House, design, renovation, decor.  Courtyard and garden.  With your own hands

House, design, renovation, decor. Courtyard and garden. With your own hands

» The main types of insulation and their characteristics. Types of insulation and their characteristics - how to choose the right thermal insulation material? What is the insulation made of

The main types of insulation and their characteristics. Types of insulation and their characteristics - how to choose the right thermal insulation material? What is the insulation made of

Today there are many materials that effectively trap heat indoors. They differ in different characteristics. To pick up the best option, you need to understand the features of each type of thermal insulation. The advice of experts will help you figure it out. What types of insulation for walls from the inside are in demand today, as well as their features will be discussed in detail below.

Features of internal insulation

Heaters for the house inside have a certain set of qualities. Unlike external thermal insulation, in this case, only environmentally friendly materials will need to be used. They should not emit harmful substances into the environment, including when the temperature rises.

Experts say that external insulation is much more effective. internal thermal insulation... However, in some cases, it becomes almost impossible to perform such work. Creation costs exterior decoration can be high. You will need to hire specialists who will do this kind of work. This is especially true of insulation in apartment buildings... Only a specially trained master can work at height.

In some houses, the apartment is located in such a way that it becomes almost impossible to carry out external insulation. Near outside wall a ventilation shaft or an emergency ladder can pass. It is also worth considering that the appearance of some old houses cannot be changed. The authorities issue laws that do not allow external insulation in such buildings. These can be monuments of architecture, culture or history. Their appearance must remain unchanged.

However, when insulating a house from the inside, the owners face a number of difficulties. Knowing the features of such work, you can avoid significant mistakes. If you mount a thick layer of insulation inside the room, the area of ​​the room will noticeably decrease. In the room, you will need to move away from the walls or take out all the furniture. Therefore, during the renovation process, the premises cannot be operated. It will be necessary to install additional ventilation in the room and take a number of measures that will reduce the likelihood of condensation.

How to choose a material?

Today, different types of interior walls are used to insulate a house, as well as materials in the format of slabs. They differ in thickness, density and other important characteristics. When choosing a material, you need to take into account the thickness of the wall, as well as the peculiarities of the climate. You will also need to consider what material the walls of the house are made of.

So, insulation for walls wooden house inside, they will differ slightly in their characteristics from the thermal insulation that is used in a brick building. When choosing, first of all, take into account The lower this indicator, the smaller the layer of thermal insulation will need to be mounted in the room. This indicator is in direct proportion to such a characteristic as hygroscopicity.

One of important indicators is the density of the material. For thermal insulation of vertical structures, high-density thermal insulation is acquired. It should not deform under the influence of gravity. Otherwise, the soft insulation will simply slide down.

Be sure to pay attention to the level of hygroscopicity. If a material is capable of absorbing moisture, at a certain moment it will not be able to perform its functions. Therefore, for such heaters, it is important to use a layer of hydro and vapor barrier.

Security

One of the important indicators when choosing thermal insulation is its safety. It should not burn and release harmful substances into the environment. Especially high requirements are put forward for insulation for the walls of a wooden house inside.

In this case, varieties such as extruded polystyrene foam or foam are not suitable. These are materials that are capable of burning. At the same time, they release harmful substances into the environment that kill faster than fire.

Varieties of materials and their cost

The cost of a particular material is not the last factor when choosing a heater. It is worth considering that today many materials are used for internal insulation. The most popular of these are the following varieties.

Often installers make insulation from mineral wool... It is sold in rolls or slabs. The second option is preferable, since the density and hardness of this material is higher. The average cost of this insulation is 150-160 rubles / m². The cost of this material varies significantly depending on the manufacturer, the type of fiber and other characteristics.

Ecowool is much cheaper. Its price is about 35-50 rubles / kg. It should be noted, however, that this material is soft. During the installation process, you will need to lay it very tightly. Therefore, the consumption will be higher than that of basalt fiber slabs.

One of the most common materials available to buyers is polystyrene. It costs about 3-3.5 thousand rubles / m³. In this case, the cost depends on the strength class and panel thickness. Extruded polystyrene foam (EPP) is much more popular today. It surpasses foam in almost all respects. The price of extruded polystyrene foam (50 mm) is 5-5.5 thousand rubles / m³. This material is strong enough to be used not only for wall insulation, but also for the floor.

Since the price of extruded polystyrene foam (50 mm) is acceptable for many categories of buyers, it is often purchased. However, it is far from always permissible to install such material.

Sometimes the owners of a house or apartment decide to perform insulation from polyurethane foam. This material has a lot of positive qualities. However, its cost will be quite high. It is 200-300 rubles / kg. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the additional costs of paying for the work of a specialist. You will not be able to perform all the actions on your own. You will need to purchase or rent expensive equipment.

Foil insulation is relatively inexpensive. Their price depends on the type of base. The cost of thermal insulation, which is made of foamed polyethylene, is 40-45 rubles / m². At the same time, the price of foil-based insulation can reach 140-145 rubles / m² or even more. The cost depends on the thickness of the material.

Styrofoam

Insulation made of polyurethane foam and polystyrene is very popular today. This determines the acceptable cost of such materials. However, before buying, it is worth considering both the positive and negative sides of the foam.

The advantage of this type of insulation is its reasonable cost. If we compare foam with other types of thermal insulation materials, then repairs when using it will cost much less.

At the same time, the level of thermal conductivity is low. This material does an excellent job with the tasks assigned to it. Heat stays indoors in cold period... However, it is very important to correctly mount and calculate the thickness of the foam. Almost everyone can install it. It doesn't take long and doesn't require any special skills. The master should only follow the generally accepted instructions.

Thermal insulation made of this material will last for a long time. The material does not absorb water at all. Because of this, the rate of its destruction will be very low. However, it should be borne in mind that foam is far from the best option for insulation. It is a combustible material that releases toxic substances into the air. It cannot be used when decorating a wooden house.

The slabs are quite fragile. They can break if handled carelessly. Rodents easily spoil this material. They create tunnels in it, which significantly reduces the thermal insulation characteristics.

