The question of how to insulate a well from concrete rings worries mainly summer residents, owners of private houses and villagers. Most often, this issue is resolved even before the start of the construction of the well, taking into account climatic conditions. But this does not always happen. It happens that they did not think about warming initially. And faced with a problem and freezing of water in the well in winter, its owner is fully aware of his mistake. Thus, the answer to the question of well insulation can be divided into two specific guidelines. The first will tell you how to insulate a well from concrete rings immediately during construction. The second is about what can be done after the fact.
Why didn’t anyone warm the wells before?
The use of modern materials greatly facilitates the construction process. This is speed, durability, and economic feasibility. But the "grandfathering" methods tested by centuries have the right to exist. Previously, wells in Russia were built primarily from wood of special species. The excellent characteristics of such a well allowed it to be used for many years, and the low thermal conductivity of wood did not allow water to freeze even in the most severe frosts. But now such technologies are a thing of the past, and most often they use ready-made concrete circles for construction. By digging them, they are gradually immersed in the ground, reaching the desired depth. So that the water inside the well does not become ice, its level should not reach the level of freezing of the soil in winter. If this condition is met, then problems are extremely rare. But no one is protected from force majeure and natural disasters. In any case, reinsurance does not hurt in advance, because it does not require much additional effort, and the funds spent on insulation are not so large as to take risks.
What will happen if you do not create a thermal insulation layer?
Ignoring the insulation can cause not only the inconvenience of a lack of drinking water for some time. If a pumping station is installed in the well, and water pipes go from it to the house, then freezing water will lead to the failure of all equipment. Repairing it is a very expensive procedure, in addition, the matter is complicated by the fact that the soil thoroughly freezes in winter, and if the water in the pipes also freezes, this can cause them to rupture. Restoration work will need to be done in difficult conditions or generally postponed until spring. The expansion of the liquid during freezing is also the cause of the destruction of concrete rings and joints between them. In the spring, during floods, abundant runoff of groundwater, their pressure on the walls of the well increases significantly. And any holes will lead to the inevitable leakage of dirty water with various impurities into the well. To avoid such a problem, you need to immediately learn how to insulate a well from concrete rings and perform all the work correctly.
At what depth should the insulation be laid?
When the work is done during construction, the insulation must be laid around the well gradually, as it is instilled. The depth of the insulation bookmark depends on the climate in the region. It happens that even very deep krinitsa freeze, the depth of which exceeds 15-20 meters. Most often, it will be enough to lay the insulation to a depth of not more than one and a half to two meters. The technology of this process is simple, the main thing is to follow the instructions on how to insulate the well. The methods of warming the well largely depend on what winter is in the region.
External insulation
If the frosts are not very strong, the earth does not freeze deeply and for a long time, then you can protect the krynitsa from above by installing a wooden frame above it with a tightly closed lid. Such a house can not just be put on the ground around the well. For him, it is necessary to equip the foundation. To avoid distortion and subsidence, the foundation should be arranged in accordance with all the rules, to a sufficient depth (not less than the average level of freezing of the earth) with a width of one meter. Before the concrete solution is poured, a pillow is created at the bottom of the layers of sand, gravel and soil, which will play the role of a drainage system. The pillow must be carefully tamped and then fill in the solution. After installing a wooden log house, a heater should be laid in the cracks formed between it and the walls of the well. For this purpose, you can use mineral wool, polystyrene sheets, expanded clay or penoizol. Residents of the southern regions speak well of this method; those who live north are dissatisfied with the results.
Well insulation technology
How to insulate a well from concrete rings underground is a slightly more complicated question. Such work is carried out in several stages.
- Well rings must first be treated with special means to prevent the penetration of groundwater into. But when choosing, it is important to consider the environmental friendliness and the possibility of using the product in working with wells.
- The next layer is directly a layer of insulation. What to insulate a well from concrete rings, we will consider a little further.
- The insulation must be wrapped with a hydro- and vapor barrier layer. Most often, a film is used for these purposes. Such a measure will help to avoid contact of the insulation with the soil, condensation settling on it.
- To fix the entire structure around the rings, a wooden formwork is installed, it holds all the layers together.
- In conclusion, the trench should be covered with earth. For this process, experts advise against using soil from the trench itself. It will be correct to alternate layers of two materials with different caliber. It can be sand and gravel or clay with expanded clay. Layers with a fine fraction are usually laid up to 15 cm thick, and others 20 cm thick. This measure will help to create a high-quality drainage system, this will reduce the risk of water contamination in the well and reduce pressure on its walls.
This is a classic, time-tested method, and the reviews about it are the most positive.
What if the krynica is already built?
How to warm a well from concrete rings for the winter, if it is already built? The technology itself is the same as in the previous case, but the trench will have to be excavated. Such work must be done manually with a shovel. The use of specialized equipment can lead to displacement of soil and rings, a violation of the integrity of the soil layers. The rest of the work is performed according to the given technology. Separately, it is worth noting that it is very important to worry about a good cover for the well. Heat loss due to its absence or poor fit to the edges will also cause freezing of water. When a wooden blockhouse or other structure is installed above the well, its cover is made in the form of a multilayer panel, in the middle of which a layer of foam or mineral wool is laid. An unformed well outside is closed with a concrete hatch and a plastic plug. Those who live in areas with warm winters characterize this method as quite cheap and practical.
What insulation options are usually used?
To find out how to properly insulate a well from concrete rings, you need to know how to do this. There are quite a few options. Among the newest - insulation with penoizol. The application of such material on the walls of the well eliminates seams, penoizol completely covers the entire space, eliminates the leakage of cold air or water. Such technology implies the use of special equipment, it will not work out manually. And the cost of the service is not cheap, so it is still not very common in our country. In warm regions, mineral wool is sometimes used on foil isol. The advantage of this option is the ability to tightly wrap the insulation around the well. But some experts caution that this material crumbles easily and, over time, can break down into individual fibers and fall into the well’s water.
Polystyrene insulation
Insulating a well from concrete rings with expanded polystyrene is the most successful option, experts say. The properties of this material are truly unique. It is an excellent barrier to cold air, and is also very durable and inexpensive. For these purposes, sheet material is most often used, which is not always convenient, because it is problematic to bypass sheets of rounded ring shapes.
Manufacturers have found a way out of the situation and offer consumers ready-made insulation parts that have a semicircular shape. Sizes produce standard, under the most common diameters of well rings. In addition, granular bulk polystyrene foam can be used . In this case, in order to create a framework, it is necessary to attach a layer of roofing material to the soil around the walls of the mold using wooden slats and pour the granules into the opening formed. In this way, you can insulate the well not only with foam balls, but also with other loose heaters.
This is an effective method, and the owners of the wells, who chose it, confirm the reliability of such thermal insulation.