Cheap insulation for external and internal use: characteristics, advantages and disadvantages

PlaceNameCharacteristics in the rankingTOP 7 best roof insulation

Installing a roof is one of the most difficult and critical stages in building a house. Today, a wide variety of roofing projects are being implemented, from simple pitched roofs to sophisticated hip structures.

More and more attention is paid to thermal insulation during design. It is from above that the cold most often penetrates into living spaces. And if previously only insulation of the attic floor was carried out, now great emphasis is placed on the thermal insulation of the rafter system.

This is explained by the desire of homeowners to create an attic or living room under the roof. But the best result is achieved by a set of measures, including insulation of both roofs and ceilings. Experts identify several qualities that roof insulation should have.

When installing roof insulation, it is important not to overload the rafter system. Therefore, the material must be very light. The main parameter for insulation will be the thermal conductivity index.

It is selected taking into account the climatic characteristics of the region. The lower the thermal conductivity, the better the insulating properties. Effective ventilation will be a necessary element in the roof structure. Steam must leave the house freely, otherwise the properties of the insulation will deteriorate. Birds, rodents, insects, and microorganisms can also damage the thermal insulation layer.

Therefore, preference should be given to bioresistant materials. When installing a residential attic, you need to take care of sound insulation. The best material will be the one that combines heat and sound insulation qualities. And constant stay in the attic space will be safe only if you use environmentally friendly heat insulators.

Our review includes the best roof insulation. When compiling the rating, the following criteria were taken into account:

environmental friendliness of the material; thermal insulation properties; resistance to mechanical and biological destruction; price; expert opinion; consumer reviews.

We recommend: 10 best insulation for walls

7Foam plastic

Polystyrene foam is considered a universal insulation material, which is used at different stages of house construction. It should be noted that there are many brands that differ in density and grain size.

Thus, white polystyrene foam PSB-15 is not suitable for laying on floors due to its low strength. The exception is installation between joists. But filling the space in the roofing pie is very convenient. Foam plastic attracts attention primarily due to its low price and light weight.

The material is easily cut with a regular knife, and there are no problems with installation. Many users consciously purchase the cheapest heat insulator, understanding all its shortcomings. The material crumbles, breaks, and decomposes. It cannot be precisely adjusted to each other, so the resulting gaps have to be foamed. To ensure the fire safety of a living space, it is necessary to install a fireproof fence.

Foam glass was invented a long time ago, but thanks to modern technologies it has been possible to achieve unique properties. The innovation of the material lies in the honeycomb-like structure of foamed silicate glass. The scope of application of the insulation is quite wide. When constructing a roof, slabs are usually used.

Experts note a number of positive properties of insulation. It is safe for humans, since foam glass is made from environmentally friendly raw materials. The service life reaches 100 years, the material is not affected by microorganisms, and is not destroyed by birds, rodents or insects.

It is not afraid of climatic influences, the insulation does not deform under high loads. And you can cut the slabs with a regular hacksaw. As for the disadvantages, the main one will be the high price. Thermal insulation does not conduct steam, the material itself is quite heavy, and damaged areas cannot be repaired.

Ecowool is of great interest to consumers today. First of all, the insulation attracts attention due to its environmental friendliness.

The main components of the heat insulator are paper and cardboard products. For the production of ecowool, defective paper, cardboard waste, and newspaper-type waste paper are used. Antifungal and fireproof additives are also introduced into the composition, their volume reaches 20%. In addition to being environmentally friendly, cellulose-based insulation has a high sound insulation rate.

During the application process, it is possible to fill all hard-to-reach places, forming continuous thermal insulation. Ecowool has its own characteristics, which are important to consider when installing a roof. Over time, the material decreases in volume, which causes an increase in thermal conductivity. Experts recommend adding 20-25% more insulation. To prevent ecowool from absorbing moisture, you need to take care of effective ventilation.

One of the most effective roof insulation materials is polyurethane foam.

A special feature of this material is the need to spray it. The product is supplied in the form of two liquids, which are mixed before application. Working with polyurethane foam requires special equipment and protective clothing. After hardening, a continuous seam is formed, and the degree of thermal insulation can be adjusted by the thickness of the layer.

Since polyurethane foam does not allow steam to pass through, it is first necessary to make a lathing. Polyurethane foam is a synthetic material, so it is not damaged by rodents and insects. Experts attribute the high cost of the coating to the disadvantages of insulation. In addition, the service life of polyurethane foam is shorter than that of other roofing materials. The soundproofing properties are not the best, so when installing the roof you will have to install an additional layer of sound absorber.

To insulate attic floors, loose expanded clay insulator is often used. It consists of pebbles of a certain size with many pores inside.

Expanded clay is used to fill the space between the joists, forming a continuous sound and heat insulating layer. The high popularity of expanded clay is explained by its affordable price and durability. This material is not afraid of moisture, it is not affected by mold or mildew, and it does not make mouse nests. And the frost resistance of expanded clay allows it to be used in extreme climates.

Since the insulation is made of clay, experts call environmental friendliness one of the advantages. The disadvantages include the fragility of the granules; even when falling asleep, care must be taken. When expanded clay is damaged, its thermal conductivity deteriorates. And the scope of application of this insulation is limited to the floors of the house.

Mineral wool has good heat and sound insulation properties. Ease of installation is combined with an affordable price, which makes the material one of the most popular when performing roofing work.

The undoubted advantages of mineral wool include fire safety and biostability. The material has been used in construction for a long time, but if previously it was a fiberglass base, now environmentally friendly materials (basalt) are used. When installing a pitched roof, the slabs are inserted between the rafters, and the material can also be laid between the joists. For a flat roof, a more rigid mineral wool is used, the density of which reaches 140-160 kg/cu.

m. The heat insulator also has some disadvantages that are important to consider when installing the roof. When wet, thermal conductivity doubles, so it is necessary to eliminate any leaks. Over time, the insulation may crumble.

