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Step-by-step warming of the balcony from the inside with your own hands. How to insulate a balcony from the inside with your own hands - the simplest and most effective ways to carry out work. Is it possible to insulate the balcony in winter

What materials for warming a balcony or loggia will effectively cope with the task? I suggest you consider 5 heat insulators with which I happened to work. I will tell you on what qualities they are selected and why they are considered the best.

Types of thermal insulation materials

Balcony insulation can be performed with the following heat-insulating materials:

Option 1: mineral wool

Mineral wool is a rolled or slab material, which consists of fine mineral fibers. The latter are obtained by melting and spraying rocks or blast-furnace slag.

Characteristics:

To insulate the balcony from the inside in a frame way, you can use glass wool, which is cheaper than basalt wool. In this case, during its installation, it is necessary to carefully protect the respiratory organs, eyes and hands.

Advantages:

Versatility. Basalt wool can be used to insulate the balcony inside and out. Moreover, the insulation of surfaces can be carried out both in a frame way and wet:

Let me remind you that for frame insulation, panel or sheet finishing materials are used - drywall, plastic panels, lining, siding, etc.;
When finishing with a wet method, the surface of the insulation is plastered;
Plates of high density grades can even be laid under a screed for floor insulation;

Environmental friendliness. Basalt wool does not contain harmful substances, and even during installation, unlike glass wool, it practically does not cause irritation on the skin;
Vapor permeability. Insulation allows the walls to "breathe", thanks to which a favorable microclimate is formed in the room;
Fire safety. Mineral wool does not burn and can withstand high temperatures.

Disadvantages:

Absorbs moisture. When performing work on insulation, it is necessary to ensure high-quality vapor and waterproofing;
Price. The price of basalt wool is higher than some other heaters.

Price:

Expanded polystyrene is a lightweight polymer insulation, one of the most common heat-insulating materials due to its low price.

Option 2: Styrofoam

Expanded polystyrene, or simply polystyrene, is a polymer insulation in the form of plates formed by small granules.

Characteristics:

Advantages:

Light weight. Styrofoam is the lightest slab insulation;
Low price. The cost is much lower than the price of basalt wool;
Versatility. Like basalt wool, it can be used for insulation in any way, both from the inside and outside;
Moisture resistant. The material absorbs moisture to a lesser extent than mineral wool.

Disadvantages:

Zero vapor permeability. This disadvantage can lead to an increase in indoor humidity, mold on the walls, etc. High-quality ventilation will help to eliminate it;

Fire hazard. Styrofoam manufacturers, especially little-known ones, rarely add fire retardants to the foam polystyrene composition. Therefore, it ignites quite easily and burns well;
Low strength and brittleness. This drawback matters if the insulation boards are plastered after installation. Surfaces insulated in this way are unstable to shock loads;
Low environmental friendliness. Styrofoam itself does not threaten health in any way, but in the process of burning it releases toxins. Inhalation of these substances leads to severe poisoning.

Price:

Option 3: Extruded Styrofoam

Extruded polystyrene foam, also known as polystyrene foam, is made from the same raw materials as regular foam. However, thanks to a special insulation technology, it has higher characteristics.

Characteristics:

Advantages. From the data in the table it can be seen that the penoplex has a low thermal conductivity and high strength. In addition, it has some other advantages:

Moisture resistance: Penoplex absolutely does not absorb water, therefore it does not need waterproofing;
Fire safety. All well-known manufacturers add flame retardants to the composition of this material, which makes the insulation for the balcony low-flammable.

Disadvantages:

High price. For this reason, it makes sense to use penoplex only in cases where a large load will be placed on it, for example, in the case of wet insulation of walls and ceilings. You can also perform thermal insulation of the floor under the screed;
Low vapor permeability. The vapor permeability coefficient of foam plastic is slightly higher than that of polystyrene, however, the material is still not "breathable".

Price:

Option 4: polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam is another type of polymer insulation. Its main feature is that it is applied to the surface in the form of foam.

Characteristics:

Polyurethane foam is also used for insulating balconies in the form of mounting foam. With its help, thermal insulation of various cracks is performed.

Advantages:

Low thermal conductivity. As can be seen from the table, polyurethane foam has the lowest thermal conductivity. In addition, it is applied to the surface in a continuous layer, due to which it retains heat in the room more efficiently;
Moisture resistant. Thanks to this quality, it does not require the use of waterproofing;
Good adhesion. This allows you to apply insulation on any surface.

Disadvantages.

Requires special equipment. Polyurethane foam cannot be applied by hand. This procedure should be carried out exclusively by highly qualified specialists with special equipment;

Zero vapor permeability. Like other polymeric heaters, the material does not breathe;
Increase in thermal conductivity over time. The gas that fills the structure of the polyurethane foam gradually leaves the shell. As a result, its thermal conductivity increases slightly;
High price. In addition to the cost of the material itself, the cost of insulation work is added to its price;

The impossibility of plastering. To finish the balcony from the inside or outside, in the case of using polyurethane foam, it is possible only in the frame way;
Toxic in liquid form. When working with polyurethane, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment, as it is toxic. After hardening, the material is safe for health.

Price. Different manufacturers have different prices for polyurethane foam insulation. On average, the cost, taking into account work, is about 500 rubles. for 1m2

Option 5: penofol

Penofol is a thin roll insulation, which consists of two layers:

Foamed polyethylene - performs the function of a heat-insulating material;
Foil - reflects heat from insulated surfaces into the room.

Thus, this material is used only for internal insulation of balconies and loggias.

Characteristics:

Advantages:

Little weight. The material is easily attached to any structure;

Moisture resistant. This allows you to use penofol as waterproofing material if, for example, you insulate a balcony or loggia with mineral wool;
Small thickness. Due to this, the material does not take up additional space in the room.

Instructions for the use of penofol require its location during installation with the foil side to the room. Otherwise, the material will not reflect heat from the surfaces.

Disadvantages:

Zero vapor permeability. I have already spoken of the consequences of this deficiency;
High thermal conductivity. Penofol is a thin material, so it is not enough to fully insulate the room. Therefore, it is usually used as additional thermal insulation.

Price. The price starts from 50-80 rubles per 1m2.

That's all the heaters that I wanted to acquaint you with. Well, to decide how and how best to insulate the balcony, you now have to do it yourself.

Conclusion

Now you know all the basic qualities of the most common thermal insulation materials, and you can do it yourself right choice. I recommend watching the video in this article. If you have any questions, write comments, and I will answer as soon as possible.

In order for the balcony to be used not only in summer time, but also in winter, you will need an understanding of how to insulate the balcony yourself. Competently doing simple work, you will significantly increase the usable area of the apartment, you can use it for relaxation, sleeping in a cool room, storing various things, you can also equip an office or a winter garden on the balcony.

What are the benefits of insulation?

