you to reliably isolate the "cold bridges".
The main criteria for choosing insulation
Currently, the master has different types heat insulators suitable for laying on wooden beams. Since the degree of their effectiveness is comparable, in each specific case, when choosing a material, in addition to price parameters, weight and the degree of complexity of installation, one should be guided for the most part by the criteria of durability and safety of its use.
Insulation resistance to unfavorable factors is determined by:
The safety indicators for the operation of the material are as follows:
In conclusion, we will consider the advantages and disadvantages of different heaters. Depending on the type, the thermal insulation material is supplied in the form of slabs, rolls, loose formations or briquettes.
Basic insulation materials:
1. Mineral (glass, basalt) wool. Made from glass waste or gabbro-basalt rocks:
2. Ecowool (composition - waste paper and flame-extinguishing components):
3. Expanded clay, perlite, vermiculite (consist, respectively, of burnt clay, volcanic rocks and mica):
4. Styrofoam (expanded plastic) and polystyrene (thermoplastic polymer):