The economic feasibility of use often justifies the choice of insulation such as foil-coated polystyrene foam. With its help, you can not only retain heat in the attic, but also provide a reliable barrier to moisture.

The basis of the insulation is extruded polystyrene, which resembles foam rubber in structure. The foil layer reflects up to 97% of thermal radiation, which makes the heat insulator one of the most effective. In addition, the material provides 100% waterproofing when installed correctly. Selecting the most suitable panel is not difficult; their thickness ranges from 10 to 100 mm.

It is convenient to lay the insulation; it is light in weight, easy to cut, and easy to install. A thin layer does not always provide the necessary thermal insulation; it is often necessary to install another layer of insulation. Over time, the foil begins to oxidize, which leads to clouding and deterioration of reflective properties. Attention! The information presented above is not a guide to purchase. For any advice, you should contact specialists! The cheapest insulation is not always of poor quality. Energy resources are constantly becoming more expensive and, in connection with this, the issue of thermal insulation of house walls has become more pressing than ever. Before you start selecting materials for thermal insulation, you need to find out how much moisture they allow through.

If the insulation does not allow moisture to pass through, it will accumulate on the walls and soon mold or mildew will appear on your walls. If the insulation has good moisture permeability, this does not mean that it can be used only for interior decoration; it can also be used for exterior wall decoration. Contents: Insulation has a large number of choices and consists of different materials. The cost of insulation is also different, it depends on functionality. Now let’s look at 4 types of popular insulation and compare their costs: Mineral wool is made from fiberglass, it can be used to insulate walls, roofs, and pipes.

Floors and flat roofs. This insulation has good insulating properties, but when heated, it releases a chemical that can cause illness in your body's respiratory system. The cost of such insulation is from 1500 rubles. per cubic meter. Insulation made of basalt wool. It is non-flammable and has increased safety and density.

Its use is optimal for roof insulation. The cost of such insulation is from 1500 rubles. and up to 3500 rub.

per cubic meter. Liquid foam insulation is considered to be the most budget-friendly insulation, its cost starts from 1400 rubles. per 1 cubic meter. But its use is limited. It can be used for sealing small areas, such as gaps, cracks, but not for insulating walls and floors. An insulation convenient for doing the work yourself is polystyrene foam.

It is lightweight and convenient to use, and performs excellent protective functions against the cold. It can be used to insulate walls not only on the street side, but also indoors, but in the event of a fire it emits acrid smoke. The cost of such insulation is from 1500 rubles. per cubic meter. Mineral wool has good insulating properties. Among different types of insulation, polystyrene foam and polystyrene are popular.

It is important to remember that polystyrene foam is the most budget-friendly option for insulation and does not require finishing. After finishing walls or other insulation, polystyrene foam is reinforced with a special mesh and puttied or plastered; the plaster must be based on a special glue. Next, the insulation can be decorated using a variety of building materials. The best decoration option would be painting or decorative plaster.

Brief overview of other methods

They also use other technologies, among which there are both outdated, but cheaper, and modern, requiring considerable investments.

Liquid thermal insulation

Liquid heat-insulating coatings can be used to insulate rooms both outside and inside. One of these products is AKTERM Concrete. This is ultra-thin insulation based on water dispersion. It contains an acrylic binder and evacuated microspheres. This determines the scope of application of the product - the composition can be applied to concrete, brick, metal, wood, plastic, foam blocks and limestone. In addition, indoors it is possible to apply AKTERM Concrete to plaster and putty.

AKTERM Concrete – insulation from the inside

Application area:

• insulation of window slopes;
• insulation of basements, balconies or loggias;
• the need to protect walls, ceilings and floors from freezing;
• AQUATERM Concrete is used in the “warm floor” system. It can successfully replace traditional foil;
• as protection for roofs and attics from overheating during the hot season.

One of the advantages of AKTERM Concrete is its economical consumption. For the product to fully perform its functions, applying a layer of 1 mm (maximum 2.5 mm) is sufficient. This means that 1 liter of thermal insulation will be enough to properly treat 1 square meter of surface.

Advantages:

• properly applied thermal insulation coating will last more than 12 years;
• there are no solvents or volatile substances in the composition, therefore AKTERM Concrete can also be used in residential premises - apartments, private houses;
• applicable in children's rooms;
• has no smell;
• effectively protects against freezing and retains heat;
• fireproof product;
• the coating does not collapse under the influence of direct sunlight;
• easy to apply with any tool - spatulas or brush. Airless application is also possible.

An important point for those who decide to use AKTERM Concrete to insulate walls in their home or apartment - the product is compatible with acrylic-based primers and water-based paints.

How to apply thermal insulation compounds:

1. The first stage is surface preparation. It is necessary to clean the walls, ceiling or floor from remnants of wallpaper and plaster. Remove dust. For this purpose, you can use a regular vacuum cleaner. Upon completion, apply AKTERM Primer (deep penetration primer) to the surface.
2. The second stage is processing. The finished thermal insulation is applied with a spatula or brush onto a prepared, dry and grease-free surface. It is important to observe layer-by-layer application. The first layer is 1 mm. It dries in 24 hours. If necessary, then apply 1 more layer. It is important that the material is completely dry.
3. The fourth stage is the final one. The final color of the finished thermal insulation coating is white. But if desired, it can be painted with water-based paint. This can be done only after AKTERM Concrete has completely dried.

Working with liquid thermal insulation materials is not difficult. But it is important to choose high-quality products that will not only retain heat for a long time, but will also not contain substances harmful to the body. This is especially true in situations where it is planned to insulate residential premises (bedroom, children's room, etc.) using thermal insulation.

For personal safety during the preparation and application of AKTERM Concrete, you must use personal protective equipment:

• eyes are covered with transparent glasses or a special shield is used;
• gloves on hands;
• It is advisable to change into clothes that you won’t mind throwing away after work.