The insulated hinged structure will be useful at any time of the year. It will not only protect the area from rain and wind, but will also become a good buffer between the apartment and the street. Despite the small area of balconies and loggias, it is convenient to use them as an office, a hookah room, and other rooms where a large number of furniture. It is convenient to read on the balcony, as the glazing lets in a lot of light, and the insulation will make the space comfortable.

The apartment will receive additional space, protected from the cold. You can carry out heating on the loggia, place here those items that interfere in the room, but require room temperature for storage.

Balcony insulation rules

Before deciding where to start with balcony insulation , you need to study the sequence of actions taken. In total, it includes several stages:

Preparatory work. In order to carry out the work on insulation, you will need to take out excess items from the balcony, prepare the floor and walls for finishing, remove the old frames if they do not cope well with the tasks, and glaze the structure with high quality.
Glazing installation. It makes no sense to insulate a balcony that does not have glazing or is glazed in a cold way with old, cold-transmitting wooden frames. The structure must be airtight. Heat often escapes through frames and glass, so they should be given special attention.

Advice: in order for the balcony to retain heat well, it is recommended to glaze it with plastic windows. wooden frames, if it is not an eurowindow, they are not able to cope with the cold sufficiently, and aluminum glazing is usually cold.

Floor insulation. After the new frames are installed, a crate is made on the floor and its insulation is carried out. This is exactly where to start warming the loggia or balcony, since heat loss also occurs through the floor, and the walls are finished after.
Walls and parapet. The insulation will need to be placed directly on the walls facing the street, that is, it is not necessary to insulate the wall of the living space.
The main wall, as a rule, does not need additional insulation, especially if high-quality plastic frames have been installed. However, if you feel the need to do this, the principle of operation will be the same as with the walls of the balcony. Extra insulation won't do any harm.
The final stage: it is the decoration of the walls. Whatever insulation you use, you will need to finish it off by covering it with something solid. For these purposes, from the inside, you can use various materials: lining, brick, chipboard, plywood, drywall, plastic. In addition, you will need to install slopes on the windows.

How is preparation for warming carried out?

Before you insulate the loggia yourself , you need to carefully prepare the site for work, otherwise foreign objects they will interfere with you, and you will spend a lot of time moving them from place to place, you will not be able to make the crate correctly.

Check how strong the railings and concrete partitions of the structure are: they may need to be strengthened or restored. The outer side of the railing is sheathed with plastic or other material that does not allow moisture to pass through. It is needed to isolate the wind and protect the insulation from rain. If the parapet is brick or concrete, nothing needs to be done from the outside. If the concrete has gaps or cracks, they need to be repaired. cement mortar or blow out with mounting foam.

Installation of windows may not be required if you already have plastic frames with double-glazed windows. Even if you haven't changed the frames, vacuum the floor to remove any traces of debris before you begin to insulate.

Prepared balcony for insulation

Floor work

In order to make the crate, you will need to purchase wooden slats. It is most convenient to mount them on self-tapping screws. As a heater, you can use foam, mineral wool or polystyrene. The rail must be selected the same thickness as penoplex if you are going to insulate it; the optimal height would be 50 mm.

The slats are laid on the floor, fixed with self-tapping screws. Fasteners should be placed at a distance of approximately 40 cm from each other. The use of anchors is applicable if you have a loggia. It is important to consider how wide the plate is, otherwise there is a risk of breaking through it. After that, you can proceed to laying the rails, their width should also not be greater than the insulation: for example, 1 cm is suitable for foam plastic. It is worth leaving a gap on the sides, as it will be filled with mounting foam. It is most convenient to mount the slats along the balcony structure.

Tip: the slats should be laid level, otherwise you will not be able to get a flat floor. In order to raise the rail and align it, special plastic gaskets are used, most often they are sold in stores that sell plastic windows and doors.

After the penoplex is laid in the cells, the empty space must be filled with mounting foam. This is what you need to insulate the balcony,
since if gaps remain, heat will escape through them, and the insulation will become ineffective.

After the insulation takes its place and the mounting foam dries, you can proceed to the installation of the final coating. To do this, you can use boards, plywood, chipboard. The thickness of the materials should not be less than 2 cm, otherwise they will sag. The selected material is attached to the bars with self-tapping screws: they need to be screwed in, retreating 15 cm from each other. Using sheets of chipboard or plywood, lay them across the boards, leaving a small gap.

Advice: while work is underway to fix the material, it is not recommended to step on it, otherwise there is a risk of bending the sheets and getting a crooked floor.

Wall and ceiling work

For walls, you can use the same insulation as for the floor: both mineral wool and foam plastic, foam plastic are suitable. The latter costs a little more, but has improved technical characteristics, which makes it a more profitable material.

Lathing on the walls

If you take solid insulation in sheets, working with it will take much less time. You can attach it to liquid nails. The sheet is easily cut with a regular knife, so if it is too large or a piece of a certain shape is required, you can effortlessly make one from a regular foam or foam sheet.

Working with walls

After you were able to independently insulate the loggia from the bottom, you need to start working with the walls and ceiling. It is advisable to lay the sheets to each other as close as possible, the joints between them can be filled with mounting foam: this will not only provide better adhesion between the materials, but also allow you to get rid of cracks and possible drafts. When working with walls, you also need to ensure that the insulation lies flat.

Once you've secured all the sheets, let the glue dry. If you use liquid nails, it will take about an hour, the glue will completely harden in a day. Penofol must be attached on top of the insulation: this is a special material that repels heat, directing it back into the room, and it does not let cold air in from the street. If you can glue it with a minimum number of joints, you can create the effect of a thermos, and the balcony will be cool in summer and warm in winter. The seams between the sheets of penofol are sealed with special adhesive tape having a foil surface. Work with the ceiling is carried out according to the same principle.

Ceiling insulation

Insulation of main walls

A wall is also called a capital wall, which performs a load-bearing function, the main load from the structure falls on it. It is not necessary to insulate its surface, but if you decide to do this, you, as in the case of working with floors, will need slats, dowels and insulation.

As mentioned above, the insulation of this wall is optional, in addition, during the work, you need to be prepared for the fact that it will “move” by almost 5 cm, which will take the usable area of the balcony. The principle of operation is similar: first you need to fix the slats (note that foam plastic must be laid horizontally). Use the building level: the slats must be fixed exactly both vertically and horizontally.

You don't need mounting foam. Joints will not form, since foam sheets must be brought under the rails and pressed against each other as tightly as possible.

Ways to finish the loggia

After you were able to insulate the balcony yourself, you will need to bring the structure to its final form, since the open insulation not only has less efficiency and may suffer from mechanical stress, but also looks ugly.

For the final finish, you can use various materials that match your taste, budget, and overall style of the interior. by the most simple option are plastic panels. They are lightweight, easy to install, inexpensive and have an attractive design. appearance.

In order to fix any finishing material, you will need wooden slats. They can be screwed onto a wooden frame that you already have. Make sure the rails are straight. For the main wall, you can use the same elements that hold the insulation: this will save both materials and loggia space.

