Insulation of the external wall of a panel house from the outside. How to insulate a multi-storey panel house from the outside of the wall. Selection of material for wall insulation
Panel buildings have weak heat-saving properties. To insulate them, it is worth using heat-saving materials of greater thickness than for houses made of wooden beam, brick. Insulation panel walls outside - best option, which will save up to 50% of heat indoors.
This option is attractive because there is no need to look for temporary housing during the renovation; after the work is completed, the cubic capacity of the apartment does not change. External insulation protects panel houses from freezing, thawing, moisture accumulation, and other atmospheric phenomena.
Preparing for insulation
Thermal insulation panel house outside is carried out by teams of craftsmen. This work can be mastered independently by those who are engaged in industrial mountaineering, that is, directly working as a high-altitude installer. Preparatory work before gluing thermal insulation material look like this:
- Check the tightness of the joints between the slabs of the building. If there are cracks, they are thoroughly cleaned of dust, debris, and dirt for subsequent sealing.
- After cleaning, the joints are dried and primed. From the inside, the cracks are sealed with porous nairite, poroizol for maximum insulation.
- When the joints are processed and sealed, they are primed again, then coated with bitumen mastic.
- After the mastic has dried, begin cleaning the walls. They clean off old peeling plaster and paint, after which the surfaces are primed, which will improve the adhesion of the wall and the adhesive.
Tools that craftsmen use for their work:
- Equipment for industrial mountaineering;
- Bucket, perforator, shovel and drill for it, hammer;
- Umbrellas for attaching insulation, construction knife.
Insulation materials
External insulation of panel buildings is carried out using traditional materials:
- Glass wool – fibrous material with good elasticity and strength. Available in slabs, when working with it you must use individual means protection.
- Foam plastic - foamed plastic with low thermal conductivity, low price, ease of cutting and installation.
Modern thermal insulation materials have the advantages of their predecessors and new advantages. To carry out the work use:
- Polyurethane foam, initially liquid, after hardening, solid insulation, which is poured into the cracks, filling the smallest voids. Retains heat well, ideal for processing hard to reach places, after hardening it forms a monolithic seamless surface.
- Extruded polystyrene foam, which has frost resistance, low thermal conductivity, and does not absorb water.
- Basalt wool, produced from basalt rocks. It is environmentally friendly and has a service life of up to 40 years.
- Mineral wool is a fibrous insulation made from silicates, slag, and rocks. Attracts with its environmental friendliness and ease of installation.
Advantages of external thermal insulation of panel houses
- The wall acquires an aesthetic appearance.
- Mechanical and shrinkage deformations of panels are reduced.
- Temperature fluctuations in the structure are reduced.
- Water absorption of surfaces is reduced, providing an optimal microclimate inside the home.
- The insulation prevents the destruction of structures, creating a reliable moisture barrier.
- Sealing the seams between the slabs increases the heat capacity of the structure and ensures maximum sound and vibration absorption.
Exterior insulation technology for a panel house
Insulation of the facade and end walls panel houses is carried out:
- Dry method, including heat installation protective screen on outer surface buildings.
- Wet method with the application of liquid construction mixtures, for example, decorative plaster.
- Combined, including both of the above technologies.
The advantages of the wet method are that the material is applied in a continuous layer, preventing the formation of cold bridges on the surface of the walls. Decorative plasters give buildings an attractive appearance.
The advantages of the dry method are a wide range of thermal insulation materials and insulation options. The heat shield is strong, durable, and weather resistant.
Work process
After the inspection and processing of the joints between the panels, they proceed directly to cladding the walls and insulating the panel house from the outside. The most common material used is expanded polystyrene sheets. For gluing insulation, ready-made construction adhesives are used. They are applied to polystyrene foam boards, after which they are attached tightly to each other.
Laying begins from the bottom up; if necessary, a level limiter is installed at the bottom. Using rotational movements, distribute evenly glue mixture under the leaf. Another way is to apply the insulation, moving it to the side a couple of centimeters, then, lightly pressing on the sheet, move it to the desired place. Until the adhesive mixture has dried, the sheets are secured with plastic umbrella dowels using a hammer and a hammer drill.
Important: The length of the dowel must be equal to the thickness of the insulation plus 6 cm. For 1 m2 you will need 4 “umbrellas. You should not use metal dowels, which can easily become cold bridges, reducing the temperature inside the home.”
