Thermal insulation of a house from aerated concrete with extruded polystyrene foam. Choosing the best option for insulating aerated concrete walls Is it possible to insulate a house from an aerated concrete block with foam

The structure of aerated concrete is a complex system of many open cells (voids) filled with air. This structural feature determines two useful properties of the material:

Good thermal insulation... The manufacturer claims that the porous structure of aerated concrete brings its thermal insulation properties closer to wood, and surpasses brick by three to four times. In the middle lane, according to SNiPs, the thickness of the outer walls of 400-500 mm will be sufficient without additional insulation, if a block of brand D500 is used. These calculations are correct, but they do not take into account the second property of aerated concrete.

Gas permeability... Open pores mean that the material is able not only to pass, but also to accumulate moisture, which happens during home use. The walls that have absorbed some moisture become denser (water accumulates in the pores, as in capillaries). The thermal conductivity of such walls increases, and the ability to retain heat decreases, which is especially noticeable in regions with severe winters. And if in the south (where the winter temperature difference inside and outside the building is small) country houses do not need insulation, then to the north the walls are protected without fail.

The properties of aerated concrete are due to its structure

Why is it necessary to insulate such houses

Despite the increased thermal insulation characteristics of gas-filled blocks, the issue of thermal insulation of building facades is one of the most urgent. To maintain a comfortable indoor climate, in addition to external insulation, some builders also perform internal insulation of aerated concrete walls. The points of view of experts on the need for internal insulation of aerated concrete differ. Let's figure out why aerated concrete structures are insulated?

The popularity of aerated concrete is growing steadily from year to year

The need for insulation is associated with a number of factors:

porous structure of the material. Air cells, evenly distributed inside the aerated concrete block, provide increased thermal insulation characteristics of the building material. The thermal insulation properties of the gas block are much higher than that of concrete walls. At the same time, the open shape of the air pores significantly increases the hygroscopicity of the material, which easily allows air vapor and cold air to pass through. As a result of the formation of condensate and crystallization of water at negative temperatures, not only the thermal insulation properties of the blocks decrease, but also the possibility of their cracking arises. With improper insulation of aerated concrete walls and the absence of plaster, the blocks lose their thermal insulation properties;
displacement of the “dew point” inside the aerated concrete massif in the absence of external thermal insulation protection. Dew point is a term widely used in the heating and construction industries. It characterizes the location of the moisture condensation zone. It is formed as a result of sharp temperature changes associated with a positive temperature inside the building and a negative temperature from the outside of the building. In conditions of temperature changes associated with the peculiarities of the climate, and in the absence of external wall insulation, moisture condenses inside hygroscopic blocks. As a result of multiple freezing cycles followed by thawing, aerated concrete walls gradually collapse.

It is the external insulation, for which you can use foam, extruded polystyrene foam, and other materials, that allow you to reliably insulate the walls of the aerated concrete building, and shift the "dew point" to the outside of the front of the house. In addition, insulation is less susceptible to destructive processes associated with moisture crystallization than gas blocks. The insulating cover can be changed if necessary. It's cheaper than repairing cracked walls.

Aerated concrete house must be insulated from the outside

The reasons for the insulation

It seems to be obvious: so that the house is warmer, and heating costs are lower. But you can just increase the thickness of the walls? Hard mineral wool, the most suitable for insulating facades, with a slab thickness of 100 mm will cost (in the central regions of the country) an average of 450 rubles per m2. In terms of heat engineering characteristics, it is an analogue of aerated concrete 300 mm thick. And it will cost 900 rubles. In fact, if you count the entire structure of external insulation: mineral wool slabs, two layers of glue, fasteners, plaster, mesh, the price will rise to 800 rubles per meter and almost equal the cost of increasing the heat-shielding properties of the wall by increasing the thickness of the masonry. However, a more powerful and expensive foundation will have to be erected under a thicker wall. "Thermoshuba" is still more profitable. The most rational in terms of price / energy saving ratio for central Russia is a 300 mm thick foundation (preferably also insulated); aerated concrete walls 400 mm; insulation 100 mm.

The best insulation option: "thermal fur coat" using rigid mineral wool boards 100 mm thick

There is another important point: durability and the notorious dew point. Our continental climate is not friendly to stone building materials. Moisture, getting into the inner pores of aerated concrete, freezes in frosts, expands and gradually breaks the walls. This applies not only to aerated 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 collapsed into separate stones long ago. Extending the life of the building so that it can be passed on to its great-grandchildren as a whole, again, external insulation will help.

In heat engineering there is such a concept: "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. By sight and touch, dry blocks have an average moisture content of 5-8%. During the thawing-freezing process, this water, little by little, 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 the aerated concrete is constantly in the zone of positive temperatures, then it will last significantly longer. In addition, with the correct design, the wall will always be dry, which will create a healthy microclimate in the house. The fact that the dew point will completely shift into the insulation does not matter. First, it is an order of magnitude less susceptible to the destructive forces of freezing water. Secondly, in contrast to the main wall, the insulation is not difficult to reconstruct.

How to insulate a house from aerated concrete from the outside, we compare the wet and dry method

Various complex methods of performing external thermal insulation of aerated concrete walls are used, which are divided into the following types:

"Dry" technology. In a professional environment, it is called a hinged or ventilated facade. The dry technique involves assembling and fixing a special frame made of a metal profile or wood to the outer surface of the walls. The cavities of the frame structure are filled with heat-insulating material - mineral wool, expanded polystyrene or glass wool. The outer surface of the frame is sheathed with plastic or metal siding, decorative boards, glass or porcelain stoneware slabs. The cost of building a curtain wall mainly depends on the surface area and the cost of the decorative finish;
"Wet" method, carried out in a lightweight version. In accordance with the requirements of the technology, the heat insulator plates are fixed to the aerated concrete surface using plastic dowels or a special adhesive. The surface of aerated concrete does not need additional preparation - it is important to remove dust. After installing the sheet insulation, the surface is plastered with two leveling layers, between which a reinforcing mesh is placed. For decorative finishing, lightweight facing panels made of ceramic materials or plaster compounds are used;
"Wet" technology implemented according to the weighted scheme. It is in demand when it is necessary to decorate the facade of a building with heavy ceramic panels or natural stone. According to technological requirements, the heat insulator is not attached with glue, but fixed to the wall surface with special hooks. A reinforcing metal mesh is placed on top of the insulation and the structural elements are fixed using steel plates. Sand-cement plaster is applied to the mesh with a layer thickness of up to 4 cm. After the plaster has hardened, the surface is finished with natural stone.

From an economic point of view, the latter type is more expensive in comparison with the "wet" technology, performed in a lightweight version.

Builders also use brick cladding of aerated concrete facades, which does not require the construction of a frame structure. For wall cladding with bricks, an increase in the width of the foundation is required. The laying is carried out parallel to the surface of the aerated concrete walls with a gap in which the heat insulator is placed. Decision-making on the choice of wall insulation method is carried out individually, taking into account the financial capabilities and design requirements.

1 Features and purpose

First, let's figure out what this aerated concrete is, and why it is so popular when sheathing a wooden house from the inside. Aerated concrete was invented not so long ago, if you look at more ancient materials such as bricks. However, in our area, it has been actively used at construction sites for decades.

Aerated concrete is produced from binder, fillers, additives from industrial waste and special chemicals.

Powder and aluminum powder are used as chemical additives. They are foam sample converters.

That is, upon contact with water, carbon dioxide begins to be released from the powder or powder. At the same time, binders work to the full, therefore, the block filled with gas becomes cellular and solidifies in the same state.

The result is the same aerated concrete. It is relatively lightweight, but at the same time quite durable material. It can be used to assemble houses that are up to 10 meters high.

As a rule, houses up to 3 floors in height are assembled from aerated concrete without any restrictions. Everything above is equipped with reinforcement belts. It is impossible to build high-rise buildings from aerated concrete. Also, this material is great for arranging a bath, small buildings, etc.

The nuance of aerated concrete, as well as insulation for siding for a brick house, is precisely that, due to its porosity, it just needs to be insulated. The material is too easy for steam, air to pass through and picks up the ambient temperature. If you do not insulate the walls of the house from the inside or outside, then you may encounter quite serious problems.

