Correct insulation of the cellar from the inside and outside with your own hands

The cellar is intended for long-term storage of fruits and vegetables, preservation, juices and dairy products. If there is sufficient free space, this structure, unlike the basement, is located separately from residential buildings. Special conditions must be created for storing food supplies. Higher and lower temperatures lead to their rapid deterioration. Therefore, it is imperative to insulate the walls of a concrete grounded cellar. This process is simple enough to do it yourself without involving professionals.

Why do you need to insulate the cellar

The storage is being erected at a distance from buildings equipped with heating devices and communications. This means that the inner space is less influenced from the outside and is characterized by relative stability. Nevertheless, temperature drops in the winter and summer seasons reach serious values, which cannot but affect the microclimate of the underground warehouse. Sometimes construction is carried out under sheds and garages in cooperatives. These structures do not have any effect on the underground space, but they protect them from precipitation.

Basement insulation is carried out for the following reasons:

• In the summer heat, the earth gets so hot that the heat penetrates deep into the ground, heating the walls of the cellar and its contents. From this, vegetables sprout, preservation explodes, pickles become moldy.
• In cold, snowless winters, the soil is very freezing. It also affects the microclimate in the underground storage. Vegetables and fruits deteriorate, jars crack, after thawing, smoked meats quickly disappear.
  
• Condensation forms when the temperature changes. Dampness contributes to the development of pathogens, metal corrosion and the destruction of wood products.
• From contact with the ground, there is a gradual destruction of the walls of the structure. Insulation of the cellar from the outside protects it from the effects of an acidic environment and the development of a freeze-thaw life of the material.

Thermal insulation is chosen so that it can serve for more than a dozen years. This is especially true for materials that are planned to be used for outdoor installation. Replacing them is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

What material to choose

The basement level is subject to constant lateral and vertical pressure, moisture, acids, insects and rodents. These factors must be taken into account when choosing a heater. There is a wide range of materials on sale that differ in price, performance and installation features. When making a choice, each product property should be evaluated.

Expanded clay

Expanded clay is balls or sharp porous granules obtained as a result of vulcanization of natural clay. The material is more often used when arranging roofs in residential buildings and outbuildings.

The products have the following advantages:

• affordable cost;
• low density;
• ease of use;
• environmental Safety;
• low thermal conductivity.

Expanded clay is used less and less, as it has a limited service life due to shrinkage and hygroscopicity.

Styrofoam

Polyfoam is a time-tested material that is used in private and industrial construction, in preparation for the winter of summer cottages and garage cooperatives.

Expanded polystyrene has the following advantages:

• excellent insulating properties;
• waterproofness;
• low specific gravity;
• ease of processing and installation;
• small price.

Disadvantages include fragility and toxicity during combustion.

Penoplex

The decision to insulate the basement from the inside with penoplex will create high-quality and reliable protection of the room from dampness, temperature changes, insects and rodents.

The polymer material has the following advantages:

• dense structure, excluding crumbling and breaking during installation;
• low thermal conductivity;
• practically zero hygroscopicity;
• long service life;
• ecological cleanliness;
• deterrent effect on living beings;
• wide temperature range;
• resistance to alkalis and acids.

The disadvantage of penoplex is its high price, which corresponds to a high quality insulator. But, the invested funds are fully justified by the comfortable conditions in the cellar.

Minvata

The industry produces mineral wool from broken glass, steel slag and natural stone. Finished products are fibers randomly bonded in space. Mineral wool is produced in the form of mats and rolls, the thickness of which is 100-400 mm.

Material advantages:

• ease;
• low thermal conductivity;
• elasticity;
• flexibility;
• durability.

The disadvantage is its hygroscopicity and the release of many harmful volatile particles during installation.

Preparatory work

Preparation for warming the cellar consists of the following stages:

1. Drawing up a project, calculating the need for building materials and tools.
2. Removal of communications, cleaning surfaces from fragile fragments, cleaning and sealing cracks.
3. Leveling walls and ceilings with cement mortar with the addition of plasticizers.
4. Treatment of structures with an antiseptic and a primer.

To work more comfortably and safer, a layer of sawdust and sand should be poured on the ground around the cellar. Use cloth gloves to protect your hands.

Internal or external insulation

Experts recommend a comprehensive approach to the issue of thermal insulation, finishing the cellar from the inside and from the street. Each of the methods has its own pros and cons that cannot be neglected.

External insulation allows you to protect the supporting structures of the structure from dampness and temperature changes. Thanks to this, they further retain their strength and integrity. At the same time, there is no need to save space, since extra centimeters do not play a big role in the scale of the area of ​​the site. The exterior finish absorbs the ground pressure, preventing deformation of the walls and base.

The decision to insulate the cellar from the inside from freezing is made in cases where, for whatever reason, it is not possible to do it from the outside. When choosing the type of insulation, preference should be given to environmentally friendly materials that are odorless and emit small particles into the air. To neutralize the effects of dampness, you will need to sacrifice interior space. It is necessary to install a thick layer of insulation, which must be resistant to dampness and fungus.

To prevent the development of mold, you need to pour bleach into fine dust and add it to the primer with which the surfaces will be treated. This is a good way to disinfect load-bearing structures.

How to properly insulate a cellar

The thermal insulation of the cellar is best performed at the stage of its construction. This will allow you to avoid time-consuming work in the future, when the need arises.It is advisable to do this from top to bottom, performing one step after another.

Base

The production of the floor is carried out in the following sequence:

1. An amortization and warming cushion is poured into the pit. The mixture is made from sand, gravel and expanded clay.
2. Dense cellophane or roofing felt is laid on top of the pillow. The edges of the insulation are rigidly fixed in the ground with stakes.
3. A layer of foam or foam is laid. The edges of the slabs are glued with tape.
4. The frame is assembled from reinforcement. It rises above the insulation by 15-20 mm.
5. The concrete solution is mixed and poured into the mold. It takes at least a week to harden.
6. When the base is completely strengthened, it is treated with a primer and antiseptic.

The final step is the installation of the topcoat. The best option is wooden boards impregnated with linseed oil.

Walls

The walls have the largest area of ​​contact with the ground and bear the main load on the thermal insulation of the cellar.

Their arrangement is carried out in this way:

1. Removing unstable fragments, widening cracks, sealing them with a sealant or cement mortar.
2. Surface treatment with deep penetration primer.
3. Installation of insulation plates. It can be polystyrene, polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam. The last option is good because no additional finishing is required.
4. Applying a layer of waterproofing. For this, roofing material is best suited, which is characterized by strength and durability.

For interior decoration, it is better to use materials of small thickness. Foil-laminated foam is a good solution. Thin insulation effectively protects the room from moisture and temperature changes.

Ceiling

The ceiling of the cellar is closer than the rest of the structures to the surface of the earth, through which moisture, heat and cold act on the flat top of the structure.

The sequence of work is as follows:

1. Treatment of the slab with an antiseptic and a primer. Laying hard insulation (at least 10 cm).
2. The material is covered with a mounting mesh or reinforcement mesh.
3. The concrete solution is being poured.
4. After the screed hardens, it is hermetically closed with a layer of roofing material.

Plants with spreading roots should be planted above the cellar. They will strengthen the soil and create shade from the sun.

The correct approach to arranging the ventilation of the cellar will allow you to maintain optimal temperature and humidity in it at any time of the year. To create an effective supply and exhaust system, you need to make air vents in the lower part of the wall and in the ceiling. Plastic pipes are supplied to the holes, which are recommended to be pre-insulated. Air circulation will occur due to the atmospheric pressure difference due to the difference in the height of the pipes.