You built or bought your own house. Or are you just going to do it, planning your actions in advance. We weighed all the "pros" and "cons" and came to the conclusion that the building should be stone, and the walls were built from a warm and effective material: aerated concrete. It is also cellular concrete, gas silicate, foam concrete. Is there a need to insulate the walls from aerated concrete (“thermal fur coat”), and if so, how to properly perform it?

Video report on the thermal insulation of a house made of aerated concrete with ecowool

Reasons for warming

It seems to be obvious: to make the house warmer, and heating costs to be lower. But you can just increase the thickness of the walls? Rigid mineral wool, most suitable for facade insulation, with a slab thickness of 100 mm will cost (in the central regions of the country) an average of 450 rubles per m 2. In terms of thermal characteristics, this is an analogue of cellular concrete with a thickness of 300 mm. And it will cost already 900 rubles. In fact, if you count the entire structure of external insulation: mineral wool boards, two layers of glue, fasteners, plaster, mesh, the price will rise to 800 rubles per meter and will almost equal the cost of increasing the heat-shielding properties of the wall by increasing the thickness of the masonry. However, under a thicker wall, a more powerful and expensive foundation will have to be built. "Thermoshuba" still comes out more profitable. The most rational in terms of price / energy saving option for middle lane Russia - a foundation 300 mm thick (preferably also insulated); aerated concrete walls 400 mm; insulation 100 mm.

The best option for insulation: "thermal coat" with the use of rigid mineral wool boards 100 mm thick

There are many more important point: durability and notorious dew point. Our continental climate is not friendly to stone building materials. Moisture, getting into the internal pores of aerated concrete, freezes in frosts, expands and gradually breaks the walls. This applies not only to cellular concrete, but also to bricks and concrete. In our area, a stone house will never last as long as, for example, in Southern Europe. If the Parthenon had been built in Moscow, it would have fallen apart into separate pebbles long ago. To extend the life of the building in order to pass it on to its great-grandchildren, again, external insulation will help.

In heat engineering there is such a thing: "dew point". This is a place in the thickness of the wall material with zero temperature. It is in this zone that the maximum amount of moisture condenses and the material either freezes or thaws again. In appearance and touch, dry blocks have an average moisture content of 5-8%. During the process of thawing-freezing, this water gradually but inexorably wears away the stone of our walls. What is the way out?

Aerated concrete is hydrophobic (absorbs moisture) and it is not worth leaving a residential building unplastered for the winter, it will be damp

Remove the dew point from the wall, move it outward. That is, to make sure that aerated concrete is constantly in the zone of positive temperatures, then it will last noticeably longer. In addition, with the right design, the wall will always be dry, which will create a healthy microclimate in the house. The fact that the dew point is completely shifted into the insulation does not matter. Firstly, it is an order of magnitude less susceptible to the destructive forces of freezing water. Secondly, unlike the main wall, insulation is easy to reconstruct.

Choose a method: outside or inside

We have already mentioned that the house should be insulated from the outside. But is it cheaper, easier and faster to do it from the inside? Yes, not so. Yes, no scaffolding required. Yes, you can use cheap soft glass wool and sheathe the walls with drywall by immediately doing interior decoration. Yes, you can work indoors in winter and in bad weather.

Alas, by performing insulation from the inside, we lose a lot. Firstly, we shift the "dew point" not outward, but, on the contrary, into the wall. Thus, we only worsen the mode of operation of aerated concrete, reduce the durability of the building. Secondly, in almost every building there are so-called "cold bridges". In the "warm" walls of cellular blocks, there are also "cold" elements: floor slabs, armored belts, lintels. They are more thermally conductive and cold penetrates into the house through them, and money disappears from the house. Thermal insulation of aerated concrete walls from the outside solves this problem. The house, as in a fur coat, is entirely placed in a heat-insulated shell. Internal insulation- like a Zhabratsky caftan with holes: the belly is warm, and the backside is freezing.

To summarize: internal insulation only partially solves problems, the only true option is external. From the inside, it makes sense to insulate if there is simply no other way out. For example, for some reason it is not possible to change appearance facade.

Rigid mineral wool boards are used for external insulation.