After the crate is ready, any finishing sheets can be screwed to it: plastic, MDF, drywall. The latter has an unaesthetic appearance, so it is either painted, having previously puttied the joints and screws, or glued with wallpaper.

Conclusion: it is not difficult to insulate a loggia or balcony on your own if you have detailed instructions, quality materials and tools. This will take several days, but you will get a room protected from the cold, which you can use in any weather.

Any purposeful year-round use of the balcony space involves its insulation, of course, if you do not use the balcony as a freezer in winter. An office or a "closet" for storing conservation, a winter garden or a place of secluded relaxation ... How to insulate a balcony with your own hands to implement your plan?

The sequence of actions for warming the balcony consists of the following steps:

studying the condition of the balcony and drawing up an action plan
reinforcing the parapet - creating a supporting structure,
exterior finish,
glazing,
thermal insulation,
sealing,
fine finish.

Sequence planning

First things first, examine the condition of the balcony, both from the side of the street and from the side of the apartment. And it doesn’t matter that you have already visited this balcony hundreds of times - a new look at the balcony from the point of view of repair will allow you to see the previously invisible and explore the insulated surfaces.

Make a work plan. Let this be a preliminary plan, but it will allow you to decide on the purchase necessary materials, ordering double-glazed windows, etc.

When solving the problem of how to insulate a balcony with your own hands, you will definitely need information about the basic methods of insulation. Don't limit yourself to just this article. The more you know, the more different repair options will open up for you.

Important! The next step in your actions should be the "total eviction of the inhabitants" of the balcony. After all, usually an uninsulated balcony is a place to store a lot of unnecessary things.

Parapet reinforcement

Since you are planning to insulate the balcony, you should take care of a reliable basis for installing the glazing frame. The standard parapet of a “Soviet”-built balcony has a parapet in the form of a thin, low metal fence, which is quite strong in itself, but the quality of its fastening in the balcony slab often leaves much to be desired.

But even if it is well fixed and able to withstand the weight of the glazing frame, it is not possible to fix the frame on the parapet with high quality.

The fact is that the standard parapet actually runs along the edge of the concrete balcony slab. And if a frame is installed on such a parapet, then to fix it, you will have to drill the top plate almost at the very edge, which will inevitably lead to “splits” of the latter.

In order to qualitatively fix the glazing frame from all sides, including from above, it is necessary to shift the plane of the frame installation inside the balcony by several centimeters (5-7 cm) relative to the edge of the top plate. You can check the need for such a reconstruction using a plumb line.

This will happen to the detriment of the useful area of the balcony, but it will allow you to securely fix the frame for its many years of “life”.

Attention! It is unacceptable to fix the frame on the mounting foam, since over time (1-2 years) under the influence of the sun and wind loads on the plane of the windows, it collapses.

This design can be optimally made from a bar of 50x70 mm. The option of using gas blocks is not entirely acceptable, since they will create an additional weight load on the balcony slab, which, together with the heavy construction of the glazing frame, can lead to the collapse of the balcony.

External finishing of the parapet and side walls

Need to decide on exterior trim parapet. Performing such work before glazing will provide you with a lot of convenience for installation, such as siding. On the implementation of such work, you can view a lot of materials outside the format of this article.

In short, from such material as siding, we can say that it belongs to the group PVC profiles. This is a frost-resistant and weather-resistant finishing material used for outdoor work.

The design of the profile ensures ease of installation, which must be done very carefully on the balcony. The result of unscrupulous and illiterate installation of siding is stripes torn off by the wind, which you can’t just put back in place.

Video: highlights in the installation of siding

Be careful! When installing siding, it is STRICTLY CONTRAINDICATED FOR HEALTH to bend over the parapet of a balcony to install an external finishing material. All work on fixing the siding can and should be carried out through the balcony railing. And for safety, use a mounting belt with a chain and a carabiner.

Video: "Errors when installing siding"

The exterior decoration of the balcony can also be made with plastic clapboard or corrugated board.

Balcony glazing for the purpose of its insulation

Having decided to insulate the balcony with your own hands, you will not pass by the stage of its glazing. Balcony glazing can be carried out along the entire perimeter of the parapet or partially, making the side walls and side parts of the front side “blind”. I hope you have already realized that under the glazing you need a serious supporting structure, the presence of which will guarantee longevity. window frame balcony. As a glazing today, metal-plastic windows are the best option in the price-quality comparison. Their wear resistance and durability in the "company" with correct installation firmly hold such windows in leadership positions in the market of building materials.

To insulate balconies, you can use single-chamber (there is a possibility of freezing in winter) or double-glazed windows (ideal, but heavier).

It is advisable to choose five-chamber profiles for frame structures from reliable manufacturers.

For more information about choosing a glazing option, see the article "Insulation of the loggia".

Balcony insulation

How to properly insulate a balcony after glazing? Now we are talking mainly about internal insulation, since “carrying out “insulation” work outside at a height with your own hands is highly not recommended - contact high-altitude specialists.

How to insulate a balcony from the inside? And what is the best way to insulate the balcony inside?

All materials and technologies used must meet the following criteria:

insulation for the balcony must be non-combustible;
calculate the allowable load on the base of the balcony, especially in the case of the construction of supporting masonry from foam concrete or aerated concrete (a balcony is not a loggia);
the insulation must have a minimum thickness with maximum heat-insulating properties - the area of \u200b\u200bthe balcony is not unlimited;
take care of an additional heat source on the balcony, while remembering that pipes and central heating batteries are prohibited by law from being taken out to balconies.

It is possible to insulate a balcony with high quality only with the obligatory insulation of the supporting parapet, floor, ceiling and right and left side walls. On a small balcony, it will be effective to use effective thin insulation, for example, penofol, penoplex.

Stages of creating a heat-insulating layer

In choosing the method of warming the balcony with your own hands, you should decide on the choice of heat-insulating material. How to insulate the balcony inside? What is the best insulation for a balcony? Suitable basalt, mineral wool, polystyrene foam (flammable!). The best choice may be expanded polystyrene foam, resistant to moisture, temperature extremes, aggressive influences environment and, at the same time, possessing high rates of thermal insulation qualities.

Before installing the insulation, the installation plane must be carefully waterproofed from external moisture. For these purposes, a waterproofing film (up to 200 microns) or foamed polyethylene (4-10 mm) is used. Installation is carried out on double-sided tape, staples, foam, glue - the choice of method depends on the base. The joints of the sheets are carefully glued with adhesive tape.

The thermal insulation layer must be covered with a vapor barrier layer. It can be foam foil. This material is placed with the foil side inside the room - this will create an additional heat-reflecting layer.

Attention! In the case of using cotton wool insulation, a mandatory-recommended element is a vapor barrier layer, which is designed to prevent warm steam from entering the vapor barrier layer from the side of the room.

