Everyone
knows that it is worth living in a warm home. The
investor joining the construction can choose the technology that meets that
expectation. However,
even with an old house, you can improve his comfort. Just
carry out the so-calledThermomodernization, one of the elements of which is the
insulation of external walls.
The
base of the building is insulated with non-absorbent boards made of expanded
polystyrene: 1 - polystyrene, 2 - plaster, 3 - plinth, 4 - polystyrene, 5 -
concrete band, 6 - gravel, 7 - indigenous soil, 8 - external wall, 9 - ceiling
, 10 - basement wall.
The
base of the building is insulated with non-absorbent boards made of expanded
polystyrene: 1 - polystyrene, 2 - plaster, 3 - plinth, 4 - polystyrene, 5 -
concrete band, 6 - gravel, 7 - indigenous soil, 8 - external wall, 9 - ceiling
, 10 - basement wall.
The
essence of isolation
Thermal
insulation consists in placing a layer of thermal insulation on them, mainly from
mineral wool or polystyrene, and covering it with façade material. It
is most often a thin-layer plaster. Thermal
insulation of both materials is similar, however their properties are
different. A
feature of mineral wool, which must necessarily be noted, is that the moisture
loses its insulating properties. On
the other hand, it is a material that allows drainage of the water contained in
the wall to the outside. For
this reason, mineral wool can only be covered with mineral or silicone plaster
with high vapor permeability. Only
then will the insulation be prevented from moisture due to the condensation of
water vapor or moisture in the wall. The
opposite is with styrofoam, which does not absorb water. It
is possible to use plasters impermeable to water vapor. Some
manufacturers offer special types of expanded polystyrene, for example for
insulating walls built of vapor barrier materials. This
is important information for people who want to warm up an old house. Normal
styrofoam does not let any air in at all, which can cause dampness of rooms
with inoperative gravitational ventilation.
In
places heavily loaded and exposed to moisture, XPS extruded polystyrene can be
used. The
boards are hardened and non-absorbable, and they are used primarily to isolate basement
areas of buildings and cellar walls. They
are produced in thicknesses from 2 to 10
cm . National
building regulations allow the use of thermal insulation polystyrene boards to
insulate exterior walls of buildings up to 25 meters above ground
level. In
multi-storey buildings higher than 25 meters and in wooden houses - due to the
increased fire hazard, it is recommended to use mineral wool. When
starting to insulate a house, first determine the thickness of the insulation
layer. This
should be done by the constructor for a particular building, and the heat
transfer coefficient U can not be higher than the U-value allowed, which is 0.3
W / m2K. Currently,
the method of wall insulation can also calculate the energy auditor. The
thermal insulation process consists of three main stages: substrate
preparation, insulation fixation and façade coating.
In
old houses, lack of insulation often leads to irreparable damage.
In
old houses, lack of insulation often leads to irreparable damage.
Is
it worth to insulate the walls?
Definitely
yes.
This
is particularly important for old buildings with insulated or insulated walls. The
freezing, non-insulated walls are exposed to destruction, while in the
interiors may appear permanent moisture and consequently the fungus. In
extreme cases, neglecting the insulation and thermo-modernization of a building
can lead to its destruction. In
the case of newly erected houses, the appropriate parameters of the heat
transfer coefficient of walls are usually maintained. Single-layer
walls erected with materials of appropriate parameters meet the requirements of
currently applicable in Poland regulations in the field of thermal insulation
of buildings. However,
in an insulated house, thermal comfort is higher due to the high thermal
resistance of the insulating material, several times the thermal resistance of
a single-layer structural wall. Supporters
of single-layer walls are often accused of the fact that the insulated walls do
not pass the water vapor sufficiently and can not "breathe". This
is not true, because you can easily choose products that have a vapor
permeability that is even larger than walls made of ceramic bricks. Of
course, the most important reason why buildings are warming is to reduce
operating costs, in other words expenses for heating. Heating
costs for a well-insulated building in winter are lower by up to several dozen
percent compared to the heating costs of a non-thermal facility. However,
do not insulate your home on your own. In
the case of newly erected structures with laminar walls, the thermal insulation
parameters are described in the architectural design. However,
if we want to insulate an existing house, we should order a insulation project. Insulation
thickness must be calculated based on the parameters of a particular building,
with particular emphasis on heat demand, and the cost of works should be paid
in a very short time. Otherwise,
it will simply be unprofitable. The
insulation systems available on the market meet standard requirements. When
calculating system parameters, typical coefficients are used. The
materials are selected so that the insulation of a standard house is effective
and cost-effective, but most often it is possible to choose the thickness of
the thermal insulation material offered. Although
we are writing here only about thermal insulation of the building, it is worth
mentioning that the thermo-modernization project should also take into account
the modernization of the central heating installation, and it is certainly necessary
for the developer to indicate solutions for the implementation of efficient
ventilation. One
of the effects of building insulation is the limitation of air exchange caused
by the sealing of walls and wall connections with windows and doors. If
traditional gravitational ventilation remains, it will not fulfill its task. Unfortunately,
moisture and mold may appear in the interior quickly. If
the insulation designer does not present such solutions, then you can use the
detailed guidelines - usually they are drawings of details - which most often
have insulation system manufacturers.