What material is better to use

The eternal question of all developers: mineral wool or polystyrene? Minvata is more expensive, but better. Styrofoam is cheaper, but worse. It's like crayfish on Privoz: large - five rubles, small - three. Let's try to figure out why mineral wool is better and whether it is worth overpaying for it:

• Mineral wool and expanded polystyrene are extremely similar in terms of thermal characteristics. The latter is even slightly more efficient. Mechanical properties and durability also do not differ much.
• Mice hate mineral wool and love styrofoam. If there is no finish somewhere on the surface of the polystyrene foam plates, there will immediately arrange a cozy mink for itself and the Mickey Mouse family will settle. But, if the facade is completely covered with plaster, this will not happen.
• Styrofoam is much easier to work with, it is easier to cut, random gaps are easy to eliminate with construction foam. Mineral wool slabs are a little more difficult to process and you will have to work with protective gloves, goggles and preferably a respirator.

Styrofoam is cheaper than mineral wool

• Minvata - the material is absolutely fireproof. Expanded polystyrene does not support the flame, it will not work to set it on fire. However, under the influence of fire, it releases poisonous gases, similar to those used by the Germans during the First Imperialist. In fact, if you do not make fires along the facade and do not pour gasoline on the walls, there will be no problems.
• But in terms of vapor permeability, materials differ dramatically. And this is important. Aerated concrete has optimal vapor permeability. A fairly large amount of moisture is constantly released inside a residential building. Cooking in the kitchen Washer, home flowers, wet cleaning. Yes, and people themselves through the skin and breathing give moisture. Aerated concrete is able to absorb this moisture and bring it out through the pores of the material. The vapor movement vector is always directed from inside to the outside. This phenomenon is called "breathing" of the wall and it has a beneficial effect on the microclimate. By the way, in terms of vapor permeability, cellular concrete is second only to wood and is considered one of the most human-friendly building materials.

Mineral wool fully supports beneficial features aerated concrete. Being even more vapor-permeable, it does not prevent the walls from “breathing”. Styrofoam practically does not pass vapors. The house, insulated with polystyrene foam, is deafly packed, like a “bag” in a plastic bag. Of course, you can ventilate the rooms by simply opening the window. Of course, only 8% of moisture leaves on average through the walls in a “normal” house, the rest is removed by ventilation. However, the humidity of walls insulated with polystyrene still increases by 4-8%. Albeit slightly, but because of this, the thermal characteristics of aerated concrete are reduced and the microclimate of housing is deteriorating.

Mineral wool is preferable for insulation aerated concrete walls

Undoubtedly, mineral wool has a significant advantage and is best material for external wall insulation. Undoubtedly, polystyrene is radically cheaper and also serves good insulation. Conclusion: if the budget allows, it is better to use mineral wool. If “finances sing romances,” you can also insulate the house with foam.

What should be the thickness of the insulation

It is not uncommon to see how people insulate their houses with thin slabs of 4, 3 and even 2 centimeters. This is a big mistake. Even the use of the most common 5-centimeter plates is not very justified.

The thicker the insulation layer, the warmer it will be in the house and the lower the cost of gas or firewood. Everyone understands this. But not everyone is clear that with a decrease in the thickness of the insulation by as much as 40% (from 5 to 3 cm), the total savings on the structure will be only a ridiculous 10%. After all, the cost of glue, plaster, mesh, fasteners and work is almost independent of the thickness of the insulation and cannot be significantly reduced. That is why there is nothing more stupid than investing in related materials and saving on the main thing - the thickness of the insulation. The optimal, economically justified insulation of aerated concrete walls for the central regions of Russia is a 10 cm slab. It makes no sense to use material less than 5 cm thick.

"Wet" and "dry" insulation

We will not describe in detail the existing methods of insulation. Manufacturers develop complex technologies and create clear, highly detailed and well-illustrated manuals to help performers. They can be obtained from material sellers or downloaded online from the original sites. Let us only mention that the instructions are written for a reason, and the technology must be strictly followed. Also, do not try to replace any materials from complex systems with cheaper ones. For example, it is found that instead of special adhesive and plaster compositions, the cheapest tile adhesive is used for insulation. Yes, it will stick the plates, but the service life and vapor permeability will be significantly lower than that of the “correct” composition.

