It is important to decide what kind of floor insulation to use if in winter a large amount of heat leaves through the cracks. Typically, 20% of the heat energy is escaped through concrete floors. This applies not only to apartments in high-rise buildings, but also to rooms in private houses.
The importance of high-quality floor insulation
Due to the transfer of accumulated heat through the floor covering, it becomes necessary to insulate the surface with the help of special materials. As a result of maintaining heating inside the room by means of thermal insulation, it is possible to achieve:
- comfortable room temperature;
- lack of draft through the cracks of the parquet;
- preservation of the facing material in an attractive form;
- prevention of mold and mildew formation.
Dampness forms inside the cold flooring due to heat entering. In the future, it affects the destruction of the material. At the same time, strengthening the thermal insulation of the roof and partitions will not help retain heat.
Varieties of materials
There is a wide range of products on sale for floor insulation. Materials can be multifunctional.
Expanded polystyrene
Made from special granules with good density. The insulation is modern and easy to use. It has a number of advantages:
- durable, lightweight and hardy;
- creates a minimum load on the foundation;
- moisture resistant;
- does not absorb heat;
- belongs to the budgetary category of building materials.
Expanded polystyrene lends itself to burning and melting, when heated, it releases toxic substances.
Mineral heaters
They are divided into several types:
- Mineral wool. Consists of small fibers glued together using a special compound. This raw material has high strength and is sold in the form of rolls and slabs. Differs in low thermal conductivity, good heat and sound insulation, does not accumulate dampness and resists the formation of mold. It is subdivided into basalt, stone and glass wool.
- Foam glass. Includes foamed glass melt. Differs in such properties: effective thermal insulation, resistance to temperature extremes, increased wear resistance and durability. The material resists the formation of mold and mildew. Foam glass can be easily installed under the finishing floor covering.
- Expanded clay. This is a clay in granules obtained by firing. It is poured into pre-prepared niches in the floor, then poured with a concrete screed. The raw material is easy to install, does not lend itself to ignition, and is considered environmentally friendly. The insulation will last a long time even with sudden changes in temperature. It is often used for floor insulation above the basement.
When working with expanded clay, it is necessary to wear a respirator, since the material emits a lot of dust at the time of adding. It subsequently settles in the lungs.
Foil materials
There are several types of raw materials that are used for floor insulation.
- Foil polystyrene foam.It is a thick slab, the lower part of which is made of granules by soldering them together. The upper part has a layer of foil. Withstands a temperature range from -180 to +180 degrees.
- Foamed polyethylene in a roll. It is a canvas consisting of a foil and a thin substrate. It is most often used for lining the floor with laminate or parquet sheets. The raw materials are easy to install (it is enough to simply lay the insulation on the floor, having previously prepared it).
- Mineral wool with foil. One of the common options for thick insulation. The base is fiberglass or basalt mats. Nevertheless, such raw materials cannot be used in an apartment due to the likelihood of small glass fragments falling out.
- Basalt insulation. This heat insulator is made on the basis of mineral wool, has a small thickness. Withstands temperature drops within -200- + 700 degrees. It is used for floors between floors.
Depending on the thickness of the layer and the presence of additional compositions in the materials, they will all differ in marking.
Penoizol
Penoizol is recognized as the most effective and affordable material for the organization of floor insulation. The structure has a liquid texture, so it easily fills all gaps, thereby keeping warm under the floor covering. This insulation is suitable for floors and walls.
Sprayed thermal insulation
The principle of action is similar to penoizol. The spraying process takes place only after preparation and filling of the suspension. This material has two components. The advantages of such floor insulation are quick installation and the ability to fix it with any surface. However, the product is unsafe as it can injure the skin and enter the respiratory system. You need to work with him in a respirator and a special suit.
Sprayed insulation is unacceptable if there are large cracks in the floor screed. Once inside, they begin to expand and create additional stress on the foundation.
Bung
Cork material is considered one of the most popular, it is used to insulate the floor in the house in front of linoleum flooring. The canvas is easy to install, perfectly fills the empty space, thereby retaining heat in the room.
Which is better to choose
It is necessary to choose the material for insulation correctly. If the house is installed on a monolithic foundation, it is best to give preference to materials that do not absorb moisture. To insulate a house installed on piles, it is better to use oversized means in the form of mats or rolls: mineral wool or foil sheets.
In apartment buildings, for thermal insulation between ceilings, they try to mount elements with a foam composition. It is light enough, does not create a load on monolithic slabs.
How to lay insulation material
Each insulating raw material has its own method of installation. Each of them has some complexities and principles that you need to know about in order to avoid mistakes.
- Styrofoam laying is carried out by different methods. The most common one is floating. It involves laying out sheets of polystyrene foam on the surface, after which a concrete screed is made.
- Expanded clay masonry is carried out in a semi-wet or dry way. For this, expanded clay is mixed with water and the prepared niche is poured with the composition. Such insulation dries up for 2-3 days.
- Ecowool flooring. It is poured into the prepared compartments, then a special adhesive is added. During the drying process, the cotton fibers are bonded and the floor is sealed. Parquet boards are laid on top of the insulation.
- Insulation with penoizol. The surface is pre-prepared and all debris is removed. It is important that the temperature in the room at the time of floor insulation reaches 10 degrees.Spray the product evenly and let it dry for two days.
When spraying an insulating substance, the evenness of the surface does not matter, the main thing is that there are no residues of construction debris and dust. Otherwise, it will be difficult to achieve the tightness of the insulation.
What problems can you face when insulating the floor
Insulation of the floor does not always solve all problems with the leakage of thermal energy through the cracks. This is due to common mistakes that are often made during the initial laying of insulation.
- Improper storage and further laying of insulation. Often, before laying the thermal insulation, they forget to put it out of the package. It is advisable to do this one day before laying. At the same time, it is unacceptable to leave it open longer. The external environment can negatively affect the properties of the material.
- The presence of gaps between polystyrene foam. If you cannot accurately cut the shapes and put them between the lags, it is better to blow out the seams with foam. Otherwise, cold bridges will appear, which will draw warm air out of the room.
- Too thin layer of insulation. The defect will play a huge role in the release of heat. These savings will come at an additional cost, since the insulation is not able to fulfill its function. The thickness of the mineral wool should be at least 14 cm, and the expanded clay - 27 cm.
Floor insulation at home is available both for an apartment and for private ownership. However, each structure has its own principles of thermal insulation. They must be observed so that the structure retains its properties for many years.