If the composition gets into your eyes or exposed skin, rinse them with water.

Key Features:

• long service life, more than 12 years;
• reduces heat loss;
• reliable protection against freezing;
• applicable in residential areas;
• homogeneous mass without separation;
• the coating does not contain organic solvents and volatile compounds, is fireproof, non-toxic, making it suitable for use both outside and inside residential and industrial premises;
• dries quickly;
• easy to apply with a brush, spatula, or airless application apparatus;
• without smell;
• has a durable finish;
• tinting in light colors is possible according to the ral classic system;
• Weather and UV resistance.

Material Compatibility:

• surfaces - concrete, processed metal, plastic, brick, gas blocks, foam blocks, wood;
• primers - acrylic based;
• paints are water based.

Installation of polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam

With the advent of EPS, it became impractical to use conventional non-pressed polystyrene foam (PSB), since it has deteriorated characteristics.

Namely:

• burns and melts, releasing hazardous substances;
• has fragility, due to which pieces break under mechanical pressure;
• not protected from rodents.

In terms of parameters, it is inferior to extruded polystyrene foam, and this can be seen in the table of physical and technical properties of expanded polystyrene boards:

For example, the compressive strength of EPPS is 0.25-0.50 MPa, and that of PSB is only from 0.05 to 0.1 MPa (at 10% linear deformation), water absorption for EPPS is 0.2% of the volume, and PSB has as much as 2.0

However, light and thick slabs are still used when it is necessary to quickly and inexpensively insulate a room. We recommend using this material for cladding garages and utility rooms, that is, non-residential premises.

Spraying liquid ceramic insulation

To provide a “cold” wall with additional thermal insulation, substances are used that are applied according to the principle of painting, that is, using a special sprayer, spray gun or brush. We talked more about ways to insulate cold apartment walls in this article.

Schematic representation of the composition of the liquid-ceramic mixture: vacuum microspheres of various diameters and a latex binder mixture enriched with antifungal and anti-corrosion additives

Advantages of liquid ceramic spraying:

• moisture resistance;
• mechanical stability;
• elasticity;
• ease of application;
• environmental friendliness;
• minimal load on structures.

The main advantage is the thinness of the applied layer while maintaining important thermal insulation characteristics.

In terms of efficiency, a 1-mm layer of LCD is equal to a 50 mm thick basalt wool slab and can increase the temperature in the room by 3-4 degrees. Builders love the sprayer for its ease and high speed of application.

After applying the liquid-ceramic mixture, additional hydro- and vapor barrier is not needed. A thin layer can withstand temperatures from -60 °C to +250 °C, and, subject to application technology, lasts up to 30 years.

Cork and polystyrene foam wallpaper

Of course, gluing with one layer cannot be compared with a full-fledged heat-retaining “pie”, however, wallpaper is actively used in corner apartments and in rooms on the first floors.

Expanded polystyrene wallpaper resembles ordinary non-woven wallpaper, has a thickness of 0.3-1.0 mm, is sold in 10-meter rolls, and is glued using the same principle - end-to-end. However, special glue is designed for them.

Cork is environmentally friendly, lightweight, easy to process, and also serves as a finishing decorative coating. However, its thermal insulation properties are minimal.

In terms of efficiency, 6-mm PPS wallpaper replaces a brick wall with half-brick masonry, resists the formation of fungus and mold, and performs an additional soundproofing function

Disadvantages of the material: like PPS boards, wallpaper moves the dew point closer to the living space and is a flammable finish, like paper wallpaper.

In addition to the listed materials, eco- and glass wool, particle boards, wood concrete, foamed polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene insulation, fiberboard, honeycomb plastic boards, reflective thermal insulation with a foil layer - materials such as Penofol or Armofol are used.

Each of the listed insulation materials has the right to life and, in suitable conditions, performs its functions perfectly. We discussed in more detail all the popular types of insulation that can be used for the walls of a house from the inside, their pros and cons and characteristics in our other article.

When choosing a material, you need to focus on the technical properties, cost and complexity of installation - sometimes the installation technique causes difficulties for untrained amateurs.

The cheaper way to insulate a house from the outside

The cheapest option for home insulation is polystyrene foam. When using it to insulate walls outside the house, it is necessary to maintain the thickness, since if the thickness of the foam is insufficient, then in the cold season the walls will freeze and be blown through.

For high-quality insulation, a 5 cm sheet of polystyrene foam is enough, and more is possible. In practice, it has been shown that for our climate, 5 cm of foam thickness is enough to insulate walls, but this is provided that the walls do not face the north side. If the walls of the house are on the north side, then the best option would be to insulate them with foam plastic with a thickness of 100 mm.

Please note that polystyrene foam is the most budget-friendly insulation option and at the same time has maximum thermal insulation efficiency. The best cheap and effective material for outdoor work is polystyrene foam. Thin, inexpensive foam is ideal for the ceiling.

Polystyrene foam has many advantages

Polystyrene foam also has negative qualities, namely:

In terms of strength, it is very weak and no putty will add it.

And due to such low strength, foam plastic is easily subject to mechanical damage. Despite the fact that insulation with this building material is very easy, the installation of foam plastic itself has many nuances. The main nuance of installation is not observing the spacing of the seams, and because of this, within a week many cracks may appear on the walls. This situation can also arise on the corner of a house.

These are not all the negative aspects of insulating material. There are still disadvantages, but the insulation has many more positive aspects, and this makes this material popular among consumers. In any case, this material is the “warmest”, which attracts buyers.

Where do heat losses occur in the house and what can be done economically with them before insulating the walls?

When dealing with energy saving and comfort in the home, it is necessary to solve all issues comprehensively, and this requires consideration of all sources of energy loss.

An ordinary private house usefully uses on average only about 10% of the energy spent on heating, and the lion's share of it is simply lost within defects in the building structure as follows:

• 25-35% is carried away by the ventilation system;
• 20-30% passes through the roof and the same amount through the walls;
• 10-20% flies out through windows and doors;
• 5% goes through the floor.