• Wet system is light

In fact, with the so-called "wet" technology, the facade remains completely dry. The insulation is fixed to the wall with glue and dowels with a large cap. Then two thin leveling layers of plaster are applied, a reinforcing plastic mesh is placed between them. Aerated concrete walls are even, you do not need to cook them, just remove the dust. Finishing - decorative plaster or light facing tiles made of porous ceramics or concrete.

One of the variants of the "wet" system. You can’t save on dowels, corners and mesh.

• "Wet" system is heavy

If you really want to clad the facade with stone or heavy ceramic slabs, you will have to use "heavy" technology. In this case, the insulation is not glued, but fastened to the wall with powerful hooks, a strong metal mesh is placed on top and the structure is fixed metal plates. A thick (20-40 mm) layer of cement-sand plaster is carried out along the grid. Now you can place the stone. Such a system is significantly more expensive than the “easy” one.

• "Dry" system

It is also called a ventilated or hinged facade. It involves the construction of a frame outside the facade, metal or wood. In between its elements, a heater is placed - inexpensive soft mineral wool or even cheaper glass wool, polystyrene. The frame is sheathed with various materials: more often it is plastic or metal siding, a wooden sheathing board. Hinged facades from porcelain stoneware or stone slabs, colored glass, roads and for residential buildings are used infrequently. A "dry" facade, if you do not use expensive types of cladding, is cheaper, but less attractive from an aesthetic point of view.

You must remember to leave an air gap of at least 2 cm between the insulation and the siding so that the walls can "breathe"

• brick cladding

The last option is to overlay the facade with bricks. In this case, the frame is not needed, the insulation can be attached directly to the wall. An air gap should be left for ventilation of the insulation. Brick and the inevitable thickening of the foundation will cost a pretty penny.

To prevent the brick cladding from collapsing, it is attached to the main wall with anchors.

To summarize, we get the following: the optimal solution in terms of price / efficiency / aesthetics for temperate climatic zones of Russia is external insulation of aerated concrete walls with mineral wool slabs 10 cm thick using “wet” technology. Acceptable budget options- "wet" foam facade or polystyrene foam + plastic siding. Properly executed insulation of external walls will reduce heating costs by about half.

Insulation of buildings and structures is a fresh and relevant topic that generates a variety of materials and technologies for performing this process. Thermal insulation of aerated concrete walls from the outside is an operation that will give the building additional warmth, coziness and comfort.

At what stage of construction is it appropriate to do this?

Before answering the question of how to insulate walls made of aerated concrete from the outside, whether it is worth insulating a building built of aerated concrete blocks, it is necessary to understand the question: what is such a material as aerated concrete. So, aerated concrete (or aerated concrete blocks) is a material in shape akin to brick, cinder block, shell rock, that is, belonging to the category of cellular blocks. The production of gas blocks is carried out from quartz sand, cement, with the addition of blowing agents. Thanks to special technology, as a result of the production inside building material a porous structure is obtained, which is a poor heat conductor. This is also the main positive feature (along with verified shapes and sizes), which makes this building material more and more preferable compared to, for example, cinder block.

The technology, as well as the proportions of the components of different manufacturers may differ from each other. But the very physics of the process of molding and manufacturing aerated concrete blocks is the same - mixing, laying out components in molds, drying products, during which, under the influence of chemical processes, a large number of pores are formed that are responsible for the thermal conductivity of the building material.

So, it is worth noting that aerated concrete blocks are a material that is characterized by a fairly low thermal conductivity and, in a mild climate, buildings will not need additional wall insulation. But, if the region is characterized by severe winters, and the task is to reduce heating costs, the insulation of walls and facades of aerated concrete houses will be a prerequisite for putting housing into operation.

When it is necessary to insulate the walls of aerated concrete blocks

At first glance, it may seem perfectly logical to the average reader to insulate immediately after the erection of the wall of the building, or even in the process of its erection. However, this is a big misconception! It is important not to isolate aerated concrete blocks from the external environment immediately after unpacking them from their original packaging. The thing is that after forming and drying, the blocks are formed into packs, packing them with plastic wrap. Thus, the blocks retain a sufficiently high humidity, which, under the influence of negative temperatures, will certainly destroy the material, rendering the building as a whole unusable.

