One of the most important details of the thermal insulation of the base of the house is the insulation of the basement and the blind area. This set of measures significantly reduces the cost of paying for utilities, and also eliminates the vertical movement of the blind area due to freezing of the soil.
Is it necessary to insulate the base
Some argue that the insulation of the walls of the building is enough, but even if you use the most effective material for this, cold bridges will still form at the floor level. The reasons for their occurrence are that the thermal conductivity of structural materials is much higher compared to insulation. Among other things, the basement or subfloor also remains insulated, this contributes to heat loss through the floor. That is why it is necessary to insulate the foundation, base and blind area.
The need for insulation of the blind areas
The blind area is the foot of the building, it is located on top of the base and protrudes beyond it. Obviously, for this reason, this part of the house is exposed to the negative effects of precipitation. Insulation of the base with polystyrene foam allows you to save heat in the house, which is especially true for wooden buildings. Warming with extruded polystyrene foam, reviews of which you can read below, involves the use of a material that has an insignificant level of thermal conductivity, it is highly compressive. The quality of the insulation is determined by the uniformity structure of the closed cells, they are not filled with water, and a low level of moisture absorption provides high resistance to temperatures below zero. The period of operation of high-quality material is not less than 50 years.
Thermal Insulation Recommendations
The insulation of the base with extruded polystyrene foam is carried out according to the technology, which provides for the determination of wall thickness, geographical area and the material at the base of the ceilings. On sale you can find polystyrene foam boards, the thickness of which varies from 3 to 12 cm. The desired thickness can be determined taking into account the weather conditions of the region where the construction is carried out. If the work is carried out in the middle lane of the CIS, it is best to use extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 5 cm or more for thermal insulation.
The corners will freeze in the first place, therefore they are protected with slabs, the thickness of which reaches 10 cm. If thermal insulation is only planned at the stage of building a house, it is advisable to erect a sunken basement, which will hide the layers of thermal and waterproofing. Part of the basement will be located underground, therefore, it is exposed to aggressive environmental factors and groundwater, as well as low temperatures. This can cause destruction of the base.
Technology of work
Thermal insulation should be on the outside of the building. Plates are laid against the walls of the plinth using non-aggressive glue. The composition should not contain solvents that would be able to destroy the material. The adhesion of the insulation with glue will be higher if the work is carried out at a temperature above +5 ° C. Compliance with these recommendations will be a guarantee that, when frozen, the surface of the wall will not be covered with cracks. Before covering the surface of the base with insulating material, it is necessary to treat it with a thin layer of plaster, which will get rid of cracks, bumps and pits. For this, it is necessary to prepare a cement-sand or lime mortar. In extreme cases, you can use a gypsum composition.
Methodology
The insulation of the base with extruded polystyrene foam in the next step involves checking the plaster layer for moisture. As soon as the setting step is completed, the base should be sanded and cleaned of dust and dirt. Expanded polystyrene plates must be fixed to the base with glue, which is intended for the described material. Using a brush or roller, the composition should be applied to the surface of the socle, as well as to the back of the insulation plate.
When the basement is insulated with extruded polystyrene foam, the material should be laid with an overlap on the basement. The overlap width can vary from 10 to 12 cm, this will increase the heat resistance of the floor inside the building and reduce heat loss. When installing the plates, it is necessary to exclude irregularities, while using a construction rail or a special level. The plates are fixed with a hammer drill, which will fix the metal mesh. In this case, the plate and base are pulled together. In order for the polystyrene foam to protect against external factors, it is covered with plaster, which is complemented by a fiberglass or metal mesh. On top you need to fix the facing materials.
The nuances of the work
The thickness of the basement insulation with extruded polystyrene foam was mentioned above. If you want to make thermal insulation more efficient, the layer should be more massive. Plates can be fixed not only with polyurethane adhesive, but also with the use of bitumen-polymer mastic cold hardening. It is necessary to apply the composition over the entire surface or in separate points. If you choose a mixture that contains a solvent among the ingredients, it can destroy the structure of polystyrene foam. Therefore, on the heat-insulating qualities and durability, this feature of the adhesive can adversely affect.
Due to the fact that mechanical fastening can violate the integrity of the waterproofing layer and cause leakage into the basement walls, experts do not recommend fixing the plates, hoping only on the strength of the glue. You can independently insulate the base with extruded polystyrene foam, the technology is described in the article. From it you can find out that almost all models of plates of the described insulation material made of expanded polystyrene contain a notch along the perimeter, this allows you to dock the canvas, forming a lock. If you purchase these paintings, then rid the surface of the bridges of cold. When cutting, the joint of adjacent plates should be smeared with glue or mastic.
Is it possible to install plates in two layers
Some experts are still solving the question of whether it is possible to fix the expanded polystyrene plates in two layers in order to achieve the desired thickness. Some say that the high adhesion of glue and mastic allows you to get a monolithic double layer. To exclude the formation of cold bridges, it is necessary to ensure that during installation no overlap of the seams is allowed. Others argue that with vertical displacements of the soil, thermal insulation can delaminate. As a result, moisture penetrates between the layers, which causes an increase in heat loss.
The bottom row must be mounted, focusing on the base. The best option will be the existing ledge of the foundation, which is formed at the filling stage. But quite often, the insulation is mounted on a backfill of gravel, where the foundation is installed. Wild stone, brick, tile or decorative plaster, as well as facade paint, are laid on top of the insulation. Each of these materials can become a decorative finish. But you can not call the best choice silicate brick or decorative tiles, since at minus temperatures, chips can form at the edges of these materials.
Blind insulation
The insulation of the basement and the blind area with extruded polystyrene foam is being carried out more often today. If you decide to insulate the blind area, then you first need to prepare the territory. The place is freed, the fertile soil layer is removed to the depth of the thermal insulation. The laying depth of the insulation is determined depending on the thermal characteristics: the higher they are, the less the layer should be. It is necessary to get rid of large roots, if this is not done, then after some time vegetation will appear on the site of the blind area. In a place cleared of soil, rubble should be laid, which will serve as a drainage.
The insulation of the house with extruded polystyrene foam in the blind area at the next stage involves the equipment of the perimeter with removable formwork. It is necessary to get rid of the possibility of water leakage with the help of clay, which is distributed along the trench. Tamp it, forming a 20-centimeter layer. Then sand is laid, which will serve as the underlying layer. In order to ensure shrinkage, pour water from above. Next, thermal insulation is laid, the next layer will be water-repellent paving slabs, stone or any other material.
Reviews
Extruded polystyrene foam, according to users, is a good solution for warming the base and the blind area. Stacking the material is quite simple. Even a novice home master will be able to understand the technology. For work, you don’t need to purchase additional equipment, and the joints obtained should be filled with mounting foam, which you can buy in the building materials store. According to buyers, extruded foam can be used with any decorative material that is laid at the final stage, which any person who has been involved in repair work at least once in his life will also be able to handle.
Conclusion
The design, which turned out to be broken, ceases to fulfill its functions. This can affect the appearance of drafts inside the house. If you are considering the question of whether to insulate the base with extruded polystyrene foam, then it is worth noting that this material does not harm human health.