Insulating The Walls Of The Apartment From The Inside With Expanded Polystyrene: Features, Tips, Video

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-24 22:24

• When is such insulation allowed
• Features of insulation
• How to protect walls from moisture
• Important points that must be followed
• The choice of material for insulation
• Foamed polyethylene
• Double wall
• Expanded polystyrene
• Installation technology
• Conclusion

A common problem in the modern world is cold and dampness in an apartment in winter. And the elimination of this kind of problem is fraught with unnecessary heating charges. This indicates that, for whatever reason, heat leaves the room without lingering in it. The solution to this problem is, of course, insulation. But the usual external is not always possible to perform, and therefore it is necessary to equip the insulation of the walls from the inside. It is about him that we will talk.

When is such insulation allowed

Thermal insulation of a wall in an apartment from the inside is a rare phenomenon, since for the most part it leads to rather deplorable results. First of all, it is noted that the wall does not become warmer with him, and in addition, it even begins to freeze even more. This leads to the emergence of a number of problems, which we will talk about a little later.

In particular, this kind of insulation itself can be found in several cases:

1. If the house is banned from the state authorities for exterior decoration and changes to the facade (this can occur if the building is of any cultural value, or looks at the central streets of the city).
2. The second option is the location behind the wall of the expansion joint of the building or engineering structures to which there is no access (for example, an elevator shaft)

Also, in some cases, this kind of wall insulation in an apartment can be a good option if it was planned in a building construction project, which is often found in Soviet buildings, as well as in modern frame houses. With such insulation, it is assumed that the existing insulation will be strengthened, while the same material is used that was in operation during construction.

These are the main reasons that determine the insulation of the walls inside the apartment. In other situations, it is simply inappropriate and not reasoned. It is still better to carry out outdoor activities, since it is more effective, and even the need to change the exterior of the building should not be an obstacle.

But if, nevertheless, a decision is made for internal insulation, one should fully delve into the technology of its implementation, and carry out all the work as responsibly as possible, in full accordance with state standards and recommendations of specialists.

Features of insulation

Now we should consider the features of this design. And the main one, and at the same time, the main disadvantage is that the wall itself does not become warmer, but on the contrary freezes even more. This causes the displacement of the Ross point.

Who does not know that this is a sharpening, a little more specific. Any surface of the walls has pores through which moisture escapes from the room; condensation passes inside the walls at this time. The point at which condensate appears is called the Ross point.

In the absence of insulation, this point is in the center of the wall, which allows only half of it to freeze. In the case of wall insulation inside the apartment, this point shifts to the inner part of the wall, practically in contact with the insulation itself. In this connection, the wall begins to freeze through completely. In turn, the condensate formed at this point, i.e. dampness, destroys the wall and finishing material, which significantly impairs the properties of thermal insulation.

As a result, if you do not find how to eliminate dampness, heat loss will soon gain the same intensity as in the case of an uninsulated wall. In some cases, the wall can completely collapse, especially if it is made of brick.

How to protect walls from moisture

As it has already become clear, with such insulation, the formation of dampness is almost inevitable. Therefore, you should consider the basic rules that will help you cope with the question of how to get rid of the dampness that appears as a result of the freezing of the wall.

Thus, in order to eliminate dampness in the wall, it is necessary to provide for the use of only vapor-tight insulation. Hence, the first, most gross mistake of many people arises, namely, insulation with mineral wool using an additional layer of vapor barrier (which is practically useless in reality).

In addition, the complete absence of seams or joints during insulation becomes an important factor, since they also allow steam to pass through, and even in greater quantities than the material itself. And also any joints - this is the risk of condensate penetration into the room.

Thus, in deciding how to remove dampness, only good, and most importantly, correct insulation and ventilation will help. In this case, they are categorically not suitable for the category of good and correct:

1. Warm plaster.
2. Cork covering.
3. Mineral wool.
4. Liquid ceramics.

The first two options can be used only as the last element of insulation, nothing more. Again, any insulation that is carried out with vapor-permeable materials is categorically not suitable.

Practically the best option for performing wall insulation from the inside in a panel house is the use of expanded polystyrene. Of course, it is also difficult to achieve maximum tightness with it, especially without using additional solutions, but it wins against the background of other materials. Penofol will also be a good choice, we will also talk about it a little.

Thus, in order to get rid of dampness in the house, as it has already become clear, it is necessary to carry out high-quality insulation. And then we will look at how to do it and what is needed for this.

Important points that must be followed

To begin with, having considered the methods of insulating the apartment, for some reason it was the internal one that was chosen, it is necessary to determine the requirements for the surface before starting work:

1. The wall must be completely dry.
2. It is also necessary to preliminarily provide for vapor barrier and waterproofing, which will separate the wall surface from the room itself, as well as from direct contact with the insulation.
3. The material itself, which is used, should be as moisture resistant as possible, and in addition, it should have minimal vapor permeability.
4. And finally, when designing insulation, there should be no joints or gaps.