Thus, the insulation of a house from aerated concrete blocks can be carried out immediately only if, during the construction process, measures were taken to protect the structure and materials from moisture. Otherwise, exposure is required for 2-5 months (depending on the climatic features of the area), and only after the walls have completely dried, an insulating layer can be applied.

How to insulate the walls of a house made of aerated concrete from the outside

Currently, siding is becoming an increasingly common material for decorating the walls of buildings and structures outside, as a relatively inexpensive, practical and durable material. Sheathing the facades of buildings with siding is also good because there is a gap between its plates and the base of the walls, which it is advisable to fill with insulation. So, how to insulate the walls of an aerated concrete house for siding?

• penoplex - slab building material with a thickness of 3 to 5 cm, which is characterized by high thermal insulation. Penoplex plates have a dense structure. This heat insulator is one of the most popular methods for improving the thermal insulation properties of structures due to ease of installation and subsequent maintenance;
• polyurethane foam - a foam-like mixture that is applied using special equipment and, bonding to the wall surface, forms an insulating layer that reliably protects the structure from cold and frost. Polyurethane foam compositions must be applied with special machines, while having some experience in this direction;
• mineral wool is another popular insulating material. However, experts do not recommend this component for thermal insulation of walls from the outside. It is important to remember that mineral wool easily absorbs moisture. Therefore, it is often used indoors, insulating on both sides with film barriers.

Insulation of aerated concrete from the outside with foam

Styrofoam or expanded polystyrene is one of the most common and inexpensive materials for thermal insulation of buildings, including those built from aerated concrete blocks. Why does the foam need to be fixed outside the building? The answer lies in the formation of the dew point, as a plane with a temperature difference. It is the desire to move the dew point to outer surface insulation material determines the use of foam for thermal insulation work outside the premises.

The process of arranging thermal insulation from expanded polystyrene is carried out in three stages. The first is surface preparation. The walls of aerated concrete blocks are regular in shape, they are smooth and even. All that is needed to prepare such surfaces is sealing cracks, chips, etc. with adhesives and mixtures. After the surfaces are plastered and dried, the walls are treated with a primer. And only when the primer dries, you can proceed with the installation of foam panels. Styrofoam slabs are laid along the wall area with cement-based glue, and for control, they are fixed in several places with dish-shaped dowels (umbrellas). The final stage of the work will be the installation of the siding strips themselves.

Insulation of aerated concrete house with extruded polystyrene foam

Extruded polystyrene foam - the material is akin to ordinary foam sheets. However, thanks to English production technologies, its thermal conductivity tends to zero. Thus, extruded polystyrene foam is an almost ideal material for thermal insulation of buildings and structures from the outside.

The negative point in working with this material is its low adhesion and roughness, which has an extremely negative effect on the work of adhesive mixtures. Therefore, when installing extruded polystyrene foam plates, craftsmen additionally apply notches on its surface or rub sheets to roughen the surface and ensure better contact of the material with the wall.

How to insulate aerated concrete walls with your own hands

So, it is worth recalling that the walls of a house built from can be insulated in various ways. However, often experts resort to methods and methods that can be done independently, with their own hands, without the involvement of specialized organizations. For these purposes, you can use any board material that has excellent heat-resistant characteristics, and is mounted without much difficulty and without the use of additional highly specialized tools. So, do-it-yourself insulation of aerated concrete walls will mean the following sequence of actions for the owner of the house:

1. The distillation of the walls from the described material in full, that is, the completion of the construction of the box of the future house.
2. Exposure for 2-5 months to dry and remove excess moisture from aerated concrete blocks.
3. Carrying out work on thermal insulation of the building from the outside. This will require the material itself, adhesives, control dowels-umbrellas and traditional manual construction tools for drilling, mounting plates, kneading the adhesive solution, and other production processes.

Thus, it is clear that all work on the arrangement of the heat-insulating layer of the building can be done independently, without resorting to the services of specialized organizations. Adhering to the basic requirements in the production of these works, observing the installation technology, the building will certainly receive an additional thermal layer, which, in combination with heating system, will give the rooms inside comfort and coziness.

