Having built their own house, many people think about how comfortable it will be to live in the winter. To do this, install the heating system and seal the connecting seams. With relatively thin walls, heat will leave the room, and energy costs for heating the building will increase significantly. Insulation of walls is recommended to prevent these troubles. Then, they will not only physically protect your cottage from uninvited guests but also serve as a good heat insulator.
The following types of insulation are often used as such material:
- Mineral wool,
- Polystyrene,
- Foam sheets;
- Penoplex,
- Polyurethane foam, and many others.
Thermal insulation of walls is carry out both from the outside and inside. Choose one of the insulation sides based on the individual characteristics of the house. Those who are particularly heat-loving can insulate walls both outside and inside. Still, such measures are not always justified: many materials will be used, and the achieved effect will differ very little from one-sided thermal insulation. Such actions will be acceptable in the Far North, which is always cold. First of all, before installation work, an assessment is made of the climatic and territorial features of the cottage’s location, and the customer’s wishes are also taken into account (some fundamentally use double insulation to be sure of the effectiveness of thermal insulation).
Installation of insulation from the inside
Suppose the choice fell on insulation of walls from inside the room. In that case, the following disadvantages of this method should be taken into account:
- Due to the thickening of the walls, the proper internal area of the rooms is reduce;
- There is a possibility of a dew point appearing between the layer of heat-insulating material and the wall. However, despite certain disadvantages, insulating walls from the inside also has advantages:
- Carry Installation work in any weather. Snow and rain are not a problem if installers work inside the house.
- If the building façade has already been installed, it is unnecessary to dismantle and reinstall it.
Installation of insulation outside
Suppose you want to insulate the house from the outside. In that case, you should consider such disadvantages as
- There is a need to dismantle the decorative elements of the building. However, this type of installation also has significant advantages:
- No need to sacrifice the internal space of the room;
- There is no need to install a particular vapour barrier.
After all the preparatory stages of installing the insulation, you must lay down all the layers of future thermal insulation. This arrangement of material is called a “pie wall.” It is necessary to create a comfortable environment in the rooms without the formation of steam, condensation and other troubles.
In cottages made of timber or logs, the following elements act as a pie:
- Load-bearing wall made of wood;
- Horizontal grille for building cladding, made of wooden or metal slats;
- Insulating material, the type of which is select based on the individual preferences of the customer;
- Membrane fabric, which is necessary for protection from wind gusts and the formation of condensation (presented in the form of a film covering with small perforations);
- Vertical facing grille;
- Materials for decorative wall finishing;
- Film fabric designed to protect walls from vaporization;
- Materials for the internal cladding of the building. If, due to circumstances, wooden elements are chosen for insulation, then you should not save on them. Choose only high-quality materials that have been dried naturally under the sun. Remember, your choice today determines how your “tomorrow” will be.
What materials are best to insulate walls?
The selected type of insulation of walls must meet several requirements, especially if the issue concerns a residential building. So, the material must resist decay, be non-flammable, and consist of environmentally friendly substances. Among other things, it must reliably fulfil its intended purpose.
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Particularly popular thermal insulators include the following:
- Basalt mineral wool. This is the most purchased and, therefore, the most commonly found material. It protects walls well from temperature changes. In addition to thermal insulation, it performs soundproofing functions and is fireproof. Its strength and high hygroscopicity make it easy to carry out installation work without fear of damaging the material. However, due to the latter characteristic, the heat insulator must be installed with a vapour barrier.
- Foam sheets. It is a toxic method of insulation. If this option suits you, you will need polystyrene foam and the fencing system. The advantages include lightweight, sound and thermal insulation, but the material breaks easily, which causes inconvenience for installers.
- Glass wool. This is a more economical option for mineral wool. It retains heat worse than its expensive counterpart, but this is a good way if the main issue is material waste. You must have protective equipment (gloves, suit) when performing installation work. Tiny particles of the material are detrimental to delicate human skin, so it is necessary to minimize direct contact with the material.
- Isoplat is one of the most environmentally friendly materials. It consists of tightly collected flax fibres and wood sawdust. It is strong enough and does not require a restraint system to function correctly.
- Polyurethane. It is apply to the wall surface by spraying from a particular container. This material has all the positive insulation qualities, but its price is much higher than similar products. When choosing from the variety of materials presented by the manufacturer, first of all, determine the required insulation, assessing the parameters of the house and the need to use a specific heat insulator.
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How to get rid of cracks at the joints of insulation?
If we are talking about logs or beams, they dry out over time, causing cracks to appear between them. This problem may arise a year after the record is collect. Logs dry out under the influence of the sun and summer temperatures, leaving uneven areas at the joints. They can seal with one of the proposed options:
- Foams for installation and different sealants. The primary condition is that the composition must not contain acrylic or resistance to winter frosts.
- Sawdust containing an adhesive substance. Effective for filling small cracks at the joints of logs.
- Construction mixtures for finishing walls. They perform a double function: they hide external imperfections in the wall and seal cracks. Wooden houses require constant monitoring. If you only notice a gap that has formed, it needs to cover up as quickly as possible. This will preserve the house’s insulation and prevent further wall deterioration.
The nuances of installing the sheathing
Wooden sheathing is usually use in houses. A metal grid is advisable in cases where the walls are plan to cover with plasterboard. Before installation, it is necessary to prepare materials:
- It would help if you marked the future grid. Its width is select according to the following formula: the width of the material minus a few millimetres. These measures are necessary to ensure that the heat insulator fits tightly into place.
- Racks are made for installation on the corners of the wall. To do this, select wooden beams of specific sizes and install them perpendicular to each other.
Install the boards in a vertical position.
Many companies offer home insulation on Central Coast. To choose the best one, consider good customer reviews, a strong track record, and competitive pricing.
Vapor barrier and waterproofing of walls in Sydney homes
Installing a vapour barrier and waterproofing layer is necessary when insulating walls internally. Vapor barrier materials can be
- polypropylene films,
- foamed polymer films,
- foil films,
- diffusion membranes. There are the following nuances of installing a vapour barrier layer:
- The material is place on top of each other with a margin of several centimetres, after which it is secure with staplers.
- The grid cells must have a length and width of up to 5 centimetres.
- Cover the wall surface with a protective layer.
People often use roofing as protection against excessive humidity. It is an inexpensive and, at the same time, effective material. Its only drawback is its relatively short service life. Protection from steam and water is necessary to prevent the rotting of the insulation and walls. Vapour barriers and waterproofing must install to avoid condensation and ensure dryness of the wall pie. They significantly increase the service life of the heat insulator and save the house from high humidity and cold. They give excellent results for relatively little money when used together with insulation. Simultaneous installation work significantly reduces installation costs. Thus, insulation inside and outside the building can be done effectively using modern insulation. If you carry out all the stages of laying pie materials according to proven technology using insulation materials recommended for this type of cottage, you can achieve a good result: the walls will retain heat well in the room and thereby create a favourable indoor microclimate during long frosty winters