Then, using a spatula, a reinforcing mesh is mounted on top of the heat-insulating materials, which they begin to glue from the end and facade corners of the building. The adhesive mixture is applied to the surface, a reinforcing mesh is placed on top with an overlap of 10 cm, pressing it 2-3 mm into the glue. After this, level the plane with a 2nd layer of glue. When the glue dries, begin finishing the walls on the outside.
Thermal insulation using new materials using modern technologies
The walls of panel buildings today are insulated from the outside with polyurethane foam or penoplex.
Polyurethane foam is not afraid of temperature changes and high humidity. It is available in panels standard width 1.115 m, arbitrary length, thickness - from 25 to 100 mm. The boards can be with a foil layer, coated with paper and cached polyethylene, or paper interspersed with foil. The panels are glued to the adhesive mixtures used for installing penoplex; they can be reinforced on top with mushroom-shaped screws.
Penoplex is many times denser than polystyrene foam, is non-flammable, and has high density. Available in slabs 12060 cm thick, 2-10 cm thick, sometimes with foil on one side. It is laid outside the panel walls as desired, vertically, horizontally, secured with umbrella screws.
Important: If you use penoplex, you should pay attention that ceramic tile does not adhere well to its surface. For reliable adhesion, heavy-duty adhesives are used.
- Before installation thermal insulation material walls should be treated with antifungal compounds.
- Whatever work is carried out, it is worth using a building level.
- Thermal insulation outside is more effective than similar work indoors.
- In parallel with the thermal insulation of the walls, it is worth sealing the cracks in the window openings, under the window sill, and glazing the balcony. This will significantly improve the indoor microclimate.
- Additionally, installing a “warm floor” system inside the apartment will help to insulate the walls.
The content of the article:
Wall insulation is a series of measures aimed at increasing the comfort of living in a house by reducing its heat losses. High-quality thermal insulation of enclosing structures allows you to provide the premises with an acceptable temperature and optimal humidity level. Modern technologies insulation of panel walls provide the opportunity to perform necessary procedures without temporary eviction of residents and with minimal financial costs.
Choosing a method for wall insulation
Compared to brick buildings, panel houses have much less resistance to the effects of sudden temperature changes. In winter concrete walls They freeze very much, and with the onset of heat they condense moisture on their inner surface, which contributes to the formation of mold. In such conditions, the decorative finishing of the room can become completely unusable, not to mention the harmful effect of fungal spores on the health of the inhabitants of the home.
Only the right decision for concrete panel walls is their thermal insulation, which creates internal space“thermos” effect at home. There are two types of wall insulation: internal and external. The choice of any of them depends on the area of the premises, living conditions, number of floors and financial capabilities of the owners.
Owners of private houses have the opportunity to carry out both external and internal insulation themselves. External thermal insulation It will not be possible to do multi-apartment buildings with your own hands, since materials must be laid exclusively on the outside of the house experienced specialists who have permission to conduct high-altitude work and appropriate industrial climber equipment. Such work is not cheap, so many apartment owners prefer to insulate the panel wall from the inside on their own.
Internal wall insulation has more disadvantages than advantages. With such insulation, the area of the room is reduced by an average of 8-10 cm along the entire length of the walls due to the thickness of the insulation and decorative cladding. During the renovation, full use of the room becomes impossible. Foam or mineral wool, which is used as insulation, can cause further allergic reaction body.
But most importantly, the insulation laid on the inside insulates Wall panels from the heating system. This means they are in the zone subzero temperatures. As a result, the dew point shifts to the inner surface of the walls, as a result of which condensation accumulates between the insulation and the enclosing structure, which contributes to the development of fungus. However, with proper internal insulation, many of its negative factors can be minimized.
If it is possible to insulate panel walls from the outside, it is recommended to give preference to this method. It has undoubted advantages:
- The load-bearing walls of the building are covered with insulation and sheathing against weathering and precipitation, which extends its service life.
- By moving the dew point to the outer surface of the walls, they do not freeze in winter and keep the room cool in summer.
- The usable area of the room is preserved, which is especially important for small apartments.
- Unlike internal insulation, the room can be fully used during thermal insulation.
External thermal insulation changes the appearance of the facade. Sometimes this requires permission from the authorities.