The use of aerated concrete as a material for the construction of houses is very widespread. But often the owners do not know whether it is worth thermal insulation of such a building or not. Having dealt with this issue, as well as considering best options insulation of this type of dwelling, it will turn out to make the living conditions the most comfortable.

Why insulate a house from aerated concrete?

To understand why aerated concrete buildings need insulation, you first need to understand the features of the aerated concrete blocks themselves. Aerated concrete is a material that has a cellular structure and is made on the basis of a mixture of cement with quartz sand. A distinctive feature of aerated concrete from other cellular concretes is the addition of a blowing agent during production.

There are several approaches to the manufacture of aerated concrete blocks. Usually, the constituent elements are mixed in certain proportions, and then molded. When the aerated concrete dries, it is cut into blocks and additionally passed through an autoclave. There is also a non-autoclave manufacturing method, but it does not allow obtaining a material of high strength.

The insulating capabilities of aerated concrete blocks are relatively high. But to reduce the cost of building a house, it is better to use additional insulation. It allows you to reduce the thickness of aerated concrete walls, but does not violate the permeability of the structure for air. There are two methods of thermal insulation of such a building - internal and external.

External insulation: what material to choose?

It is possible to qualitatively insulate a house from aerated concrete blocks from the outside only when choosing the right material. It is worth paying attention to such options for heaters.

1. Styrofoam and foam. Well known in the construction market. They are separate plates, the thickness of which is 3-5 cm. The big advantages of foam plastic are the ease of working with it when carrying out thermal insulation measures, good thermal insulation and high density. Styrofoam and Styrofoam can be used to create a heat-insulating layer before the finishing sheathing of siding or other facing panels is carried out. Also, thermal panels can be installed on top of this insulation.

2. Mineral wool. Also very popular. But the problem is that mineral wool is able to absorb moisture. In the case of aerated concrete, this is a disastrous feature. Therefore, mineral wool is not recommended for houses made of aerated concrete blocks. Aerated concrete itself very easily passes air along with the steam passing through it. In such a situation, the probability of rapid destruction of the material is very high.

3. polyurethane foam. Unlike the previously named heaters, polyurethane foam is a building mixture. For its application to the surface of the walls, special equipment is used. Polyurethane foam foams in a short period and quickly gains density. It will serve for decades, but it will be expensive. It is very problematic to apply polyurethane foam on your own.

Now it is worth considering how each of these materials fits. Then it will be clear what the essence of the work on insulation is.

The easiest option for insulation is the use of foam. Most often, this insulation is combined with siding or other facing panels. First, a frame for PVC panels is installed, between the elements of which foam plates are laid. After you can proceed to the installation of siding.

It is important that there are no gaps between the foam plates. If they appear, they are filled with mounting foam. Another option for finishing is the application of plaster. It is necessary to use plaster for facade work for further painting. Then the protection of the walls of the aerated concrete house will be the highest.

Thermal insulation of aerated concrete house with foam plastic

This method will cost a little more than foam insulation. But on the other hand, the result will be better, because penoplex is more practical. In order for the result to be truly good, it is necessary to observe the following stages of the event.

1. Preparatory work

Due to the fact that aerated concrete blocks have a smooth surface, it is not necessary to align them with insulation in a special way. But sometimes defects are found on the walls. If any flaws are found, it is necessary to eliminate them with glue and plaster. When insulating slopes, plastering is also carried out, since without it there is a danger of the formation of cold bridges through which heat will leave the interior.

2. Fixing thermal insulation materials

It will be possible to ensure reliable fastening of foam plastic on the walls of gas blocks if the latter are first coated with a primer. After drying, you can begin to fix the insulation. It is better to use glue with a cement base to perform such work. In addition to gluing, dowels with wide caps are additionally used for the installation of foam plastic.

3. External facade cladding

Most often, penoplex is laid to create a heat-insulating layer for plaster or siding. The owner can determine for himself which finishing material is more suitable for him.

Thermal insulation of aerated concrete building with mineral wool

When working with mineral wool, approximately the same steps are followed as in the case of laying foam. That is, you will need to install vertical guides that will act as a frame for siding. But it is important that the mineral wool slabs are additionally covered with a vapor barrier. After laying it, the mineral wool is fixed, which is then additionally covered with a vapor barrier film. Having completed such work, you can proceed to the cladding of the facade with finishing materials.