Mineral wool insulation cake scheme

Fortunately, this can be done without too many problems, but you have to be quite careful. Aerated concrete is not standard brick or ordinary concrete

It has its own nuances, and it is important to take them into account when insulating a house, a bath or any other structure.

They pay particular attention to the decoration of the bath. The bath is characterized by excessive steam release, and the vapor permeability of aerated concrete, as mentioned above, is at a fairly high level

If you organize wall insulation incorrectly, you can achieve unpleasant results. So, the walls of the bath will begin to accumulate moisture, or vice versa, give it away too quickly. In any case, this will lead to rather negative results, which can only be solved with the help of drastic measures.

Therefore, for the thermal insulation of the aerated concrete bath, as well as for any other buildings of this type, you need to apply all the knowledge you have.

Mineral wool insulation methods

Thermal insulation of aerated concrete with mineral wool can be performed in several ways:

"Wet facade" using thin-layer plaster.
Heavy plastering system "wet facade".
Ventilated facade.
Three-layer masonry.

Thermal insulation using the "wet facade" technology (thin-layer version)

First, let's define the terminology. You will find a hint in the name itself - "wet facade" - all stages of work are carried out using mixtures and solutions mixed with water. It is necessary to insulate a house using this technology with high-density mineral wool (120 kg / m3 or more) and at the same time use only an adhesive composition intended for this heat-insulating material.

Warming is performed in the following sequence:

Before insulating the house, thorough cleaning and priming of its surface is performed.
Bonding mineral wool boards to the wall.
Additional fixation of the insulation with umbrella dowels - is performed after the adhesive mixture has hardened, i.e. after 3 days after insulation.
Reinforcement - a 3-5 mm thick layer of adhesive is applied to the wall, into which the fiberglass reinforcing mesh is embedded.
Leveling the surface with a second layer of adhesive mixture.
Finishing plastering.

Heavy plastering system "wet facade"

It is more expedient to insulate the building in this way if later you intend to perform cladding with stone or other heavy materials. Basalt wool slabs together with a metal reinforcing mesh are fixed to the facade with special steel anchors (no glue mixture is used). A thick layer of plaster mixture is applied on top - 20-50 mm. Warming ends with the installation of the selected facing material.

How to insulate using ventilated facade technology?

Mineral wool insulation is carried out between the guides of a wooden or metal frame. The insulation is covered with a waterproofing membrane to protect it from precipitation and wind. The waterproofing is fastened with a stapler, and subsequently with strips of a counter batten, which provides a ventilation gap. Then siding, fiber cement slabs, block house or any other finishing material are mounted on the frame.

It should be insulated as shown in the photo below:

1 - wall made of aerated concrete blocks;
2 - lathing;
3 - mineral wool slabs;
4 - waterproofing windproof membrane;
5 - counter lattice;
6 - finishing panels.

Warming with subsequent facing with ceramic bricks

You may ask how to insulate aerated concrete outside in this case? for house insulation using this technology it is allowed to use mineral wool slabs of lower density than for a "wet facade".

Insulation of a house with brick cladding is performed in several stages:

Fastening of mineral wool with special fasteners, which serve as both fasteners and flexible ties for subsequent brickwork.
Protection of insulation boards with a waterproofing membrane.
Masonry, taking into account the air gap, which should be approximately 40 mm.

Mineral wool for aerated concrete insulation

Scheme of warming a house made of aerated concrete with mineral wool.

Mineral wool is made from waste of the metallurgical industry (slag wool) or by melting basalt stone rocks (stone wool). Both types of material are based on minerals (slags, natural stones) and are often combined under one name "mineral wool".

It is a porous material with high thermal insulation properties. It is produced in the form of rolls or mats. Rolled mineral wool sags over time and ceases to qualitatively insulate the walls. Mats are more durable, they retain their size and heat-saving properties over the entire area for a long time.

As a porous material, mineral mats have a low specific gravity. This determines the low weight of the insulation in general and the slight pressure of the mats on the foundation of the building. Also, due to their low weight, mineral mats can be easily moved and mounted on vertical walls of the house.

The scheme of insulation of jumpers above the opening in the wall from the gas block.

Mineral wool 50 mm thick has a coefficient of resistance to heat transfer of 1.35 m2ºC / W. Increasing the thickness to 60 mm increases the drag coefficient to 1.65. Insulation with a thickness of 100 mm provides a coefficient value of 2.75.

For comparison, the following data can be cited. A similar characteristic for a wall made of silicate bricks with a thickness of 500 mm is 0.58. That is, 10 cm of mineral wool replaces 1 m of the walls of a house made of white silicate bricks.

For aerated concrete 400 mm thick, the coefficient of resistance to heat conduction is 1.6.

If we consider that for the Moscow region the coefficient of resistance to heat transfer at the walls should be 3.29 (according to the recommendations of SNiP), then the required layer of insulation for aerated concrete walls 400 mm thick is 60 mm.

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Comparative characteristics of heaters

Insulating materials have similar properties, but there are still differences. Some of them retain heat better. But you will have to pay a large sum for the material. Some kind of insulation fulfills obligations worse, but more acceptable in price. Here the builder needs to rely on material opportunities. But you should think about whether the quality of the thermal conductivity of the selected material will suit.

The main thing is to make sure before buying a heater that it is safe, environmentally friendly and meets quality standards. This is guaranteed by a certificate that the seller must provide. If an enterprise selling insulation materials does not have this document, you should doubt the quality of its goods and think about changing the supplier.

The main mistake when choosing a heater for aerated concrete walls

It will be about the choice of insulation for the walls of the future building, namely, about the wrong choice of expanded polystyrene for insulating walls made of aerated concrete. - conventional (PPS) or extruded (EPS) - insulation that is in great demand among consumers. The reason for the popularity is the relatively low cost, which, first of all, attracts the owner of the future home, and the ease of installation, which attracts the builder.

Where does indoor humidity come from?

Oddly enough it sounds, but the humidity in the living room comes from you and me. Of course, a bath, shower, stove and other household and household appliances periodically work in the house, but a person also constantly breathes and, as a rule, not alone. We breathe out water-saturated carbon dioxide from our lungs.

The difference between a wall made of aerated concrete from walls made of other materials

Aerated concrete is a porous material with high levels of hygroscopicity and vapor permeability. Hygroscopicity makes the material absorb excess moisture from the air, and vapor permeability is precisely the advantage that requires correct operation.

In short, vapor permeability is the ability of a material to "breathe"; if we speak clearly - the ability of a material to pass water vapor through its structure, both inward and outward.

When it comes to the vapor permeability of the outer wall of the house, you should always remember one more important point - the difference in partial pressure inside the room and outside. Let's not go deep into this question so as not to confuse you.

In short, you can put it this way: aerated concrete will "pass through itself" excess moisture in the direction from the warmer air to a colder environment - that is, from the house to the outside due to the temperature difference in the room and outside.

Due to this effect, moisture from the street, even in rainy weather, will not get into the building, or even deep into the uncovered wall, because the room temperature is higher.

Thus, the aerated concrete walls themselves will regulate the humidity inside the room, and no ventilation is required in such a building. By the way, wood has this property - that is why we all remember that it is easy to breathe in a wooden house and it is comfortable to be at any time of the year and in any weather.

What's wrong with styrofoam?

We figured out the intricacies of moisture exchange of the material. It will now be easier to explain why warming a house from aerated concrete is not recommended to perform PPS and EPSS.

Expanded polystyrene has a very low vapor permeability index (lower than that of aerated concrete by about 5 times, and that of extruded - about 40 times), that is, the ability to pass vapors. As a result of this, excess moisture from the room: firstly, it is not removed to the external environment, and secondly, part of this moisture will accumulate on the inner surface of the expanded polystyrene.

The consequences of such insulation will not be the most pleasant:

In the first case, the building will require either ventilation (which is unjustified in a single family home) or regular ventilation of the room(which is inconvenient and promises colds in the cold season).
In the second case the problem is less noticeable, but more serious... Over time, a moist environment forms between the wall and the expanded polystyrene, contributing to the development of mold and mildew. AND it is harmful to both human life and building structures.
Also worth adding risk of loss of adhesive strength, on which expanded polystyrene is mounted to the wall during insulation, which will lead to a violation of the integrity of the thermal insulation contour of the building, and subsequently - formation of "cold bridges".