Any
damage and greater unevenness of the plaster must be thoroughly filled with
leveling mortar.
Any
damage and greater unevenness of the plaster must be thoroughly filled with
leveling mortar.
The
most important in warming
We
write a lot about building insulation technologies, we also touch this topic in
our folders. Therefore,
at this point, we want to pay attention to particularly important activities
related to thermal insulation. Inaccurate
performance or omission may have a significant impact on the durability of the
work carried out. Before
starting the insulation works it is necessary to dismantle all gutters and
downpipes. They
will interfere with your work and may be destroyed.
Subsoil
Before
attempting to insulate the walls, an adhesion test of the old coat, both
plastering and painting, should be made. You
can check it by cutting it with a cross knife, sticking the adhesive tape and
then breaking it. If
a part of the coating breaks off, it should be considered poorly adhesive. Another
way is to gently tapping uncertain places with a hammer. A
hollow sound indicates a weak and loose ground. It
is necessary to plaster or remove paint from weakened places. All
cavities and places from which the plaster has been removed are filled with
plaster mortar or leveling leveling mortar. Inequalities
above 1
cm are
also filled with leveling mortar or renovation and leveling mortar. Before
proper thermal insulation work is carried out, the mortar must firmly bond. The
day before the insulation starts, wash the surface of the walls with water
under pressure to remove dust and dust. Absorbent
substrates are usually primed with a preparation increasing adhesion of
adhesive mortar.
The
profile of the plinth must be perfectly leveled and carefully screwed to the
wall.
The
profile of the plinth must be perfectly leveled and carefully screwed to the
wall.
Plinth
strip
The
first stage of insulation works, of course, after repairing the substrate is
fixing a metal plinth profile on the wall to be insulated, on which the first
row of insulating material will be based. After
marking the wall on the surface, at a height of approx.40 cm above
the ground level, a perfectly horizontal line, the profile is fixed with
dowels.
Joints
of insulation boards must be sanded evenly. The
mineral wool is additionally fastened with dowels in the number of 6 pcs / m2
of the wall.
Joints
of insulation boards must be sanded evenly. The
mineral wool is additionally fastened with dowels in the number of 6 pcs / m2
of the wall.
Between
the sections of the profiles, approximately 3-millimeter spacing is left to
allow their dimensions to change as a result of heating from the sun.
Thermal
isolation
The
first row of insulation is based on the profile, while the boards in subsequent
rows are glued with a 1/3 shift.
If,
after gluing, the panel plane will not be even, it should be gently sanded with
a special trowel or sandpaper applied to the plastering plaster, but not
earlier than after 3 days from gluing the insulation.
Fragments
of the net around the jambs must be slightly stretched so that folds do not
form on it. Adhesive
mortar must be so blurred that they do not remain lost, as they will be visible
on the plaster.
Fragments
of the net around the jambs must be slightly stretched so that folds do not
form on it. Adhesive
mortar must be so blurred that they do not remain lost, as they will be visible
on the plaster.
Strengthening
corners
The
corners of the building and the window and door openings are particularly
vulnerable to mechanical damage and wind.Strengthening the area of window
openings consists in gluing additional pieces of fiberglass reinforcing fabric
to the wall already reinforced. Fragments
about 20x35 cm are placed at a 45º angle near each corner.
