The subtleties of the choice of insulation for the ceiling

Problems of heat loss are a burning issue in the Russian climate and cold winters. The cost of heating and energy increases every year. To reduce heating costs, heat insulation of residential premises is used. It is not enough to isolate the exterior walls and the floor, to install modern double-glazed windows. Through the roof on the street can go up to half the heat, since the warm air is concentrated under the ceiling. Insulation will reduce these losses, create more comfortable living conditions.

Thermal insulation of the ceiling will save heating costs in a private house. It will help residents of apartments to increase the room temperature during the heating season. An additional insulation layer will relieve mold and mildew on the ceiling.

When building your own home you need to remember the importance of maintaining heat. and initially lay the height of the ceiling, taking into account the parameters of insulation. Depending on the use of the attic space, choose the method. When the attic does not imply an intensive load, the insulation of the attic floor itself is used. If the roof is used as an attic, it is advisable to warm the ceiling from the inside.

For installation on top of the ceiling, a vapor barrier must first be laid in order to protect the structure from moisture. Polyethylene or anti-condensate films, glassine and modern membranes are suitable as vapor barrier. If bulk insulation is used, the vapor barrier will also have a protective function, preventing its particles from entering through the seams of boards or boards into the interior.

Apartment owners living on the upper floors should also think about independent insulation of the ceiling from the inside. In the panel nine-storey building, taking into account the deterioration of the housing stock, it becomes necessary to protect the exterior walls and ceiling. For this you can use different types of materials.The main goal of proper installation is to create a monolithic layer of insulation to eliminate leakage of warm air.

For insulation used materials that have low thermal conductivity. They are distinguished by the method of installation and production version.

There are the following types:

• rolled;
• bulk;
• slab;
• frothy.

In the form of rolls or mats of different sizes let out mineral wool. The fibers vary depending on the material from which it is produced.

The raw materials are:

• for kamnevaty - alloys of rocks;
• slag wool - waste of metallurgy;
• glass wool - sand, glass and dolomite.

For insulating ceilings often used:

• glass wool - the leader in thermal insulation, but has difficulties with installation;
• Basalt wool is preferable for self-laying.

Mineral wool is hygroscopic and high humidity leads to its destruction and increased thermal conductivity. This non-combustible material is universal, suitable for wooden and concrete floors. High-quality insulation can be achieved with installation under the ceiling and in the attic, changing the thickness of the layer.Low weight and low thermal conductivity allows insulating attic floors with a layer up to 200 mm.

Rolls sold and foamed polyethylene with a thickness of 2-25 mm. Cloths of an isolon of small thickness are used as a substrate for floor coverings. Foamed polyethylene is suitable for thermal insulation of walls and ceilings - from 0.5 cm with a foil layer on one side, which reflects heat. The small thickness and lightness make it easy to install the isolon on the inner surface of the ceiling and carry out further repairs with it. The material is durable, fireproof and exhibits high heat and waterproofing properties.

Bulk materials include:

• straw;
• sawdust;
• slag;
• land;
• expanded clay;
• foam glass;
• vermiculite;
• ecowool

Warming of sawdust, straw and slag is considered a traditional method, has been used for a long time. With the development of industry and the production of modern insulation insulation, the popularity of natural materials has waned.

Earth as a heater can be used as a temporary measure in the attic of a bath. The loose layer should exceed 20 cm.The best option would be straw mixed with wet clay with a thickness of 10 cm. You can simply lay straw on 30-50 cm. Slag is a secondary raw material from metal processing, which is used in construction as a cheap firing insulator.

The availability and low cost of sawdust is the determining parameter for their use. The drawbacks of sawdust are obvious - they absorb water well, are easily flammable, can serve as a housing for rodents and insects. Over time, its insulating properties deteriorate, an additional layer has to be laid. To reduce the negative effects of the use of wood insulation, dry sawdust mixed with lime or cement.

Expanded clay - porous bulk building material based on clay in the form of granules of different caliber. Filled layer depends on the external weather conditions of the region and can reach up to 50 cm. Expanded clay is distinguished by fire resistance and cold resistance. The low price and durability makes it a popular environmentally friendly heat insulator.

Lower heat-conducting properties, compared with expanded clay, has foam glass. This granulated foam mass can be produced in blocks for wall insulation. The positive characteristics of the material are: durability, strength, frost resistance, log resistance, environmental friendliness. Synthetics does not attract rodents and does not serve as a favorable breeding ground for bacteria. But foam glass did not receive widespread use due to its high cost.

Vermiculite - natural mica material, which gets puffiness at high temperature values, while acquiring a different shape. It has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, fire-resistant, durable and lightweight, which makes the material an excellent heat insulator. It has adsorbing properties, absorbs and releases water without degrading characteristics. The only negative is its high cost.

Ecowool- modern natural cellulose insulation. Substances included in its composition prevent burning and rotting. The level of insulation is similar to mineral wool, but high vapor permeability does not lead to a decrease in heat capacity.

Ecowool can fit in two ways. On their own, dry ecowool is spread throughout the attic.Another method involves bonding with the use of special wetting and blowing installation, with which the material is applied to the crate. The second method is more professional and increases the thermal properties of ecowool by a third.