Important points of work

If foam is chosen for insulating aerated concrete, then care must be taken that the minimum amount of moisture penetrates the insulation. This can be achieved by installing high-quality passive or active ventilation inside the house made of aerated concrete. Due to the continuous change of air masses, moisture will be removed, and it will not be able to get to the foam and contribute to the appearance of mold and mildew. Also, the thickness of the foam must be correctly selected. This will depend on the specific territorial conditions. In the case of installing foam of insufficient thickness, the dew point will shift to the gas blocks, so you should not save on material. For places with cold climates, foam plastic with a thickness of 15 centimeters or more may be required.

Finishing the house can be done not only with textured plaster, but also with siding. In this case, there is no need to tighten the foam with glue and mesh. Before installing the insulation, a wooden or metal crate is installed, which is necessary for siding. Foam plastic is laid between the elements of the lattice, which is fixed with glue and umbrellas. The seams are blown out with glue. After drying, the excess glue is cut off, and siding is attached to the crate, which will cover the foam from external influences.

As you can see, there is no unequivocal prohibition on the use of foam plastic paired with a gas block. There are certain restrictions and caveats regarding materials, observing which you can achieve the correct result. It is necessary to install the insulation in warm dry weather. If it rained the day before, then it is necessary to allow time for aerated concrete to dry well before starting to work with the material.

During the installation of the insulation, it is important to constantly check the vertical and horizontal plane of the material with a level in order to achieve an even surface of the finish.

Why is it important to insulate aerated concrete

Aerated concrete house

Since cellular concrete has such remarkable thermal conductivity indicators, the question arises: "Is it necessary to insulate the house from aerated concrete?" Let's look for the answer together.

Due to its high porosity, aerated concrete has high water absorption. And although moisture does not penetrate into the depth of the blocks, their outer layer is exposed to moisture and can deteriorate over time.

On a note! Aerated concrete dries quickly, and the absorbed moisture when the outside air temperature drops does not destroy it from the inside, due to the fact that it is evenly distributed over the internal dry pores.

The structure of aerated concrete

However, this is a matter of time, therefore the facade of a house made of aerated concrete must be reliably protected from moisture in order to extend the operational life of the building. In addition, in construction regions with severe winters, aerated concrete walls will have to be insulated in order to reduce their thickness, and therefore the cost of construction in general. Do I need to insulate a house from aerated concrete 400? The answer is unequivocal - yes.

Thermal insulation of aerated concrete house with mineral wool

Thermal insulation of aerated concrete increases its thermal insulation qualities and increases its operational life. Most modern heaters have sound insulation properties, which increases the comfort of living.

Important! The material for insulating aerated concrete blocks must necessarily have vapor permeability. If you use, for example, expanded polystyrene, then an airtight finish must be made from the inside, preventing steam from penetrating into the thickness of the walls

The need for aerated concrete insulation and the choice of material

Aerated concrete is a common building material that is used for the construction of load-bearing and internal walls of private houses and cottages. It itself has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, therefore it reliably retains thermal energy inside residential premises.

Insulating aerated concrete is not required in all cases.

However, quite often there is a need for its insulation. I will list the most common cases:

When constructing load-bearing walls, reinforcing belts made of reinforced concrete were used to strengthen them. These sections of the enclosing structures become islands of cold, unless, of course, measures are taken to insulate them externally.
Aerated concrete itself is a porous material, therefore it strongly absorbs water. If the surfaces of the walls are left unprotected from moisture, they will absorb a lot of liquid, which, if frozen, will quickly lead to the destruction of the building. Wall insulation installed outside will act as protection against wetting.

Aerated concrete - porous material

Aerated concrete of high density (more than D500) is often used to strengthen the walls of the house. The heat-retaining properties of this material are not enough to act as an independent heat insulator. Such wall blocks require additional insulation.
To save money on the purchase of building materials, the walls of the house were erected from blocks 300 mm thick. This thickness is not sufficient to prevent heat loss. To make the home energy efficient, you will have to additionally install a thermal insulation layer.
When laying the walls, instead of glue for aerated blocks, a conventional cement mortar was used, which has a high thermal conductivity and does not allow laying the blocks as provided by the technology.

Insulation for aerated concrete must meet certain requirements.

Immediately, I note that due to the specifics of the material (low thermal conductivity and excellent vapor permeability), it is necessary that the insulation for aerated concrete meets the following requirements:

Characteristic	Description
Hydrophobicity	It is necessary that the insulation has water-repellent properties and protects the enclosing structure made of porous concrete from humidification by atmospheric moisture.
Vapor permeability	Aerated concrete allows air to pass well, therefore it contributes to self-regulation of the microclimate inside the living quarters of the house. Therefore, the insulation must be selected in such a way that it does not interfere with air infiltration through the outer walls of the house.
Ease of installation	Aerated concrete is a fragile material, therefore, it can collapse when screwing dowels and screws into it. Therefore, it is advisable to select insulation, for the installation of which it would not be necessary to mount a complex crate made of wood or galvanized profiles.

And, of course, I would give preference to those types of heaters, the fastening of which would be easy to do with your own hands (without the use of special equipment or engineering equipment).

I can say that among the thermal insulation materials on the market there is no one that meets all the requirements for 100%. Therefore, I will dwell on the consideration of the options that I myself have applied in practice and will note whether it is possible to insulate aerated concrete from the outside with one or another heat insulator.

Sometimes aerated concrete house insulation is necessary!

The process of insulating external walls with foam

Scheme of applying glue to foam plates.

In regions with a predominance of a humid climate, it is not recommended to use polystyrene as insulation. Moisture that accumulates between the blocks of aerated concrete and foam will inevitably lead to rotting of the gas blocks.

Work on the insulation of walls made of aerated concrete is carried out in several successive stages:

preparation of walls;
wall insulation inside the premises;
external insulation;
finishing of surfaces.

The preparatory stage consists in cleaning the surface of the walls from dirt, in sealing up possible cracks and cracks with a cement-based plaster mortar, various mastics and putties.

Installation diagram of the basement profile.

Foam slabs are started to be laid on the wall surface from the bottom row and from the corner of the building. The glue mixture is applied with a notched trowel to the entire surface of the board. If the wall is not very even, then this method will not work. In this case, glue is applied to a strip about 5-8 cm wide along the edge of the plate and several points with a diameter of about 10 cm are placed in the center. The thickness of the adhesive layer should be 15-20 mm. After that, the plate is applied to the wall and pressed against it. The rest of the plates in the row are tightly applied to the previously installed ones.

Subsequent rows are stacked with an offset relative to the bottom row, so that a semblance of brickwork is obtained. For a more durable connection of the insulation with the wall, you need to additionally install plastic dowels-umbrellas. To do this, holes are drilled in the corners and in the center of each slab so that they penetrate 5 cm or more into the depth of the aerated concrete. The dowels are driven into these holes with a hammer. The hats are embedded in the foam by about a millimeter. A plastic core is driven into the center of the dowel until it stops. The rest of it is cut off with a knife.

The remaining gaps between the foam plates create cold bridges. They must be removed with polyurethane foam or special sealant. After that, the walls can be primed and finished with plaster, then painted.

If you plan to finish with other materials such as siding and lining, then even before installing the insulation plates on the wall, you need to mount a frame made of wooden beams or metal guides to which the cladding material will be attached.

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Methods for insulating aerated concrete outside

There are several technologies through which it is carried out. They must be followed strictly according to the instructions. It is also better not to replace materials with equivalent ones, but at a lower price. For example, a special glue or plaster for insulation is exchanged for a cheap and low-quality tile adhesive. It will cope with its task, but at the same time the vapor permeability and service life will be much reduced. Now let's take a closer look at the options for insulating the walls from the outside.

"Wet" light option

Wet technology really doesn't live up to its name. At the same time, the condition of the facade remains extremely dry. The insulation is fixed to the walls of the house with glue and dowels with a wide head. After that, two leveling layers of plaster mix are applied, between which a reinforcing plastic mesh is placed. The condition of the walls made of aerated concrete is initially even, so they do not need additional preparation. It is only necessary to get rid of the dust covering them. As a finishing, decorative type plasters or porous ceramic tiles for facing are used.

"Wet" heavy option

This technology is used for cladding the facade with stone or heavy ceramic-based slabs. In this case, the insulation is not planted on glue, but is attached to the wall with massive hooks. A durable metal mesh is placed on top. The resulting structure is fixed with metal plates. A thick layer of plaster based on sand and cement (20-40 mm) is applied to the mesh. At the final stage, a stone is laid. This option will require more costs than the "easy" one.