Selection of material for wall insulation
Wall insulation is carried out using various heat-insulating materials, which differ from each other in their properties, scope and cost. The most popular of them in this case are foam, glass and mineral basalt wool.
Any wall insulation must be different long-term operation, fire resistance, elasticity, lack of heat loss and the presence of biological protection. Their environmental Safety is also extremely important, especially when used for internal insulation of premises, since low-quality material can negatively affect the health of their inhabitants.
For the right choice it is necessary to know the properties of this or that insulation. Let's look at them in detail:
- Mineral wool. Basalt stone is used as the main raw material for its production. Cotton wool has a fibrous structure, thanks to which the material retains air, which in itself is an excellent heat insulator. Mineral wool is available in slabs or rolls. It has low thermal conductivity, good fire resistance and durability. Its only drawback will be instability to moisture. Therefore, when installing mineral wool, it needs careful waterproofing protection. The material is used for both external and internal insulation of walls in panel house.
- Glass wool. The structure of this insulation is made up of thin glass fibers up to 5 cm long. Previously, the material was very popular, but in last years began to give way to more technologically advanced models. Glass wool does not burn, withstands well low temperatures, has good soundproofing characteristics and low cost. It is not suitable for rodents and does not support the development of fungus and mold. The insulation is environmentally friendly and elastic: if glass wool is compressed, it quickly acquires its original appearance after removal from packaging. However, compared to other thermal insulation materials, the service life of glass wool is slightly lower. In addition, working with it requires the presence of protective equipment for the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. When the glass fibers of the material come into contact with the body, they cause severe itching, so it is recommended to install such insulation in thick clothing and gloves. Special glasses and a respirator will also not be superfluous.
- Styrofoam. This is the most common and economical insulation. There are two types of it: foamed and extruded. They differ in manufacturing technology, appearance and price. The first is cheaper, consists of sintered granules, and the second has a dense, fine-cell structure. Most often, polystyrene foam is produced in the form of slabs. It has excellent heat and sound insulation characteristics, excellent moisture resistance, light weight and durability when installed correctly. The disadvantages of this insulation include its fragility, which mainly concerns foamed foam. Therefore, when purchasing several slabs, it is recommended to take in reserve. Polystyrene foam is a flammable material that, in the event of a fire, releases toxins that are hazardous to health, although the fire itself can hardly be called safe. And lastly: this insulation does not have biological protection, so rodents and mold can grow in it. To minimize risks, you need to work with polystyrene foam in a strictly technological sequence.
- Penofol. It belongs to the new generation of thermal insulation. The insulation is made by foaming polyethylene and has a foil coating. It can be used for external and internal wall insulation. Penofol is produced in the form of rolls and is characterized by its small thickness, which does not affect its heat-insulating qualities. It is environmentally friendly, easy to install and compact for transportation. In addition, this material is characterized by high sound insulation, fire safety and low vapor permeability. The insulation is laid using a special adhesive composition.
- Fibrolite. The insulation is made from compressed wood shavings, magnesium salt or Portland cement serves as a binder. Fiberboard goes on sale in the form of slabs covered with protective film, which prevents the penetration of moisture into the material and the formation of mold. The material is easy to process and easy to install. After installation on the wall, the fiberboard slabs are plastered. After this, the finished coating becomes hard and durable.
- Cork insulation. The material is used for internal insulation of panel walls. Of all the above insulation materials, it is the most environmentally friendly. Cork insulation has high strength, low weight, and low thermal conductivity. It is durable, multifunctional and shrink resistant. The material is produced in the form of plates. After installing them on the wall, there is no need to further finish the coating; it will already have a quite presentable appearance. In addition, cork insulation has good biological protection, which prevents the appearance of various microorganisms. This material is expensive, but the price is more than compensated by its advantages.
- Foamed polyurethane. To apply it to the surface, special equipment and installation of formwork are required. The material goes through the polymerization process very quickly, and after its completion it is covered waterproofing film. The structure of the insulation resembles a frozen layer of polyurethane foam. Its strength is low, so polyurethane must be covered external finishing. Can be used as an additional hard covering plasterboard sheets or plywood. Due to the fact that the entire structure is mounted on a frame, the usable area of the room will be reduced by the thickness of the internal cladding.