It is easy to work with tiled material and it is possible to make independent installation. Styling is often used foam, because it is affordable, moisture-resistant, frost-resistant, has low weight and low cost. Minus insulation foam - weak strength characteristics, in addition, it allocates hazardous chemical compounds during combustion. Low steam penetration imposes limitations in its application with wooden structures.

More durable in structure are extruded polystyrene plates. It is also called penoplex. Due to their density, they have a lower thermal conductivity with a smaller thickness, compared to foam plastic. Penoplex does not form cold bridges because it has grooves and is not required in sealing the seams.

Artificial materials are not recommended to warm wooden houses, because wood needs ventilation.If you create a vapor-proof layer of foam or foam plastic on the ceiling, the steam coming from the living space will spoil the overlap, contributing to the growth of fungus and mold.

Traditional raw materials for warming wooden buildings are reeds. They are pressed in the form of mats, pre-treating with anti-inflammatory. This inexpensive material allows the attic room to be well ventilated and does not need vapor barrier.

These materials include modern heaters with polyurethane foam and penoizol. According to the characteristics, polyurethane is similar to penoplex, it is only applied in a liquid state, creating a durable airtight coating with high thermal insulation properties. Penoizol is an analogue of foam in a liquid form. Additives in its composition improves the quality of the material, making it fireproof.

Insulation of insulation is a professional compressor of the required thickness. This work can not be done independently, since it requires special expensive equipment. For the installation of thermal insulation invite a company specializing in the production and installation of these heaters.

When selecting insulation on the ceiling, the characteristics of the protective material, installation features, ceiling material, and the amount of material investments are taken into account.

Select a heater will help such criteria insulation products:

• combustibility;
• weight and size;
• durability;
• thermal conductivity;
• environmental friendliness;
• vapor permeability.

The main complaint of various types of thermal insulation is their flammability. Sawdust, straw and foam are easily ignited. Not exposed to fire vermiculite, expanded clay, foam glass, earth. Other types of heaters do not form a flame, but at high temperatures they melt. It is always necessary to comply with fire safety requirements, especially when storing flammable materials.

The weight and size parameter is important when installing and transporting a building material. The weight is taken into account if one or two people are engaged in the work of laying insulation. Thickness is important when carrying out interior work.

The durability of thermal insulation depends on the strength of the source material., conditions of operation and correctness of the laying layers during installation.High-quality thermal protection should not change its properties with temperature drops and mechanical load.

Thermal conductivity - the main indicator of the material, which characterizes the rate of heat transfer to the environment. In this sense, penoplex, polyurethane, isolon, glass wool have the lowest coefficient. Best of all passes heat claydite.

All types of bulk insulation and reed mats are classified as environmentally friendly.

The vapor permeability of the material is important for wooden structures, because wood is exposed to moisture and is prone to condensation. Mineral wool has the highest vapor permeability. Artificial insulators have water-repellent properties, moisture-resistant and poorly pass steam.

There are two types of floors in the house - from wood and concrete based on the properties of these structures, and choose the type of insulation. For a wooden house, it is better to give preference to thermal protection from natural raw materials. Eco-friendly materials have good vapor permeability and allow wood floors to be ventilated. For concrete and suitable synthetic types.

For insulation of the attic of the roof, you can choose any insulation - bulk, roll, foam or shield. On top of the rooms, the thickness of the insulation layer should be less than during external work. Under the ceiling, roll and tile materials are usually used.

Often the criterion of choice is the budget that is spent on repairs. Cheap insulation can be selected depending on the type of floors and operating conditions of the room. The availability of a certain type of insulation also depends on the cost of all work. Transportation of overall and heavy material, rental of professional equipment for applying penoizol is also included in the total costs.

It is necessary to warm the ceiling in all heated premises. During installation, different heat insulators are used depending on the operating conditions of the room or the whole building.

In a private house, it is absolutely necessary to warm the ceiling if the roofing pie itself does not contain thermal protection. For a two-story house, floor insulation will help keep the heat on the first floor. Thermal insulation is required on the ground floor and if there is a basement under it.This will prevent drafts and eliminate heat loss through the floor. In a spacious basement insulation is laid from the inside. In the absence of such an opportunity, the floor is warmed over the floor with the use of any material.

It is worth thinking about the roof terrace insulationif it is used in winter and has been heated. There is usually no heating on the terrace and there is no need to keep warm. When a bath or a sauna is located in the house or on the plot, it is necessary to treat the creation of a warm roof responsibly, because this is a place of increased fire hazard and humidity. Fireproof vapor-permeable material is selected for the sauna.

If the country house is visited in the winter, the attic necessarily needs heat protection. A non-insulated structure is difficult to heat and maintain a comfortable temperature in it.

External insulation allows you to choose any type of suitable material, not limited to roll or panel type. The best option is to install outside the ceiling than the protection from the ceiling. But the apartment does not have to choose. In this case, penoplex or basalt cotton wool are perfect for thermal insulation.

High-quality insulation of the upper floors of the room can hold up to 20% of the outgoing heat through the roof. Following the recommendations of the manufacturer of thermal insulation materials will help avoid annoying errors during installation and operation.

On the intricacies of choosing insulation, see below.