Some ways to warm the balcony with your own hands

What material to insulate the balcony?
As we have repeatedly mentioned, it is possible to insulate a balcony with various heat-insulating materials. Consider some individual methods of insulation.

Insulation of the balcony with polystyrene foam (polystyrene foam)

Styrofoam - it is also polystyrene foam, it is also a heat insulator with low thermal conductivity due to its structure, saturated with large air "bubbles". Available for use in the form of plates with a thickness of 50-150 mm. Plates up to 100 mm thick are suitable for us.

The advantages of insulating a balcony with foam plastic include the hygroscopicity of this material, that is, its resistance to moisture.

"Steps" in the process of insulation with polystyrene foam:

deep priming of balcony surfaces;
installation of plates with a special adhesive composition;
additional fastening of plates with dowels of the "umbrella" type;
we fix the vapor barrier layer (for those who are pedantic about the task at hand - all others can do);
we reinforce the surface with a fiberglass mesh fixed with an adhesive solution;
we putty, plaster, paint, etc.

Styrofoam - as a heater on the balcony

Insulate with foam

Penoplex or extruded polystyrene foam is better, but also more expensive material for balcony insulation. Foam slabs with a thickness of 20-100 mm often have a stepped protrusion at the edges, which makes it possible to obtain a better connection when docking such as a "quarter" or "thorn-groove".

At temperatures up to "-25 ° C", a 40 mm insulation layer is sufficient. In "frosty" climatic conditions, a layer of foam 50-70mm is required.

Insulating with Penoplex, we act as follows:

we waterproof the surface on which we will mount the foam boards;
installation of plates is carried out "end-to-end" (Required!);
if the plates will be plastered in the future, then they must be fixed to the adhesive composition + we make a “control” fixation with the help of dowels - umbrellas, and in the case of another decorative finishes- it will be enough just to fix the plates with dowels-“umbrellas” (5-8 pieces per plate);

Note! If the front wall of the balcony is made of foam blocks or other “solid” material, then for mounting on it (also on the side and ceiling surfaces) Penoplex should not be made of wooden or other crates. In comparison with the thermal insulation properties of foam plastic, wood is the worst heat insulator. Therefore, the crate will simply create "bridges" of cold, which will be very inopportune. For the subsequent installation of drywall or lining, the crate is made on top of the vapor barrier layer laid on the foam. The resulting air "pockets" will play the role of additional heat insulators.

Balcony insulation with mineral wool

If in response to the question of what material to insulate the balcony with, you will say - with mineral wool! Well - this is an option, but not the best. For we have almost come to the dispute “which insulation is better for a balcony” to the dominant answer - Penoplex. And wool with a small thickness will not give a sufficient thermal insulation effect, but it will be a little “difficult” to install when eliminating the gaps between its plates.

But, "the master is the master"!

We will tell you how to insulate a balcony from the inside with mineral wool:

we remember about the waterproofing of the surface and, of course, we carry it out;
carefully and accurately glue sheets of cotton wool to the surface (without pushing through them) with a minimum gap;
after the glue has dried, we additionally fasten it with dowels - "umbrellas";
and again vapor barrier - here it is MANDATORY!
then the installation of a reinforcing mesh or lathing and decorative trim.

Note! When insulating the floor, working with mineral wool will be much easier. It is laid between the lags on a waterproofed surface. Top covered with a layer of vapor barrier and rough floor material.

Additional heat sources

If your insulated balcony is not one with the room, but is isolated from it by a window and balcony door, it will be useful to install an additional heating device on it. The best option would be to use electric heaters: convectors, oil or ceramic radiators. The heat source power of 1 kW will allow you to set the required comfortable temperature on a balcony up to 4m2. . With a larger balcony area, it is recommended to use two heat sources with a power of 1 kW each for more uniform heating of the entire volume and walls of the insulated balcony.

Today steel available materials for the organization of "warm floor". The power consumption of a heated floor made with a heating cable for a standard balcony (up to 4 m 2) will be approximately 1 kW.

Read more about this in the article "Installation of a warm floor under a tile."

If you are using an individual heating system, consider water radiators on an insulated balcony.

And now! .. You have already read about how to insulate a balcony with your own hands! Read more in other sources! After all, it is still possible to insulate the balcony from the inside with clapboard ... And with liquid insulation ...

Now it remains to decide on the option, the better to insulate the balcony inside, or choose several in order to calculate how much it costs to insulate the balcony.

Yes, more! Entrust the process of balcony glazing to the "pros" - why risk expensive structures, as well as people and cars moving under your balcony.

AT recent times more and more apartment owners in high-rise buildings decide to expand their area with a balcony. This is great option if you figure out how to properly insulate it from the inside and equip it.

If the balcony is not glazed, windows must be installed before insulation. It is better to choose high-quality double-glazed windows without saving, because the amount of heat in the apartment depends on them. Elements window structures should fit as tightly as possible to each other so that drafts do not penetrate the house.

The balcony is a part of the building that needs insulation more than others, because not all residents use it only as a warehouse. Increasingly, people are beginning to equip their balconies for additional space, for example, Personal Area. For these and not only reasons, it is necessary to produce competent insulation of the structure from the inside.

Stages of balcony insulation

In modern technologies for insulating open suspended structures (balconies), four types of material are used as internal insulation: polystyrene foam, foam plastic, penofol and mineral wool. Consider the technological features of installation and types of cotton wool insulation used for thermal insulation of balconies.

playlist

1. First, existing gaps are sealed. It is necessary to carefully examine the balcony and determine their location. You can fix the problem with mounting foam, even if the slots are quite wide, you just need to choose a quality one, for example, Macroflex, Soudal, Moment Installation. After the foam dries, the excess is trimmed with a clerical knife.

2. Waterproofing the balcony from the inside. For these purposes, you can use penetrating waterproofing "Aquatron", "Penetron" and the like. They are applied with a brush, roller or by spraying. The advantage of penetrating waterproofing is that it penetrates inside the walls, as a result of which they become more resistant to low temperatures and more durable. In addition, waterproofing eliminates all microcracks that are not visible to the "naked" eye.

3. Laying thermal insulation material. For this purpose, you can use expanded polystyrene, polyurethane foam, foam plastic, mineral plates, etc.

Vapor barrier installation. You can use polymer "breathing" membranes, vapor barrier films "Izospan", "Rockwool" and the like, or in extreme cases penofol, which is laid with the foil side towards the apartment. So the heat leaving the room will return back.

4. Exterior finish ceiling and walls on the balcony.

Insulation option in which there is no additional insulation

This technique can be used provided that materials with low vapor permeability are available (we are talking about materials such as polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam, or extruded polystyrene foam).

No. 1. Balcony insulation with polystyrene foam: sequence of work

If you chose expanded polystyrene as a heater, then the sequence of work is as follows:

After all the cracks are sealed and waterproofing is completed, the surface is treated with a deep penetration primer, for example, Ceresit. This can be done with a brush or sprayer. The primer is poured into a bucket or other container, which is not a pity, then applied to the surface. Carefully work out the walls, ceiling and floorto achieve maximum adhesion of the insulation boards with them.

