More and more owners of private houses are engaged in wall insulation in pursuit of energy conservation and saving money. Some hire special teams, while others do it on their own. Why do you need to insulate the facade of the house? If you want to save on heating in winter and pay less for electricity in summer, you should think carefully about the thermal insulation of your house.
You don’t have to be a professional to insulate your house. Modern technology allows you to do it yourself. The main thing is to choose the right material. Insulation materials require different levels of training. In addition, they are characterized by certain features. Let’s take a closer look at them.
What materials are suitable for self-insulation of the house
Carry out high-quality thermal insulation work, choose the optimal material, and you will achieve the desired microclimate. And you will also be able to maintain it for quite a long time. All materials for facade insulation can be divided into two groups: polystyrene and mineral wool. Most often, mineral wool, polystyrene, and more recently thermal panels are chosen for house insulation. The choice is affected by the material’s technical characteristics, price, and ease of use.
The main stages of thermal insulation of houses with mineral wool outside
Mineral wool does not allow the walls to cool in frost and heat up in the heat. If done correctly, you can avoid dampness, mold, and mildew. Mineral wool can be glass, slag, and stone. It is produced in the form of slabs and rolls.
For insulation with mineral wool, elementary construction skills are needed, because the work is very simple:
- For the installation of slabs, it is necessary to make a frame from a metal profile or a wooden bar.
- The distance between the guides must be less than the width of the slab. This will not create cold bridges and increase heat loss.
- Install the frame vertically and horizontally. This will prevent the slabs from being overloaded and sagging.
- Use special wall plugs to fix the material to the wall.
- Place a vapor barrier on top of the slabs. Be sure to overlap and glue the joints with special tape.
- Install a batten for the ventilation gap between the façade and the thermal insulation.
When using mineral wool, two conditions must be taken into account:
- The weather must be dry, otherwise you will have the opposite effect with wet insulation.
- It is obligatory to use a protective suit and respirator.
Home insulation with foam plastic
Foam plastic is a fairly popular wall insulation. This is due to its relatively low price, low weight, good heat, and sound insulation properties. But for insulation you need a lot of preparatory work and additional materials:
- The first stage is the preparation of the facade of the house. Clean any dirt from the walls to improve adhesion. Plaster cracks and openings. Prime the walls.
- The second stage is attaching the starter profile and applying the glue. Fasten the profiles with a 30 cm pitch and a 2 – 3 mm gap. On flat walls, apply the glue directly with a comb-type trowel. Use beacons for curved walls.
- The third stage is foam plastic gluing. Work from the bottom to up. No glue should get between the sheets. Press the boards tightly together.
- The fourth stage is fixing with dowels. Use an average of 5 “umbrellas” per sheet.
- The fifth stage is reinforcement. Apply a special compound. Install the mesh from the bottom to up with an overlap of 10 cm. Put on another layer of the compound on top.
- The sixth stage is defense. Application of a special coating that serves to protect the material from weathering. It needs to be leveled with a grater. Treat the entire façade in one day, not in patches.
As you can see, the process is quite time-consuming. It may take 3 to 7 days.
Thermal panels and facade insulation
Choosing thermal insulation of facades with thermal panels, you combine an original design solution with high-quality thermal insulation. Use a facade thermal panel to insulate the walls of your house and at the same time veneer them. The thermal panel is a two-layer combined finishing material.
Advantages of thermal panels:
- No additional load on the facade due to the low weight. Ideal for weakened facades.
- Simple and quick installation. Stick a slab and rub down the joint seams.
- Beautiful aesthetic appearance and waterproofing effect.
- Wide assortment of colors, textures and sizes.
- When it rains, water runs down the faсade and washes away dirt and dust.
- Installation does not depend on the weather, it can be insulated even in winter.
- Minimum maintenance costs. No need to paint, clean or process the facade.
- UV resistance. The covering does not fade yet reflects the sun’s rays.
- Fire safety. The decorative covering does not burn.
Install the thermal panels yourself, without involving workers from the outside. This will reduce the cost of insulation. As a result, you will receive a comprehensive solution: insulate the walls and give them a beautiful appearance.