Preparing the surface of panel walls for thermal insulation
Before insulating the walls of a panel house with the selected material, it is necessary to prepare them with the preliminary purchase of the appropriate tools. But first you need to determine the source of heat loss through the wall panels. As a rule, residents of the lower floors suffer more than others from cold and dampness. The same applies to rooms that are located at the end parts of the building. In such places there is the largest area of contact between the walls and outside air and humidity.
Cold can enter the room through cracks in door and window openings, but the main cause of heat loss is poor-quality sealing or destruction of the material of interpanel seams. The main indicator of such a defect is the presence of traces of mold in the corners of the ceiling or floor. In addition, the air in the room is constantly damp. Therefore, any insulation of panel walls should begin with sealing the joints between their elements. For this purpose, special silicone-based mixtures are used.
Thermal insulation of panels is recommended to be carried out during the warm season, preferably in summer. The walls must be dry. During internal insulation, their surface should be cleaned of paint, wallpaper and other decorative finishing. When working outside, the façade must also be cleaned and dried. These procedures are performed using manual and electric tools: spatulas, scrapers, drills with attachments, industrial hair dryers and so on.
After cleaning the panel walls, they must be inspected to identify cracks, crevices, depressions and sagging. Lumps can be knocked off the surface using a chisel, and the remaining defects found can be sealed with cement or gypsum mortar. Problem areas Before repair, it should be treated with a primer for better adhesion of materials.
When minor defects in the panels have been eliminated, it is recommended to check their surface with a two-meter strip. The gaps between the wall plane and the attached tool should not exceed 2-3 mm. But usually no problems arise, since the factory concrete products initially smooth. If necessary, continuous leveling can be done with a thin layer of putty.
At the last stage of preparing the walls, they need to be treated with a penetrating primer in 2-3 layers. Adhesive composition the insulation on such a surface will adhere much better. For internal thermal insulation, the wall should be treated with an antiseptic before priming to prevent the formation of mold. Each applied coat of primer must be allowed to dry. After final drying, you can begin internal or external insulation of walls in a panel house.
As mentioned above, thermal insulation of walls from the inside creates favorable conditions for condensation between the insulation and inner surface walls. To minimize the risk of fungus formation for this reason, the layer of material must be hermetically sealed with a vapor-proof film and provide the necessary resistance to heat transfer when minimum thickness. The thicker the insulation layer, the lower the temperature on the wall and the higher the likelihood of steam condensation. In addition, for internal insulation, similar insulation is required for door and window slopes of external walls.
Thermal insulation of panel walls with foam plastic
For thermal insulation of panel walls, foam plastic boards PSB-S-25(35), which have an increased density, are used. They are fixed to the surface with a special or tile adhesive, which should ensure maximum filling of the gap between the wall and the insulation.
After gluing, it is recommended to additionally secure all plates to the wall with plastic disc dowels, the caps of which will tightly press the material to the base surface. Five dowels are enough for one slab. The coating must be airtight, so the joints of the sheets must be tightly adjusted, and large gaps must be filled polyurethane foam.
Then a layer of glue should be evenly applied to the surface of the thermal insulation and a fiberglass reinforcing mesh with cells measuring 3-6 mm should be pressed into it. After the mixture has dried, an adhesive leveling layer 2 mm thick should be applied to the coating, and the corners should be reinforced with perforated galvanized profiles.
When the glue has dried, the wall can be plastered for wallpapering, painting, or simply tiled.
Wall insulation with mineral wool
For such thermal insulation, a wall frame is required. It can be made from U-shaped metal profiles or wooden beam. The pitch between the frame posts should be 2-3 mm less than the width of the insulation boards. This will allow the material to be held apart between the vertical bars. The density of mineral wool must be at least 75 kg/m3.
Unlike polystyrene foam, mineral wool is vapor permeable. Therefore, after laying the insulation into the cells of the frame, the heat-insulating material must be hermetically covered with a protective film. It is attached to the wooden frame using staplers, and to the metal frame with double-sided tape. Vapor barrier sheets are installed with an overlap of at least 100 mm, their joints are located on the vertical elements of the frame and are glued with metallized tape. The film must have overlaps on the floor, ceiling, openings and adjacent walls.
Places where the film is adjacent to pipes and electrical appliances, must be handled carefully. For this, special liquid sealants are used. The composition is applied to the junction, the film is pressed against it, and then secured with construction tape to prevent displacement.