After applying the primer, you must wait at least six hours, then continue work. If the wall is made of cinder concrete, then the primer is carried out twice.

Rest - continue. We unpack the styrofoam boards. They are attached with glue and fasteners. Glue must be prepared according to the instructions and mixed thoroughly. Then apply it on the first sheet, which is glued to the surface (do not forget to step back three centimeters from the edges, and leave small gaps between the sheets). Mount sheets of expanded polystyrene in a checkerboard pattern.

To lay a vapor barrier or not - it's up to you. In this case, it is not necessary to do so.

Installation of reinforcing mesh. When all the plates are securely fixed to the walls or ceiling, a reinforcing mesh should be mounted. To do this, the surface of the plates is worked out with glue, perforated corners are fixed at their corners. The reinforcing mesh is rolled to the glued surface with a roller, then another layer of glue is applied. When the wall dries, it is primed and plastered

No. 2. Insulation of the balcony with foam

Penoplex is actively used in the insulation of rooms. You can attach it to the surface with bituminous mastics, polyurethane foam or dowel-mushrooms. Consider the option of mounting on mounting foam.

So. Waterproofing done. Mounting foam is applied to the insulation plate around the perimeter. It's enough. After applying, wait a couple of seconds and fix the plate on the insulated surface. The next plate is laid end-to-end to the first. After two days, you can fix the plates with additional dowels. Then the whole process is repeated in the same order as described above. Do the finishing to your liking. You can sew up the insulation boards with plastic panels, they look very original.

Advice. If the balcony is intended only for storing essential items on it, then it is enough to insulate the walls in one layer. If you need to insulate more thoroughly, then it is better to lay the insulation in two layers.

No. 3. Balcony insulation with mineral wool: technology features

Warming of balconies with mineral wool is carried out under the constructed crate. A lining is attached over the frame - wooden or plastic panels with special grooves.

A well-known fact is the building recommendation to carry out insulation from the outside of the building. However, in the insulation of balconies and loggias, it is often not possible to place the insulation material outside. The internal placement of the insulation layer requires certain calculations, adherence to technology and the correct selection of materials so that in the future the work performed does not lead to wetting of the walls, corners and ceiling inside the remote structure.

Types of mineral wool

Depending on the raw materials used in the production, there are three main types of mineral wool: glass, stone and slag. All three materials are suitable for insulation work.

Mineral wool is a soft material that does not have rigid dimensions. It is supplied in the form of rolls (before laying they are unwound into a track) or soft mats. Sometimes one side of the insulation is covered with aluminum foil to enhance the thermal insulation properties.

Important! During installation, the foil should be located on the side of the room. The internal heat of the room will be reflected from the foil surface back into the living space.

The thickness of the mineral wool layer determines the quality of insulation and varies in size from 20 to 200 mm.

Mineral wool installation technology

Any type of mineral wool is mounted under the frame, located between outer wall(ceiling, roof) and frame supports. Wooden sticks or metal profiles can be used as supports, depending on which cladding will be used in the future.

When using lining for finishing wall cladding, the frame-lathing is constructed of wood. Wooden sticks with a cross section of 150 - 250 cm 2 are installed, while you can save a little the interior space of the balcony by installing sticks of a rectangular rather than square section (30 × 50 cm 2, 30 × 70 cm 2).

All racks and horizontal laths of the crate are installed under the level. Fastening uprights to the concrete surface of the ceiling and floor is carried out with anchor bolts. Horizontal ones are attached to the vertical supports. If the future cladding is made of plastic lining, horizontal slats are attached at three levels: knee, hip, shoulder.

For internal insulation with mineral wool, it is mandatory to install a vapor barrier. By itself, the cotton material is breathable, it easily passes gaseous substances (air, steam).

Given that during internal insulation, the point of condensation is shifted into the insulation, it is necessary to limit the ingress of steam or air from their living quarters into the building wool. For this purpose, a vapor barrier film is laid between the mineral wool and the finish.

Interior decoration

Purpose of interior decoration:

Close the heat insulator material from the living space.
Create an aesthetic interior wall covering of a room or insulated loggia.

There are various materials for interior decoration of balconies (drywall, wood, plastic, plaster). With a previously constructed crate frame, the finishing is done by hanging various kinds panels: plywood, MDF, lining made of wood or plastic.

Finishing with clapboard is done by lining the walls with wooden (or plastic) carload panels, which have special grooves around the perimeter for ease of installation and fastening density. At the same time, plastic lining is often a cheaper imitator. wood flooring laid by interior walls balconies (or loggias). It is characterized by less strength and rigidity.

Wooden wagon panels are reliable, environmentally friendly, have enough for floor covering rigidity. Plastic clapboard can sheathe the ceiling of the loggia, the floor is covered with wood, as for the walls - both types of wagon cover (plastic and wood) can be used here.

Clapboard lining is recommended to start from the corner. Each panel is checked for verticality with a level and fixed on the crate with a special fastener (clamp). You can fix the wagon panel with small carnations.

After finishing, the inner surface is treated with a composition that protects the wood from moisture and from destruction.

Problems faced with internal insulation of the balcony

1. When sheathing walls, ceilings and floors with insulating material, the area of the room inevitably decreases. And this drawback is not the only one.

2. Condensation often occurs in many structures, which is difficult to get rid of when all construction work has already been completed. Why does excess moisture appear?

The insulation structure installed on the balcony includes the following elements:

outdoor fencing located on the street; warming material; warm room.

Air masses tend to get outside, and their moisture, which has passed through the insulation, settles on the outer fence in the form of condensate. The insulation gets wet and completely loses its performance characteristics.

Warm vapors, colliding with a cold fence, also turn into a liquid state. Excess moisture in the room causes many problems, such as mold or rot. wooden elements structures. That is why you need to know how to properly insulate your balcony.

From the inside, this can be done in two ways.

Hydrobarrier

Hydrobarrier - a special design that prevents moisture condensation on the outer fence. The technology of its installation includes certain stages:

installation of vapor barrier;
facing materials.

The hydrobarrier makes it possible to use even materials that do not tolerate moisture when insulating from the inside. Polyethylene or foil serves as insulation.

Important! All seams must be sealed with construction tape.to best insulate the balcony.

The disadvantage of this method of insulation is that the walls cannot breathe.

Warming without additional insulation

It is possible to insulate a balcony from the inside in this way only if there are materials with low vapor permeability: polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam. The design includes:

fiberglass mesh, also mounted with glue; finishing.

Advice! For better fixing of the insulation, you can use plastic dowels.

For thermal insulation with polystyrene foam, glue is not required. This material is applied to the surface to be insulated with a sprayer, foams and dries.