"Dry" option (Ventilated facade)

Also known as a ventilated or curtain wall. It is based on a metal or wooden frame that is created outside the facade. In the areas between its parts, insulation is installed, which is mineral wool, glass wool or foam.

Tip: It is better not to give preference to Styrofoam. This is due to its high fire hazard rates. The ascending air currents of the ventilation facade can cause the ignition of this insulation. Therefore, it is better to spend a little more money on the purchase of mineral wool and thereby protect your home from fire.

The frame cladding is most often done with metal or plastic siding or wooden sheathing board. Porcelain stoneware or natural stone slabs are rarely used in private construction to create curtain wall facades. The cost of these materials will be an order of magnitude higher than that of others, but due to the long service life of the ventilated facade made of these materials, the payback will occur in about 5 or more years. The term, of course, is not short, but the facade will not require repair for a long time.

Brick cladding

This option does not provide for the creation of an additional frame, so the insulation can be mounted directly on the surface of the walls. In this case, one should not forget about the air "pocket" for ventilation of the insulation material. This type of insulation is the most expensive, since large costs will be spent on purchasing a brick and increasing the surface of the foundation.

Summing up, you can see the following: in order to insulate a house from aerated concrete with an optimal ratio of price, quality and aesthetic appeal, mineral wool and foam will be the best materials for this purpose. Correctly created thermal insulation will help not to lose precious heat and significantly save on heating.

Warming a house from aerated concrete

Experts recommend insulating from the outside of the house

Whether it is necessary to insulate a house from aerated concrete is no longer a question, but how to do it correctly? Experts recommend insulating from the outside of the house. This will avoid unnecessary waste of usable space, as well as provide additional protection to the outer walls of the house and the transition of the "dew point" to the outer walls. The dew point is the temperature limit at which the cooling air reaches saturation and condenses into dew. In addition, it is not worth experimenting with the thickness of the aerated concrete wall, so the 300 millimeter option disappears immediately. According to the recommendations of experts 375 millimeters - the minimum wall thickness of a private house made of aerated concrete! This is the minimum allowable rate, taking into account the use of insulation.

Before proceeding with the insulation, it is necessary to select the insulation material and make a calculation of the amount of material that will be required in the production process. The choice of insulation material should be taken responsibly, because this factor will determine the final cost of the work, the method of installation, as well as the quantitative consumption of the insulation material. But before choosing the insulation material, you need to decide on the option of insulating a private house.

Options for home insulation from aerated concrete blocks:

From the inside. In any case, with this method, the living space will suffer, which can be used in a more efficient and rational way. In addition, you will need to install a rather expensive ventilation system, but even this will not save you from the appearance of fungi and mold in the space between the insulation and the aerated concrete wall.
Outside. It is recommended to insulate the outside walls of the house from the outside. This method is used not only for additional protection of walls from atmospheric precipitation or the scorching sun, while this method of insulation saves time due to relatively simple installation, it does not require the creation of additional space for work. In addition, if it is necessary to change the facade of the house, this can be done without unnecessary complications. In addition, external insulation provides additional sound insulation and gives the house a more attractive appearance.

Why you need to insulate

Many builders prefer gas silicate blocks for specific reasons. First of all, construction work from such material does not imply the presence of special skills. The blocks are large and lightweight, they are easily connected with a special adhesive mass. The objects do not need a strong foundation, and the insulation of the walls of the house from aerated concrete from the outside will reduce the cost of the project.

Blocks belong to the group of cellular concrete. If we compare aerated concrete with the manufacture of slag concrete blocks, then the technological process is different. In two words, a foaming agent - aluminum powder - is added to the mixture of cement and lime. Hydrogen is released, and a huge amount of voids remain in the block.

From the very beginning, porous blocks are characterized by low mechanical strength. To increase it, the final production stage takes place in an autoclave plant, where the blocks are subjected to significant pressure and high temperature. As a result, the material is quite durable.

It is known from physics lessons that air is considered one of the best materials for insulating heat. And the thermal conductivity index will depend on the number of pores in the block.

But there is one problem - the porous cells in the gas silicate material are open, which makes the block vapor-permeable and allows it to absorb moisture. For this reason, the answer to the question - is it necessary to insulate an aerated concrete house, will be unambiguous - it is necessary.

Another thing is what kind of protective layer to create, and is it necessary to insulate the house from 300 aerated concrete, or is it enough to revet it with finishing materials?

It is no secret that the thickness of the load-bearing walls, from what materials they would not be satisfied, will be fully determined by the average annual temperature regime of your region. As it follows from this, the average thickness of aerated concrete walls can be equal to 30 - 50 cm. But almost no one is interested in what, in this case, experts mean the bearing indicators of the blocks. Simply put, the walls will be strong.

And, for example, questions about whether it is necessary to insulate a house from 400 aerated concrete and other brands are often silent.

In terms of thermal conductivity, in some regions of Russia only aerated concrete walls start from 700 mm in thickness.

Anyone who plans construction in these regions and thinks whether there is a need to carry out external insulation of a house from aerated concrete, if its walls are 30 cm thick, or you can simply arrange a plaster layer, you need to take into account that if you insulate the facade of a house from aerated concrete with foam or mineralized wool, then a slab of insulation ten centimeters thick will equally replace 300 mm of wall thickness made of aerated concrete material. ... It turns out that half-meter walls should have a thermal insulation layer of at least 10 mm

And for walls made of d 500 aerated concrete with a thickness of 400 mm or less, more massive thermal insulation will be required.

It turns out that half-meter walls should have a thermal insulation layer of at least 10 mm. And for walls made of d 500 aerated concrete with a thickness of 400 mm or less, more massive thermal insulation will be required.

In addition to the thermal conductivity index, there is another important feature - the concept of "dew point". This term describes a place inside the outer walls that has zero temperature. This is where the maximum amount of condensate will accumulate.

It should be recalled that aerated concrete blocks are distinguished by a porous structure, and if a dew point falls on the block itself, then moisture will freeze and thaw from temperature fluctuations, destroying the material.

There is only one way out in this situation - to try to transfer the point to the insulation layer. It will be less subject to destruction, and if it deteriorates, then you can change it faster than rearranging the walls. By the way, this explains the need to insulate the outer walls.

The choice of insulation mineral wool or foam

The modern construction market offers many materials for creating thermal insulation outside a house from aerated concrete. Let's consider the most popular of them - mineral wool and polystyrene and identify the pros and cons of each of these materials.

These two heaters are similar in many respects. They have nearly the same lifespan and mechanical properties. For rodents, foam is preferred due to its airy structure. They easily gnaw through it and arrange their burrows in it. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to carefully finish the facade with plaster. But rodents do not tolerate mineral wool. Work with foam is much easier to carry out, it lends itself well to cutting, when cracks appear in it, they can be easily repaired with construction foam. The working process with mineral wool is a little more complicated. Also, when working with this insulation, you must use protective clothing.

The materials have significant differences in vapor permeability. The high vapor permeability properties of mineral wool do not deprive the walls of the ability to "breathe". Polyfoam, on the contrary, is practically vapor-tight, which creates the effect of complete "packing" of the house, in which the moisture content of the walls increases by an average of 6%. With such a small percentage, there is still a deterioration in the operational properties of aerated concrete and the microclimatic indicators of housing.

From the foregoing, it follows that mineral wool has a lot of advantages and is better suited for, but more money will be spent on the purchase of this material. The purchase of Styrofoam will be much cheaper. The choice is yours.

House insulation technology outside

Before you decide to insulate an aerated concrete house, you should first figure out how to do it correctly. It is best to insulate your home in summer, when there is little rain and the air temperature helps to dry the house quickly. To dry the walls even faster, you can heat the building from the inside. Warm air enters the walls, heats them up and expels moisture outside.
Before insulation, the front part of the walls should be cleaned of dirt, irregularities should be corrected with plaster, and also disinfected. This will protect the walls of the dwelling from the development of the fungus in the future. After the antiseptic is completely dry, go through the walls with a primer several times. This process contributes to good adhesion of the insulation with aerated concrete.
For high-quality gluing, the glue is applied to the insulation plate with an even ball, without missing a millimeter, thereby protecting the walls of the house from moisture settling on them. To further strengthen the insulation on the facade of the house, special plastic dowels with large caps are screwed into it.
The next step is to finish the house outside. First, attach a reinforced mesh to the insulation. It increases the adhesion of the finishing material to the insulation. Then proceed with the wall cladding.

