Aerated concrete houses are erected on suburban areas in Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union very often. The undoubted advantage of foamed blocks is ease of installation, low weight, even geometry. Buildings constructed using such material, even though it is relatively thin, are warm and comfortable to live in.
Do I need insulation
Aerated concrete protects the interior of the building from cold well enough. In any case, it surpasses brick or ordinary cement blocks. However, building houses from such material without additional thermal insulation is allowed mainly only in regions with a mild climate. Owners of suburban plots located in cold areas should think about how to insulate a house from aerated concrete from the outside.
The peculiarity of foamed blocks is primarily that there are quite a lot of pores in their thickness. Through them, in windy weather, cold air can enter the house. The same goes for moisture. Therefore, in northern areas or in regions with a humid climate, it is mandatory to insulate houses made of aerated concrete without fail.
What factors should be considered when choosing an insulator
Different materials can be used for warming aerated concrete houses. Such insulators are distinguished by the following characteristics:
degree of thermal conductivity - some materials can protect buildings from the cold better, others worse;
vapor permeability;
fire resistance - on the market there are materials of this type combustible and non-combustible;
moisture resistance - some species are afraid of water, others are not.
Since aerated concrete itself, unlike wood, is not subject to fire, it is possible to choose both fireproof materials and combustible materials for cladding such walls. In terms of thermal conductivity, almost all modern insulators have good characteristics. In this regard, almost any material can be used for foam concrete.
Vapor permeability
Owners of suburban areas who have wondered how to insulate a house from aerated concrete from the outside, especially when choosing an insulator, should pay attention to this very characteristic of it. The fact is that walls from such material pass pairs very well. This happens, as already mentioned, due to the presence of a large number of pores in blocks of this type.
According to the norms of SNiP, for the insulation of facades from the outside it is supposed to use exclusively materials with a greater degree of vapor permeability than the walls themselves. Otherwise, the dew point during the operation of the building will shift into the thickness of the building envelope. This in turn will result in:
If the insulation will have a lower degree of vapor permeability than the material used to build the walls, the humidity in the house will always be higher than on the street. That is, not too comfortable and healthy microclimate will be created in the premises.
In connection with all this, to choose a suitable insulation for aerated concrete in terms of vapor permeability, unfortunately, is quite difficult. Only the following types of materials are considered suitable for insulating the walls of this variety from the outside:
mineral wool;
polystyrene foam.
In some cases, insulation from the facade of the house from aerated concrete can be made using ecowool.
Features of the installation of insulators
Plaster, unfortunately, has a lower degree of vapor permeability than aerated concrete. Therefore, it is not recommended to finish such buildings with it. Therefore, in most cases it is necessary to insulate aerated concrete walls by the method of the frame. When applying this technology at the final stage, not plaster, but siding, profiled sheets, lining, etc. are used for finishing the facades of the building. At the same time, when installing such materials in the wall cake, a ventilation layer is also equipped. That is, the covering of this type does not exert a special influence on the vapor permeability of the walls.
Warming a house from aerated concrete from the outside with polystyrene foam in some cases can also be done in a frameless way. However, for its finishing using this technology, it is supposed to use only thin-layer types of plaster.
The benefits of mineral wool
It is this material that is used most often for warming a house from aerated concrete outside. First of all, minvata has the advantage of being characterized by a low degree of thermal conductivity. In this regard, basalt slabs surpass both ecowool and expanded polystyrene.
Another clear advantage of mineral wool is incombustibility. Also, the advantage of this material, of course, is its low cost. The price of basalt slabs is lower than that of expanded polystyrene and especially ecowool.
Many private developers include the advantages of basalt slabs, including the ease of installation. Such material is installed between the uprights of the frame when cladding the facades completely, without the use of any additional fasteners. Warming the walls of the house from aerated concrete from the outside with the use of plates of this type, thus, becomes a procedure that even an inexperienced person in construction can perform.
Relate to the advantages of mineral wool and its fire resistance. Such material cannot catch fire in a private home under any circumstances.
Cons basalt slabs
Mineral wool, of course, is the best answer to the question of how to better insulate a house from aerated concrete from the outside. There are many advantages to this material. But there are, of course, minvats and cons.
Private developers consider the main disadvantage of such material is that it is capable of absorbing moisture. At the same time, wet basalt slabs do not fulfill their task of wall insulation effectively. Therefore, when using mineral wool for insulation of aerated concrete walls, one has to use the most high-quality hydro- and vapor insulators.
Another disadvantage of this type of material is considered not a very high degree of environmental safety. Such plates are made using harmful phenol-formaldehydes. Therefore, during operation, they can emit harmful fumes into the air.