Innovative insulation from TechnoNIKOL LOGICPIR Balcony is suitable for walls, ceiling, floor. saves space - plate thickness from 20 mm.

keeps warm due to the unique thermal conductivity of 0.022 W / m ° K (compare with glass wool 0.032-0.041 W / m ° K);
protected from moisture, rot, mold and fire (combustibility group G1 according to GOST 30244-94);
will serve long years(insulation retains its properties for 50 years).

Advice! When insulating a balcony from the inside with polystyrene foam, it is better to make a layer of material about 80 mm thick. The vapor permeability of extruded polystyrene foam is lower than that of a simple one, so its layer can be even smaller.

Floor insulation

Behind the insulation of the walls of the balcony, the floor should be insulated. If you correctly calculate the amount of insulation and the thickness of its layer, you can make the floor on the balcony at the same level as in the rest of the rooms.

At the first stage of work, the slab is cleaned of dirt, debris and crumbling plaster. Then the floor is covered with foil and penofol. The second stage is the fastening of the crate, previously cut with a jigsaw. Insulation plates are laid between its bars (preferably foam), and the gaps between them are filled with foam. The final stage is the installation of flooring, linoleum or parquet and skirting boards.

This design can raise the floor on the balcony by about 150 mm.

Electric heated floor

You can insulate the floor using modern technologies. Then the balcony will not differ from other rooms in almost nothing. Installing electric heat tracing is a relatively simple process, but electricity costs increase significantly.

To heat the balcony floor from the inside, a special electric cable is installed.

Important! Moisture must never get into the cable.

Insulation components:

Ceiling insulation

Advice! If the neighbors living on the floor above have already insulated their balcony, there is no need to insulate the ceiling.

The most optimal material for ceiling insulation is foam. It weighs very little, which is very important in this case. Its main layer is supplemented with foil, which acts as a vapor barrier and heat reflector. Foiled polystyrene foam is fixed with polyurethane foam glue and dish-shaped dowels. All seams are sealed with a special metal tape.

The foam plastic is attached to aluminum hangers using the same combined method.

Important! Insulation sheets should fit together as tightly as possible.

All cracks are filled with mounting foam with special care, so every, even the smallest, hole can make all work absolutely useless.

You can insulate the balcony from the inside both independently and using the services of professionals. However, these construction works can be simple if you use the tips and carefully understand the technology.

How to insulate a balcony with your own hands: step by step photos and instructions

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Errors when warming a balcony

September 4, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works (laying the foundation, erecting walls, constructing the roof, etc.). Internal construction works (laying of internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communication, high technologies, computer equipment, programming.

I have already talked many times about the internal insulation of balconies in city apartments and private houses, but I did not dwell much on highlighting the question of how best to insulate the loggia from the inside. But the right choice of thermal insulation material is the key to the effectiveness of the events.

And now is the time to fill this gap. The instructions that I give below will tell you how to choose the right material for insulation yourself.

Requirements for heaters

Before telling you how to insulate the loggia inside with my own hands, I want to give a few words to the criteria by which I personally choose thermal insulation materials for such work.

So, what is worth paying attention to:

Heat transfer coefficient. The lower this parameter is, the better. That is, for the thermal insulation of the room (whether it be a separate loggia or combined with the main room), you will have to use a smaller layer of material. So, more usable area of the room will be saved.
Ease of installation. The more complicated the procedure for installing the heat-insulating material you have chosen, the longer and more laborious the repair process will be, especially on your own. However, I have already written a lot about how to properly insulate the loggia from the inside. If you need, you can find the relevant material or ask a question in the comments.
Strength. It is better to choose a heater that tolerates external mechanical stress (both static and dynamic). In this case, the subsequent decorative finishing of the room is facilitated.
Antiseptic. Internal insulation shifts the dew point inside the heat-insulating cake. In addition, air vapors, which are formed as a result of human activity, can penetrate through the walls. Therefore, I recommend paying attention to materials that are not subject to biocorrosion - mold, fungus and other microorganisms, rodents and insects do not appear in them.
Affordable price. Naturally, this factor is also very important, although I would not put it at the forefront. Below I will tell you about insulating materials that have an optimal ratio of cost and performance. And then you yourself choose what material is better to perform insulation.

Characteristics of individual types of insulation

So, let's start the story. Let's start with the most common and very inexpensive heat insulator - polystyrene foam or, as it is popularly called, polystyrene.

Styrofoam

Expanded polystyrene is a material consisting of 98% air, which is enclosed in closed polystyrene shells. It turns out some kind of solid foam in sheets, which, after finishing the walls, floor and ceiling of the loggia, prevents unproductive heat loss.

Specifications

I will briefly describe the main technical characteristics of the material:

Thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity coefficient of expanded polystyrene is in the range of 0.028-0.034 W / (m * K), that is, lower than that of mineral wool. The specific value depends on how dense the foam you get for work.

I'll warn you right now. Do not confuse foam and extruded polystyrene foam. Although they are relatives, their technical characteristics differ significantly. Therefore, we will talk about EPS separately in the next section.

Vapor permeability and water absorption. Conventional building foam does not allow air to penetrate through the insulation layer.

Therefore, the insulation of the loggia with foam plastic from the inside requires acceptance additional measures for ventilation of the room in order to remove excess moisture from it. Otherwise, the microclimate in the room will be far from comfortable.

The situation is different with water absorption. When in contact with liquid, the foam absorbs approximately 4% of its volume. However, unlike mineral wool, its heat-retaining properties do not deteriorate much from this, therefore it is not necessary to carefully waterproof the insulation layer.

Strength. For insulation, building foams are used that meet the requirements of DIN 7726 and are classified as "rigid". That is, when a load is applied, the surface of the heat insulator reacts elastically. However, when a dynamic or strong static force is applied, the integrity of the insulation may be compromised.

In other words, if you use polystyrene foam for the internal insulation of the loggia, you immediately need to decide how to finish the inside after insulation. You need to choose a method of decorative finishing that would simultaneously protect the insulation layer from mechanical damage.

The strength of the foam is largely dependent on its density. But with an increase in density, heat-preserving properties deteriorate. The optimal density of foam for internal insulation is 25. You can also buy 35, but this, in my opinion, is already an unjustified waste of money.

Chemical resistance. Classically, expanded polystyrene perfectly tolerates the effects of household chemicals, which include soap, soda, mineral fertilizers. It is chemically neutral in contact with bituminous resins, cement and lime mortars, asphalts.

However, I myself saw how the foam “melts” when some varnishes, drying oils and other similar substances get on it. In addition, petroleum products with various alcohols are also dangerous.

All this once again suggests that if you are going to use this insulation for interior work, you should take care of its thorough protection.

Sound absorption. If you want the insulation layer to act as a sound insulator at the same time, then you will be disappointed with the foam. It is able to protect a little only from impact noise, and even then, if you lay 10-15 centimeters of insulation.