Technological features of the installation of mineral wool

A ventilated facade with siding is a popular option for finishing private houses, because with its help all foundation errors are leveled. And the work is not very difficult, it is done on their own.

Over time, heaving forces or other reasons can cause cracks in the masonry, then the hinged cladding system does not suffer

And if we take into account the fragility index of aerated concrete blocks and the need for strict adherence to production technology, most consumers give their preference to facing, considering it a more durable finishing layer. To know how to properly insulate a house from aerated concrete outside, you need to understand the stages of work

Preparatory stage

If you decide to insulate a building that is already in operation, all functional and decorative elements should be removed from the walls, the surface should be cleaned from dirt, and primed. If there are doubts about the bearing capabilities of the foundation and walls, they are examined by tapping with a hammer.

When insulation is carried out during construction, the remaining mortar is removed from the surface. Wet walls should be allowed to dry completely.

Surface marking

Markings are applied to the walls using a building or leveling level to arrange a frame base. The distances between the bars depend on the size of the insulation material.

Installation of vertical racks

In order to completely eliminate heat leakage, insulation is performed in two layers, overlaps are arranged at the joints. To do this, first collect the vertical crate.

The size of the bars should correspond to the thickness of the insulation. They fix it to the aerated concrete surface with special fasteners.

Wool laying

The thickness of the insulation is determined according to special heat engineering calculations. Most often, it is 10 - 15 cm. The complete absence of shrinkage and excellent elasticity of the material make it possible to simplify the technological process by installing cotton wool without additional fasteners, inserting it into a swath. If necessary, they can always be trimmed with a sharp knife or a hand file with a fine tooth. The pieces are always useful for filling gaps.

Fixing horizontal posts

Having laid the first layer, the markings are made for the horizontal battens. The second row of bars is necessary so that the frame base for the siding is fixed to it vertically.

Wool tab

Plates, laid on the edge with a shift of the seam sections, allow you to completely eliminate cold bridges, even if the racks are fixed with metal fasteners.

Protection

We figured out how to insulate the walls with stone wool. It remains to protect it from the effects of atmospheric precipitation and ensure the unimpeded drainage of condensate. For this purpose, a vapor-permeable material is laid.

On top of such a membrane, fasteners are arranged for the lining, while a gap of three to five centimeters is observed, which provides the insulation with a normal operating mode.

Many people doubt whether it is necessary to insulate a house from aerated concrete in this way, considering it costly. But the heat saved in the future will allow you to save on heating costs.

Aerated concrete block finishing

Aerated concrete walls for siding are an excellent solution for the use of finishing materials

Aerated concrete blocks are several times higher than wooden materials in terms of vapor permeability. This is one of several reasons for the popularity of aerated concrete blocks. But violations made during installation or operation can affect vapor permeability. Aerated concrete walls for siding are an excellent solution for the use of finishing materials. Sometimes aerated concrete blocks can be hidden behind a brick wall, decorative tiles or plaster mixtures. The job becomes easier when it turns out that an extended foundation was used when building the house. When ennobling the exterior with bricks, remember to create ventilation holes.

Finishing from the inside. The order of work:

A primer is applied on top of the insulation;
The plaster is applied after the primer has dried;
It is recommended to smooth down the walls after the plaster is dry. This stage is carried out 2 times in a row (the interval between repetitions is a day);
The wall is insulated with an internal facing material - drywall, using a special adhesive solution. A wooden frame is preliminarily prepared from slats, and plasterboard panels are mounted on them, which are subsequently painted with vapor-permeable paint.

Is it worth insulating

Aerated concrete itself is an excellent material with low thermal conductivity, which is used as an alternative to classic bricks or other blocks. The material is lightweight and, when properly laid, can prevent heat dissipation. But it really needs additional finishing, since it can collapse under the influence of moisture. For the most part, this happens during the cold season, when moisture accumulates in the pores of aerated concrete and increases its thermal conductivity, which increases heat transfer and negates the insulating properties. In addition, frozen moisture expands and damages the internal structure of aerated concrete. Insulation improves the insulating properties and prevents moisture from entering the pores of the gas blocks.

Due to its porosity, aerated concrete has vapor permeability, which helps to dissipate excess moisture that accumulates inside the room during human life. This means that a ventilated facade is the ideal way of insulating aerated concrete, which is necessary to remove the moisture that is released. The easiest way to implement it is with mineral wool, which also has vapor permeability. If foam is mounted on top of aerated concrete, which does not have vapor permeability, this can lead to the accumulation of moisture between the insulation and the block. The result of this can be the appearance of mold and the destruction of aerated concrete. It is this factor that causes the fears of many users regarding whether it is worthwhile to insulate aerated concrete with foam. If everything is done correctly, then the foam can still be used to insulate gas blocks and foam blocks.

Finding out the need

Preservation of heat inside a closed volume is facilitated by the presence of a stationary air environment. This air in itself is the best insulation. The presence of pores filled with air in the body of the block explains the good thermal insulation qualities that aerated concrete walls have.

Such pores are obtained by adding a blowing agent to the mixture. It begins to act under the influence of high temperature in an autoclave, where molds filled with the composition are placed. Escaping through the thickness of the material, the gas leaves behind a labyrinth of small hollow volumes.

The specific heat coefficient of an individual block is much lower than that of the facade wall. It increases due to the formation of cold bridges, which appear when using a cement-sand mortar. You can avoid their appearance by using a special adhesive for the walls.

The specific heat coefficient of a block is 3 times lower than that of a brick. If we assume that the estimated thickness of a brick wall for central Russia should be about 600 mm, then the thickness of aerated concrete walls outside the building should be at least 200 mm.

Even if both the wall thickness and the mortar used for fixing the blocks fully correspond to the required parameters, it is still recommended to insulate a house from aerated concrete for the following reasons:

Insulation for aerated concrete will reduce the cost of consumed energy resources.
The thermal insulator will protect the material of the walls of the house from the outside from the effects of water, frost, wind, thereby extending the life of the house.
The heat insulator shifts the dew point outside the premises and walls made of gas silicate, ensuring normal operating conditions for the material.

Dew point - a place in the thickness of a building structure with zero temperature. Many points create an imaginary plane in the wall over its entire area. Here water condensate is formed, which, freezing, gradually destroys stone building materials.

The use of insulation on a standard wall allows you to create the same energy saving effect, the same as a house made of 400 mm aerated concrete. Installing an insulator allows you to achieve the same savings for less money without putting undue stress on the foundation.

Do I need to insulate aerated concrete - watch the video - alternative opinion:

Installation of foam

There are two types of glue that can be used to glue the foam. One of them is made on the basis of cement and prepared by kneading. In this case, a significant part of the time is spent on preparing the composition. Another material option is special compositions that are similar to polyurethane foam, but have a lower coefficient of expansion. The application of such adhesives is carried out using a pistol that is used for polyurethane foam. If the basement is made with a small curb that protrudes outward from the walls, then you can immediately start installing the foam, if it is not there, then you will need to first fix the starting bar.

The latter is a metal profile, the width of which is matched to the thickness of the foam used. At a height of 15–20 cm from the blind area, a line is bounced off with a dye cord. A metal profile is exposed along this line and fixed to the wall by means of dowels and self-tapping screws. It must be secured around the entire perimeter of the house. Next, glue is applied to the foam sheet with a snake, and it is tightly applied to the wall with support on the mounted profile. Installation must start from one of the corners of the building. Each subsequent row is stacked with an offset of half the sheet to ensure the interlacing of the insulation seams. In this case, it will be easier to eliminate cold bridges, as well as provide greater surface strength. Each seam is additionally filled with glue.

The material is laid under the very roof. In this case, glue alone for fixing the foam will not be enough, since as the plane is set, its weight increases. Plastic umbrellas are used as additional clips for the foam. Five holes must be drilled to fit them onto the Styrofoam sheet. One of them is in the middle of the foam sheet and four others are drilled into the seam to secure two adjacent foam sheets with one umbrella. The umbrellas are hammered so that their caps are flush with the foam, after which their position is fixed with a plastic nail.

