The insulation of the fundamental walls according to the old standards - from the inside of the building - ensures the presence of cold bridges. They negatively affect the thermal insulation of the house, the microclimate and the degree of humidity in the room. Now it is more rational to insulate all walls exclusively from the inside when building a house. This method avoids the difference in heat transfer resistance of different sections of the wall; as a result, cold bridges will not form.
What is a "cold bridge"
A cold bridge is a section of the wall, most often at the junction with another surface, through which about half of the thermal energy of the house is lost. Such losses lead not only to a lack of comfortable housing, but also to a significant reduction in the life of the building.
The temperature bridge contributes to the formation of a large amount of condensate on the inner surface of the walls. Bridges of cold, providing low thermal conductivity, slowly destroy the structure. Therefore, when designing a house, you need to take into account that it is more rational to insulate the walls on the outside - so the thermal energy necessary for heating will be lost to a lesser extent, as a result, the material costs of residents will be reduced.
Where they are
Determining the location that provides heat loss is quite simple. Cold bridges are most often located at the transition points of a surface made of one material into a surface with a base of another material.
It can be concrete columns, foundation walls, seams between bricks and blocks, window or doorways, the junction of the roof or floor with the wall. Loggias and balconies can also be called a long bridge - these zones provide the greatest heat loss, but at the same time they are most difficult to completely neutralize.
Fasteners of heat-insulating materials (dowels) are also cold bridges, therefore, when warming a house, you need to follow all the rules, otherwise this procedure will not make sense.
The effects of high heat transfer
If the room loses enough heat, condensation forms on the inner surface of the walls. As you know, dust is most attracted to such a place, so the bridge will be clearly visible even with the naked eye.
Following the dust on the wall, mold and fungal microorganisms begin to develop rapidly. It is almost impossible to get rid of it, because even after painting or redecorating on the renewed surface, mold quickly emerges and worsens the microclimate of the house.
Only the complete elimination of the cold bridge will help prevent its occurrence. In order to neutralize them, some rules should also be observed, because poorly performed insulation of the external walls or foundation can lead to an increase in the thermal conductivity due to the use of a metal frame.
How to get rid of bridges of cold
In order to neutralize high heat losses, it is necessary to carefully consider the project of the house and the way of its insulation. If you need to fix this problem already in the built house, then the insulation of the walls from the outside will help. Such an action will change the dew point, which will reduce heat loss through the walls.
You can order thermal imaging for accuracy in determining cold bridges . So, an exact indication of places that provide heat loss appears, and they can be eliminated.
With external wall insulation, it is important to take into account the distance by which the frame protrudes for polystyrene boards. Since it is made of metal in most cases, new cold bridges may form, which will significantly aggravate the situation with maintaining heat in the house.
Proper insulation of cold bridges is the only solution to deal with them.
Wall insulation
Regardless of the material used to build the walls, there are always cracks, seams, or loosely connected corner elements in them.
A house built of gas silicate blocks can have many temperature bridges in places of cement joints. Such a wall must be insulated without fail, otherwise you can sacrifice your health and the cost of heating the apartment. Another possible option would be to use blocks with a tongue-and-groove fixation system or glue instead of concrete mortar.
Brick walls are the greatest conductors of cold, so it is recommended to warm them immediately. Expanded polystyrene can be used as a heat-insulating material. He well maintains a healthy microclimate in the apartment.
The cold bridges in the frame house are located at the racks. To eliminate them, you need to additionally insulate the walls and level the thermal conductivity of the materials.
Foundation insulation
Since the reinforced concrete wall is most often used for the foundation, neglect of insulation can provoke the loss of a large amount of heat. In order to neutralize this problem, it is necessary to carry out comprehensive insulation, that is, the thermal insulation of the foundation must go to the walls and be continuous.
Cold bridges will significantly decrease if you lay the slab foundation and insulate the floors of the first floors of the building. Particular attention when warming should be given to the corners and the blind area of the house.
Balcony insulation
The longest area of heat loss is the balcony. The cold bridge is a reinforced concrete slab that conducts both cold and heat well. As a result, the cost of air conditioning and heating of the apartment is significantly increased.
To neutralize such a vast area of the bridge, it is necessary to create continuous insulation. Thermal insulation material should be attached to the wall under the balcony, directly to its lower surface, the end of the plate and its upper surface, and also remember to insulate the walls of the balcony. In this case, it will be possible to minimize heat loss.
The only problem with insulation will be the place where the balcony fencing transitions to the wall. It is unlikely that it will be possible to reduce thermal conductivity in this area, but this is not a reason to completely abandon the use of a balcony. Thermal insulation according to the method described above will be sufficient to achieve good thermal insulation.
Having figured out how to avoid the bridges of cold, you can safely proceed to the construction or insulation of buildings. At the same time, it is important to consider that even the most costly procedure in the future will pay off as much as possible, since the payment for home heating services will be significantly reduced, and the microclimate of the apartment will help maintain the health of residents and permanently eliminate problems with high humidity, mold and regularly spoiling repairs.