Internal insulation of the house from aerated concrete blocks

Above, the external insulation of an aerated concrete building was considered. But there is also a method that involves thermal insulation from the inside. However, experts do not recommend resorting to this method. With this method, condensation may occur. It will be possible to reduce the risk of such a negative manifestation if you choose a more successful heat-insulating material.

Here it is necessary to proceed from the fact that in order to reduce the risk of condensation on the walls, it is necessary to reduce the vapor permeability of materials when moving from the outside of the walls to the inside. Mineral wool, as a material with very high vapor permeability, is hardly suitable in this case. It is much better if the owner chooses foam or polyurethane foam for internal insulation.

Proper insulation is the key to a comfortable stay

Buildings made of aerated concrete, with all their advantages, still need additional thermal insulation. Therefore, the owner must take a very responsible approach to such work if he wants to receive decent living conditions. As it is now clear, it is better to place the heat-insulating material from the outside. Internal insulation cannot be called optimal.

Video how to insulate a house from aerated concrete with your own hands

The aerated concrete block is the warmest wall material on the building materials market, and many are wondering whether it is worth insulating aerated concrete.

Let's start with the fact that the insulation of the building is necessary to reduce the cost of its heating in the future, and it is important that this insulation be appropriate. Warming of aerated concrete is not always required, and sometimes it even harms, but more on that later in the article.

The fact is that it is not economically feasible to endlessly increase the thickness of walls or insulation, since the payback on insulation and wall blocks can take too long, at the current price of gas and energy. Yes, and heat losses through windows, doors, floor, roof will be more than half. It is also worth noting that the insulation has its own service life, which can range from 10 to 50 years.

According to modern building codes, for central Russia, the thermal resistance of enclosing structures (walls) should be 3.2 m2 C ° / W. It is worth noting that for private construction, these standards are not mandatory, but it is worth focusing on them.

The required thermal resistance is provided by the following options for single-layer aerated concrete walls: D300(300mm), D400(375mm), D500(500mm).

If you are a self-builder, then we would advise you to take high-quality aerated concrete of the D400 brand (375 mm), which just meets the requirements for thermal protection and does not require additional insulation.

The D400 is quite durable for buildings with two floors, and its thermal efficiency very high, which makes it optimal in all respects. D300 is too brittle and often cracked, while D500 is too heavy and costly in 500mm thick masonry.

If the cost of gas or electricity has risen a lot and you want to reduce heating costs, then in order to achieve a thermal resistance of 3.2 m2 C ° / W, you will need to insulate the walls of aerated concrete mineral wool or foam.

Optimum thickness options for aerated concrete with mineral wool:

• D300 (200mm) + mineral wool (50mm)
• D400(200mm) + mineral wool (100mm)
• D400(300mm) + mineral wool (50mm)
• D500(200mm) + mineral wool (150mm)
• D500(300mm) + mineral wool (100mm)
• D500(400mm) + mineral wool (50mm)

Recall that the above insulation options are relevant for central Russia. If construction takes place in colder regions, then the thermal resistance of the walls should be higher.

Options for warming aerated concrete with mineral wool

The main heaters in the building materials market are cotton wool and polystyrene. As you understand, the insulation ages over time, losing its thermal insulation properties, that is, it needs to be replaced, which costs money and time.

The actual service life of mineral wool is about 15 years, subject to proper installation. Styrofoam protected with plaster has a service life of about 50 years. Considering that the service life of an aerated concrete building is 100 years, then during operation, the cotton wool will have to be changed many times, which is not economically feasible.

Styrofoam, on the one hand, is a more interesting option, as it will last longer, and its cost is much less. But the problem is its poor vapor permeability, which obliges you to make good ventilation in the house, for example, with recuperators. Also, to select the thickness of the foam, you need to make calculations for your climatic zone so that the aerated concrete under the foam does not freeze through, otherwise moisture will accumulate in the thickness of the aerated concrete, freeze near the insulation, and destroy the aerated concrete.

Styrofoam does not pass steam well, because of this, aerated concrete cannot dry normally from the outside of the wall. As a result, water vapor gradually accumulates, and if there is too much water vapor at the dew point, and at the same time the aerated concrete is frozen to it, then the aerated concrete will slowly deteriorate.