After completing the thermal insulation of the wall, you can finish it. Plasterboard sheets, plastic panels, wooden lining and other materials that can be attached to the frame with screws.
Insulation of walls in a panel house with penofol
For internal wall insulation with this material you need wooden frame, which allows you to use all its properties with maximum effect. Due to the fact that penofol has a foil coating, which has high electrical conductivity, it is necessary to check the insulation of cables running along the wall to avoid short circuits. If necessary, they can be stretched in a protective corrugated sleeve.
After making the frame, you should cut the penofol with a knife into sheets, and then attach them end-to-end to wooden racks staplers. Then you need to make another frame, leaving an air gap of 2 cm, and attach sheets or panels to it, which can later be puttied, wallpapered or painted.
Thermal insulation of walls in a panel house from the outside
There are two main methods of external insulation of panel walls: dry and wet. The first method of thermal insulation involves installing a special protective screen on the wall, which is called a “ventilated facade”. Its basis is a frame made of metal, on which the insulation is fixed, and then the outer cladding is made.
Wet insulation is a frameless installation of insulation on walls followed by finishing with building mixtures. Usually this different kinds plasters, which may differ from each other color scheme, efficiency, relief and other advantages.
Work on external insulation of a house begins with the repair of interpanel seams. They are cleaned of seals, old plaster, and then primed and dried. Then a new seal is installed in the seams, and the priming and putty are repeated.
At the next stage, the walls are prepared. They are cleaned of dirt and old coating. With the wet insulation method, foam plastic is most often used as a thermal insulation material. The technology for its installation is practically no different from the method described in the previous section. The only caveat is that the finishing coating here should be used to protect the insulation. building mixtures, resistant to precipitation and temperature changes.
Using frame technology When insulating walls from the outside, the heat insulator is usually basalt wool, which is placed in cells metal structure ventilated facade and sealed vapor barrier membrane. External cladding the frame in this case can be made of profiled sheet, plastic panels, wood and other materials.
Watch a video about thermal insulation of walls in a panel house:
To summarize, I would like to add the following. Necessary information how to insulate a panel wall in an accessible way, we hope you received it. It became obvious that it is better to carry out such work from the outside rather than from the inside of the house. Finding performers for this task is not difficult. There are many construction companies who will insulate the apartment reliably, quickly and efficiently. But if your home is low-rise, you can do all the work yourself and spend the money saved on charity!
Panel buildings are less durable compared to brick buildings, so humidity and temperature fluctuations affect them to a greater extent. To create protection, it is necessary to insulate the panel house, not only from the inside, but also from the outside. This will prevent heat loss that occurs through the walls, as well as protect the building façade from destruction.
Insulation materials
To insulate the facade of a house, craftsmen use various materials, but for many years the following have remained a priority:
- Styrofoam;
- mineral wool;
- extruded polystyrene foam.
The main unifying characteristic of these materials is low thermal conductivity. Most often, panel wall insulation is performed using polystyrene foam. Therefore, it is worth considering the technology of thermal insulation using the example of its use.
Facade surface preparation
Before proceeding directly with insulation, it is necessary to prepare the walls. Surface unevenness should not exceed 1 cm. Attention should be paid to the condition of the facade finishing and seams. If they are painted, but the paint has peeled off in some places, they need to be cleaned. And in the case of PF paint, knock it down.
To check the quality of the finish, run your palm over the surface. If it remains clean, you can insulate the external walls, excluding priming the panel house. Otherwise, you can’t do without it.
In old buildings, crumbling of the walls is often noticed on the outside - such places must be cleaned and only then can a primer be applied. If sand continues to fall out, it is recommended to putty the area.
Installation of insulation
Technology of applying glue to polystyrene foam. Click on photo to enlarge.
There are several methods for installing polystyrene foam, but the most effective is the one that involves gluing and nailing it. This type of insulation of a panel house is most effective.
The pasting process begins from the bottom of the building, where the starting strip is mounted. To work, you need to have 2 spatulas: a large one (20 cm in size) and a smaller one (8-10 cm in size). A smaller tool is used to apply the adhesive mixture to another spatula. On uneven wall The adhesive mixture is applied in “blunders”, and on a flat surface - using a comb. Do not forget about carefully filling the seams. There is no need to apply the mixture to the foam sheet itself.
