How to insulate walls in a private house from the outside? What is better to insulate the house from the outside?

Currently, developers in the construction of new buildings pay special attention to the thermal protection of external walls. This is required not only by building standards, but also by the desire to improve their competitiveness. However, the situation with the walls in the old houses is somewhat different. Owners of private houses have to conduct the warming of the premises with their own hands, in order to keep the heat inside, and leave the cold outside.

The reasons for lowering the temperature inside the house can be several: a bad heating system, the presence of cracks, drafts. However, the most common reason is poor thermal insulation of walls. The walls occupy the largest area in the room and are the main source of heat loss. There are several ways how to insulate walls in a private house outside.

Why insulation should be carried out outside

Specialists recommend to insulate the walls from the outside, and to insulate from the inside only in extreme cases. This is due to some peculiarities:

1. When the house is insulated from the outside, the material protects the walls not only from heat loss, but also from the negative impact of moisture. Domestic heat warms the wall and in case of moisture ingress and condensation, it contributes to its rapid drying.
2. The dew point moves closer to the outer edge of the wall. This prevents condensation.
3. Thermal insulation of the house from the outside with their own hands not only protects the premises from the cold, but also preserves the useful area of the rooms.

External wall insulation options

There are several options for how to better insulate a private house outside:

• Installation of heat insulation material on the wall with adhesive solution and further plaster coating.
• Formation of a three-layer unventilated wall. The heater is fixed with a solution. Next, the outer wall is laid in one layer of brick, taking into account the airspace.
• Installation of ventilated facade. Over the waterproofing is attached a heater, which is installed windproof. Finishing stage is the cladding with decorative lining or other siding.

Each method has its own nuances in execution. There are combined materials, as well as modern modified, when installing which should adhere to a special technology. Installation of a ventilated facade can be carried out even in the cold season, as its technology does not provide for the use of adhesive.

The better to insulate the house outside

There are several types of insulation material. Each of them has its own characteristics and price range. The following are the most popular insulators:

• Polystyrene (expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene foam);
• Minivat;
• Polyurethane foam;
• Basalt slabs;
• Heaters based on cellulose.

Correct warming of the walls of the house from the outside with your own hands depends on the choice of the optimal variant of the walls insulation. The main differences of the above materials are vapor permeability, moisture resistance and thermal conductivity. The first two parameters are selected based on the climatic conditions, as well as the method of attachment to ensure maximum protection of the room from dampness. Thermal conductivity is taken into account when calculating the required thickness to achieve the optimum effect.

Calculation of insulation thickness

Begin work on the insulation of the walls from outside with the calculation of the thickness of the thermal insulator. Calculations are carried out on the basis of data from SNiPa, GOST and SP. If you can not make the calculations yourself, it's better to use the services of private design organizations. The thickness of the insulation depends on the heat loss of the house through the external walls, window frames, foundation, ceiling slabs and roofing. Taking into account the received data, and also taking into account the capacity of the heating system, the thickness of the heat-insulating layer is calculated.

Then they are determined with the choice of material and perform the insulation of the house from the outside with their own hands. It is important to take into account not only the type and size of the heat insulator, but also the number of necessary layers. For example, it's better to refuse polystyrene foam if you need to lay several layers. This is suitable for mineral wool or polyurethane foam, the thickness of which is much smaller.

Preparation of walls for insulation

After choosing what is best to insulate the house from the outside, proceed to the basic works. The main goal is to prepare the walls for further installation of the material. To achieve a perfectly flat brick, wooden or concrete surface, the old layer of plaster or other insulator is completely removed.

Particular attention should be paid to the priming of walls. If there are any differences in the levels on the wall (protrusions and grooves more than 2 cm), it is better to seal them with a special solution or comb to the desired level. Use a primer with a deep penetration. Before applying the primer, the wall is cleaned of dust and dirt.

