One of the most common methods of thermal insulation of the foundation today is the use of foam, which is a polymeric material with a closed cell structure. 98% of it consists of air, which, as you know, is the best heat insulator. Working with the material is quite simple due to its low weight.
Why choose penoplex
This insulation for the foundation has a low water absorption, which is 0.5% of the volume during the life of the unit. Closed cells are filled with air, which acts as an excellent heat insulator. Due to the water-repellent characteristics, the material retains its properties in arbitrarily difficult conditions, it is not subject to destruction upon freezing of internal moisture. If you want to make the foundation warming with foam by yourself, you will need to purchase material that is available in the form of plates of different thicknesses. Products may have mounting grooves that allow the use of thermal insulation with maximum efficiency. It can be strengthened quickly, excluding the formation of cold bridges, seams and gaps.
The main methods of warming the base of the house with foam
If you decide to apply the described insulation for the foundation, then you can take one of the existing technologies as the basis of the work. Thus, the insulation can be vertical, while protecting not only the foundation itself, but also the base. Such manipulations are carried out, as a rule, from the outside of the building, the space inside the house and the foundation wall is protected, which significantly increases the life of the building.
Penoplex, the thickness of which is usually 50-100 mm, is installed on the prepared surface using a polymer-based adhesive solution or cement. When installing the material in the basement of the plate, it will be necessary to additionally fix it with special dowels. Horizontal warming of a shallow-deep strip foundation implies protection of structures from freezing and from the influence of tangential forces of frost heaving. For the work, the plates will need to be laid under the foundation foundation.
If you decide to make the foundation warming yourself with penoplex yourself, then the technology may include the formation of a blind area around the house, which is complemented by the described thermal insulation. This method is indispensable for protecting the building from the deformation forces of frost heaving. Especially relevant technology on highly heaving soils. Initially, it will be necessary to prepare a pillow on which the foam plate is laid, only after which it is necessary to proceed to the formation of a concrete blind area.
Recommendations for vertical thermal insulation
Do-it-yourself warming of the foundation with penoplex can be carried out according to the method of vertical thermal insulation. This method is universal, as it can be used on a building under construction and on an already built one. In the latter case, it is necessary to dig out the base to a depth. Initially, the foundation is cleaned of soil residues, all kinds of pollution and dust. If the surface has irregularities, then it can be leveled with cement mortar.
At the next stage, coating is applied with water-based bitumen or polymer mastic. The solvent-based composition should be discarded, since the foam can come into contact with them. You will need to purchase an adhesive for expanded polystyrene, which is diluted according to the instructions. It should be mixed well and left to ripen. Next, the master proceeds to mark the foundation, on the surface of which the bottom line of laying the slabs should be indicated. If the design has irregularities, then the insulation can go deeper below the level of the sole, which, however, will not adversely affect the final effect.
Methodology
If you decide to carry out the insulation of the foundation with penoplex yourself, then at the next stage it is necessary to apply glue to the thermal insulation in several places. In the presence of a completely flat surface, the composition can be evened out evenly.
Next, a 50 mm thick foam foam is pressed against the foundation, and then leveled if necessary. The next element is fixed using the mounting groove. Sometimes it is required to install foam in several layers, while the components of the insulation system need to be staggered so that the second layer overlaps the seam of the previous one. This will achieve a positive effect. The second layer is fixed on the same glue, but the technology is no different.
Specialist advice
Quite often, lately, the foundation has been insulated with foam. The technology for carrying out these works should be studied by each master who intends to engage in these manipulations. In the underground part of the base, additional fixation when laying the foam is not required, since when filling it will be sufficiently tightly pressed by the soil. In the basement area, penoplex is additionally fastened with special dowel-nails. They have a wide plastic hat, which allows you to hold the material on the wall without rising above its surface.
Holes should be drilled through the slabs, which should go into concrete 4 centimeters. Then you can proceed with the installation of fasteners. The length of the drill must be selected taking into account the thickness of the material. If you are warming the foundation with foam, the technology of which is described in the article, then for decorative finishing of the basement you can apply tile adhesive or plaster to the surface, additionally reinforcing the layers with a mesh.
Thermal insulation of the slab foundation
If the building is installed on a slab or strip foundation, foam can be used for work, the thickness of which is 5-10 centimeters. Initially, it is necessary to mark the site under the foundation, and then remove the topsoil, deepening taking into account the construction project. When taking out the soil, try to make the bottom as flat as possible, for this the last 30 centimeters are best removed manually. The prepared site is well rammed, and then it is covered with sand, which also needs to be compacted.
Before warming the foundation of the slab type, it is necessary to perform temporary formwork, and then prepare the concrete base. The next step will be to fill the solution with a thin layer, formation is not required. As soon as the concrete base hardens, foam boards are laid on it, the mounting grooves in which do not form gaps. A polyethylene film is laid on the foam, the joints of which should be glued with tape. Using it, you will be able to create a waterproofing layer that will prevent concrete from flowing through the insulation boards.
What you need to pay attention to
To carry out these works, you can use a penoplex of 50 mm thickness, this will be enough for regions with not too harsh climate. After all the above works are completed, it is possible to form the formwork by laying the reinforcement and the gulf of the slab foundation. As soon as the solution hardens, the formwork is removed, and the side walls are additionally thermally insulated with the same material. If we are talking about a shallow strip foundation, then the work should be carried out using a similar technology.
Basement insulation by soil thermal insulation
If you are thinking about how to insulate the foundation, you can choose a technique that provides for thermal insulation of the soil. This not only reduces the estimated depth of the foundation, but also reduces construction costs. During the work, it is necessary to equip the insulated blind area. Once the vertical external thermal insulation has been completed, backfill with gravel and sand should be carried out 15 centimeters below the ground level.
Next, we should proceed to the formation of formwork from boards with a distance of a meter from the wall. The height of this design should be approximately 30 centimeters. Penoplex, the installation of which will be carried out somewhat later, is purchased in advance. At the next stage, the bottom of the blind area must be tamped and leveled. Now you can start laying the insulation boards around the perimeter of the base. A plastic film with an overlap on the base is placed on the insulation, after which concrete can be poured into the formwork. Its surface is leveled to form a slight bias on the outside. After the solution has solidified, the formwork can be removed, and the blind area should be ennobled with decorative stone or paving slabs.
Cost
Penoplex, the cost of which is 1580 rubles, is supplied in separate packages. For example, the consumer will have to pay the mentioned price for 5.76 square meters of material, which is 0.288 cubic meters, or 8 plates.