How to insulate the floor on the balcony?

 How to insulate the floor on the balcony?

Balconies are a small open area for relaxing in the summer. From a small space you can make a wonderful corner for relaxation. However, it should be borne in mind that there will be no point in warming the floor if the balcony remains open to the outside. Therefore, before warming the floor, you need to close the balcony. Heated floor on the balcony - it's easy and cheap.

Device "warm floor"

If you want to make the floor warming, can not do without special tricks and technology. There are many ways to warm the floor on the balcony, but one of the most effective is with the help of the “warm floor” system. The main feature of this invention is that it works on the principle of the so-called heater. This is a very useful invention, because it is forbidden to install a heating system on the balconies, which works by pumping water. All this for the safety of the building.

This method of warming a balcony has found wide application among clients who have a habit of often catching cold. It is also extremely effective for people with allergies and asthma. The fact is that the floor, although it raises the temperature of the air around it, however, the humidity of the latter is practically unaffected by the fact that it has a relatively low surface temperature. Also, when using such floors, the amount of dust in the insulated room is significantly reduced. Extremely useful feature for allergies and asthmatics.

Special features

Heat transfer along the floor is carried out using an electric cable, which is also a heating element. Next, we insulate the entire device from the inside with a concrete tie within 3-8 cm. It is important to note that when assembling a heating element, the distance inside between the cables should be uniform. This will help ensure that the heat will be distributed evenly, and will also increase the guarantee that the cable will not overheat.

The most important thing in this assembly is that when we warm the floor, the cable must not be laid immediately, but on a kind of heat insulator. As a heat insulator in Khrushchev, you can use simple aluminum foil with an artificial material attached to it. This is done to ensure that the flow of warm air extends only upwards, that is, on the insulated balcony. If you ignore this advice, it will eventually come out that some of the heat will warm the ceiling to the neighbors below.

Heating elements are of two types - single-core and two-core cables. They differ in physical characteristics and electromagnetic conductivity.

In order to make high-quality floor insulation on the balcony, you must use cables of fixed length. The main secret is that the power of heat release depends on the length of the heating element itself. Therefore, if you lay the cable under the tile, then you need to take into account how well the ceramics retains heat. Another important element in the calculation of the cable are the thickness of the walls, the area of ​​the room, as well as the presence or absence of a ceiling with a hatch.

Here are some technical tips that will be able to assist you in solving your calculations:

  • If you have plans to heat the balcony with other heating devices, then the average power should be enough if it is within 140-180 W per meter in a square;
  • When installing other heaters, 80-150 W should be enough;
  • In the presence of wooden floors will be enough power in 80-100 watts.

These tips will help you save extra energy and prevent overheating of the heating element.

Types of coatings

To answer the question of how to insulate the floor on the balcony, you also need to know which floor will retain more heat. Nobody really wants half of the electricity to be spent in the empty, and I would also like the cover to serve as long as possible.

The leaders in heat transfer is considered to be the floors that are covered with ceramic tiles. It is a well-known fact that ceramic tiles, like bricks, can keep and retain heat for a long time. Also, ceramics are quite durable material.

After ceramic tiles should linoleum or carpet. These two materials retain heat a little worse, but changing them in the event of deformation is much easier than ceramic materials like slabs.

The wooden floor is in last place on the list of heat transfer. These coatings do not retain heat in the best way possible; moreover, they are extremely short-lived. With constant heating, the wood is dried and soon the wood covering will disappoint you. There is such a coating and a small advantage - it is a quick change in its temperature. That is, to warm the wooden floor "from scratch" will be much faster than its counterparts in the form of ceramic tiles and linoleum.

Construction features

It is necessary to lay the foil on the floor, but at the same time it is extremely important to putty all the gaps between the floor and the adjacent wall with a putty. There is another important rule that must be remembered when you will insulate your floor on the balcony. Do not lay the heating element directly over the foil. There must be a thin layer of cement between the foil and the cable. This moment must be fulfilled and in no case be ignored, because it is a part of safety precautions.

If you want to make a concrete screed as level as possible, then use a better level. Draw on the wall with the help of this device a uniform line - a limiter, according to which you will be guided when pouring concrete. Next, fill the floor, leave a spare 0.5 cm and align.This distance is necessary in order to use the so-called "liquid floor". A great invention that, when dried, will give a completely flat floor, and will save you a lot of time and nerves.

What to insulate?

It is not enough to hold the heating element on the floor. It is also necessary to consider the materials that will best hold the heat. To date, such materials are vast. There are, both expensive and beautiful, and quite cheap, and inconspicuous.

This type of insulation is called passive, since it does not use any tricky devices and is rather primitive. The basic principle is that the material itself is installed in the places that you want to warm. Due to its properties to keep warm and not to let the cold out from outside, this option is great for people with average incomes.

Here is a list of the most popular and affordable building insulators:

  • penofol;
  • Styrofoam;
  • foamed polystyrene;
  • mineral wool.