To ensure that the insulation for the walls from the outside lay flat and does not prevent the erection of the external wall from the decorative bricks or plastering, it is necessary to plan the system of plumb bows and lighthouses in advance. They are used to determine the plane of the outer edge of the insulation, which facilitates its installation.

To the upper edge of the wall are installed anchors or screws. They attach a strong thread to them and lower them with plumb lines to the very bottom. Between them are fastened horizontal threads, which form a control grid. It serves as a reference for the installation of the frame or the installation of insulation.

Installation of foam and extruded polystyrene (EPS)

Foam is fixed to the wall with a special glue for expanded polystyrene plates. Sometimes for these purposes use building "fungi".

When heat-insulating the EPS wall, the surface on which the adhesive solution will be applied is rendered rough. This contributes to a more reliable gluing. With foam there are no such problems, since the glue fixes it without additional processing.

Often, to strengthen the fastening, both glue and "fungi" are used at the same time. This is a more correct solution, which prolongs the service life of the insulation.

The final stage of wall insulation from the outside is plastering or facing with decorative materials.

How to insulate walls in a private house from the outside with polystyrene using wooden racks

In practice, another method is used to fix sheets of foam plastic - by forming a framework of wooden racks.

For the construction of the frame used rails, the thickness of which is not less than the thickness of the insulation. If the thickness is a little more, this will create a ventilated space between the heater and the lining material. The distance between the racks is calculated in such a way that the plates are firmly inserted into the niches and do not fall out.

This type of installation is acceptable in the event that for the finishing of walls will be used siding or lining. Reiki will serve as the basis for fixing the facing material.

Mineral wool: fixing features

With the help of mineral wool, you can also warm a private house outside. Materials and advice on the execution of work are similar to the instructions for fastening basalt slabs and insulation based on cellulose.

For more reliable installation of sheets of mineral wool, a frame system made of wooden slats is formed. The width of the battens should be less than the width of the thermal insulation material by 2-3 cm. This ensures a dense occurrence of the mineral wool between the beams and the absence of gaps. In addition, the anchors are installed, on which the heat insulation sheets are subsequently worn. If the surface of the wall is uneven, a two-layer mineral wool is used, the layers of which have different density. A soft layer ensures reliable adhesion to the wall.

In terms of external finish, the mineral wool is more versatile, unlike other types of heat insulators. Over the heater, you can install an external horizontal lining, under which the windproof layer is fastened in the form of a dense polyethylene film. For facing walls, decorative bricks, lining or other siding are used. This technology allows creating a three-layer ventilated insulation, which is suitable for most climatic zones.

How to insulate walls in a private house outside with polyurethane foam

The principle of mounting polyurethane foam is similar to the technology of fixing mineral wool. However, it is almost impossible to carry out the insulation of walls by means of this material. The method involves the use of special expensive equipment, which distributes the liquid mixture over the treated surface. In addition, without the availability of professional skills, working with the installation causes a lot of difficulties.

The main feature of this method of insulation is the very fast execution of the work. With the above installation, the polyurethane foam is sprayed over the surface. As a result of the chemical reaction, the liquid substance is transformed into a solid state and foams. The insulation does not form an air space between the wall and the heat insulator, which provides a more durable and durable coating.

Features of polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam has many advantages, among which:

• After solidification fills all the cracks and depressions;
• The vapor permeability is much lower than that of other materials;
• Fast and securely fixed on the wall;
• Excellent mechanical strength;
• Good heat and noise insulation.

However, the cost of the material and its installation are quite expensive. Durability and high quality standards justify the high costs of its installation.

If sooner or later the question arises about how to insulate the house from the outside with your own hands, the instruction on the use of polyurethane foam will help solve the problem of heat loss and maintain a comfortable temperature in the room.

Despite what material is used as a heat insulator, any of the above options copes with its main task - warming the room. In addition, the outer insulation allows you to keep the heat and protect the surface from dampness. About how to insulate walls in a private house from the outside, will tell you step by step instructions and practical recommendations of specialists.