The numbers are approximate, but they allow you to accurately present the overall picture of thermal energy losses.

Insulating walls may not solve the problem of creating comfortable conditions. Before they begin, it is necessary to assess the condition of all problem areas and insulate windows, doors, floors, ceilings, and roofs.

At the same time, you can avoid spending a lot of money and save it significantly by using simple and affordable materials. For the work to be beneficial, it will be necessary to create a thick layer of insulation that ensures minimal energy loss.

Choosing the cheapest roof insulation

Floor insulation is carried out using joists or screeds.

However, it must be taken into account that the screed can be poured onto the soil itself or onto the subfloor. You can find out which floor insulation for joists is cheaper based on two categories of materials. One category is modern thermal insulation, and the second is ancient insulation.

First we will consider the category of modern insulation materials. Among them, the most budget option is mineral wool. You can also use expanded clay, mixtures of clay and sawdust, and swamp moss.

If you think about it, not only swamp-type moss, but also the forest variety is suitable for insulating a horizontal surface. They differ in the length of the fibers. Swamp moss consists of longer fibers than forest moss.

And here, even without the market price, it will be clear which moss will be cheaper. Naturally, this is not just moss, but with the addition of clay. Such insulation, when compared with modern ones, has a much higher heat transfer coefficient, and at the same time they have a huge number of advantages.

A mixture of clay and straw - a budget insulation option

The main advantages of this type of insulation:

Environmentally friendly material; Benefits of clay for human health; Air humidity is controlled; High vapor permeability; Fire safety.

A mixture of clay with moss or straw is not just a budget insulation, but a free one.

Insulation of the floor under the screed should be done with polystyrene foam or stone wool. There are manufacturers who produce mineral wool with a special impregnating composition, with the help of which the wool repels moisture. This insulation is made in high-density slabs.

Preparatory work

If the dacha was built relatively recently, made of brick or block, has a normal appearance and non-crumbling, undamaged surfaces, no special preparation is needed. You just have to clean the walls from dust by sweeping and prime them twice.

In other cases, which are the majority, you will have to work hard:

• Plastered walls are cleaned to a durable, stable surface with good adhesion. To do this, you can use a steel scraper, a metal brush, or an old spatula. It is important to remove all fragments that are loosely attached to the main surface, and then clean the wall with a brush and prime the surface;
• There is no need to level anything, nor do you need to plaster. A relatively flat plane is enough, even with differences of 10-15 mm per meter. All errors can be easily eliminated using an adhesive solution!

We save with benefit: the cheapest insulation for walls

Mineral wool is suitable for insulating all vertical surfaces of walls and roofs of frame houses. There are several types of wool, but only two are used for insulation: glass wool and stone wool.

And besides wool, there are also cheap options for insulating frame houses. Straw is such insulation. Houses insulated with straw came to us from America, in principle, like many other things.

Installation of mineral wool can be organized in several ways; the final price of thermal insulation of a house depends on these methods.

There are the following insulation methods: ventilated and wet facade.

Mineral wool for insulation comes in two types

According to all construction rules, insulation of a house inside cannot be carried out under any circumstances. To calculate the cost of inexpensive insulation, you need to consider the methods separately.

To perform insulation using the wet facade method, you need basalt wool with a density of at least 45 kg per cubic meter, plaster, mesh, fungi, universal construction adhesive, paint and primer. To create a ventilated facade, you need: lathing, insulation, wind protection and finishing material.

Insulation such as mineral wool is considered to be one of the cheapest options for roof insulation. In addition to wool, the price should also include a vapor barrier and a diffusion membrane.

Fastening polystyrene foam to walls

The first and most important advice is not to save... The insulation method is not very expensive anyway, and in order to get a really high-quality result, and not a fallen insulation cake after a few years, you should do everything according to the instructions!

To insulate the dacha, it is recommended to use polystyrene foam with a density of 35 and a thickness of 100 mm. You can take material 50 mm thick, but you won’t especially benefit from the cost, perhaps only 1500-2000 rubles for an average dacha. At the same time, the thermal conductivity of the walls will increase, and heat loss will not be much less than without thermal insulation!

• Expanded polystyrene boards are lubricated with an adhesive solution for exterior use (Ceresit tiles, special polyurethane glue, putty, polyurethane foam). It is better, of course, to choose tile adhesive, which is not so expensive and gives excellent results;
• The mass is applied using a notched trowel. You can apply glue in stripes and dots, but on a standard 100x50 cm slab just a few dots are not enough. You need to get high-quality grip in at least five points;

• The slab is installed on the wall according to preliminary markings. More often, they start working from one of the corners, for example, you can move from the upper left corner towards the right and down;
• After installing the slab, it is pressed, but without serious effort, so that there are no dents or cracks on the polystyrene foam (although it is not so easy to break PPS 35/100 unless you try hard).
• With light clapping of your palms, the stove is installed in the desired direction vertically, horizontally and along the plane. After this, it is checked with a level and also with a plumb line. If you get data that is close to ideal, you can additionally record PPP;

• For this, plastic fasteners are used - mushrooms, umbrellas... They are an umbrella-shaped plastic product with an opening inside for installing a plastic nail. The fastening passes through the PPS slab, is placed in the hole in the wall, and is pushed open from the inside with a driven nail;
• For PPS 100 mm, it is better to take umbrellas 10x180 mm long. Less is not recommended, more is no need! A hole in the wall is punched through a sheet of PPS using a hammer drill with a drill with a diameter of 10 mm. Carefully and slowly, so as not to damage the PPS. Now, an umbrella mount is inserted into the hole, driven in with a hammer, and a plastic nail is driven into the mount. There is no need to exert much effort, and before the last hit or two, you need to double-check the position of the PPS plate!

