Floor insulation - this is a necessity that arises for residents of apartment buildings, especially those living on the ground floor, where the cold enters the apartment through the basement.
As a rule, floors in multi-storey buildings are made of reinforced concrete structures that have low thermal insulation properties, so they need insulation to achieve comfortable living conditions and save on heating an apartment.
How to insulate a bathroom floor?
When insulating a floor, the first step is to build a waterproofing layer that will protect the base of the floor from water and moisture. For this, a polyethylene film laid in two layers is perfect.
Next, you can proceed to the selection of thermal insulation material. Fortunately, the modern market offers the consumer a variety of roll materials that form an excellent thermal insulation coating, which also acts as an excellent sound insulator.
If your apartment is on the ground floor, then the first step is to take care of its insulation - all interpanel joints and other openings must be sealed with polyurethane foam. The floor, as a rule, is insulated with the help of the construction of a cobbled sheathing, between the bars of which a heat-insulating material is installed.
The most popular material for floor insulation is mineral wool, which, in addition to excellent thermal insulation properties, is an affordable, environmentally friendly and durable material.
The floor structure when applied is as follows: waterproofing, then a crate made of wood, between which cotton wool, chipboard or fiberboard sheets are installed to level the surface and the finishing floor covering (laminate, carpet, linoleum or another type).
The quality of work is determined by heat loss and heating costs. With thermal insulation, special attention must be paid to the quality of the materials used for repairs, since products of dubious quality only in very rare cases provide the proper level of thermal insulation.
Recently, the insulation of loggias and the creation of small living rooms from them has been gaining popularity. Also, many have attached a loggia to the room, removing the window block. Someone equips a workplace with a computer desk. And everyone is faced with the problem of how to insulate the floor.
The first advice, if it is possible to take the battery to the loggia, do it. In this case, you will significantly reduce the energy consumption of the warm floor.
Choice of flooring - tiles, laminate or carpet will also affect the performance of the system. For example, tiles have high thermal conductivity and therefore will give more heat to the air, and laminate and carpet will heat up faster, spend less electricity, but the air will warm up less.
Correct thermal insulation will also reduce floor heating time and save energy.... We recommend that you first insulate the walls of the loggia and only then the floor, since you need to reliably insulate the perimeter of the heated floor so that the heat does not go out into the street from it. Most often, the walls are insulated with 10 cm foam, which is covered with drywall. We recommend placing compacted (extruded) foam on the floor.
If you are planning a laminate, then lay plywood on this foam, for rigidity and fix it. Next, instead of the standard laminate backing, a 3mm reflective metallized backing is installed.
Infrared thermal film and laminate on it.If tiles are planned, then a metal (masonry) mesh is laid on this foam, a heating cable is poured onto it and a screed 3-5 cm is poured. further tile. Or, first, a metal mesh, a screed, and then a thin cable, which is located in a layer of tile adhesive.
It is strongly not recommended to lay cable or mats on loggias without thermal insulation. The power of the cable for a cold room must be at least 200 W / m2, i.e. for 4 m2 cable power not less than 800W .
Video about floor insulation with expanded polystyrene ↑
The list of floor insulation works seems to be very simple. However, it is very problematic to independently perform such a complex. You cannot do without the help of specialists, as is the case with the installation of insulation. Experienced repairmen will carry out all the work, instruct on the operational features of the system. But most importantly, they will take responsibility for the final result. And it will certainly be high - after all, only real professionals do not fail.
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Thermal insulation of a wooden floor
When building a house, as a rule, all work on its insulation, including the floor, is carried out at the initial stage. However, what to do if a ready-made construction option is purchased, requiring work on its insulation?
Experts in this field say with confidence that this is not such a difficult job. Even a beginner can do it. One has only to thoroughly figure out which material to use to preserve heat and by what method.
The main rule when choosing a material is reliability and high level of thermal insulation properties... Most often, for this process, they choose: sheets of foam, mineral or stone wool, ecowool, cork insulation or foamed polyethylene.
Consider some of the nuances that arise when choosing such heaters:
- compare your financial capabilities with respect to the cost of the selected insulation (for greater awareness, it is important to know that each of the above examples has good thermal insulation, so advertising arguments will be superfluous);
- it is strongly recommended to use mineral or ecowool when small rodents are present in your house (mice are the most frequent tenants in the spaces between the foundation base and the wooden flooring);
- if you are looking for an economically viable option, then stop at expanded clay. Talk about its harmfulness and toxicity turned out to be untenable.
So, the required material has been selected. The stage of preparatory work begins. This includes dismantling the old skirting board and, directly, lifting the wooden floorboards themselves. It is very important, when removing floorboards, be sure to leave its own serial number on each, this will allow you to simplify the reverse process for restoring the coating.
The next step for you is to inspect each log for the presence of rot, fungus or mold. If any of them have severe wear or damage, replace with a new one, and if this is not possible, treat with a protective solution. Next, you need to clean the base under the log - sweep or use a vacuum cleaner. The planned work is almost half done, now it is necessary to lay the insulation.
In the order of the first stage, a heat-insulating material is laid, that is, sheets of stone or mineral wool, which is placed in the space between the logs. The principle of using expanded clay instead of cotton wool is the same, pour it at least 10 cm thick.
Its thermal insulation layer now you should definitely cover it with a layer of vapor barrier (for example, a polyethylene film). This material is laid with an overlap, while each of the strips overlaps the previous one by at least 15 cm. In fact, the process of floor insulation is completed.It remains to return each floorboard to its place, according to the numbering, and put the plinth.
Insulation of the floor in the bathroom
Inhabitants of panel dwellings still of the Soviet structure are annually waiting with bated breath for the arrival of winter. The point is not even that they like this time of year so much, here, rather, the point is the opposite. And there is a reason not to love winter for residents of similar houses.