The material is absolutely vapor-proof. As a result, it will be necessary to equip a forced ventilation system. Otherwise, the appearance of fungus on the walls will be inevitable.

Extruded polystyrene foam

Polyurethane foam insulation is considered a more acceptable option. has improved characteristics compared to foam. These two materials are made from the same polymer. However, its processing is different. As a result, materials with different densities and thermal insulation qualities are obtained.

The thermal conductivity of expanded polystyrene is significantly lower than that of polystyrene. Therefore, it is used to insulate not only walls, but also roofs and floors. The flammability index of this material is lower.

Also, expanded polystyrene is much stronger. It has a low water absorption rate. In this case, even a hydro or vapor barrier may not be required. This material does not absorb water, does not allow steam to pass through. This makes it durable. However, this is also a disadvantage. The room will also need to do high-quality ventilation.

It is quite simple to mount the material. How to fix the insulation to the wall from the inside, the standard installation instructions will tell you. For this, a special glue is used. Sheets do not deform, do not break like polystyrene. It is a reliable, durable insulation.

The thickness of expanded polystyrene will be less than that of polystyrene with a similar level of thermal conductivity. Therefore, this material takes up much less useful space in the room. With internal insulation, this is a significant advantage.

Compared to Styrofoam, Extruded Styrofoam has fewer drawbacks. However, they are still available. The lack of vapor permeability is a significant disadvantage. The flammability of the material is significantly reduced. However, it is still capable of being flammable. In this case, harmful substances are released into the air. The cost of extruded polystyrene foam is an order of magnitude higher than that of expanded polystyrene. This fact can also be attributed to material shortcomings.

Extruded polystyrene foam is also not installed in wooden houses... It doesn't meet the requirements fire safety.

Mineral wool

When using this type of insulation, no vapor barrier is required. The material adheres very tightly to the wall. Moisture cannot penetrate it. On back side condensation will not appear. Do-it-yourself polyurethane foam insulation is quite difficult to perform. To do this, you will need to rent special equipment. More often they turn to professionals for help. They will do the job quickly, correctly and efficiently.

Foil insulation

Wall insulation with foil insulation from the inside is a good option, since the roll thickness is only a few millimeters. Almost everyone can mount such material on the surface. This material consists of a base and a layer of foil. The top layer reflects the infrared rays of the spectrum, directing them back into the room. The underlay does not allow heat to pass from the room to the outside.

Today, many types of insulation for walls from the inside are on sale. It is important to choose the right base for the material. It can be polyethylene foam. He is not able to provide high-quality insulation in the room. This is an additional insulation, which is most often mounted behind the battery. This allows her warmth to be reflected back into the room.

Also on sale are materials based on foamed rubber. This material can replace high-quality insulation that can be used for decoration interior space... The rolls have different thicknesses. They can be from 5 mm to 1.5 cm thick. The thicker the substrate, the better the material prevents heat loss in the room. Modern views heaters for the walls from the inside allow you to install materials yourself.

From year to year, prices for energy resources are growing inexorably, and the level of income of the population remains practically the same. Looking at the unaffordable bills for heating a house or apartment, it comes to the understanding that the problem needs to be solved on its own - by warming living quarters.

For this purpose, various types of insulation can be used for the walls of the house from the inside and outside.

Let's take a closer look possible options materials for insulation, their advantages and disadvantages.

Insulation work is best done in summer period when the humidity is at its lowest.

Walls for insulation in the room must be perfectly dry. You can dry them after additional plastering, finishing work to level the surfaces using building hair dryers and heat guns.

Stages of surface insulation:

  1. Cleaning the surface from decorative elements - wallpaper, paint.
  2. Wall treatment with antiseptic solutions, surface priming with deep penetration into layers of plaster.
  3. In some cases, when installing polystyrene foam and electric heating elements, the walls are pre-leveled using waterproof bathroom plaster.
  4. should be carried out in accordance with the instructions prescribed by the manufacturer for this type of material.
  5. Installation of a protective partition for applying the final finish, or covering the surface with a construction mesh, it plastering.
  6. Creation of a single composition with the overall design of the room.

Insulating the walls inside the house is one of the most effective ways to protect your home from the penetration of cold and the negative effects of condensation, the main thing is to observe the technological sequence of stages. More details about the technology of insulating a home from the inside can be found in

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Modern types of insulation for walls, properties and characteristics:

Tips for insulating walls in an apartment - analysis of common mistakes:

Warming a house, made with the help of not even the most expensive materials, is not a cheap pleasure. Many types of insulation are now available for internal works, which are presented in a wide price range. Therefore, choosing an inexpensive and high-quality material is not difficult.

Warm house in winter period and a comfortable coolness in the hot season, as well as a reduction in utility bills, will show that the thermal insulation of the premises is done well and of high quality.

What material did you use to insulate the walls of the house? What were you guided by when choosing and are you satisfied with the result? Please share this in the comments section. There you can also ask a question on the topic of the article, and we will try to answer it promptly.

The modern construction market offers many beautiful, durable, environmentally friendly finishing materials. Nowadays, thanks to new technologies, almost any fantasy can be realized in terms of renovation or design work. But as for the economics of the maintenance of home ownership - it must also be carefully calculated.

Unfortunately, not every material, even the most beautiful or unusual, is able to retain heat well in a room. Therefore, often the issue of wall insulation at the time of repair has to be raised quite often. And without even planning to conduct renovation works, insulation is a hot topic for our country.

Various types of heaters are presented on the shelves of building hypermarkets. Puzzled by the choice of this material, surely every untrained buyer will be confused when he sees what a huge assortment manufacturers offer us! Therefore, before going shopping, let's figure out what kind of insulation is needed in each specific case and how to choose it correctly.

Insulation will bring several important advantages not only to your budget, but also to the quality of your home - this is clear even without special calculations. Some homeowners find it convenient to lay insulation inside the building, however, this is not entirely convenient: firstly, it reduces the living space, and secondly, it does not allow the heat inside the room to warm up the walls and thus maintains dampness inside the building.