Pieces
of fabric are also stuck in the corners at the junction of the vertical jambs
with the door lintel.
The
reinforcing mesh can not be cut at the edge of a wall corner. It
is necessary to roll it over to an adjacent wall at approx. 15
cm . Also,
roll the net on the window and door jambs.
In
areas where there are several layers of reinforcing mesh, the mortar must be
tightened to prevent the thickening from remaining on the plaster later. However,
it is not allowed to reveal the net. Also,
it is not possible to stick fibers out of the mortar layer at any point.
Convex
corners and edges at door openings are additionally reinforced with steel
corner metal profiles. To
their vertical edges, steel mesh strips are welded, which must be embedded in
the mortar.
Steel
profiles with mesh and right-angled putties with smooth edges are used for
making corners.
Steel
profiles with mesh and right-angled putties with smooth edges are used for
making corners.
Corners
must be particularly evenly spaced, because they are an eye-catching element of
the building's body. Their
inaccurate work will, unfortunately, be clearly visible. In
order to facilitate the work, you can use a special steel spatula, bent at
right angles.
It
is also good to check the corner line by attaching a medium thickness at the
top and bottom of the wall. Then
all the plaster cavities in this place will be clearly visible. The
corners are reinforced after the reinforcing layer made of glass fiber mesh on
the entire insulated surface.
A
drip should be placed on the lintel, whose task is to drain rainwater from the
connection of the window or door with the jamb.
A
drip should be placed on the lintel, whose task is to drain rainwater from the
connection of the window or door with the jamb.
lintel
Improper
or inaccurate treatment of window and door lintels may result in damage to the
insulation and moisture of the walls.The water flowing down the façade over the
facade lays on the lower face of the lintel, from where it can get into the
gaps at the connection of the insulation with the window or door frame. This
can be avoided by using the so-called drip. The
easiest way is to put a ready profiled strip in this place, but you can also
shape the projection in the lintel or cut the plaster in the shape of the
letter "V". The
diaphragm strip should stand out from the face of the wall approx. 4
cm .
Thanks
to profiling the edge of the lintel, the rainwater flowing down the façade
drips directly onto the window sill.
Plastering
Work
on one wall should be carried out without breaks, so that the structure and
color of the plaster are the same. The
application of the plaster starts from the top of the wall and continues with
horizontal stripes of the height resulting from the spacing of the scaffolding
platforms. Most
often they are about 2
m . In
one-storey buildings, you can first plaster the window strip, then between the
windows and finally under them. It
is not allowed to plaster in the rain, strong wind or high insolation of the
façade. If
this can not be avoided, special shields must be used to reduce the impact of
weather conditions. Currently,
plaster with texture obtained due to the addition of aggregates of various
grain sizes are fashionable. The
plaster is rubbed on the thickness of the aggregate; the
larger the invoice is. One
of the most popular plasters, so-called the
lamb is applied and pulled with a plastic trowel. Then
it fades, remembering to move the trowel with the same movements, so that there
are no differences in the texture of the plaster.
Kreisel
advises
When
making thermal insulation, mistakes are often made. The
most visible effect is the uneven surface of the façade.
Good
start. Correct
mounting of the plinth profile determines the exact leveling of the insulation
boards to be cleaned.
Correct
installation. Insulation
panels fixed by the band-point method are glued to the ground for min. 40%
of their area (perimeter band with a width of a few centimeters and 2-6 patches
with a hand diameter, their arrangement must correspond to a later arrangement
of pins). The
lack of peripheral band can cause the plates to be pressed - their surface will
become uneven.The boards must be glued in a staggered way, and in the corners
of the building they should interlock.
Final
alignment. Any
unevenness should be ground off, because it can not be "lost" in the
reinforcing layer or during plastering (together they have only 4-6
mm ).
Each
of the next stages of insulation works also has its implementing rules. It
is also necessary to observe the minimum time between consecutive stages of
works, because it affects the durability of a given thermal insulation system. Do
not forget about the use of only one manufacturer's thermal insulation system. Using
ingredients from different manufacturers most often causes later problems,
which everyone wants to avoid.