When the stove is installed. The following installation needs to be done. Correctly install the insulation in a checkerboard pattern, avoiding cross-shaped joints. The location of additional fasteners is as follows: in the center of the slab, at least 1-2 fasteners per sheet, as well as in the corners - in the joint seam with other slabs of heat-insulating material.

What is the cheapest insulation (video)

Let's draw a conclusion. The most affordable insulation option is mineral wool.

It is suitable for insulating walls and roofs of a house. But in other cases, the choice of material will depend on the location of the walls of the house and on the mandatory consultation of a specialist. It is he who will be able to tell you not only how to choose the right material, but also how to save money on it correctly.

The roof must be insulated, since the most thermal energy is lost through it. Roofing standards require the greatest thickness of thermal insulation. But the question always arises - which roof insulation is the best?

When choosing insulation, issues of durability and trouble-free operation are primarily taken into account. Otherwise, there is simply no point in doing expensive construction that will need to be redone in a year or two. A number of other parameters are also important, which we will consider in more detail later... But first, a few general technical solutions.

Criterias of choice

When deciding which insulation is the cheapest in Moscow, it is easy to make a choice in favor of the optimal material, since the specialized market is replete with budget offers. In each specific case, priorities should be determined taking into account the potential of thermal insulation products and related nuances. Among the criteria for choosing inexpensive insulation, the following points are noted:

When choosing a budget insulator, special attention is paid to such operational characteristics of the product as:

What to insulate – roof or attic floor

Insulating a roof is more expensive than a ceiling, both in terms of the volume of materials and the work involved.

But in most cases, it is the roof that is thermally insulated. The fact is that the attic remains the cheapest usable area of ​​the house. The most economical construction of living space is a house with an attic floor.

Before choosing thermal insulation methods and insulating materials, owners need to answer the question: will the attic now, or someday in the future, be used as a living space, as a warm zone?

If the possibility of turning the attic into a heated room is visible, say, even in the distant future, for children, then it is definitely necessary to insulate the roof. To ensure long-term thermal insulation, choose the best insulation.

Sawdust

Sawdust is a cheap insulation material, but it has a number of disadvantages, for example, high heat loss and lack of shape. Sawdust rots and is damaged by insects and rodents. When using sawdust, you must follow the laying technology. They are used for horizontal floors. First, wood shavings are treated with antiseptics, then dried and mixed with lime. This will protect the material from pests.

Roofs, attics, and basements are insulated with this mixture. To prevent the material from being friable, sawdust is mixed with gypsum and other components that impart hardness and strength .

What is important to observe when insulating

Important for the roof:

do not overload the rafter system - in any case, the use of a thermal insulation layer must be agreed upon with the designer; ensure ventilation of the insulating layer - all the steam from the house rushes upward, even waterproof insulation on the roof is moistened; ensure sound insulation in the structure - there can be no such thing as a residential attic and speech if the wind and rain create a cacophony in the house. prevent the nesting and breeding of rodents, birds and insects in the layer of structures, as well as bacteria and fungi (moistening, decomposition...), i.e.

e. ensure biostability; the heat transfer resistance of the entire roof must be no lower than standard values, or according to economically sound design decisions. This value is mainly determined by the thickness of the effective insulation layer.

Is it possible to insulate a house from the inside?

If you do not want to live in a room where the humidity exceeds all permissible limits, and the corners are covered with layers of frost and black fungus, never insulate the building from the inside. Freezing of the walls in this case will occur due to a shift in the boundary of the dew point - a section of a certain temperature at which the steam floating in the air begins to condense and turn into water.

Moisture loss always occurs at the boundary between cold and warm air. Proper thermal insulation implies the obligatory displacement of this area outside the building. When insulating a building from the outside, a sharp temperature difference will be observed somewhere at the boundary of the insulation, that is, outside the room.

When laying a heat insulator inside the house, the dew point will be located between the cold wall and the warm cladding, that is, in the building itself, which is unacceptable.

Dew point in the wall of a building

It is not very successful to choose a thin layer of insulation for small wall thicknesses. In this case, the dew point will be closer to the center of the wall, which can also lead to freezing of the corners and condensation in the house.

What qualities should a roof insulation have?

There are a lot of qualitative characteristics that can be used to characterize building materials, and effective heat insulators in particular. It makes no sense for home owners to list them with numbers, expert conclusions, practical results and possible accidents. It is worth noting only what the residents themselves first pay attention to, and what forces them not to use (replace) insulation materials.

It is necessary that the insulation does not lose its shape over time, does not change its density, or these processes would be too slow, designed for the life of the building. Otherwise, insulation is a waste of money. The material must be biostable. It is desirable that it has satisfactory sound insulation qualities, without introducing an additional expensive layer of sound insulation into the structure. It would be an effective insulation with a thermal conductivity coefficient of no more than 0.05 W/mS. Then the sufficient layer thickness (according to standards) for most regions of Russia is up to 20–25 cm.

Types of mineral wool

Mineral wool is a group of materials with a fibrous structure, which includes:

• rock wool: obtained from molten rock minerals; it is what is most often called mineral wool; one of its varieties includes more moisture-resistant basalt wool
• glass wool: fine fibers obtained from molten glass or sand by heating at extremely high temperatures
• slag wool: the cheapest material, which is based on blast furnace slag; due to increased hygroscopicity, it is not used for insulation of buildings

The advantages of mineral wool include:

• high thermal insulation properties
• low flammability
• rot resistance
• reasonable cost

Types of mineral wool

Most types of mineral wool absorb moisture and have low mechanical strength, so it must be covered with a layer of vapor barrier and then sheathed with airtight sheathing.

It is not advisable to use rolled mineral wool for finishing facades - it has less thermal protection and shrinks, forming “cold bridges” over time. For finishing the building, it is better to use material in the form of dense slabs.