How to insulate a house from aerated concrete from the outside: the choice of mineral wool
Practically any basalt slabs can be used for cladding houses of this variety. This can be a material with a thickness of 5 to 20 cm and a density of up to 220 kg / m 3 . Too soft cotton wool for insulation of facades, including aerated concrete, experienced builders do not advise. Such material will subsequently be difficult to mount. In addition, during operation, after a few years, it may slide down a bit. As a result, the top of the wall will remain unprotected. Choosing for facades is best not particularly dense, but at the same time quite elastic and elastic cotton.
Advantages of expanded polystyrene and foam
Such material for warming aerated concrete houses is also used quite often. The degree of vapor conductivity is lower than that of mineral wool. But at the same time, it is higher than that of aerated concrete itself.
The main advantage of polystyrene foam and one of its varieties - foam, in comparison with mineral wool, is a lower degree of thermal conductivity. It will be somewhat more effective to retain heat in an aerated concrete house. In addition, expanded polystyrene, unlike basalt plates, is not afraid of moisture. With the loss of insulating qualities, it is not saturated with water. Insulating a house from aerated concrete from the outside with foam or polystyrene foam can therefore be very effective.
Material cons
In terms of ease of installation, expanded polystyrene mineral wool is somewhat inferior. Mount it when using both frame and frameless methods on glue with the additional use of plastic dowels. In this case, the joints between such plates are sealed with putty. Indeed, the polystyrene foam elasticity, unlike basalt plates, does not differ.
The disadvantages of this material, in addition to some difficulty in installation, include its rather high cost. Warming a house from aerated concrete with foam or polystyrene foam will most likely cost quite a lot. In any case, the price of such plates is higher than mineral wool.
Another disadvantage of polystyrene foam is that it can be bitten by mice and rats. For warming aerated concrete houses, not very dense expanded polystyrene is usually used. And gnawing such mouse plates can be quite easy.
Some owners of country houses sometimes ask, for example, in specialized forums, whether it is possible to insulate the house with foam. In principle, such material is notable for its insulating qualities. The degree of vapor permeability is also quite high. It is allowed to apply it for warming aerated concrete walls. However, experienced developers do not recommend using this material for external insulation.
Foam is not too expensive. However, it does not differ in particular durability. In addition, such plates are characterized by a high degree of friability. And consequently, it will be very easy for mice to bite them.
Insulation of the facade of the house outside: which polystyrene foam to choose
When buying such material for insulating walls from aerated concrete, you should first determine its thickness. The calculation in this case is made taking into account the density of polystyrene foam and the location of the "dew point".
Most often, in the construction of aerated concrete houses, this type of insulation is used with a thickness of 10 cm and a density of 10 kg / m 3 . When using this material, the house is isolated from the cold effectively and at the same time the “dew point” is carried out from the walls of the foam blocks (D500 300 mm thick).
Ecowool Pros
The degree of thermal conductivity of this material is very low. That is, to insulate the house, including from aerated concrete, with its use you can maximize quality. The undoubted advantages of this insulator can, of course, be attributed to its environmental friendliness. This insulation is made from natural and safe for human health materials.
The advantages of ecowool, among other things, include:
When using ecowool it is not even necessary to use vapor isolators. In the walls, including aerated concrete, moisture accumulation when using such a material does not occur.
Like mineral slabs, ecowool is fire resistant. Of course, this can also be attributed to its undoubted advantages. In addition, this material is also hypoallergenic.
Material flaws
The answer to the question of how to insulate a house from aerated concrete from the outside, ecowool is very good. But of course, this material, like any other building material, has certain disadvantages.
The main disadvantage of ecowool, in comparison with the insulators described above, is the difficulty in installation. Aerated concrete houses are insulated using this material mainly only by specialists. The answer to the question of how to insulate a house from aerated concrete from the outside is properly ecowool is a rather complicated technology.
Such material is applied to aerated concrete walls by spraying. Only in some cases when using such a material can the filling technology be used. But this technique is also difficult. In this case, on the facades, starting from the bottom, the casing is gradually mounted. At the same time, ecowool is gradually phased between it and the walls.
When exposed to high temperatures, ecowool does not flash. However, small pieces of this material are able to smolder. Therefore, spraying ecowool next to the working stoves and fireplaces, for example, is impossible. Another small drawback of this material is the long drying time when applied by the liquid method. The ecowool layer hardens in this case in about a day. This can be considered a minus when construction is carried out at a high pace.
What other heaters can be used
To insulate the walls of aerated concrete houses, only the materials described above are mainly used. However, during the construction of such buildings, in addition to the facades themselves, ceilings and roofing are usually insulated. In this case, mineral wool or expanded polystyrene are most often used for insulation.
In this case, expanded clay can sometimes be used to insulate floors. The advantages of this material include primarily environmental safety, ease of installation and low cost. Expanded clay is considered a small minus only that it is able to absorb moisture. When using this material, as well as basalt plates, it is recommended to use only high-quality waterproofing agents.