Warming of the socle with extruded polystyrene foam: technology and feedback

One of the most important details of the thermal insulation of the base of the house is the insulation of the plinth and blind area. This set of measures significantly reduces the cost of paying for utilities, and also eliminates the vertical movement of the blind area due to freezing of the soil.

Is it necessary to insulate the basement

Some argue that it is enough to warm the walls of the building, but even if you use the most effective material for this, you will still form cold bridges at the floor level. The reasons for their occurrence are that the thermal conductivity of structural materials is much higher in comparison with a heater. Among other things, the basement or the basement also remain unheated, this contributes to heat loss through the floor. That's why it's necessary to insulate the foundation, the base and the blind.

Need for thermal insulation

The blind area is the footprint of the building, it is located over the base and extends beyond it. Obviously, for this reason, this part of the house is exposed to negative effects of atmospheric precipitation. Warming of the base with polystyrene foam allows to save heat in the house, which is especially true for wooden buildings. Warming with extruded polystyrene foam, which you can read about below, assumes the use of a material that has an insignificant level of thermal conductivity, it is highly resistant to compression. The quality of the insulation is determined by the structure of the homogeneity of the closed cells, they are not filled with water, and the low level of moisture absorption provides high resistance to temperatures below zero. The period of operation of high-quality material is not less than 50 years.

Recommendations for thermal insulation

Warming of the socle with extruded polystyrene foam is carried out according to the technology, which provides for the determination of wall thickness, geographic area and material at the base of the floors. For sale, you can find slabs of expanded polystyrene, the thickness of which varies from 3 to 12 cm. The required thickness can be determined by taking into account the weather conditions in the region where the construction is carried out. If the work is carried out in the central strip of the CIS, it is best to use extruded polystyrene foam for thermal insulation, the thickness of which is 5 cm or more.

Angles will freeze in the first place, so they are protected with slabs, the thickness of which reaches 10 cm. If the thermal insulation is only planned at the stage of building a house, it is advisable to build a sinking basement that will hide the layers of heat and waterproofing. Part of the socle will be located under the ground, so it is exposed to corrosive environmental factors and groundwater, as well as low temperatures. This can cause the destruction of the socle.

Technology of work

Thermal insulation must be carried out on the outside of the building. Plates are laid to the walls of the plinth using non-aggressive glue. The composition should not contain solvents that would be capable of destroying the material. The adhesion of the insulation with the adhesive will be higher if the work is carried out at a temperature above +5 ° C. Compliance with these recommendations will be a guarantee that when the surface is frozen, the walls will not crack. Before covering the surface of the socle with thermal insulation material, it is necessary to treat it with a thin layer of plaster, which will allow to get rid of cracks, irregularities and pits. To do this, it is necessary to prepare a cement-sand or lime mortar. In extreme cases, you can use gypsum composition.

Methods of work

Warming of the socle with extruded polystyrene foam in the next stage provides for checking the plaster layer for moisture. As soon as the setting step is completed, the substrate should be sanded and cleaned of dust and dirt. Plates of expanded polystyrene should be fixed to the plinth with the help of glue, which is intended for the material described. With the help of a brush or roller, the composition should be applied to the surface of the cap, as well as to the back side of the heat-insulating plate.

When the base is insulated with extruded polystyrene foam, the material must be laid with an overlap on the basement floor. The width of the overlap can vary from 10 to 12 cm, this will increase the heat resistance of the floor inside the building and reduce heat loss. When installing the plates, it is necessary to exclude irregularities, while using a construction rail or a special level. The plates are fixed using an impact drill, which will allow the grid to be fixed from the metal. In this case, the plate and the base are pulled together. In order to protect polystyrene from external factors, it is covered with plaster, which is supplemented with a fiberglass or metal mesh. On top you need to fix the facing materials.

Nuances of works

The thickness of the insulation of the socle with extruded polystyrene was mentioned above. If you want to make thermal insulation more effective, the layer should be more massive. Plates can be fixed not only with the help of polyurethane glue, but also with the use of bituminous-polymeric mastic of cold hardening. Apply the composition over the entire surface or separate points. If you choose a mixture of ingredients containing a solvent, it can destroy the structure of expanded polystyrene. Therefore, on the heat-insulating qualities and durability, this feature of the adhesive can affect negatively.

Due to the fact that mechanical fastening can disrupt the integrity of the waterproofing layer and cause leakage into the basement walls, specialists do not recommend fixing the plates, hoping only for the strength of the glue. You can independently carry out the insulation of the socle with extruded polystyrene foam, the technology is described in the article. From it you can find out that almost all the models of plates of the described insulation material from expanded polystyrene contain a recess along the perimeter, this allows you to join the canvas forming a lock. If you purchase these canvases, you will free the surfaces from the cold bridges. When trimming, the jointing of adjacent plates should be smeared with glue or mastic.

Is it possible to install the plates in two layers

Some experts still decide whether it is possible to fix the plates of expanded polystyrene in two layers in order to achieve the desired thickness. Some say that the high adhesion of glue and mastic makes it possible to obtain a monolithic double layer. To avoid the formation of cold bridges, care must be taken to ensure that no overlapping of joints is allowed during installation. Others argue that with vertical soil displacements, thermal insulation can become exfoliated. As a result, moisture penetrates between the layers, which causes heat loss.

The lower row must be mounted, placing emphasis on the base. The best option will be an existing foundation ledge, which is formed at the stage of pouring. But quite often the thermal insulation is mounted on the gravel filling, where the foundation is installed. From above on a heater put wild stone, a brick, a tile or decorative plaster, and also a facade paint. Each of these materials can become a decorative finish. But you can not call the best choice of silicate brick or decorative tile, because at sub-zero temperatures on the edges of these materials can be formed chipped.

Thermal insulation

The insulation of the socle and blind area with extruded expanded polystyrene is increasingly being carried out today. If you decide to insulate the blind area, then first you need to prepare the territory. The site is freed, the fertile layer of the soil is removed to the depth of the thermal insulation. The depth of the insulation is determined depending on the thermal characteristics: the higher they are, the layer should be smaller. It is necessary to get rid of large roots, if this is not done, then after a while on the place of the blind there will be vegetation. In place, cleared from the ground, you should put the rubble, which will serve as a drainage.

Warming the house with extruded polystyrene foam in the blind area in the next stage provides the perimeter equipment with a removable formwork. From the possibility of seepage of water you need to get rid of clay, which is distributed along the trench. It should be compacted by forming a 20-centimeter layer. Next, sand is laid, which will act as an underlying layer. In order to ensure that it shrinks, you need to pour water on top. Next, the insulation is laid, the next layer will be water repellent paving slab, stone or any other material.

Reviews

Extruded polystyrene foam, according to users, is a good solution for the insulation of the socle and blind area. The material is easy to stack. Technology will be able to understand even a novice home master. For the work will not need to purchase additional equipment, and the resulting joints should be filled with mounting foam, which you can buy in the store of building materials. As the buyers claim, the foam extruded can be used with any decorative material that fits in the final stage, which will be able to cope with any person who at least once in his life was engaged in repair work.

Conclusion

The design, which was found to be broken, ceases to perform its functions. This can affect the appearance of drafts inside the house. If you are thinking about the question of whether to insulate the socle with extruded polystyrene foam, then it should be noted that this material does not harm human health.