Stone mineral wool

Excellent technical characteristics plus a reasonable price ensured sufficient demand for this material. This type of mineral wool has low thermal conductivity, almost does not absorb moisture, and thanks to its cellular structure it is able to “breathe”, that is, allow air to pass through and condensate to escape.

Stone mineral wool

Depending on the type of raw materials and production method, it may have varying degrees of hardness. Stone wool is produced in the form of sheets, semi-rigid mats or high-strength slabs. Due to its high fire resistance and high degree of thermal insulation, it is widely used in construction - it is used as insulation and sound insulator for facades and roofs of buildings that have an increased risk of fire.

It is allowed to use stone wool to insulate underground communications, chimneys, and cladding rooms with installed stoves or boilers.

To avoid the appearance of “cold bridges” when using any type of slab insulation, all seams must be additionally taped.

Glass wool

Due to its low density and increased hygroscopicity, it is not recommended to be used for finishing facades. Plus, glass wool can melt under the influence of elevated temperatures, completely losing its thermal insulation properties.

Glass wool

This inexpensive rolled material is most often used for thermal insulation of pipelines and technical premises.

When working with it, special care is required - thin fibers break off and get on the skin, causing irritation. When inhaled into the lungs, small particles of glass wool can cause inflammation.

Basalt wool

This material is more expensive than ordinary stone wool, but it is more durable and voluminous. Another advantage is the lower degree of moisture absorption and shrinkage. Formaldehyde, which is part of basalt sheets, can repel rodents that often live in insulation.

They easily tolerate significant temperature changes without loss of quality, do not rot, and do not ignite. Their heat-insulating properties are also high.

Basalt wool

Basalt wool has a significant drawback - high fragility. Therefore, you need to work with it carefully, always wearing protective clothing, goggles and a respirator. The dust generated when sawing it causes irritation to the skin. It can also settle in the lungs.

Just as in the case of stone wool, for cladding facades it is better to use more durable slab material rather than rolled material. Basalt wool is also applied by spraying using a special technique - in this case, a special type of material is used in the form of granules.

Mineral wool

Materials created from thin interwoven mineral fibers have the qualities necessary for roofing insulation.

First of all, which is very important, mineral wools are good sound absorbers. In its design, this insulation forms a serious soundproofing layer, at least an order of magnitude better than other effective insulation materials.

It is only important that the rafters are covered with such a layer, which are bridges of cold and sound. The material is completely biostable, does not decompose, and living creatures do not live in it. It is fireproof. The thermal conductivity coefficient, under operating conditions, is close to 0.05 W/m? ° C; Samples of increased density, from 80 kg/m3, or layered, with a top layer of such density, are not blown through by a ventilation stream. They also do not cake and are durable. But their cost is increased.

Popular inexpensive insulation materials

What kind of thermal insulation can protect and insulate a house inexpensively.

Glass wool

Glass wool is one of the cheapest time-tested insulation materials. To a large extent, the price depends on the characteristics. When choosing glass wool, pay attention to the thermal conductivity coefficient, it should be 0.041-0.043 W/m•K. This parameter is indicated on the packaging. The main manufacturers produce glass wool with a density from 8 kg/m³ to 130 kg/m³ in slabs and rolls.

Glass wool is used to insulate roofs, attics and walls. The structure of this material retains still air, so heat does not escape from the house in cold weather, and on hot sunny days it is not stuffy.

Glass wool in rolls is the cheapest roof insulation; it is convenient to work with on large vertical surfaces.

Glass wool insulation is a very budget solution.

The use of rolled glass wool is only suitable for horizontal floors.

Polyurethane foam

Effective insulation with the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.03 W/mC is also attractive because it is sprayed and creates a continuous cover without seams. Polyurethane foam has low vapor permeability and water absorption.

But this material, from the point of view of finding the best insulation for the roof, has such disadvantages.

The high price of the finished coating – from 1200 rubles/sq.m.

with a layer thickness of 10 cm. The predicted service life is shorter than that of the main structures of the house. The consequences of the effect of vapor barrier on wood are questionable, under conditions when the rafter will be enveloped in this material up to 80% of the surface area. In panel structures, polyurethane foam can be a filling material for structures strength that holds the plywood together. But such houses are cheap and not durable. Poor sound insulation qualities require the lowest noise roofing. Moreover, the rafters remain sound bridges in the design, which requires the introduction of another continuous layer of sound absorber under the inner lining for satisfactory comfort.

All this together limits the popularity of polyurethane foam.

Materials for foundation insulation

The foundation, which separates the soil and the structure, is considered one of the main sources of heat loss. However, not all types of materials can be used to insulate it. Mineral wool or basalt slabs are not suitable for these purposes - they will absorb moisture from the soil and quickly become unusable.

Foundation insulation with expanded clay

The most common foundation insulation materials are:

• expanded polystyrene: perhaps the ideal option in terms of price-quality ratio; if it is not practical to use it for wall decoration due to low vapor permeability, then for insulating the base, a material that is not afraid of rotting is ideal; plus it is light in weight and easy to install; high flammability in this case is not significant - after all, it is laid underground;
• expanded clay: excellent environmentally friendly heat insulator; due to its high porosity, it forms an air cushion that reliably protects the base of the building from the cold; requires additional waterproofing with coating or roll materials; but the high cost does not allow it to be widely used as foundation insulation;
• liquid polyurethane foam: similar in properties to expanded polystyrene, but without special equipment it is impossible to use it independently.

Styrofoam

It has a cheap price, and therefore is perceived by many as the best solution. But at the same time, everyone points to the shortest service life - the material decomposes, breaks.... Based on this factor alone, it already inspires serious concern in structures behind the skin, where it is difficult to check its condition.

There is also some difficulty in placing between the rafters, since the foam sheets are not as elastic as mineral wool. Precise adjustment with a float is required, leaving gaps that need to be foamed...

There has been some progress in sound insulation compared to polyurethane foam, since it is possible to cover the rafters with a layer in the counter-lattice.