Before insulating a panel house, you should fill all the depressions on the outside with an adhesive mixture, otherwise there will be voids under the foam sheet, which will allow heat to escape from the apartment. Convex areas are coated with a thin layer. Next, apply the sheet to the surface and press it.
To achieve a good result, you can continue insulation only 3 days after the foam glued to the walls in the panel house is securely fixed. Usually craftsmen first cover the outside of the building with insulation, and after 3 days they begin to nail it down.
Nailing foam to the wall is done using fungi, which consist of a plastic sleeve, a circle and a nail driven into the sleeve. The nail can be metal or plastic, but since metal is a cold bridge, you should give preference to plastic products.
Using a puncher, holes are drilled in the foam, for example, around the perimeter of the sheet and in the center. This will allow the apartments of the building to be reliably thermally insulated. The drill diameter should be 10 mm. The depth of the hole should not coincide with the length of the fungus, but on the contrary, exceed it by 2 cm. Otherwise, the fastener will not completely fit into the hole, but will stick out outside, since construction debris will remain in it.
It is possible to ensure reliable insulation of an apartment only if the foam in the panel house fits tightly to the wall and there are no large gaps between the plates. Filling of seams with a size of 5 mm or more is carried out with polyurethane foam. But if their width exceeds 2 cm, then insulation is placed in them, and only then they are filled with foam. When it dries, the excess is cut off. At this stage, you can correct the protruding seams by rubbing them.
Continuing the insulation with foam plastic, it is necessary to move on to puttying the fungal caps and seams in panel houses with an adhesive mixture. All minor defects after the putty has dried are removed using a plastic grater with emery.
Pasting walls with mesh
The next step is gluing the mesh to the surface of the walls. To do this, use a special mesh that can be installed outside the building, since other material is exposed to external factors will lose its properties.
First, the mesh is glued to the corners, and then to the main surface. There are products on sale with ready-made corners– their installation is easy. Otherwise, you should make strips of about 30 cm wide from the mesh, then bend them in half to form an angle. Next, using a spatula, 6-7 cm of adhesive mixture is applied to the surface of the wall on both sides of the corner. After this, the mesh itself is applied and the mixture is smoothed away from the corner.
Gluing the mesh to the main surface of the building can be done in small areas, which will greatly facilitate the insulation of walls from the outside, in contrast to pasting large areas surfaces of a panel house. The product is cut into pieces 1x1 m, but processing with the mixture in width will reach 90 cm, and the remaining 10 cm must be left clean.
The adhesive mixture is first applied to a section of the wall so that 10 cm around the edges remain untouched. Next, apply a mesh, and apply the mixture in small portions to the center. It is carefully smoothed out by moving the spatula from the center to the sides. Thus, the mesh is completely covered with the mixture. As for the seams, they should be carefully coated and smoothed. But in order for the finishing of the seams to be invisible, it is important to overlap the clean edges of the mesh by about 8-10 cm and only then coat it with the mixture.
After the mixture has completely dried, the surface of the building must be treated, namely: rubbed with a plastic float and sandpaper. It is worth noting that a product with an abrasive mesh is not suitable for grouting, since it is not intended for facade work. It is important to ensure that the mixture is completely dry before you begin the final step. In the sun, the surface dries out very quickly, so it is recommended to insulate the building before the onset of cold weather.
A leveling layer of the mixture is applied to the treated surface, and then proceed to finishing. This is the process of insulation panel building finished. Now the apartments will be reliably protected from the cold. Knowing how to insulate a panel house, you can do the work yourself, if you have everyone necessary tools and materials.
People living in panel houses often experience accumulation of moisture in the walls and freezing of the facade in winter, mold formation, peeling wallpaper and other unpleasant phenomena, not to mention a decrease in the level of heat in residential premises.
And this is not surprising, because unlike brick buildings, panel houses are less resistant to high humidity and temperature changes. Insulating the walls of a panel house from the outside helps to cope with this problem. Why should it be done outside? Let's try to figure it out.
Inside or outside?
Insulation is designed to prevent heat leakage through the walls, and at the same time protect the facade from premature destruction. Modern market offers many various materials, intended for external and internal insulation. Since only professionals can insulate the façade of a panel house from the outside, residents may want to insulate the room from the inside. However, it is better not to do this.