After completing the installation of plastic foam fasteners, you can proceed to strengthening the insulated surface with a fiberglass mesh. Self-tapping screws are not used to fix it. First of all, the entire surface of the foam is covered with a special cement-based material. The layer of material should be such that the mesh is easily recessed into it. As soon as a layer of material is applied to the width of the net roll, the latter is applied to the surface and embedded in the adhesive using a wide spatula. The individual mesh sheets are overlapped on the foam to create a monolithic plane. As soon as the layer of glue dries up, it is grinded with fine sandpaper. Next, another layer of glue is applied to the foam, which is also smoothed with sandpaper. The process is repeated one more time to achieve the desired result. After hardening with plaster, you can proceed to the finishing.

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

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

penoplex is a slab building material with a thickness of 3 to 5 cm, which is characterized by high rates of thermal insulation. Penoplex plates have a dense structure. This heat insulator is one of the most popular methods to improve the thermal insulation properties of structures due to the ease of installation and subsequent maintenance;
polyurethane foam is a foamy mixture that is applied with the help of special equipment and, bonded to the wall surface, forms an insulating layer that is reliably protected from cold and frost to the structure. Compositions of polyurethane foam must be applied with special machines, while having a certain experience in this direction;
rock wool is another popular insulation material. However, experts do not recommend this component for external wall insulation. 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 walls from aerated concrete blocks

Despite the fact that the use of expanded polystyrene plates for insulating a house from aerated concrete from the outside reduces its "breathing" properties, this material is widely used. The technology for arranging a heat-insulating layer is quite simple and can be easily done independently.

Preparing the walls

The surface of aerated concrete blocks is quite flat, so the preparation of the walls is reduced to the removal of slugs of adhesive solution in the area of \u200b\u200binterblock seams. Potholes (if any formed during the construction process) are sealed with repair cement mortar. Then we cover the entire surface of the wall with an antiseptic solution (to prevent mold and mildew). After the antiseptic has dried, we prime the walls to improve adhesion when gluing polystyrene plates to aerated concrete.

Installation of thermal insulation boards

We glue the walls of the building with sheets of expanded polystyrene using special adhesives. As an adhesive, you can use ready-made dry mixes (Ceresit CT 85, T-Avangard-K, Kreisel 210, Bergauf ISOFIX), liquid adhesives (Bitumast) or ready-made assembly adhesives in aerosol packaging (Tytan Styro 753, Ceresit CT 84 "Express" , Soudal Soudatherm, TechnoNicol 500). Apply the glue to the slabs around the perimeter and additionally in several places on the surface.

Important! The adhesives should not contain solvents or other chemical components that can damage the surface of expanded polystyrene or disrupt the structure of the material. ... Many adhesives allow mounting plates at an ambient temperature of -10˚C to + 40˚C

Many adhesives allow installation of boards at an ambient temperature of -10˚C to + 40˚C. However, experts in the field of housing construction recommend to carry out work on thermal insulation at a temperature not lower than + 7˚С and in dry, calm weather.

First, along the entire perimeter of the building, we glue the first bottom row of foam plates, then we fix the remaining rows. We press the plates with effort to the wall surface and lay them in a checkerboard pattern. We check the correctness of the installation with a level.

Important! In the corners of the structure, the panels are stacked end-to-end, that is, so that in one row the panel from the end of the building extends to the thickness of the sheet, and the panel, located at an angle of 90 degrees, rested against it. In the next row, the operation is performed in the reverse order.

After the final drying of the adhesive (about 1 day), we make additional fastening of each sheet using special dowels with large heads ("umbrellas"), which should not contain metal parts. The fact is that they rust and create additional cold bridges in the insulating layer: that is, the dowel itself and the central nail must be plastic. Depending on the size, 5-6 dowels are required for each sheet.

Using a punch, we make a hole in the heat insulator layer and the aerated concrete wall, then with a hammer we hammer in the dowel and insert the fixing nail.

After the installation of all fixing dowels is over, we proceed to the finishing of the walls.

Outside finishing of polystyrene foam heat insulator

Since expanded polystyrene has low strength and is subject to the negative influence of ultraviolet radiation, after laying it, it is necessary to carry out finishing work.

First, on top of the expanded polystyrene, using a special plaster solution (or adhesive), we attach a reinforcing fiberglass mesh, which prevents the plaster from cracking and improves adhesion. After complete drying, apply a finishing layer. Such an external finish is quite enough to give the insulating layer the necessary strength.

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 insulating such a building or not. Having figured out this issue, and also having considered the best options for warming a home of this type, it will be possible to make 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 and quartz sand. A distinctive feature of aerated concrete from other aerated concrete is the addition of a blowing agent during production.

There are several approaches to the manufacture of aerated concrete blocks. Typically, the constituent elements are mixed in certain proportions and then molded. When aerated concrete dries up, it is cut into blocks and additionally passed through autoclaving. 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 in order 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 structure's permeability to air. There are two methods of thermal insulation for such a building - internal and external.

External insulation: which material to choose?

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

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

2. Mineral wool... Also very popular. But the problem is that mineral wool is capable of absorbing moisture. In the case of aerated concrete, this is a destructive feature. Therefore, it is not recommended to use mineral wool for houses made of aerated concrete blocks. Aerated concrete by itself very easily allows air to pass along with the steam passing through it. In this situation, the probability of rapid destruction of the material is very high.

3. Polyurethane foam... Unlike the previously mentioned heaters, polyurethane foam is a building mixture. To apply it to the surface of the walls, special equipment is used. The polyurethane foam foams in a short period and quickly gains density. It will last 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 is laid. Then it will be clear what the essence of the insulation work is.

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

It is important that there are no gaps between the foam boards. If they appear, they are filled with polyurethane foam. Another option for finishing is plastering. 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 a house made of aerated concrete with penoplex

This method will not cost much more than foam insulation. But the result will be better, because penoplex is more practical. In order for the result to be truly good, the following stages of the event must be observed.

1. Preparatory work

Due to the fact that aerated concrete blocks are distinguished by a smooth surface, it is not necessary to transfer them with insulation in a special way. But sometimes defects are found on the walls. If any deficiencies are found, they must be removed with glue and plaster. When insulating the slopes, plastering is also carried out, since without it there is a danger of the formation of cold bridges, through which heat will escape from the interior.

2. Securing thermal insulation materials

It will be possible to ensure reliable fixing of the foam on the walls from gas blocks if the latter are first coated with a primer. After drying, you can start fixing the insulation. It is better to use cement-based glue for such work. In addition to gluing, dowels with wide heads are additionally used for the installation of foam.

3. External facade cladding

Most often, penoplex is laid to create an insulating layer under plaster or siding. The owner can decide for himself what kind of finishing material is more suitable for him.

Thermal insulation of aerated concrete buildings with mineral wool

When working with mineral wool, they follow approximately the same steps as in the case of styling foam. That is, you 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 start cladding the facade with finishing materials.

Internal insulation of a house from aerated concrete blocks

Above, the external insulation of aerated concrete buildings was considered. But there is also a method that involves thermal insulation from the inside. However, experts do not recommend using 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 thermal insulation 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 unlikely to work in this case. It is much better if the owner chooses foam or polyurethane foam for internal insulation.

Competent insulation is the key to a comfortable stay

Aerated concrete buildings, 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 get decent living conditions. As it is now clear, it is better to place the heat-insulating material from the outside. Internal insulation is not optimal.

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

Aerated concrete blocks are widely used in modern construction both in our country and abroad. Despite the fact that aerated concrete has good thermal insulation qualities, walls made of this material must be insulated (in order to reduce the cost of heating the house and increase the energy-saving performance of the entire structure). Thermal insulation of aerated concrete with expanded polystyrene is a very effective and inexpensive way to achieve this goal.