Other noises that are transmitted through the air, the foam does not jam. The fact is that the cells with air inside the material are rigidly fixed and completely isolated from the outside world. Therefore, sound waves do not absorb.

Antiseptic and environmentally friendly. In 2004, research by scientists from the United States finally proved that biological life on the surface of expanded polystyrene is impossible. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid of the appearance of mold and fungus.

As for the issues of environmental protection (for some, this is very important), everything is fine here too, since the use of freon, which is harmful to the ozone layer of the planet, was abandoned in the production of insulation. In addition, the foam itself serves for a long time without losing its performance properties. And regardless of the number of cycles of freezing and thawing.

However, the insulation in question is subject to oxidation. Moreover, the lower the density of the material, the faster this process. Especially if the material is exposed to direct sunlight. And during oxidation, it releases many harmful substances, which include:

benzene;
toluene;
formaldehydes;
methyl alcohol;
acetophenone and so on.

But during the construction of houses, wood is also treated with various chemicals, which also harm human health. So wood cannot be considered a completely environmentally friendly building material. However, I am only stating the facts, and you will have to make the final choice.

Fire safety. According to the current Russian standards (GOST under the number 30224-94), foam plastics belong to the third and fourth flammability classes. In other words, they are very dangerous when viewed from this point of view.

When choosing a heater, pay attention to what standards the expanded polystyrene is certified. In Europe, the flammability class is determined by three factors (biological, chemical and complex). So, experts from the EU believe that the most combustible material is wood, but they do not take into account the danger of combustion products formed during the ignition of the foam.

Therefore, when purchasing material, pay attention to certificates issued based on the results of comprehensive studies. And buy polystyrene foam, which contains flame retardants (it is marked with the letter "C"). This does not mean that such material will burn worse. It just takes a longer exposure to a more intense flame to ignite it.

In any case, I can say that despite various flame retardants and other additives to the foam, it continues to be a rather combustible material. Therefore, if you are going to arrange a workshop on the loggia, it is better to choose other materials for insulation. Moreover, flame retardants disappear over time.

Lifetime. Subject to the foam installation technology (that is, laying it under plaster or other decorative material) it will retain its performance properties for at least 30 years. However, this is if you do not make mistakes, which I want to talk about below.

First of all, this is the wrong choice of a warming elk. Some, for example, believe that if you lay a foam board 30 cm thick, then the loggia will be insulated as efficiently as possible. This is not so, because a thick insulation will warp and crack due to temperature fluctuations.

As a rule, 5 cm thick slabs or two such slabs stacked on top of each other are used to insulate a dwelling. Among other things, this method of installation allows you to reduce the amount of smoke emitted during a fire and reduce the risk of poisoning people in the room.

Well, now I kind of summarize everything that has been said and give some advice to those who have already decided to buy polystyrene foam to insulate their loggia:

For internal insulation, I advise you to purchase polystyrene foam with the PSB-S marking with a density of 35-40. In any case, do not take insulation with a density of less than 25. It is only suitable for packaging household appliances, but not for construction.
Sometimes manufacturers label the foam with the number "40", which does not indicate its density. Therefore, pay attention not only to the numbers in the name, but also to the technical characteristics, which, according to the law, must be placed on the package or provided separately at the request of the buyer.
Buy foam produced by extrusion (should be listed in the accompanying documentation). This is the only way to give the material a density higher than 20 kg per cubic meter.
To check the quality of the material on the spot, break off a piece from it. If you see balls at the break point, which are also easily separated, then you have packaging material in front of you. Styrofoam for insulation has cells in the form of polyhedrons, along which a fracture occurs.
If we talk about specific manufacturers, then I recommend paying attention to the materials of TechnoNikol, BASF, Styrochem or Polimeri Europa. These materials are of excellent quality and are quite affordable.

Penoplex

I recently used extruded polystyrene foam to insulate a balcony. And he chose the material of a domestic manufacturer for work - foam plastic. That's why I'm going to talk about it in this section.

Specifications

The first extruded polystyrene foam was produced in the United States of America about half a century ago. essence technological process is as follows: expanded polystyrene granules are placed in a chamber where they are melted under high temperature. Then this mass is foamed with the help of chemicals and squeezed out through rectangular nozzles onto the conveyor, where it cools.

For foaming, so-called foams are used, that is, substances that, when heated, emit gases: nitrogen or carbon dioxide.

After hardening, the extruded polystyrene tape is cut into slabs and packed in polyethylene for transportation to construction sites.

As for penoplex, it consists of the following components:

polystyrene;
ground perlite;
sodium bicarbonate;
lemon acid;
barium stearate;
tetrabromoparaxylene.

The use of foams in the production of foam gives the latter a porous structure, like foam. But unlike the latter, the cells of this material are tightly interconnected into a homogeneous structure, so the air is more evenly distributed inside the material.

The size of the air cells in the insulation is from 0.1 to 0.3 mm. They are isolated from each other, so they have good thermal resistance and low water absorption. In addition, this whole structure has greater strength than classic expanded polystyrene (styrofoam).

The exact technical characteristics of the penoplex are shown in the illustration below:

As you can see, there are several varieties of this extruded polystyrene foam on the building materials market, which differ in the characteristics and dimensions of the plates. Accordingly, they must be used for insulation of various structures.

If you are not too versed in the above figures, I will decipher some of the parameters:

Coefficient of thermal conductivity. For penoplex, this figure is approximately 0.03 W / (m * K). This is one of the lowest coefficients of all existing heaters. At the same time, what attracts me personally: this indicator does not change depending on humidity and temperature. That is, when using penoplex, it is not necessary to protect it with additional waterproofing membranes.
Hygroscopicity. When in contact with water or moist air, the foam board absorbs no more than 0.6% of its own volume. In this case, humidification continues only during the first 10 days after installation, and then stops. Only the upper layers of the insulation are impregnated, which positively affects the integrity of the material.
Vapor permeability. The material does not pass moisture vapor dissolved in the air through itself. Therefore, the surfaces finished with foam are not covered with vapor barrier films. On the other hand, you will have to take measures to ventilate the room to remove excess water vapor.
Compressive strength. This parameter is at a height, which is achieved due to the homogeneous structure of the penoplex. Therefore, it can be used to insulate floors on the loggia (laying the insulation under the cement screed). If a significant force is applied to the insulation, a dent with a depth of no more than 1 mm may form on the surface.
Environmental friendliness. Although the manufacturer claims that the material is completely safe for the environment and humans, during operation it releases a small amount of chemical compounds that can be hazardous to health.
Lifetime. Experiments carried out at the Penoplex plant show that the material is able to withstand more than 50 consecutive freeze and thaw cycles. Therefore, when used outdoors, it will retain its technical characteristics for at least half a century. And inside the loggia and even more.

To all of the above, I can also add that penoplex tolerates the effects of aggressive chemicals and solvents well. However, it is destroyed upon contact with petroleum products, benzene, formaldehyde, acetone, oil and some other materials. This must be taken into account when choosing a method of decorative finishing.

