The foam block is a modern material for the construction of residential buildings. Often such buildings in the cold season can not withstand low temperatures, and the house becomes cold. To maintain a comfortable temperature inside, people choose the option of warming the house from foam blocks outside. This method can significantly reduce the cost of heating the house. In today's article, we will examine in detail the issue of insulation of buildings from foam blocks.
Grounds for insulation outside, not inside the house
The main advantage of external insulation is the preservation of the integrity of the areas inside the building. Thermal insulation includes a heater and a vapor barrier layer. A decorative wall covering is added. Typically, this “sandwich” takes from ten to fifteen centimeters of living space. That is why it is advantageous to start warming the house from foam blocks outside.
It is worth paying attention to the periodic freezing of walls, after which a dew point is formed. Most often, freezing occurs by mistake of builders or designers. This problem must be fixed from the outside of the house. If you put a layer of insulation inside, then nothing will prevent freezing of the wall from the outside. Between the cold outside and the warm inside, condensation will constantly appear. This leads to the destruction of the wall surface over time.
How to choose the right material for insulation?
External insulation of the house from foam blocks is a good solution for residential buildings. The main issue faced by residents concerns the choice of material.
There are several varieties of insulation:
- Polyfoam (expanded polystyrene) is an excellent option for warming the walls of houses from foam blocks. This material is coated with a single layer of special plaster for decoration. The only downside to using polystyrene is the need for an additional ventilation system for the home. Searched material does not allow evaporation of vapors.
- Mineral wool has positively proven itself in terms of vapor permeability. It is a good option to insulate the building. Additional costs will be only for home decoration. Laying of siding panels is possible. Finishes with ceramic tiles look advantageous. Often there is a house covering with glass-magnesium sheets. Warming a house from foam blocks outside with mineral wool is widely used in the construction of cottages.
- It is allowed to use a foam block with a low density. In this case, an additional layer of mineral wool is required. This method is considered the most expensive. The result is a duplication of the wall of foam blocks, which borders on the contours of the original.
- There are insulation of houses from foam blocks with stone wool outside. This method is rarely used due to material costs. Polyfoam is much more advantageous in price compared to it.
- Warming of a house from foam blocks for siding is carried out in the warm season, before the rainy and frost seasons.
What are the features of installing thermal insulation?
After the owner of the house has chosen the material for insulation, you can proceed with the installation work. Warming of the facade of the house from foam blocks is carried out in stages, depending on the material.
Getting to work
Installation of polystyrene is carried out only on a cleaned surface. All possible contamination must be removed. Each edge of the foam block is removed with a punch (if not, then with a chisel).
The surface is primed, there is a maximum strong adhesion of the adhesive to the coating. At the bottom of the base of the wall, you need to install a profile, it is called a basement. It is made of stainless steel in the form of a plate. The profile function is to provide support for thermal insulation. It becomes an additional protection of the insulation from mice and rats.
The next step is to prepare the glue that will be applied to the foam. It is important to follow all recommendations for the preparation of the composition, which are prescribed in the instructions. It is worth preparing the mixer nozzle for a drill in advance. It is convenient for her to mix the adhesive, breaking all the lumps.
In order for a high-quality adhesion of the foam with foam blocks to occur, it is necessary to achieve the roughness of the desired surface. It is allowed to make punctures on the reverse side of the insulation. To do this, you can use a needle roller. If he is not at hand, then you can simply make serifs with a knife on the material used.
You need an umbrella plug. They will need to be fixed in the corners of the plate. Additionally, the center of each surface of the plate is fixed. After that, you can start decorating from the front of the building.
Installation with mineral wool is considered more complicated. To do this, you need to "get your hand" on similar examples. Warming a house from foam blocks from the outside is as follows: the walls are cleaned of contaminants, and then treated with an antiseptic solution.
When the substance has worked, brackets are attached to the walls. They will be required in order to install the crates. It is important not to forget to lay gaskets for thermal insulation. They fit between the wall and the bracket. At the base of the wall put a basement profile. Material for thermal insulation is gradually laid in it. Above the brackets in the end are plates with mineral wool. A special membrane is placed on it. It reliably protects from the wind. The air inside it must constantly change. After the facade is sheathed with selected materials.
How is the foam block installed?
Foam blocks are mounted by analogy with the main wall. Initially, the wall is leveled. All defects and irregularities are removed. The walls are primed. For these works, cement-sand mortar is most often chosen. The surface should dry. This usually takes about two weeks. When the top layer of the wall finally dries, glue is applied to it. It is also applied portionwise to the center. The plate is fixed to the wall in several places. To get a reliable design, you need to re-fasten the material with dowels. When they finish work on thermal protection, they start finishing.
Pros and cons of warming the house from the outside with foam
Warming the walls of houses from foam blocks is a process that has its pros and cons.
The positive points include:
- Foam insulation is a simple method. The material is easy to cut on your own.
- No need to install another frame. Warming is carried out on a glue basis.
- Foam concrete blocks have good waterproofing due to the water-repellent properties of the mixture.
Negative aspects in work:
- With polystyrene, only one minus can be noticed - this is low vapor permeability.
- Residents of the houses say that the temperature inside is too high.
Warming a house from foam blocks outside is characterized by more positive aspects.
Advantages for finishing with mineral wool
Mineral wool has excellent vapor permeability. The material is flexible and therefore easy to lay. Mineral wool provides good thermal insulation for the foam block.
Cons of using mineral wool
By cons can be attributed that it is suitable exclusively for siding. It is necessary to install the crates, and follow the installation plan. Drilling a foam block is difficult, you need an accurate eye to avoid mistakes in the layout. When working, you should be careful and not rush. Then you can avoid the many mistakes that beginners make in this matter. Moisture is absorbed very quickly into this insulation. The owners of the house will have to deal separately with waterproofing work.
Pros of working with polyurethane foam
The advantages of this work include the speed of the insulation fastening. Foam blocks are reliably protected from natural factors. The material is of excellent quality.
Cons of using polyurethane foam
The minuses include the isolated base as a result. This action occurs due to the deposition of material in depth. The pores of the foam block are quickly filled with insulation. It is likely that there will be difficulties with ventilation.
These works are expensive, due to the high price of polyurethane foam. The use of material makes it difficult to repair the insulation layer. Most often you have to invite specialists to work with materials. Usually it is placed under the siding, and in order to repair a small area, you have to disassemble the cladding design from the outside.
Reviews of foam insulation
Warming a house from a foam block with foam is the most popular method of work. It has many advantages, the main of which is ease of use. It is necessary to follow the instructions, and you can safely lay the insulation with your own hands. This product is not cheap, but penoplex has excellent quality. It does not let cold air in and retains heat inside the building. Thanks to these characteristics, it is in high demand in the market of building materials.
Insulation of the house from foam blocks outside helps to save the area. When insulated, inside square meters are reduced (for example, when erecting a false wall).