The choice of insulation material

Experts say that it is more expedient to insulate a building made of aerated concrete from the outside than from inside the house: firstly, the useful area of \u200b\u200bthe room is not lost; secondly, there is a shift of the "dew point" outside the aerated concrete blocks. A wide variety of materials are used to insulate buildings made of aerated concrete from the outside: mineral wool, extruded polystyrene foam (polystyrene foam), polyurethane foam and polystyrene foam (polystyrene foam). The most popular is expanded polystyrene, due to its low thermal conductivity, durability and low cost. This material is fireproof due to the fact that it contains anti-foam. Also, the advantages of the material include ease of processing and installation: it is easy to cut it into pieces of the desired shape, and slabs of standard sizes (0.5 x 1, 1 x 1, 1 x 2 m) are conveniently attached to aerated concrete walls. The thickness of the material (from 20 to 100 mm) allows you to create a sufficient heat-insulating layer (if necessary, the panels can be folded in half). Also, on order, factories produce non-standard sheets of expanded polystyrene with a thickness of up to 500 mm. That is, there is a large selection of finished products for insulating aerated concrete with expanded polystyrene.

Calculation of the thickness of the insulation

To determine the thickness of the insulating layer, it is necessary to make a simple calculation. We take the data for the calculation from the reference tables. SNiP-ohm standardizes the total required resistance to heat transfer for walls (Ro), depending on the region (measured in m² ° C / W). This value is the sum of the heat transfer resistances of the wall material (Rst) and a layer of insulation (Rt): Ro \u003d Rst + Rt. For example, let's choose St. Petersburg (Ro \u003d 3.08).

Heat transfer resistance is calculated by the formula R \u003d δ ⁄ λ, where δ is the thickness of the material (m), λ is the thermal conductivity of the material (W / m ° С). Let's say our house is built of D500 aerated concrete blocks, 300 mm thick (λ \u003d 0.42 - we take from the reference table). Then the intrinsic resistance to heat transfer of the wall without thermal insulation will be Rst \u003d 0.3 / 0.42 \u003d 0.72, and the heat transfer resistance of the insulation layer is Rt \u003d Ro-Rst \u003d 3.08-0.72 \u003d 2.36. We choose lightweight polystyrene with a density of 10 kg / m2 (λ \u003d 0.044 W / m2 ° C) as an insulating material.

The thickness of the insulating layer is calculated by the formula δ \u003d Rut λ. The thermal conductivity coefficient of polystyrene with a density of 10 kg / mᶟ - λ \u003d 0.044 W / m ° C.

The thickness of the insulation δ \u003d 2.36 0.044 \u003d 0.104 m, that is, for our house, according to the rules and regulations, standard polystyrene plates 10 cm thick are suitable.

We check our calculations for the "dew point" temperature (condensation in the wall):

It can be seen from the graphs that the condensation zone (the area of \u200b\u200bcoincidence of the lines of the wall temperature and the temperature of the "dew point") is in the heat-insulating layer and even at an outside air temperature of -30 приC does not reach aerated concrete. Conclusion: our thermal insulation layer is calculated correctly, that is, even at the lowest temperatures, the aerated concrete wall will not be saturated with moisture.

Let's say you don't want to make any calculations, and you just decided to buy a material 5 cm thick. Let's see in what area the condensation zone will be with this thickness and all other things being equal. For clarity, we present the graph:

We see that moisture is formed not only in the thermal insulation layer, but also in aerated concrete. The presence of water, the thermal conductivity of which is much higher (λ≈0.6) than that of aerated concrete and expanded polystyrene, leads to a decrease in the heat-saving characteristics of the walls of the structure, that is, as a result, we get a "cold house".

Insulation of walls from aerated concrete blocks

Preparing the walls

Installation of thermal insulation boards

Important! The adhesives should not contain solvents or other chemical components that can damage the surface of expanded polystyrene or disrupt the structure of the material.

Using a punch, we make a hole in the heat insulator layer and the aerated concrete wall, then with a hammer we hammer in the dowel and insert the fixing nail.

After the installation of all fixing dowels is over, we proceed to the finishing of the walls.

Outside finishing of polystyrene foam heat insulator

Since expanded polystyrene has low strength and is subject to the negative influence of ultraviolet radiation, after laying it, it is necessary to carry out finishing work.

First, on top of the expanded polystyrene, using a special plaster solution (or adhesive), we attach a reinforcing fiberglass mesh, which prevents the plaster from cracking and improves adhesion. After complete drying, we apply a layer of finishing decorative plaster. Such an external finish is quite enough to give the insulating layer the necessary strength.

We insulate the floor with expanded polystyrene

We carry out insulation of a concrete floor with expanded polystyrene sheets with a density of 20-30 kg / m2. We perform flooring of expanded polystyrene plates as follows:

we make a preliminary leveling fill (it is done if the difference in base heights exceeds 5 mm), let it dry;
the surface is primed;
along the entire perimeter of the room, we attach a damper tape to the lower part of the walls;
on top of the screed we lay a layer of waterproofing (ordinary polyethylene is quite suitable: at the joints, the material is overlapped - at least 10 cm, on the walls - at least 20 cm; we fasten everything with construction tape);
we lay polystyrene sheets on the floor according to the groove-thorn principle in a checkerboard pattern (the thorns must completely enter the grooves);
on top of the insulating layer, we lay a vapor barrier and a reinforcing mesh;
make a screed of the required thickness.

On a note! This method of insulation is very effective, but the height of the room is reduced by 10-15 cm.

Floor insulation can be done not only with the help of expanded polystyrene plates, but also with the help of expanded polystyrene concrete, having equipped a screed from it (since the thermal conductivity coefficient of polystyrene concrete is low - λ \u003d 0.05 ÷ 0.07 W / m ° C). We prepare a solution for such a pouring by ourselves, mixing the necessary ingredients: 20 kg of cement, 12.5 liters of water and 0.125 m³ of expanded polystyrene granules, or we buy a ready-made dry mixture. After insulation with polystyrene concrete, we produce a finishing screed (if necessary) and lay the floor covering.

Ceiling insulation

Styrofoam can be successfully used to insulate the ceiling indoors. As a rule, thin sheets with a thickness of 5 cm are used for these purposes. Fixing the slabs to the ceiling is similar to laying on an external wall. The only difference is that you can use adhesives and plaster mixes that are intended for indoor use (they are cheaper than for outdoor use).

In custody

Having correctly calculated the thickness of the insulation layer made of expanded polystyrene and observing the technology of laying sheets and external finishing, you can build a warm and comfortable home for living in any region.

A material such as aerated concrete has won many fans due to its characteristics. Let's talk about this material. Its main advantage is environmental safety, because aerated concrete contains only natural components - quartz sand, aluminum powder, cement, limestone and water. The second great advantage over other materials is that it is not susceptible to decay and erosion.

More about the advantages of aerated concrete

Less significant, but still important advantages of the material are:

Relatively low cost.
A light weight.
The ability to pass steam and gas.
Low thermal conductivity.
Strict linear dimensions of blocks.

Walls made of aerated concrete blocks should be arranged so that the surface permeability for steam decreases to the inner layer from the outer one. outside should be carried out with this in mind.

If you neglect this moment, the steam that accumulates in the aerated concrete blocks will lead to increased humidity, which will negatively affect not only the quality of the building material, but also the entire structure. Additional advantages include frost resistance and fire safety

Insulation of aerated concrete house

To ensure comfortable living conditions, the dwelling must warm up well and be. Take, for example, an aerated concrete block house. Insulation of aerated concrete walls from the outside will reduce heat loss. Consequently, less electrical energy or some other energy carrier will be consumed for heating.

The choice of insulation

Various insulation materials are used to insulate buildings and structures. Often people ask the question - is it possible to insulate aerated concrete? Apparently, the characteristics of this - relatively recently appeared in our material - are not so widely known. We answer: you can.

Expanded polystyrene is a very effective insulation. True, it takes a lot of time to insulate walls with expanded polystyrene, but installation is easy, and any surface can be insulated with it.

Therefore, there is no need to doubt whether it is possible to insulate aerated concrete with expanded polystyrene.
After insulating the gas silicate blocks, the position of the dew point changes. It moves into the coverage area, whereas before that it is in the thickness of the wall.

From gas silicate blocks, it implies high-quality fixing of the insulation on their surface. For this, special adhesives or dowels can be used. After installing the insulation, a reinforcing layer is made, which is a glass fiber mesh. At the end of the work, to give a good appearance, the insulation is covered with decorative plaster.

Siding is usually used for finishing. This facing material is attached to the wall with wooden slats, which serve as a kind of lathing.

Aerated concrete walls transmit four times less heat than walls from other building materials. This suggests that a properly designed heating system is often enough. But, the use of insulation will not be superfluous for sure.