Marking methods

There are several types of extruded polystyrene foam Penoplex on sale. To make it easier for you to choose the right variety, I will give the following table.

Marking	Scope of application
Penoplex 31	Used for insulation of industrial tanks with various liquids and technical pipelines.
Penoplex 31C	A material that, like the previous one, is not very durable, therefore it can only be used for internal insulation. Unlike the previous one, it has the ability to self-extinguish when ignited.
Penoplex 35	Material of medium strength and density, which is ideal for internal insulation of the loggia. Moreover, it can be installed not only on walls and ceilings, but also on the floor under a cement screed.
Penoplex 45	Very durable and moisture resistant insulation. It is used for external thermal insulation of surfaces that experience a large static and dynamic load. On the loggia, it can be used to warm the floor.
Penoplex 45C	Self-extinguishing type of insulation described in the previous row of the table. It is mainly used for thermal insulation of industrial and commercial facilities.

However, in addition to digital marking, penoplex has its own names. Detailed description I will list each brand in the following table.

Name	Density, kg/cu.m.	Purpose
Wall	25-32	It is used for internal and external insulation of enclosing walls, internal partitions and basement floors above ground level.
Foundation	29-33	It is used for thermal insulation of structures buried in the ground. This type of foam is very durable and able to withstand the load exerted by the soil after backfilling the pit.
Roof	28-33	It is used for insulation of attic rooms. The insulation has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, but is fragile, so it is better not to use it in places where it will be subjected to a constant load.
Comfort	25-35	Material ideal for internal insulation of balconies, loggias and other premises. Differs in that it can be used in rooms with high humidity air.

If you ask my opinion, then I would advise using Penoplex Comfort slabs 5 cm thick to insulate the loggia, laying them in one layer under the screed or in a pre-arranged crate.

Basalt wool

Another fairly common insulation for loggias and balconies is mineral wool. There are several varieties of this material, but I prefer the variety that is made from a volcanic mineral - basalt. It is basalt wool that is the most environmentally friendly material with excellent technical specifications and performance properties.

This insulation was invented in Hawaii, when local residents, after one of the volcanic eruptions, discovered strong and thin fibers in the vicinity.

Now basalt wool is produced industrially. To do this, gabbro-basalt is collected and melted in a melting furnace at a temperature of just over 1500 degrees Celsius. Then the mixture enters the drum, where it is blown by a jet of air and rotates. The result is fibers with a thickness of 7 microns and a length of about 5 cm.

After that, a binder is added to the mass of fibers, after which the mixture is heated to 300 degrees Celsius and pressed into mats, which are used for insulation.

Specifications

I will tell you the most important thing about this heater:

Thermal conductivity. According to this indicator, wool, although it does not overtake penoplex, is not an outsider. The thermal conductivity coefficient is from 0.032 to 0.048 W/(K*m).

So that you understand what in question, compare, for example, a 10-cm layer of basalt wool with a density of 100 kg per cubic meter with others building materials. To provide the same level of thermal insulation, it is necessary to build a wall of ceramic brick 1 m 20 cm thick. Silicate brick will need even more - 2 meters. As for the wooden wall, its thickness should be at least 25 cm.

Water absorption. Basalt wool has hydrophobic properties. That is, water does not penetrate inside the fibers and does not linger in the insulation, changing its technical characteristics.

This, by the way, is the fundamental difference between basalt fiber and glass wool or slag wool. The last two varieties after getting wet (from contact with water or moisture vapor) increase their thermal conductivity, that is, they retain heat indoors worse.

So if you are going to insulate the loggia from the inside, you need to take exactly basalt wool, and not from glass fibers. Do not confuse. Its water absorption is no more than 2% of its own volume.

Vapor permeability. The described insulation, unlike the previous ones, does not prevent air infiltration through the building envelope. Moisture, penetrating through the decorative material, is removed outside and does not condense in the insulation layer.

The vapor permeability of the material is about 0.3 mg / (m * h * Pa). That is, on the loggia, where you use such a heater, a comfortable microclimate for living will independently form, if you look at it from the point of view of air humidity.

Fire safety. Due to the fact that basalt, being a volcanic rock, has a very high melting point, the heat-insulating material itself belongs to the class of completely non-combustible materials.

Moreover, it is able to stop the further spread of the flame. The thermal insulation layer loses its integrity at a temperature of at least 1100 degrees Celsius. Therefore, by the way, it is used for insulation. engineering systems and pipelines, the surface of which is very hot during operation.

The material fully complies with the requirements of GOST under the number 30244 and SNiP under the number 21-01-97. It has no restrictions when warming residential premises.

Soundproof properties. Unlike expanded polystyrenes, basalt wool perfectly absorbs sound waves. This is due to the fact that the air contained inside the insulation is not closed inside the cells, and the fibers themselves are arranged randomly.

Moreover, cotton wool not only cuts off noise from the street, but also reduces the reverberation time. That is, not only the loggia itself is soundproofed, but also the rooms located behind it.

Strength. As in all other cases, this parameter depends on the density of the basalt wool. Although it is less than that of polystyrenes, it is still sufficient for construction works, since some basalt fibers are arranged vertically when forming mats.

As a result, when the insulation layer is deformed by 10%, it shows a compressive strength of 5 to 80 kilopascals. And this indicator does not decrease depending on the operating time.

Nevertheless, it is impossible to install basalt mats under the floor screed. For insulation, I recommend equipping the crate, on which decorative material is then mounted. Although there are some varieties (for example, Dan Floor from Danova), which are specifically designed for insulating floors under a cement screed.

Biological and chemical activity. The material does not react with chemicals and does not cause corrosion of metal parts. In addition, mold and fungus do not start inside the insulation layer and on its surface, insects and rodents do not live.

So you can insulate the loggia in the country. Unlike foam, which mice love to chew on.

Environmental Safety. The insulation is completely safe for the environment and humans, as it is made from a natural mineral. However, the fibers are glued together with phenol, which can be hazardous to health.

But I hasten to assure the skeptics. All hazardous substances are neutralized when heated at the stage of production of basalt wool. But even at the stage of manufacturing the material, the emission is no more than 0.05 mg per cubic meter per hour.

In addition, during operation, mineral fibers do not irritate the skin, mucous membranes and respiratory organs of a person.

Material disadvantages

So that you do not get the impression that basalt wool is just a gift of fate for warming the loggia, I will list the main disadvantages of the material:

high cost of insulation;
the presence of seams in the insulation layer, which make it leaky;
the possibility of the formation of basalt dust, which causes inconvenience to installers in the process of working with it;
high coefficient of vapor permeability, which in some cases is simply not needed.

Summary

Now you have all the necessary information to choose the right insulation for the thermal insulation of the loggia. Those who are interested in how to lay the selected insulation with their own hands can watch the video in this article.

September 4, 2016

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