In this case, the dew point will move inward, which will lead to even greater accumulation of moisture in the walls. As a result, not only they, but also the insulation will get wet, which will significantly shorten the life of the facade. Therefore, it is more advisable to insulate walls from the outside. It won't cut it usable area apartment and will not disturb the interior decorative finishing.
At the same time, it is not so easy to insulate multi-storey building outside. This can only be done industrial climbers. And it is very difficult to force utility companies to pay for their work and the purchase of building materials. And not all residents of the house agree to chip in and hire construction team. Fortunately, today it is quite possible to carry out external insulation of a separate apartment.
If you do not have construction and climbing skills, do not try it yourself! However, if you live on the first floor of a panel house, then you can do it yourself, using a ladder.
Types of insulation
To insulate the walls of a house from the outside, the most different materials, however, the most popular over the years include:
- stone or glass wool;
- Styrofoam;
- extruded polystyrene foam.
The main property that these insulation materials have in common is low thermal conductivity. Most often as heat-insulating material foam is used.
Insulation installation technology
Preparing the walls
Immediately before insulating the walls, preparation is carried out work surface. All irregularities are smoothed out and sealed with primer. The seams and finishing of the facade require special attention.
Any peeling paint should be sanded off, as should any peeling trim. To check its quality, just run your hand along the wall. If your palm remains clean, then no primer is needed. If there are any problems, it is better to be safe.
Installation of insulation
Foam plastic is often used to insulate a panel house, so let’s consider the technology of its fastening.
If you live on the ground floor and decide to do the insulation yourself, then for the job you will need a large and small spatula to apply glue to the wall.
It should be noted that there are three methods of attaching it: with glue, with dowels, or both. It is most effective to use glue and dowels together.
The walls are covered from bottom to top. A starting strip is nailed to the bottom of the façade. If the walls are uneven, then the glue can be “thrown on”; it can be applied to smooth surfaces with a comb.
Fill the seams carefully. There is no point in applying glue to the insulation sheet. To ensure that there are no depressions left under the foam, fill all the depressions and uneven walls with adhesive solution. Otherwise, the voids will create additional “cold bridges” through which heat will escape from the apartment.
When the surface is treated with glue, you can apply a sheet of foam plastic and press it well against the wall. Before the next stage of work, it is better to wait a few days to adhesive solution completely dry and the insulation has “shrinked”, and then continue working.
To fasten the insulation, dowels are used - fasteners consisting of a circle, a plastic sleeve and a galvanized nail, which is driven into the sleeve. Since foam plastic is lightweight, you can also use plastic nails. They will protect the facade from unnecessary heat loss.
To reliably insulate the building, holes are drilled around the perimeter and in the center of the foam glued to the wall. The depth of the hole must exceed the length of the dowel by two centimeters, otherwise fastener will stick out outside. To ensure reliable insulation, the foam sheets must fit tightly to the wall and to each other.
Keep an eye on the gaps. In some cases, it is useful to fill them with polyurethane foam, the excess of which is cut off after drying, and the seams are rubbed and adjusted. At the final stage, the dowel heads and seams are puttied with an adhesive mixture. Minor defects that appear after the mixture has dried can be removed using sandpaper and a plastic grater.
Pasting walls with mesh
Since polystyrene foam is a fragile material, it requires reinforcement, which is done by gluing a thin mesh. For installation outside the building, a special mesh is used that can withstand all atmospheric phenomena and maintain its properties under the influence of adverse external factors.
At the first stage, the corners are covered with mesh, and only then – the main surface of the walls finished with insulation. Special meshes with corners will help make the task easier - they will help you insulate your house without additional hassle. Otherwise, long strips thirty centimeters wide are cut from the mesh and bent at an angle. Then, using a spatula, the corner of the house is covered on all sides with glue, on top of which a mesh is placed and smoothed away from the corner.
To make the work easier, the mesh can be cut into pieces, meter by meter, and then attached in small sections. The mesh is glued with an overlap. After the glue has completely dried, the walls are treated with plastic floats, excess dried mortar and unevenness are cleaned up. After making sure that the mixture has completely dried, a leveling layer is applied to the walls of the panel house and the final finishing begins.
That's all you need to know about finishing a panel house. Installing insulation outside can reliably protect apartments from the cold. Today, many construction companies offer insulation services multi-storey buildings. But if you live on the ground floor and have the necessary skills and tools, then you can try to do the insulation yourself.