To prevent this from happening, it is advised to use foam plastic with a thickness of 100 mm or more, since such a thickness will prevent freezing of aerated concrete. In most cases, 50 mm will not be enough, it is better to make calculations and find out for sure. When insulating with foam, you need good ventilation at home.

Another important tip for the insulation of aerated concrete. Fresh aerated concrete comes out of the plant very wet, and it will take about 2-3 years to dry to an equilibrium moisture content of about 5%. Before warming and finishing, it is better to let the aerated concrete dry out. For more information about the drying of aerated concrete, read our article.

As a result of our article, we note that if you think for the long term, it will be cheaper to immediately make single-layer walls of aerated concrete without using heaters. The optimal aerated concrete, which does not require insulation, is D400 with a thickness of 375mm.

Insulation of aerated concrete outside

Insulation of the walls of the house is a very important issue that should be given special attention when designing and building a private dwelling.

It does not matter what building materials you will use when building a house, experts recommend insulating not only the roof and floor of the building, but also the walls.

This is necessary for thermal insulation, as well as to avoid the formation of fungus on the walls and for better preservation of building materials.

In order to solve the problem associated with the insulation of the walls of residential and industrial buildings and structures, there are a large number of various materials, which the best way suitable for this purpose.

By insulating the room, you thereby improve its sound insulation, which is an important point in construction.

Why is so much attention paid to the issue of wall insulation at home? The answer is obvious. Approximately 30% of heat escapes through non-insulated walls.. Given current energy prices, this is quite an impressive figure. Why heat the street? You need to learn how to count your money and spend it rationally.

Suitable materials for insulation are:

Aerated concrete walls can be insulated both from the inside and from the outside of the building.

Which method you use will depend on the following factors:

• specifics of the structure;
• goals pursued by the property owner;
• financial resources of the homeowner.

• Enough high level protection from the cold.
• The "usable" area inside the premises is preserved.
• You can spend much less money on heating your home during the cold season.
• The walls will be reliably protected from temperature changes.
• For external insulation There is a wide range of wall materials on the market.

This type of wall insulation has no drawbacks.

Differences in insulation methods

Advantages and disadvantages wall insulation:

1. In order to carry out this set of measures, the owner of the house will require much more financial and labor costs.
2. The walls of the house are insulated from the inside only when, for some reason, it is not possible to perform external insulation.
3. As a rule, this method is used only for thermal insulation of rooms that are not heated at full capacity.

All experts in the field of construction unanimously agree that it is best to insulate the walls of buildings and structures from the outside.

Why is it better to insulate walls from the outside?

If you decide to build a house from cellular concrete, then insulate walls are needed from the outside.

This will prevent the material from freezing, and condensation will not form on the walls inside the house.

What are the other advantages of thermal insulation made from the outside of the building?

1. The appearance of the facade of the building will have a more aesthetic appearance.
2. The heat in the rooms will be stored much more efficiently.
3. The walls will be protected from the destructive effects of precipitation.
4. Cellular concrete absorbs moisture well, and this makes it very difficult to finish the facade.

Aerated concrete walls can not be insulated in only one case - if the house will be built in a warm region.

The main types of insulation and their brief description

The most commonly used materials for this purpose are:

• Styrofoam. It is easy to work with, it is easy to cut and install, small errors that have arisen in the process of working with foam can be easily eliminated with building foam. No special equipment is required to work with this material.
• Penoplex. It has good vapor barrier properties. Extruded polystyrene foam is much thinner than styrofoam and is non-flammable. Its main disadvantage is its high cost.
• polyurethane foam. This material has many positive characteristics. The main quality for which it is valued is ease of installation.
• Mineral wool. Main positive characteristics thermal insulation material: fire resistance, environmental safety and long service life.

Types of heaters

What insulation is best for cellular concrete walls?

Undoubtedly, the optimal material for thermal insulation of the vertical part of the building, made of gas silicate blocks, basalt (stone) wool is considered.

But, if you are experiencing some financial difficulties, then you can use polystyrene foam for this purpose.

It is much cheaper than mineral wool, but in terms of thermal insulation qualities it is almost not inferior to it. Unfortunately, this material is vapor-tight and will contribute to the accumulation of vapors in aerated concrete blocks.