If in summer, with extreme heat, cracks and holes in the walls serve as salvation from the hot air inside the living space, then with the arrival of frost, the same saving gaps turn out to be almost destructive for the well-being of the owners. Since not many people want to live continuously in a cool apartment (since the heating is completely different from what it was before), the only way out is to insulate.
Virtually everything can be insulated. The most obvious solutions are window insulation (or replacing wooden with plastic) and insulating the front door (or replacing it with a front door-safe). From unobvious insulation of walls and floors. Since the overhaul should be started specifically with floor insulation, it will be the main victim of the article provided.
So, floor insulation. To begin with, you should make your choice with materials. There are probably a number of modes of action to carry out the work provided. The following option is quite well-known among the representatives of the most adult generation: we open the floor, lay insulation, cover the floor.
The room in which work will be carried out is freed from furniture and other things that can interfere with work. Then the boards, which are the floor itself, are gently lifted. He works carefully so as not to destroy them, because these same planks will be introduced back. Then one or a number of layers of insulation are laid.
It is important to pay attention to the fact that the recognizable insulation "Styrofoam»In the given case will not become desirable. Its main problem is that the rodents that are found in old dwellings (and in the bulk of old houses they are), take this product of the chemical branch into small balls. And as it turned out, polystyrene in their nests, warming not people, but a brood of rats or mice.
Therefore, it is better to focus on more innovative materials. After the insulation is laid, it is allowed to overlap the floor. It makes sense to strengthen the wood with each other with screws, since they are the most correct in use. Plus, fastening with screws (or self-tapping screws) will avoid floorboards squeaking for many years.
The last thing that remains is to lay linoleum (or other floor covering) on top of the already insulated floor and rejoice at the result of the creation of your own hands.
Heating system installation
Installation of underfloor heating cable
Before insulating the bathroom floor, it is necessary to install a thermostat, which is mounted on one of the walls at a distance of at least 30 cm from the floor. When choosing a mounting location, it is necessary to take into account the arrangement of furniture in the bathroom and the possibility of free access to the device. In addition, you should pay attention to the possibility of connecting a 220 volt power supply to it.
The installation of the thermal sensor is carried out secretly, for which the so-called grooves are made in the wall. In these strobes, the sensor itself and its supply wires, placed in a corrugated sheath, will be placed.
Installing a thermostat
On top of the groove with the elements of the system placed in it, it is covered with a cement-sand mortar.
Note!
Heating cables are laid directly from the place where the temperature sensor is installed. In this case, individual cable loops can be laid both in a spiral and in a "snake", but always in such a way that the end of the cable conductor is in the same place where it began to be laid.
After finishing laying the cable, do not forget to use a tester to check the entire electrical part of the heater for an open or short circuit in the power line.
Also read:
- do-it-yourself shower cubicle from tiles
- how to make a floor screed with your own hands;
- how to level the walls with your own hands.
We insulate the walls in the bathroom with various materials
First of all, you should abandon mineral wool, as it absorbs moisture and increases its thermal conductivity. If you use roll material, it is better to use basalt wool, which is mounted in the same way, but almost does not absorb moisture. However, such a material still needs an effective vapor barrier. And therefore, after reading the construction forum, you will find tips to look at other methods. Now let's look at other insulation materials:
- Styrofoam. Great option for the bathroom. A high fire hazard in the case of this room does not play a role, since almost no fires occur in the bathroom. But the low cost, environmental friendliness and ease of installation are the undoubted advantages of this choice. Its thermal insulation qualities are excellent, and the foam is not afraid of moisture. However, the material hardly "breathes" - it has low vapor permeability. It is laid on previously cleaned and leveled walls with an adhesive composition;
- Polyurethane foam. The spraying of this polymer layer takes place using a special apparatus, and it is better to entrust the process to professionals. Like polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam is not afraid of moisture, and its adhesion is great with almost all materials. On the side of the material, there is high vapor permeability, fire resistance, insulating qualities and environmental friendliness. It is usually sprayed on walls with a pre-equipped frame. The latter helps in further finishing;
- Warm plaster. It differs from the usual one by the presence of a filler in the form of expanded polystyrene, vermiculite or sawdust. The goal is to reduce thermal conductivity by using less dense materials or air pockets. The advantages are that we not only insulate, but at the same time level the walls for further finishing. Manufacturers talk about the high thermal insulation quality of their products, but in fact the effectiveness of such a plaster is not so high, and it should be applied in a thicker layer, which is more difficult and more expensive;
- Cork insulation. Before use, the material is rubbed with wax in order to become more moisture resistant. It is mounted on previously prepared walls using a special adhesive. The disadvantage of such a heater is its high price;
- Extruded polystyrene foam. The most attractive insulation for indoor and outdoor use, and not only for the bathroom. Low thermal conductivity, minimal moisture absorption, low specific gravity. In almost everything it is superior to conventional foam.
Bathroom Insulation Tips
Acetone will help to remove the foam adhering to the surface. It is preferable to carry out work in gloves based on plastic wrap. Polyurethane foam does not stick to them. Before cleaning the surface of the insulation, it should be well moistened. These measures will prevent styrofoam and foam from sticking.
When working with bathroom insulation, craftsmen recommend insulating a sewer shaft. This is especially true for older homes. Pipes often burst due to significant temperature differences. These works are carried out using polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam and others. If you overlay pipes, then unpleasant consequences can be avoided.
If you insulate the bathroom, you can create comfort and coziness, help you relax after a hard day. Construction work will resolve this issue. After completing them, you will not have to deal with the appearance of condensation and mold. Following the recommendations of specialists, it will be possible to do everything quickly and efficiently.
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