The structure of aerated concrete is porous, due to which the thermal insulation properties of this material are high. Small pores are filled with air, resulting in a single system with good thermal insulation characteristics.

Reinforcing mesh

The reinforcing mesh protects the plaster from cracking, which is applied to the thermal insulation material.

The thermal insulation coefficient, strength, moisture resistance and other performance characteristics depend on the density of the material used. The better the insulating properties of the material, the lower the density. This means a shorter service life. It is very important to consider all this when choosing a heater.

Thermal insulation of a building starts from the facade. The material used for wall insulation must be environmentally friendly. This is exactly what expanded polystyrene is.

A good insulation should be hygroscopic, water-permeable, breathable, fireproof, plastic, strong and durable; biologically and chemically resistant.

Extruded polystyrene foam is used not only for external wall insulation. It is also used for paving, insulating facades and much more. Road insulation using this material reduces the negative impact caused by soil freezing and damage to the roadway during its operation.

The issue of wall insulation is one of the most burning issues for every happy owner of a private house. After all, comfort depends on how tight and warm the building will be ...

Foam plastic, known to all, once competed exclusively with glass wool, today itself has a lot of derived materials, which, by the way, often give way to other modern types of insulation. By the way,...

The cladding of walls of residential buildings with insulation materials is an event to which special attention is paid even at the design stage. It doesn't matter what materials you use for the construction of the facility, but experienced builders advise to insulate not only the roof and floors, but also the load-bearing walls. This will help conserve heat energy and prevent mold growth. To solve such a problem, there is a sufficient number of materials suitable for this purpose. Let's try to figure out what is the best way to insulate a house from aerated concrete.

Why you need to insulate

It is known from physics lessons that air is considered one of the best materials for insulating heat. And the thermal conductivity index will depend on the number of pores in the block.

Another thing is what kind of protective layer to create, and is it necessary to insulate the house from 300 aerated concrete, or is it enough to revet it with finishing materials?

And, for example, questions about whether it is necessary to insulate a house from 400 aerated concrete and other brands are often silent.

In terms of thermal conductivity, in some regions of Russia only aerated concrete walls start from 700 mm in thickness.

In addition to the thermal conductivity index, there is another important feature - the concept of "dew point". This term describes a place inside the outer walls that has zero temperature. This is where the maximum amount of condensate will accumulate.

Insulation materials

Most often, for the insulation of walls made of heat-insulating aerated concrete, they use:

Features of insulation with various materials

There are many options for arranging a layer of insulation material. Manufacturers offer a wide range of products needed for this at affordable prices. Let's consider the most popular options:

Styrofoam

One of the economical options used only outside the facility. There are two types - foam and foam.

Styrofoam

The cost of the material is low, so it is preferred by developers looking to save budget.

It should be borne in mind that it does not pass steam. For this reason, when installing an insulating layer, it is recommended to provide a ventilation system.

The material is fixed on the pre-cleaned walls with an adhesive applied with a notched trowel. Additionally, plastic dowels are used. Slight misalignment of the foam sheets is allowed during gluing. It is possible to plaster and paint the surface after the adhesive solution has completely dried.

Penoplex

By its characteristics, the material resembles foam, it is used for outdoor work. Before starting the installation, the surface of the walls is cleaned of gaps, chips, protrusions and cracks using plaster. This gives the surface of the walls evenness and additional protection against the penetration of cold air currents.

When the plaster mortar dries, the wall is treated with a primer to improve the adhesion of the foam insulation to the aerated concrete blocks. When installing an insulating layer, a cement-based adhesive and disc dowels are used. The final stage is finishing the facade walls with plaster mortars or siding panels.

Minwatoi

The material is distinguished by good strength and vapor permeability, it goes well with aerated concrete walls.

The use of this material provides comfort and a moderate level of humidity in the room.

The insulation layer will last for at least seventy years. The material is fixed with plastic dowels and glue, which fixes the fiberglass mesh. It will ensure the integrity of the plaster layer and paint applied on top. Some people prefer to arrange wall insulation outside with mineral wool for siding.

Many people prefer stone wool

And yet, what is the best way to insulate aerated concrete? Today's market is able to offer any materials for decoration and insulation. It is only necessary to remember that not all heaters are able to work effectively on aerated concrete blocks.

The main principle of creating a multi-layer structure is to increase the vapor permeability of the next layer, starting from the inner surface of the walls. Be that as it may, steam is one of the waste products, and some of it is removed to the outside through the walls. Among all the materials used as insulation for aerated concrete houses, many experts choose stone wool.

Two types of facades are very popular - "wet", with a thin layer of plaster, and a hinged ventilated system. In the first version, steam is discharged through the walls into the insulation layer, then goes into the plaster. In another case, steam is drawn out through ventilation gaps, which are arranged between the insulation layer and the facing material.

Stronger slabs are used under the plaster layer, and for ventilated facades, preference is given to light mineral wool with a low level of compressibility.

A thin layer of plaster can be applied to all substrates, and in a ventilated façade system, materials that meet fire safety requirements are permitted. Is it worth reminding that vata belongs to such a group.

Technological features of the installation of mineral wool

A ventilated facade with siding is a popular option for finishing private houses, because with its help all foundation errors are leveled. And the work is not very difficult, it is done on their own.

Over time, heaving forces or other reasons can cause cracks in the masonry, then the hinged facing system does not suffer. And if we take into account the fragility index of aerated concrete blocks and the need for strict adherence to production technology, most consumers give their preference to facing, considering it a more durable finishing layer. To know how to properly insulate a house from aerated concrete outside, you need to understand the stages of work.

Preparatory stage

When insulation is carried out during construction, the remaining mortar is removed from the surface. Wet walls should be allowed to dry completely.

Surface marking

Markings are applied to the walls using a building or leveling level to arrange a frame base. The distances between the bars depend on the size of the insulation material.

Installation of vertical racks

In order to completely eliminate heat leakage, insulation is performed in two layers, overlaps are arranged at the joints. To do this, first collect the vertical crate.

The size of the bars should correspond to the thickness of the insulation. They fix it to the aerated concrete surface with special fasteners.

Wool laying

Fixing horizontal posts

Having laid the first layer, the markings are made for the horizontal battens. The second row of bars is necessary so that the frame base for the siding is fixed to it vertically.

Wool tab

Plates, laid on the edge with a shift of the seam sections, allow you to completely eliminate cold bridges, even if the racks are fixed with metal fasteners.

Protection

On top of such a membrane, fasteners are arranged for the lining, while a gap of three to five centimeters is observed, which provides the insulation with a normal operating mode.

Many people doubt whether it is necessary to insulate a house from aerated concrete in this way, considering it costly. But the heat saved in the future will allow you to save on heating costs.

Internal insulation of a building from aerated concrete blocks

How to insulate the outside of the wall is clear to us. It remains to provide for internal insulation. It is important to know here that aerated concrete should not be insulated inside, since in winter warm air currents cannot pass through block pores. Condensation will begin to accumulate, the walls will become saturated with moisture and freeze. All this will have a negative impact on the operation of the facility. From the inside with your own hands, you can simply level the walls and glue the wallpaper.

It turns out that aerated concrete is insulated only from the outside. This will help preserve both heat and protect the house from destruction. By the way, do not forget about the insulation for the ceiling. Mineral wool, already known for its properties, will perfectly cope with its role.

As follows from the reviews, it is better not even to design a house made of 300 mm aerated concrete without insulation.

Preference should be given to those materials that have good vapor permeability.

Anyone who decided to build a house of 400 mm aerated concrete without insulation and wondered if this could be done, it is recommended to simply plaster the walls outside to protect the blocks from destruction under the influence of precipitation. In addition, the plaster layer will give the building a presentable appearance.

When insulating walls, take care of reliable ventilation. In addition, the performance of the insulation material must match those of the materials used in the construction of walls.

Conclusion

Now there is only one conclusion - wall insulation is necessary. Aerated concrete walls, insulated from the outside, have their own advantages:

the work performed does not cause difficulties;
the cost of the object is reduced due to reliable thermal insulation of the walls.

To exclude possible problems associated with the peculiarities of the climate and the vital activity of rodents, it is recommended to insulate the aerated concrete walls with mineralized wool, penoplex or foam.

If the walls are insulated according to the rules, heating costs are minimized. Only carry out work in accordance with the technological requirements, use high-quality materials.

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