What does the "pie" of wall insulation from aerated concrete blocks consist of?

We will give an example of a “pie”, where mineral wool is used as a heater:

1. Bearing wall
2. Adhesive solution
3. Insulation - mineral wool
4. Adhesive layer
5. Reinforcing glass mesh
6. A layer of decorative plaster.

pie wall

Do I need waterproofing and vapor barrier of the facade under aerated concrete?

Aerated concrete blocks are endowed with such qualities as good vapor permeability and excellent thermal insulation.

At the same time, this building material has one negative characteristic - it strongly absorbs moisture.

It is for this reason that it is imperative to carry out work on the hydro - and vapor barrier of the blocks.

wall pie

Sealing gaps and installing the crate

Before proceeding with the process of thermal insulation of walls erected from aerated concrete blocks, you need to carefully examine the joints for the presence of cracks and small depressions in them.

If there are significant voids at the joints, they must be filled with mounting foam.

• The remaining foam will need to be cut off with a knife. All other seams should be treated with a special compound - masonry glue. Thus, you will protect the aerated concrete walls to the maximum from excessive moisture.
• Ordinary mortar can also be used to treat walls.. After the surface has dried, it must be carefully cleaned with a spatula or sandpaper (it must be perfectly even).
• If the building is old, it may be necessary to restore the walls (this must be done in order to get rid of cracks).
• After these works, experts recommend covering everything with a primer layer., to which an antifungal agent will be added. This will protect the material from moisture and microorganisms.

If you decide to finish the house with ceramic-granite tiles or siding, then in this case you will have to mount the crate.

NOTE!

If you plan to install siding on a wooden crate, then you first need to install a vertical crate. Pay attention to the following important point: the thickness of the bars should correspond to the thickness of the mineral wool.

The heat-insulating material itself must be inserted between these rails. Then the insulation must be covered with a vapor-permeable film or durable cellophane.

Step-by-step instructions for thermal insulation of walls with mineral wool

Mineral wool is a material with a cellular structure that has high thermal insulation characteristics. Mineral wool, which is produced in rolls, tends to sag over time, and products manufactured in the form of mats are considered more durable.

Mats are able to maintain their dimensions and heat-saving properties throughout the entire period of operation. For this reason, the facades and walls of buildings are most often insulated with this heat-insulating material.

Work sequence:

1. If during the laying of walls from gas silicate blocks moisture got on them, then before starting work on thermal insulation, they need to be given time ( at least 1-3 months) to dry well. If you "lock" the moisture that has entered the thickness of the material, this will contribute to the freezing of the walls and the destruction of the blocks.
2. Next, you need to carefully examine all the outer seams. Mortar seams must be re-sealed.. For this purpose, polyurethane foam is best suited.
3. Polyurethane mounting foam must also fill all cracks and voids on the surface of cellular concrete.
4. To maintain good adhesive properties of the adhesive composition, the surface of the blocks must be cleaned with sandpaper.

Insulation under facing brick

Fastening with dowels

Do not forget to check the availability of communication channels before starting work.

The technique of insulating walls made of aerated concrete with mineral wool can be carried out using special adhesive compositions, and you can also use the method of dry thermal insulation.

We'll take a closer look at the second method:

1. Brackets need to be attached to the wall., on which guides will subsequently be installed.
2. Further, with the help of plastic dowels, it is necessary to mount mineral wool boards. The boards should be installed at a distance, the occurrence of gaps and voids between the sheets of material should be avoided, as it can lead to the appearance of "cold bridges".
3. On top of the heat-insulating layer must be laid windproof breathable film. The film is overlapped in increments of 10-15 cm, the seams are pecked with mounting tape.
4. To ensure ventilation, it is necessary to provide an air gap between the heat-insulating material and the cladding by means of installation.
5. The final stage is wall cladding with siding.

Thermal insulation foam

Useful video

Video instruction for the insulation of aerated concrete walls:

Summing up

If the insulation of the outer walls is carried out in accordance with all the rules, you will be able to minimize heating costs.

At high-quality insulation aerated concrete blocks increases the durability of the entire structure.

The following factor is also important: the work must be carried out with knowledge of the technological process and high quality materials should be used for this purpose.

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