But the downside is fire safety - it requires a continuous fireproof fence from the living space. Mice and birds love this material and love to breed in it. They destroy it with pleasure. Therefore, the structure must be securely closed, which is difficult to do...

Thermal insulating materials for roofing

As you know, warm air tends only upward. If the roof covering is not insulated enough, it will go away unhindered, and the house will quickly dry out. If up to 15-20% of the heat evaporates through the walls, then about 10-20% escapes through the roof. This fact should not be neglected.

Thermal insulation of the roof with polyurethane foam

For thermal insulation of roofs, any types of materials can be used, from mineral wool to slag or sawdust. When using expanded clay, it is most often mixed with foam granules - this helps reduce the weight of the insulation and enhance its effect.

Rolled eco-, glass, mineral wool, as well as liquid polyurethane foam are used mainly for inclined surfaces. Rigid slabs and bulk insulation are used for laying on floor slabs.

Thermal insulation of the roof must be thought out even before laying the structure - after all, when using heavy backfill materials, the load on the foundation will increase significantly.

Extruded polystyrene foam

Based on the same polystyrene, but much denser and stronger.

Experts estimate its service life as longer. It has the best heat-insulating qualities and acts as a complete vapor barrier. But the main thing for the consumer is that this material is expensive, almost like sprayed polyurethane foam.

Therefore, it is simply not recommended in projects due to economic feasibility or fire hazard outside the conditions of its normal use, where there is nothing to replace it with (humidity, compression, soil).

When can you start insulating a building?

There is a basic rule in construction - it is necessary to begin finishing work on buildings after the house has completely settled. This may take about a year. Moreover, shrinkage occurs not only in wooden houses, but also in brick, monolithic frame buildings, etc.

Installation of thermal insulation is preferably carried out in dry weather - the house is well dried beforehand. The house should already have a roof, external waterproofing of the foundation, ventilation, windows, doors.

All work on finishing a log house begins only after it has settled

You should not start work either in frost or heat - you must wait until the temperature reaches above zero of 5-25°C. The optimal time to start finishing the facade is late spring or early autumn.

Economic feasibility and selection of the best insulation

In addition to the above materials, for roof insulation you can use... anything - foam glass (the most expensive), fallen leaves (the cheapest), ecowool, bulk wool, polystyrene chips, coal slag, corn flakes... But the use of these materials will entail large costs, either for the structures holding them, or for the material itself, or for its frequent (annual) replacement...

Also, the ones under consideration, extruded polystyrene foam and sprayed polyurethane foam, often do not appear in design solutions for roof insulation - they are more expensive and provide fewer advantages and guarantees compared to mineral wool.

Types of insulation of country houses

• Insulation with mineral wool and basalt insulation. Installation of insulation material in a frame or on a wall with adhesive and through fastening, plaster or curtain wall;
• Spraying polyurethane foam with further facade finishing - siding, wooden boards, decorative bricks;
• Installation of finished insulation slabs with decorative finishing on the facade;
• Installation of PPS or EPS boards, plastering and painting of walls with or without texture!

On a small area of ​​the walls of a country house, any type of insulation is applicable, but based on the additional requirements for the thermal efficiency of the house, when in order to save energy it is necessary to insulate the ceiling and floor, as well as install high-quality windows and entrance doors, costs should still be minimized. And the last method, which involves the use of polystyrene foam or its derivatives, will help to do this!

Features of using the best roof insulation

You should pay attention to the rules for using mineral wool. This material allows water vapor to pass through it very easily. It is also easy to moisturize and accumulates water inside.

In order for it to be used correctly, it must always remain dry. Otherwise, a serious accident threatens - loss of the insulating effect, a critical increase in the mass of the layer due to water, rotting of the wood in a wet state and failure (collapse) of the rafter system.

Sources:

• markakachestva.ru
• heatclass.ru
• teplodom1.ru

There are no similar posts, but there are more interesting ones.

Wall texture

To improve the decorative appearance of the wall, you can apply a texture to it. This can be done with a silicone or fleecy roller. This tool will help you save on expensive plaster solutions, which often only increases the cost of the project!

After the plaster has dried over the mesh, it is worth applying a small layer of mortar to the surface, about 2 mm, and rolling it with a roller. You can create a drawing yourself!

Between the layers of mortar, the wall must be primed!

How to properly install insulation on a facade

Before installation, the facade must be prepared: cleaned of old finishes, removed dirt and dust, dismantled hanging elements of engineering systems, removed ebbs and canopies (you will still have to replace them with wider ones), remove signs, plates and façade lamps. Then the surface of the wall must be strengthened - cracks and chips must be repaired, crumbling areas must be cleaned, and a deep penetration primer must be applied.

Application of primer composition Source rmnt.ru

For reliable fastening of polystyrene foam or rigid mineral wool mats in a wet façade system, the wall surface must be as smooth as the unevenness can be smoothed out with an adhesive solution. If the height difference is up to 5 mm, the solution is applied over the entire insulation slab, with unevenness from 5 to 20 mm - along the perimeter and in the form of “cakes” on 40% of the slab surface.

The first row of slabs is mounted with emphasis on the starting bar, which also sets the horizontal level. The second and subsequent rows are placed with a vertical seam shift (at least 200 mm), leveling the surface of the insulation in the area of ​​the joints so that the height difference is no more than 3 mm. When insulating the walls around the openings, make sure that the seams of the slabs do not intersect in their corners. Each slab is additionally secured with umbrella dowels at the rate of 5 pcs. per 1 m2.

Before applying plaster, the surface of the slabs is reinforced with fiberglass, fixed in the middle of a layer of adhesive solution with a total thickness of 5-6 mm.

The density of polystyrene foam is chosen to be 25-35 kg/m3.