By the way, the only option that will fully meet all the requirements will be a new wall built inside the premises. But this is far from advisable, since in this case the area of the premises will be reduced by 3-5 sq.m.

The choice of material for insulation

Internal insulation of the walls of the apartment allows you to use (at least to obtain the desired effect) only three options. More specifically:

1. Insulation with foamed polyethylene.
2. Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene).
3. And the arrangement of a double wall with a combination of materials.

Let's consider each of the types in a little more detail, and then dwell on the one that is most suitable.

Foamed polyethylene

The material itself is foamed polyethylene foam, which is covered with foil on one or several sides. The material itself is capable of completely preventing heat loss, therefore it has significant thermal insulation indicators.

Due to its unique structure, it is also a good heat reflector. For example, when laying insulation with a thickness of 10 cm, the material is capable of retaining heat many times better than a brick wall 5 times thicker.

In addition, the material has a good level of radiation protection, vapor tightness, and is easy to install.

There are three types of material for wall insulation with foam foam from the inside, each of which has its own characteristics:

1. Class A - characterized by foil coating on one side.
2. Class B - foil coating is provided on both sides
3. Class C - involves applying a layer of foil on one side, and an adhesive coating on the other.

Double wall

Another option is the arrangement of a double wall, which involves the device on the surface of some elements of the warm floor. This technology allows you to create a thermal barrier, and therefore moisture from the room will not condense in the walls.

This technology is used only in the most severe frosts and is turned on to heat the wall and shift the Ross point to its center.

To equip this kind of insulation requires the construction of an additional wall made of plasterboard or laying brick on the floor. The insulation itself is mounted on an additional wall from the inside. This option helps well and saves the wall from destruction, but it is not economical, since it requires a lot of electricity, since heating is actually required not by the room, but by the street.

Expanded polystyrene

If, nevertheless, it is decided to insulate the walls from the inside with expanded polystyrene, which does not fully meet the necessary requirements for internal insulation, then it is mainly worth focusing on the installation of the material.

The material itself is a sheet of good density. Their size is according to the standard 100 * 100. Accordingly, laying without joints will not work. Therefore, special attention should be paid to fit and seal.

In addition, such a coating requires a special fastening technology. As a rule, a special adhesive solution is used for external finishing with material. When walls are insulated from the inside with penoplex, this option will not work. When using the solution, air chambers will form, accordingly, a good environment for condensation appears. And over time, there will be a way out into the room, which cannot be allowed.

The only thing that will work is applying the solution directly to the sheet itself, while ensuring the most tight adhesion to the wall. In addition, additional leveling of the walls is necessary, as well as reinforcement with mesh.

Installation technology

It's time to consider how to independently insulate walls with foam from the inside. The first step is to calculate the wall area, the required amount of material, etc.

But you should take into account all aspects that affect the installation conditions, as well as the possible setup time. To fully comply with the technology of work, it is worthwhile to carry out insulation only in the summer, moreover, during the period when there is no precipitation.

You will also need to pre-dry the wall, for which heat guns or a heater are used. It is necessary to reduce the moisture content of the surface to a minimum.

Now let's move on to the technology itself:

1. Before insulating the walls of an apartment with polystyrene foam, you need to prepare them. All finishing must be completely removed, in addition, it is also better to dismantle the plaster. In total, the walls need to be cleaned to the very base. Further, the surface is cleaned of dirt, if necessary, leveled with cement mortar.
2. Further, treatment with antiseptics is carried out, as well as surface priming. Note that in this case it is necessary to use only formulations with deep penetration.
3. It is after the priming, if necessary, that the walls are leveled or plastering. To perform them, you should use special solutions with the addition of water repellents. Alternatively, you can use a ready-made mixture for finishing wet rooms and swimming pools. With large differences in the level of the wall, plaster is carried out along the lighthouses.
4. After that, the finished plaster is also primed.
5. Note that when finishing concrete walls, alignment is not required, since they are already even. The only thing is to seal the joints between the wall, floor and ceiling with a special sealant.
6. Next, it is necessary to provide a frame for the installation of insulation, which is fixed on adjacent walls, ceiling and on the floor. Thus, between the wall itself and the insulation, a gap of 3-5 centimeters is formed.

7. Now you can fix the insulation. The solution is applied to a sheet of polystyrene; first, it is advisable to perforate the surface of the material itself using a special needle roller.

   

8. Further, consolidation is carried out. If further surface finishing using a reinforcing mesh is planned, then it is necessary to provide for reinforcement in the form of special corners that are fixed to the floor and ceiling.
9. When using high-strength foam when insulating walls in an apartment of a panel house, it is enough to reinforce it and plaster it.
10. And the last is the sealing of the joints using a special sealant.

Conclusion

This completes the insulation work. As you can see, there is nothing particularly difficult, you just need to follow the technology and everything will work out. In conclusion, we offer several videos that will help you understand the method of insulation using an example of its implementation.

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