The most advanced and innovative material is penofol. This material is a foamed polyethylene, which is covered with a protective aluminum film.This substance is quite flexible, so working with such a coating is extremely convenient. There are two types of penofola - with unilateral aluminum coating and double-sided.

Naturally double-sided penofol has a wider range of useful qualities. One of them is protection against condensation. The production of the material and its storage is carried out in rolls, so a special aluminum film is used to eliminate the joints. You can not be afraid that in the event of an inflection it will be deformed, therefore, this invention is at the head of the list of heat preservation and convenience in work.

If you want to achieve maximum results in floor warming with a minimum of costs, then among the materials foam is the most suitable. It is considered the cheapest and most common, as a heater, along with penoplex. In addition, it is easily accessible, and it is extremely easy to transport because of its extraordinary lightness. Plus foam is that you can get this substance of any size and thickness. However, among the minuses is that it is quite tough and fragile. When working with him it is necessary to consider.Otherwise, the cost of buying a thermal insulator will exceed the expected costs.

Extruded polystyrene is another analogue of foam plastic. This material is almost the same in value as regular foam. Initially, it was created just for warming and became widespread due to its availability and low cost. Unlike pure foam, extruded polystyrene is more flexible and light. Its main advantages are that it does not rot, is not susceptible to ignition, and also it does not start fungus and mold.

One of the oldest, most reliable and proven materials on this list is mineral wool. Basically, it is made of fiberglass, although it sometimes happens that they make it from basalt threads. The main difference and undeniable advantages can be considered that the mineral wool does not absorb moisture, is not subject to burning, in general, does not react to almost any chemistry, and is not a container for mold and other living organisms. A huge plus is that it, like the material, is soft and can be used in any places.Even despite the fact that the coating is crooked, mineral wool will cope with it perfectly.

It is important that due to the special structure of the material it is necessary to work in gloves, in order to avoid unpleasant sensations. The fact is that the substance from which cotton wool is made consists of fibers, fragile and sharp in nature. In contact with the skin, they immediately break off, causing itching and discomfort. Therefore, it is imperative that you take precautions and wear gloves.

Training

You must start with the preparation of the floor. In order to properly make the insulation and not spend all the efforts in vain, it is important to consider that the floor should be as even as possible and not contain cracks.

Experts advise before starting work on the insulation to make a floor screed. However, before embarking on this preparatory stage, the administration of the house should clarify whether it will be safe to make the balcony heavier. If they give their consent for repairs, it will be possible to proceed to the case without fear. Otherwise, you will have to level the floor and cover up the cracks in another way.

How to warm your own hands?

For insulation we have available some options with the use of expanded clay. Here it is important to learn that, despite the strength of the house, you should not overdo it with a screed. You need to make it as thin as possible. Thus, the coating should be thin just enough so that it does not form cracks, and it was quite durable. In general, repairmen use in their arsenal expanded clay and perlite for carrying out this kind of work. However, perlite is not always convenient to use in the presence of limited space. This is due to the fact that perlite must be kneaded in a concrete mixer. For this reason, more often expanded clay is used in a limited space.

Here are step by step instructions that will help you prepare the solution yourself:

  • Three parts of purified sand, because the solution should last more than one year, so it is recommended to use only building sand, and not recruited "in nature";
  • One part of claydite and one part of cement. In the case when there is a need to reduce the specific gravity of the solution, then part of the expanded clay is reduced;
  • One tenth of the lime.

Typical mistakes

Most people make the typical mistakes when warming the floor. Here are some tips to help you avoid them:

  • All received materials must be mixed in a convenient container. After the mixture becomes homogeneous, you will need to gradually pour in the water and continue to mix the solution. The mixture will be ready when it is in density will resemble a thick sour cream. It is important not to overdo it with the addition of water, because if there is too much of it, then the solution will not only dry out for a long time, but the quality of the screed may suffer from this, and it will not last as long as planned.

When self-styling is important to follow simple rules. It is important to isolate the balcony around the perimeter. This is done using mounting foam or special self-adhesive tape.

  • You also need to start not from the middle, but from the far corners of the balcony. During work, it is necessary to constantly monitor the level of the floor with the help of a building level in order to avoid unevenness in the floor. After completion of the work, it is necessary to wait until the surface is completely dry. Usually the floor dries out within two to three days, but if you want to achieve maximum strength of the screed,that is one trick. Within 10-12 days you need to moisten the floor twice a day, while covering it with a film. Thus, the floor will acquire the highest strength.

Recommendations

It is best to warm the floor on the balcony in the summer, rather than in the winter, since during construction it is necessary that the moisture evaporate faster in order for the solution to “clutch” better.

It is best to warm the system "warm floor". This is very convenient, since you yourself can adjust the temperature of the floor on the balcony. Now it’s easy to reach room temperature on the balcony!

In conclusion, we offer a visual video tutorial on the topic.

Comments
 Author
Information provided for reference purposes. For construction issues, always consult a specialist.

Entrance hall

Living room

Bedroom