Therefore, unambiguously, it is necessary to insulate the walls outside the house - it does not matter whether it is a detached home ownership or an apartment. Correctly selected and laid insulation allows the room to warm up evenly due to the free circulation of warm air. The outer layer of insulation retains heat and allows the walls to remain dry, which means it prevents them from collapsing.

As an additional bonus from the insulation, there is also sound insulation of the room, this is an important property, especially if the housing is located near a highway or a busy part of the city.

As for the aesthetics of wall decoration with insulation, modern finishing materials are perfectly adapted to various design solutions.

What are the types of wall insulation?

Insulation materials can be conditionally divided into 2 types: organic and inorganic. What it is?

Organic insulation

These are materials that are produced on the basis of raw materials from natural components. They do not contain synthetic ingredients. Some organic materials include cement and plastic.

Organic heaters are easy to use, because they do not get wet, they are not prone to fire, they are not susceptible to damage by fungus, mold and any bacteria. It is convenient to use organics as an internal insulation or in multilayer structures, in the form of a first, inner layer.

There are quite a few examples of organic insulation:

  1. Arbolite insulation- made on the basis of cement and kaolin. Additionally, it contains heat-saving substances - straw, sawdust, shavings, etc.
  2. Polyvinyl chloride foam insulation- based on polyvinyl chloride resins. Its production technology is such that the resins acquire a porous structure, it can be hard or soft, and, accordingly, has a wide range of uses.
  3. Chipboard. Insulation based on wood chips, to which resins and antiseptics are added.
  4. Polyurethane foam is a new generation heat insulator. It is made on the basis of polyester by a complex chemical reaction. It has excellent insulating properties, is not afraid of moisture, pests and temperature extremes.
  5. Penoizol, also called mipora. Material based on a natural emulsion of urea-formaldehyde resin. Mipora is a versatile material; on sale it is presented in a dry form, in the form of blocks. If necessary, it can also be used in liquid form, pouring it into specially prepared containers, where it hardens over time.
  6. Expanded polystyrene, or, more simply, polystyrene.
  7. Foamed polyethylene. It is obtained by adding special foaming additives to the liquid polyethylene mass. The result is a material with a large number of pores - which allows it to retain heat well and provide sound insulation.
  8. Fibrolite. Completely organic material consisting of fine wood chips. Cement or magnesite is used as a binder. The material perfectly tolerates humid operating conditions and can be used for insulating saunas, swimming pools and similar premises.
  9. Sotoplast. Unusual modern insulation. Its porous structure consists of cells that visually resemble a honeycomb - hence its name. It consists of cellulose or fabric fibers, wrapped in a film, outer part each panel is made of soft plastic.
  10. Ecowool. Produced from cardboard or book production waste. The basis for it is marriage or second grade of cellulose cardboard or paper. Production from waste paper is also possible, however, the quality in this case will be an order of magnitude lower.

Inorganic heaters

Manufactured on the basis of minerals, slag, asbestos or glass. These materials have been known to everyone for many years - glass wool, aerated concrete, foam glass and the like. They perfectly showed their performance properties, work at any temperature, suitable for any design.

Inorganic heaters are on sale in a wide variety of forms: cotton wool, panels, plates, rolls, and even loose. This is an additional plus, since it is possible to choose the most convenient way styling.

There are also quite a few varieties of inorganic heat insulators:

Probably the most common insulation. It can be made from steel production slag waste or rocks. By the type of raw material from which it is made, mineral wool is divided into two types: stone and slag.

Its production process is almost identical to glass production, although glass production wastes are often used for production. It differs from mineral wool in its structure and properties.

3. Ceramic wool. It is made on the basis of silicon, aluminum or zirconium oxides. For production, high temperature conditions and a centrifuge. Ceramic wool is practically not subject to deformation, does not burn and has excellent heat and sound insulation properties.

Reflective heat insulators

As you know, classic heaters act in a directional way - they slow down the process of heat passage. That is, from a heated room, be it a residential building or a public building, heat goes outside. If you carry out a study of infrared radiation, you will see rays, especially strong radiation where building materials pass heat well through themselves. Therefore, trying to insulate the room, it is sheathed with various types of insulation that retain heat or prevent the free passage of infrared rays.

However, there is another approach to improving the thermal insulation of buildings. This is the use of materials that reflect heat. The most popular among such - aluminium foil, its surface is capable of reflecting up to 97% of the heat entering it.

At the same time, aluminum foil is laid in one or two layers, which are subsequently covered with a layer of polyethylene - such a sheathing is very thin and practically does not take up space. And in terms of its thermal insulation, it can compete with the highest quality insulation that retains heat. In addition, it is also an excellent vapor barrier material, therefore, for buildings with high humidity - saunas, baths - such thermal insulation will be a godsend. In other cases, it is best to consider it as an auxiliary material, for example, for decorating walls and ceilings indoors.

Choosing insulation for walls

Among the huge assortment of heaters, it can be difficult to choose one. Consider the most common heat insulators:

For many years it has been used as insulation in all kinds of private and industrial facilities. It can be manufactured on stone or basalt raw materials, which gives it fire resistance and fire safety. The modern one is made from volcanic fossils using special equipment, reaching high temperatures... It has a specific porous structure, which determines its main advantages:

  1. Excellent thermal insulation of the room... Due to its fibrous structure, mineral wool keeps the temperature inside the building well; in winter the house will remain warm, in summer it will be cool in it.
  2. Soundproofing... Also, due to the disordered structure of cotton wool fibers, it is able to keep at least 50% of the sound vibrations passing through it.
  3. Wear resistance... Made from volcanic rocks, mineral wool is not prone to degradation and can last a long time without needing to be replaced.
  4. Tightness... Provided that the correct technology for laying mineral wool is observed, this type of thermal insulation is able to maintain the tightness of the coating for many years.
  5. Mineral wool is environmentally friendly for health.