Rating of insulation for frame houses

When compiling the review, products from brands with a good reputation were considered. Technical characteristics, structure, ease of installation, and availability of certificates were studied. Feedback from property owners, opinions of builders and heating engineers were taken into account. The main attention was paid to the following parameters:

• Composition – they produce insulation based on mineral wool, basalt wool, polystyrene foam;
• Thickness – a wide range of sizes is welcome;
• Thermal conductivity - the lower the coefficient, the less insulator needed;
• Water absorption – should have minimum values;
• Fire safety is an advantage of non-combustible materials.

Uneven density, mechanical defects, the ability to support combustion and absorb a large volume of water - insulators with such defects were excluded from our rating.

Thermal insulation plaster

This type of heat insulator is another novelty in the construction market. The main binder in it is lime or Portland cement. Various stabilizers and plasticizers are also added to them. But the main component (up to 40-75%) in heat-insulating plaster is porous insulation in the form of foamed perlite, vermiculite or foam balls.

A layer of such a mixture of only 50 mm is equal in its thermal insulation properties to a masonry of 2 bricks. Plus, you can use it, just like a regular one, to level walls and use it as a decorative finish. Moreover, it weighs 3-4 times less than ordinary plaster. Warm plaster can be used for ceilings, walls, window and door slopes, pipelines, as well as interior finishing work.

A layer of thermal insulation plaster

The technology for applying heat-insulating plaster is almost identical to the usual method - the mixture is distributed using a conventional spatula or mechanical sprayers. It adheres well to the surface, so a small layer can be applied even without a reinforcing mesh.

This material is able to “breathe”, allowing steam to pass through, and has sufficient water-repellent properties. Due to the absence of seams, warm plaster does not form cold bridges. In addition, it is non-flammable and can protect buildings from accidental fire.

Application of penofol

Penofol is produced in rolls. Foil is applied on top of the substance, which is used to protect against the negative effects of waves. The special material is pleasant to the touch, and its installation is simple. Penofol does not deform and will last a long time.

The use of penofol is permitted from inside the premises. To make the room comfortable, consider installing a ventilation system.

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Topics with the selection and description of the features of a particular type of insulation are deservedly popular on our portal. These questions become more relevant the higher the rise in energy costs and the desire of homeowners to save on heating. FORUMHOUSE has already talked about the main types of modern insulation and whether it is profitable to build an energy-efficient house.

When choosing the best insulation for the walls of a house that is right for you, we suggest looking at the nuances of insulating a private house from a slightly different angle. To do this, consider the following questions:

Choosing material

The modern market of thermal insulation materials offers a lot of options and types. Conventionally, they can be divided into artificial (man-made) and natural. Artificial ones include: mineral wool (stone and glass wool) and polystyrene foam insulation (EPS, or polystyrene foam, EPPS - extruded polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam), foam glass, sprayed polyurethane foam, ecowool, expanded clay, etc. Natural materials include sawdust, straw, moss, flax, hemp and other eco-friendly materials.

There are a lot of materials, you can write a separate article about each. A good example is the features of insulating a house with expanded clay.

To decide on the type of material, you need to pay attention to the following parameters: thermal conductivity coefficient, hygroscopicity, density, flammability class, efficiency, environmental friendliness, durability. You also need to understand in advance what and how you are going to insulate. Those. – select the scope of application of the material. To do this, we ask ourselves the question in which structural unit of the house the insulation should work. To materials that are used in the construction and insulation of the foundation (USHP type) and the manufacture of insulated blind areas, i.e. Those working in the ground, in aggressive environments, are subject to certain requirements. These are resistance to moisture accumulation, rotting, high compressive strength, thermal efficiency, and durability.

When choosing insulation for walls, you need to take into account the vapor permeability of the material, i.e. can steam escape from the house to the outside, or will the material “lock” it inside the structure, which will lead to moisture accumulation and waterlogging. This can happen if a vapor-opaque material is installed outside the house and the rule is violated: in multilayer structures, the vapor transparency of the layers increases from the inside to the outside. In this case, even the best home insulation will not work.

We also do not forget about the density of the material (in kg/m3), ease of installation in hard-to-reach places (when insulating a roof of complex shape), non-caking, environmental friendliness and resistance to combustion.

You also need to pay attention to the thermal conductivity coefficient of the material. Moreover, it should be taken into account both for the material in a dry state and in normal operation, in which the material can be “saturated” with moisture, which will negatively affect its heat-insulating properties.

For clarity, the average values ​​are summarized in the following table. We hope it will help you decide which insulation to choose.

After familiarizing yourself with the numbers, an unprepared developer may want to find a universal, effective insulation material that can be used to insulate all the structures of a house, rather than racking his brains over choosing and studying the technical features of different types of materials.

Each of the available types of materials has its own advantages and disadvantages. I was thinking about a material for my bathhouse, in which, at the same time, I would like to have a combination of high resistance to water vapor diffusion (low vapor permeability) with simultaneous non-flammability and flexibility. I would like effective insulation to have an affordable price tag. Such material does not exist in nature, so compromises have to be made.

The most common types of insulation

Thermal panels

Facade thermal panels are ready-made systems consisting of two layers: thermal protection and facing. They do not require any additional finishing or painting. Polyurethane foam or polystyrene foam is often used as insulation.

The decorative layer is usually made of brick-like clinker tiles or colored marble chips. Recently, products with porcelain stoneware finishes have also been produced. Thermal panels can be mounted on any type of wall from concrete, brick to timber or cinder blocks.

Their technical characteristics and service life depend on the material of manufacture. Installation of such structures is simple - they are simply attached to profiles.

Facade thermal panels do not require additional finishing

Improved versions of thermal panels have a tongue-and-groove side fastening, which eliminates the appearance of cold bridges. Such panels do not require additional processing of the seams or filling them with mortar.

Through poorly insulated windows and doors, up to 20-30% of the heated air can escape from the house, so do not forget about careful finishing and plastering of the slopes. It is also necessary to think about the ventilation system - if it is installed incorrectly, up to 30-35% of the heat can be lost.