Laying this type of insulation is not particularly difficult, but, as already mentioned, it is important to follow the correct sequence of operations:

  1. Preparing the wall. Remove old finishes, dirt, putty cracks and chips.
  2. Laying a vapor-permeable membrane. You need to do this directly on the wall, in one layer.
  3. Installation of a frame made of wooden planks or metal profiles.
  4. Laying mineral wool. It is usually sold in various sizes of seams.
  5. Close the cotton wool layer with another layer of foil.
  6. Facade cladding with finishing material. Usually, in this case, it will be correct to arrange a ventilated facade.
  7. Installation of slopes, window sills. The old ones will have to be replaced due to the significant increase in the thickness of the walls.

Styrofoam

Polyfoam, or its more modern analogue, polystyrene, is a very popular material for exterior insulation of a building. This is a common type of organic insulation, 90% composed of air, the remaining ten percent are substances produced from petroleum products. In essence, these are medium and small sized air bubbles enclosed in a polystyrene shell.

Advantages:

  1. Low cost. Sheathing the house with foam plastic is available to anyone.
  2. Perfectly retains heat indoors.
  3. He is not afraid of moisture, dampness and temperature fluctuations.
  4. Good soundproofing material.
  5. Suitable for various types of outdoor, it can be both plastered and sewn up with wall panels.

Disadvantages:

  1. Foam is very fond of small mammals. Rodents arrange their burrows in it - it is easy and convenient for them. To avoid such incidents, the foam wall cladding must be sewn up immediately with a top, decorative layer. Moreover, this must be done efficiently, without leaving gaps.
  2. Styrene foam is not a combustible material, however, when exposed to an open flame, it ignites. This minus does not have large-scale values, since this insulation is capable of self-extinguishing in the absence of strong gusts of wind.

The process of fixing the foam is not particularly difficult; you can insulate the house with it on your own, without involving specialists. The sequence of actions is as follows:

  1. Prepare the walls. Preparation includes standard cleaning from dust, dirt and old finishes. If there are large cracks or potholes, measures must be taken to eliminate them.
  2. Install a start profile. In general, such a procedure is not necessary, but this measure will guarantee the exact alignment of the cladding over the entire area of ​​the facade. Based on the starting profile, it will be much faster and easier to work.
  3. Prepare the foam sheets as necessary: we are talking about dimensions, that is, if there are windows, doors, or other elements on the wall that are not planned to be insulated, then you need to cut them taking into account these objects. It is not difficult to cut it using a construction knife or even the most ordinary knife of a suitable size.
  4. Apply special glue to the foam. This can be done with a spatula, observing a certain application scheme: it is important to coat well not only the corners and perimeter of each plate, but also the ends, which will subsequently be joined with the adjacent ends of the material.
  5. Additionally, fix the foam panels with dowel fasteners. Recommended consumption of fasteners: at least five pieces per sheet.
  6. Application of a reinforcing layer. This is, as a rule, a synthetic mesh, which is attached with an adhesive or cement mortar directly onto the styrofoam. Such a measure will strengthen the insulation layer and prevent it from settling or collapsing.
  7. Finishing work. Such cladding is most suitable for plaster, followed by the application of texture - "", "lamb", and other embossed coatings will fit well on the foam insulation.

Polyurethane foam

This material is a kind of plastic, 90% of its structure is in a gaseous state. The structure is porous, with pronounced cells. In modern industry, it is successfully used not only as a heater for facades, but also as a filler for seats in sofas, armchairs and the like. Visually and tactilely, it looks like an ordinary one.

This material used as insulation, due to the following positive characteristics:

  1. Good thermal insulation.
  2. It also works as a sound absorber.
  3. Not affected by aggressive chemicals.
  4. Practically does not absorb moisture and does not damp.
  5. Environmentally friendly.
  6. Long service life - up to thirty years.

Why is this material bad as a heater:

  1. Due to its soft surface, polyurethane foam is not suitable for finishing. Can only be used under the panels.
  2. This insulation is fire hazardous, and moreover, when ignited, it is capable of releasing substances that are dangerous to human life.

For laying on walls polyurethane foam is also used machine method of applying polyurethane foam


Penoplex

This material is also called. This type of insulation is relatively new, developed not so long ago, and therefore fully takes into account the modern needs for thermal insulation of housing. Penoplex has a porous structure, which determines its main positive characteristics: high heat resistance, lightness, availability of subsequent processing.

He actually has a lot of advantages:

  1. High performance of thermal insulation... Has the highest thermal insulation characteristics of all popular materials,
  2. Wear-resistant. Withstands moderate loads,
  3. Long lasting. The service life of foam insulation is forty years and above,
  4. Doesn't attract rodents and other pests, not prone to mold or mildew formation,
  5. Light. This circumstance makes it possible to work with him independently, without hiring professional builders, and also to perform assembly work it is possible even for one person.

This type of polystyrene has proven itself well both in use for private households and for thermal insulation of public buildings.

Of the shortcomings, you need to remember:

  1. Flammability. Penoplex is not a refractory material and for fire-fighting purposes, protective measures must be taken.
  2. Quite high cost.

As for the price, given the characteristics of the material and its service life, its cost is quite payback and justified.

The installation of foam is identical to the installation of foam panels, it is also attached to special polymer adhesives - note that they must be acetone-free. But in addition to glue, of course, it is advisable to fix the insulation and anchor fasteners in order to avoid annoying troubles after a while.

Extruded polystyrene lends itself well to decoration, it can be plastered, reliefs of the most different structures can be made.

Manufacturers

In connection with the constantly increasing demand for thermal insulation materials, along with the import of imported materials - European, less often American, production, domestic manufacturers began to expand and develop. Today, both European and Russian brands are present on the shelves of construction hypermarkets. The most popular ones are:

Ursa- one of the leaders in this field of building materials. It is a subsidiary of the large Spanish concern Uralita. In fact, Ursa insulators are regularly supplied to both the Russian and European markets, where they are also very popular.

Thermal insulation of this brand is produced in different variations, but the most demanded variety: small-sized insulation plates or mats. It is convenient to use them for the device of ventilated facades of buildings, insulation of roofs, floors, partitions. But it is also possible to insulate heating mains, high-rise buildings for private and industrial use.

  • Armacell

A well-known manufacturer of insulation materials from Germany. Heaters of this brand are known for the fact that they are produced by foaming synthetic raw materials based on rubber. This method is patented by Armacell and any other materials of a similar design are analogs or replicas of this type of insulation. The modern Russian market of heaters has several standard types of Armacell heaters. They are, in particular, convenient to use for heating systems, refrigerators, ventilation shafts, as well as standard heating systems with not too high heating temperatures.

  • Partex

Known on the world construction markets, the Finnish company, whose production facilities are located in the cities of Poland, Lithuania and Finland. On Russian market this brand is presented under the Paroc brand - on its basis, a wide range of heaters from stone wool... This heat insulator is available in slabs, mats and rolls of soft and rigid construction.

This insulation is popular among private buyers, it is convenient to sheathe detached households and multi-storey residential buildings with it. The properties of Paros heat insulators: high vapor permeability, excellent thermal insulation properties, durability and lack of deformation, make this material convenient and versatile for use in civil engineering.

  • Isover

A well-known Finnish brand, in fact, it is a subsidiary of a large French concern. Their insulation is made on the basis of fiberglass; it is widespread both in Europe and in Russia and has remained popular for many years.

  • Rols Isomarket

One of the largest domestic companies for the production of insulation. Founded in 1994, since then it has been actively developing and mastering new technologies. Under the Energoflex trademark, this manufacturer offers on the Russian market a wide range of various insulation based on foamed polyethylene.

  • CJSC "Chemical Plant"

Is in Sverdlovsk region, also a major Russian manufacturer. Trade Brand Extrapene, produced by this plant from expanded polystyrene raw materials, confidently occupies its niche among the thermal insulation materials on the Russian construction market.

Video the better to insulate the walls

Wall insulation is an important stage; it must not be overlooked or produced poorly. The benefits from properly insulated walls are obvious: you will protect the inside of the house from condensation and freezing, keep the heat inside the room, significantly saving energy resources. Currently, insulation is not an excessive foresight, but right choice for any house, no matter what it is built of and how well it is heated.

Modern building materials allow you to choose a heater for any finish, to safely hide it, leaving the facade of the building outwardly attractive. It is also important that it is not difficult to comply with the correct technology for laying insulation, even doing it yourself. Thus, you can significantly save on construction works without attracting professionals for cladding.

Heaters serve for a long time, without needing to be replaced, one day, you will forget about heat loss for many years to come. Take care of your home with good insulation!

Uninsulated walls are just a huge amount of heat loss! And in this situation, it is simply naive to expect comfortable living conditions in the house, especially in regions with harsh winters. No matter what power it works boiler equipment, or no matter how often and hot the stove is heated, the "lion's share" of thermal energy will simply "heat the street." Naturally, at the expense of the careless owners of the house. So effective thermal insulation of your home should always be among the issues of primary importance when building or carrying out repairs.

In this publication, the reader, according to the general concept, is offered information about what types of insulation for the walls of the house can be used from the inside, and with what success. But it is impossible not to touch upon the problem that the thermal insulation of walls from the side of the premises is far from the best option. He has a lot of negative qualities, and you should think carefully before making such a decision. With this, perhaps, the article should begin.

Should I get involved with internal wall insulation?

Let's first slowly sort out the advantages and disadvantages of such a technology.

« Pro &Contra »internal wall insulation

It would seem that wall insulation from the inside wins in all respects: we will name only a few obvious merits :

  • Work can be carried out at any time of the year, and even without regard to the current weather.
  • Even if the work is carried out in multi-storey building, it still does not affect their complexity in any way. That is, they are not required. scaffolding, there is no need to resort to the services of specialists in the field of industrial mountaineering. And in general - almost everything can be done independently.

  • A layer of thermal insulation on the inside will well drown out the propagation of noise, including shock noise.
  • There is no need to do everything at once - the work can be done sequentially, from room to room.
  • Thermal insulation materials are guaranteed to be protected from all external influences - ultraviolet rays, any precipitation, wind, sudden temperature changes, etc.

Indeed, a very impressive list of "pluses". And, nevertheless, any competent specialist in construction issues will advise nevertheless to find opportunities to perform thermal insulation on the outer side of the wall. By the way, he will be supported by other "specialists", including a medic and a fire inspector.

And why? Because there are drawbacks, and in their importance they outweigh the listed pros.

  • Whatever one may say, a layer of thermal insulation, and even with subsequent finishing, "eat up" the space of the room.

This seems to many to be a "ridiculous loss" that does not deserve attention. And completely in vain. For high-quality wall insulation, sometimes a layer of about 100 mm is needed, and in some regions even more. Plus to this - add at least 15 millimeters for finishing (drywall in one layer with putty, wallpaper or painting).

Doubts are easily dispelled by demonstrating a simple example. Let's say you have a corner room measuring 3.5 x 4.3 meters. That is, its area is 15.05 m².

Two walls are insulated - calculations show that a layer of 100 mm is needed, and with finishing this an additional thickness of 115 mm is obtained.


What nonsense, it seems, these 115 mm, at first glance. And let's translate into the square, what these losses resulted in:

3.385 × 4.185 = 14.166 m².

15.05 - 14.166 = 0.88 m²

So, in an already not very spacious room, the loss was about one "square"!

Moreover, so far this is only a "geometric" loss. Add to this the need to replace the window sills with wider ones, to move the heating radiators - not a very “rosy” prospect ...

  • Carrying out warming inevitably leads to the subsequent renovation of the decoration of the room, that is, it smoothly flows into a fairly large-scale renovation. And at the same time, this room becomes practically unsuitable for living. Such a repair also affects the general level of comfort of living in an apartment or house - moving furniture, relocating households, dirt spreading on its feet and scattering dust, etc. As a result, it turns out to be quite long, expensive and tedious.

  • The close proximity of a person with some thermal insulation materials, if not strictly prohibited, then in any case, is not welcome.
  • Internal insulation very often requires radical changes in the ventilation system of the premises.
  • This is not the most important thing. The very location of the insulation on the inner side of the wall is extremely unfavorable for, so to speak, the overall heat engineering picture, for the distribution of temperature zones in the supporting structures. All this can be accompanied by the appearance of areas of high humidity, which negatively affects both the ecological situation (the appearance of fungus, mold, damp spots), and the durability of the materials of the walls and their finishing both inside and outside.

Probably, it is worth starting with the main drawback, since it probably outweighs all the others. But first, you still need to understand the basics of building heat engineering.

Useful information from the field of building heating technology

How does the insulation "work" in principle?

To understand the essence of the problem, it is necessary to "plunge" a little into the issues of construction heating technology. By the way, at the same time, the required thickness of thermal insulation for full wall insulation will be calculated.

Any of the building materials has certain heat-conducting qualities. Some transmit (and, by the way, take away too) heating very quickly and almost without losses (metals), others, as is often said, have "natural heat", that is, through them the heat loss is not so great (for example, wood), while others can talk about a pronounced high resistance to thermal transfer - these materials are used as thermal insulation materials.

For each of the materials, a special coefficient of its thermal conductivity has been calculated and experimentally verified. It is usually denoted by the letter λ and is calculated in W / (m × ℃).

So, the resistance to thermal transfer of a layer of some material is determined by the following formula:

Rt =h /λ

h is the thickness of this layer.

λ - coefficient of thermal conductivity of the material.

The wall can be a multi-layer structure, one of the layers of which is the insulation material. That is, the total thermal resistance of the wall is formed from the sum of the resistances of all layers.


From here we come to the following conclusion - it is quite possible to calculate what thickness of insulation is required to create comfortable living conditions in the room. To do this, you need to have information about the structure of the wall - what materials it is made of, and what are the thicknesses of the layers. And, of course, what total resistance to heat transfer of the wall should be aimed at.

Well, the owner should know the design of his wall, and the thickness can be measured corny. The values ​​of the thermal conductivity coefficient are also not a problem: there are as many tables with such information on the network.

And the total resistance to heat transfer depends on the climate of the region, more precisely, on the lowest temperatures in the coldest decade of winter. There are rather cumbersome formulas that allow you to calculate this parameter. But this is optional. You can find tables with normalized values ​​for all regions Russian Federation- the specialists have already done everything for us. We offer an even simpler option - on the basis of the above tables, a schematic map has been compiled, according to which, without worrying about some loss of accuracy (it is insignificant), we can find the value of the normalized heat transfer resistance that interests us. Moreover, please note - it differs for different types building structures: walls, floors and coverings. In our case, of course, the meaning "for walls" is taken.


It remains to enter all the known values ​​into the formula - and calculate what thickness of the selected insulation will fully provide "coverage of the deficit" to the normalized value.

Below, the reader is offered an online calculator that allows you to quickly and accurately calculate the required thickness of thermal insulation for internal insulation. Several explanations on how to work with it.

  • The first step is to choose the thermal insulation material that will be used for internal insulation. The list below shows those heaters that are most often used in such cases. Which of them is better or worse for a given insulation scheme - we will talk about this below.

The values ​​of the thermal conductivity coefficients, of course, have already been entered into the calculation program.

  • The second step - it is necessary to clarify the normalized value of the heat transfer resistance for walls (these are purple numbers) according to the map-scheme, and indicate it in the calculator field (on the slider).
  • Next, the parameters of the main load-bearing wall are entered. Two adjacent fields indicate its thickness (on the slider) and the material (from the drop-down list) from which it is erected.
  • Often, the internal thermal insulation is mounted due to the fact that the existing external one, in the opinion of the owners, does not fully cope with its task. In this case, of course, the existing insulation material should be taken into account.

When this calculation path is selected, two additional fields will appear, in which, according to the already familiar principle (slider + drop-down list), the thickness and type of material are indicated.

  • External and internal wall decoration also sometimes affect its overall thermal performance. If desired, they can also be included in the calculation - this possibility is implemented separately for external and internal. The scheme is the same - after choosing this path, additional fields open for specifying the material and thickness.

If, in the user's opinion, this can be neglected, everything is simply left as it is. And these sections of the calculator will be ignored by the program.

The result is shown in millimeters - this is the thickness of the selected insulation, which will provide an output to the total value of the heat transfer resistance, equal to the normalized one. It is, of course, rounded up, usually leading to standard thicknesses of insulation materials.

By the way, in the presence of external insulation, the calculation can give a negative value. This suggests that additional thermal insulation is simply not required. And the reasons for the uncomfortable temperatures should be looked for elsewhere - insufficient insulation of the ceiling or floor, through windows or doors, improperly organized ventilation, etc. That is, an additional layer of insulation on the walls will have absolutely no effect.

What is insulation and how does it work? What kind of insulation is there for different types of work? What is the difference between homogeneous types of insulation? Is it possible to add insulation to structural elements? Is there an alternative to the usual insulation methods? You will find answers to these and other questions in this article.

Heat loss was a stumbling block for builders in the old days. If they coped with the task of structural strength quickly (back in Ancient egypt used an analogue of today's concrete), then heat retention was not so simple.

Not possessing our today's technologies, they had to build walls of incredible thickness or intensively heat the premises from the inside. Approximately 150 years ago, a compromise was found - a solid structure of small thickness (100-300 mm) plus insulation. And if everything is more or less clear with the constructive - brick, wood, concrete, then there are a great many heaters today. They will be discussed.

How does insulation work?

The best and most affordable heat insulator is air. Strictly speaking, this is a rarefied gas, the molecules of which are relatively far from each other - many times farther than those of denser materials (stone, water, wood). Due to this, the ability to receive (heat capacity) and transfer (thermal conductivity) heat in air is very small.

Here an "elementary" solution suggests itself - to insulate the surface with a hermetic shell filled with atmospheric air. This method will not withstand even theoretical verification - the cold surface of a denser medium (shell) will create heat exchange between itself and the air in contact with it, air will begin to move in the shell, it will begin to mix and over time the temperature will even out. Plus, condensation forms along the way. And the sealed capsule body will be an excellent cold bridge.

What you need to do to make the air work

The problem described above is solved by "immobilizing" the air. By dividing the volume of the chamber into individual cells, the researchers achieved ever better results. In the end, they came to the conclusion that the gas is best retained in loose media and fibers. The principle of keeping air stationary is absolutely natural. Nature uses it in the fur of animals, in the leaves of a tree dumped for warming the roots, in the "dome" of the paws of a spruce covered with snow.

In order to visually classify modern heaters, we will conditionally divide them into four groups: mineral wool (slabs and mats), polymer, backfill and an alternative group.

Mineral wool slabs and mats

The most common type of insulation today. It has excellent performance properties and manufacturability (ease of use).

How is mineral wool obtained

Experimentally, as a result of incandescence and blowing of the rock of the gabbro-basalt group and marls, mineral (stone) wool was obtained. When using raw materials with a high silicon content, the wool fibers partially glazed and the so-called glass wool was obtained - inconvenient in work and unhealthy. However, its thermal insulation properties were at the proper level. This was a transitional stage in the evolution of technology, which was subsequently improved. Until today, the principle of obtaining stone wool has not changed, but it has become safer and more convenient to work with (due to the combination of raw materials). All stone wool products are non-combustible and vary in density.

Interesting fact. Cotton candy is made in a similar way, only ordinary sugar is used instead of rock.

Mineral wool mats - fibers formed in the form of a mat 50 or 100 mm thick. They were originally stitched. Designed for laying on horizontal surfaces with a slope of no more than 45 degrees.

Mineral wool slabs - fibers formed in the form of a slab with a thickness of 50 or 100 mm and dimensions of 500-600x1000-1200 mm. It differs from the mat in a higher density, due to which the plate is more rigid and not subject to vertical settlement and clumping.

Scope: any kind of "dry" insulation of residential and industrial buildings... Floors, walls, ceilings, roofing. Ideal insulation for frame houses.

Interesting fact. Why are most mineral wool boards 600 mm wide? This type of insulation came to us together with " Canadian technology»Construction of frame houses. It provides for a distance between the wall posts and floor joists of 600 mm - insulation is placed in this space without additional adjustment.

Dignity

  1. Non-flammability. Cotton wool itself does not burn, but burns out, transferring heat. This requires a high temperature (from 600 ° C) and constant access of oxygen - the conditions of a very strong fire in the wind.
  2. Soundproofing. It is a "bonus" to thermal insulation in all materials.
  3. Light weight. Due to the rarefaction of the fibers, as we have already found out, the main material in the cotton wool is air.
  4. Possibility of further finishing (for slabs). The material of the board is perfectly bound with cement adhesives, which allows them to be putty.
  5. Self-supporting slabs. They can be fixed to the walls with dowels.
  6. Non-toxic. Anything that could evaporate was evaporated during production in the hot shop.
  7. Possibility of partial replacement of damaged areas.

disadvantages

  1. Afraid of moisture, requires steam and hydro barriers. Even a small amount of water can permanently ruin the insulation area and will have to be replaced.
  2. Draft, compressibility. Does not allow the use of mineral wool for thermal insulation of screeds (pouring with concrete or mortar).

The range of prices for stone (basalt, mineral) wool insulation, depending on the brand and manufacturer:

Brand, manufacturer, volume, square, number of plates in a package Density, kg / m 3 Sheet size, mm Price for 1 m 2, rub. Price for 1 m 3, rub. Unit price, rub.
Mats
Hitrock P-75 LIGHT, 0.24 m 3 / 4.8 m 2/8 pcs. Smolensk, Russia 32-35 1000x600x50 66,6 1330 320
TechnoNICOL ROCKLIGHT 0.432 m 3 / 8.64 m 2/10 units, Russia 30-37 1000x600x50 69,5 1390 600
IZOBEL PL-75 0.24 m 3 / 4.8 m 2/8 pcs. Belgorod, Russia 35-37 1000x600x50 73,0 1460 350
ROCKWOOL LIGHT BATTS 0.3 m 3/3 m 2/5 pcs. Denmark (factories in Russia) 35-37 1000x600x100 173 1730 520
ISOROC ISOLIGHT-L, 0.24 m 3 / 4.8 m 2 / 8pcs. TZMM Tambov, Russia 35-37 1000x600x50 87,5 1750 420
TechnoNICOL 40 0.48 m 3 / 4.8 (9.6) m 2 / roll, Russia 11-13 4000x1200x50 (100) 60 (118) 1190 570
Isover Classic-Twin-50 0.37 m 3 / 7.4 m 2 / roll France (factories in Russia) 11-13 6150x1200x50 60,8 1220 450
Ursa GeoM-11 F (foil) 1.08 m 3 / 10.8 m 2 / roll, Spain 11-13 9000/1200/100 266 2660 2880
Slabs
TechnoNicol Rocklight 0.432 m 3 / 8.64 (4.32) m 2/10 (5) pcs., Russia 30-37 1200x600x50 (100) 80 (160) 1600 690
IZOLIGHT-L-150 0.27 m 3 / 1.8 m 2/3 pcs., Russia 40-42 1000x600x150 245 1630 440
IZOVOL ST-50 0.3 m 3/6 m 2/5 pcs., Russia 50-52 1000x600x50 95 1900 570
ROCKWOOL ACOUSTIC BATTS 0.3 m 3/6 m 2/10 pcs., Denmark (factories in Russia) 45-47 1000x600x50 105 2100 630
URSA P-20- U 24 0.9 m 3/18 m 2/10 pcs., Spain 40-42 1250x600x50 110 2220 2000
Hitrock P-75 0.27 m 3 / 5.4 (2.7) m 2/10 (5) slabs, Smolensk, Russia 62-66 1000x600x50 (100) 120,3 (240,7) 2400 650

Polymer insulation

The two most popular types polymer insulation- Styrofoam or expanded polystyrene (PP) and its derivative - extruded polystyrene foam (EPPR). They are obtained by extrusion (extrusion of raw materials through a hole of a given shape).

Polyfoam (expanded polystyrene) - expanded polyethylene in the form of a sheet with a thickness of 15-200 mm and dimensions of 1000-1200x500-1200 mm. Differs in density.

Advantages (compared to EPPR): low price

Disadvantages: looseness, even dense PP is not used to insulate screeds.

Dependence of the price of foam on the brand and purpose using the example of products from Knauf, Germany:

Name Brand Sheet size, mm Package volume, m 3 Unit price, rub. Price for 1 m 3, rub.
Knauf Therm Compack 15 1000x600x50 0,3 660 2200
Knauf Therm 15-T (for unloaded structures) 15 1000x1200x50 1,2 1700 1400
Knauf Therm 25 (for general construction insulation) 25 1000x1200x50 1,2 2800 2330
Knauf Therm Facade 25 (for plaster facades) 25 1000x1200x50 1,2 3280 2730
Knauf Therm 35 for general building insulation 35 1000x1200x50 1,2 4200 3500
Knauf Therm Floor for floors and foundations 35 1000x1200x50 1,2 4500 3750
Knauf Therm F (5 in 1) for foundations, plinths, blind areas, roof rafters 35 1000x600x50 1,2 5200 4330

Extruded polystyrene foam is a gas-saturated polyethylene melt. It has the form of a sheet with a thickness of 30-70 mm and dimensions of 500-600x800-1400 mm. Differs in density and color.

Advantages (compared to PP):

  1. Significantly stronger than PP. Suitable for pouring with concrete.
  2. Has an adapted tongue-and-groove system along the edges, which creates an overlapping connection - does not require filling the joints.
  3. Less thermal conductivity.
  4. Combined purpose - can serve as a waterproofing element.

Disadvantages: Higher price.

Approximate prices for extruded polystyrene foam using the example of PENOPLEX products:

General characteristics for PP and EPPR

Advantages:

  1. Non-flammability. The material is foamed and saturated with carbon dioxide
  2. Light weight (10-15 kg / m 3)
  3. Widespread prevalence. The simplified technology makes it possible to obtain material of acceptable quality even in a handicraft way.
  4. Not afraid of moisture

Disadvantages:

  1. Fusibility. The material is afraid of high temperatures (from 80 ° C)
  2. Melting toxic

Scope: polystyrene and expanded polystyrene - an excellent insulation for frame houses, brick and concrete buildings, foundations. Serves as a waterproofing element.

Interesting fact. Polyfoam and extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 50 mm and more have a stable temperature of +5 ° С. That is, in any frost, the temperature inside the sheet will be positive.

Backfill insulation

The most striking example of the history of the use of this type of thermal insulation is filled wooden panels for the construction of prefabricated low-rise buildings in the USSR. They were covered with sawdust, which at that time was an absolutely justified decision: literally all household items - from knife handles to window frames - were made of wood. A huge amount of waste was disposed of profitably. Other waste (shingles, slabs, trimmings) were also allowed on these shields, many of these houses are still inhabited.

Today, backfill insulation loses a lot in the ease of use to slabs of cotton wool and polyethylene. However, it has one insurmountable advantage - it can be mixed with the material of walls and floors, thus introducing insulation into the structure. The most popular types are expanded clay, vermiculite and a foam ball.

Expanded clay

Artificial stone obtained by firing clay.

Properties: granules 5-30 mm. Density 350-600 kg / m 3. Not afraid of moisture, organics. It has a low bearing capacity. Does not require vapor barriers. Non-flammable, does not sink in water.

Application: dry method - backfilling of sinuses, logs of wooden floors and ceilings. Wet method - mixing with mortar, concrete (insulation screeds).

The price of the issue - expanded clay in M-450 bags, fraction 10-20 (packing 0.043 m 3 in a bag) costs about 150-180 rubles per bag. There are about 25 bags in 1 m 3 and the price is 3750-4500 rubles, respectively.

Vermiculite

Natural stone (mineral), mined in quarries.

Properties: granules 1-5 mm. Density 350-750 kg / m 3. Properties are the same as expanded clay. It is an adsorbent (absorbs odors).

Application: the same as expanded clay. When insulating walls and ceilings, it is first placed in a geotextile bag, the bags are stacked in place.

The price of the issue - 1 m 3 of vermiculite costs about 5000 rubles.

Foam ball

Separately cured polystyrene pores. They are usually mixed with mortars and concrete when installing starting and bearing screeds. They are also added to raw materials in the production of small-piece concrete blocks for construction. Improves thermal insulation while reducing bearing capacity.

Issue price - the cost of 1 m 3 of the ball fluctuates between 1300-1600 rubles.

Alternative group (old)

In this group we will include all other materials that can be used as insulation, and we will simply list them. These are mainly natural raw materials. It should be noted that all these materials are absolutely environmentally friendly and harmless to humans.

Sawdust and straw: keep air from movement and heat exchange. They can be covered or laid between the joists of the floor or overlap. Mixed with dry clay, they perform an additional function of a vapor barrier. To make building blocks, they are mixed with raw clay and shaped. A solution of clay with sawdust is used for plastering (coating) walls.

Reed: dry reed cobs are stacked like mats.

Moss: make-up for local insulation - stuffing of sinuses and cracks, caulking of log cabins. Absolutely not subject to decay, but weathered. Extremely flammable.

Turf: fits directly onto the roof. Requires waterproofing (usually clay).

Ash slag or "buzzer": roasting by-product (waste from fuel combustion). It has characteristics similar to expanded clay, but of much worse quality. It is poured dry and mixed with clay and cement mortars.

The price of the issue is free.

Alternative group (modern)

Here we will give one, but an advanced method of insulation - spraying with polyurethane foam. The essence of the method boils down to the fact that the insulation is "made" on site, immediately before being applied to the surface. With the help of a special machine, the raw material (polymer) is dissolved and mixed with air - liquid polyurethane is obtained. This method is actively gaining market positions as a convenient and high-quality insulation for frame houses and cottages, walls and roofs of any design. The process is completely identical with the application polyurethane foam with a pistol.

The price of the issue is the cost of 1 m 2 (up to 100 m 2) of spraying rigid polyurethane foam with a layer thickness of 50 mm - 650 rubles and below, depending on the volume. The same price will cost the application of lightweight polyurethane foam 100 mm thick.