Insulating a house with a cold attic. The procedure for insulating an attic with mineral wool

Preface. The attic serves to protect the house from cold, moisture and scorching rays of the sun. In addition, heat escapes from the house to a greater extent through the attic. Therefore, the question is “what is the best way to insulate an attic in a private house?” - the owner decides first. We will also look at the issue of insulating an attic in a private house with our own hands in this article and show a video lesson from the Isover company.

How to insulate the attic floor of a private house

Often the attic, due to its disorganization, remains unused. But it is from the attic that you can make an excellent lounge or bedroom if you choose the insulation wisely and equip the attic yourself as a living space. These issues can be resolved independently, or you can invite a team of builders to insulate the attic of a wooden house, as well as ventilation devices attic floor will be able to offer several options.

The gables and attic floor are insulated using various types insulation materials. But more often, three types of insulation are used to insulate the attic. Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of each:

– Organic derivatives (polyurethane foam);
– Insulation based on mineral wool;
– Bulk insulation such as expanded clay.

Let's figure out what is the best way to insulate the attic of a private house

Insulation of attic with polyurethane foam (PPU)

Polyurethane foam is the most popular insulation for roofs, gables and attic floors. Among its advantages is low thermal conductivity with small thickness. Its use is especially relevant here, because the load on supporting structures is reduced and savings are made Substantial part space in your attic.

PPU is applied by spraying, which creates monolithic design, which perfectly protects the home from cold and moisture, and also prevents heat from escaping from the house. Polyurethane foam does not absorb moisture and is resistant to mold, preventing the penetration of insects and rodents.

Insulating the attic with polyurethane foam increases the strength of the entire roof due to the creation of a single sprayed structure, without gaps or cracks. Also PPU has high strength and wear resistance - service life exceeds 30-40 years. PPU does not require the creation of moisture and vapor barrier, since it itself perfectly performs the functions of its moisture protection.

Insulation mineral wool house floors

Mineral wool is suitable for insulating attic floors and attic floor, as well as for insulating walls and roofs. However, insulation with mineral wool implies the creation of external wind and moisture protection using waterproofing. Mineral wool has a structure that perfectly allows steam to pass through, so on the room side the insulation must be protected with hydro- and vapor barrier.

Mineral wool is laid in the form of rolls or mats. Typically, mineral wool is laid between the rafters, and on the floor - between the joists. Inevitably, seams form between fragments of material and structures. They must be thoroughly foamed and sealed with adhesive tape. For middle zone Russia requires a layer of insulation of at least 200 mm.

Mineral wool has considerable weight - on support pillars and ceilings the load increases significantly. Therefore, before insulating the attic with this material, you should make sure that the supporting structures and roof are reliable. You ask - is this all that can be used to insulate an attic? How were attic floors insulated before the invention of polyurethane foam and mineral wool?

Insulation of the attic floor of a house with expanded clay

Expanded clay is a bulk insulation material; it is perfect for insulating attic floors because it creates a ventilated space while retaining heat. Expanded clay is lightweight, safe and environmentally friendly in terms of flammability. Thanks to the manufacturing technology, expanded clay is strong and durable, resistant to moisture, high and low temperatures.

Expanded clay varies in granule size. Attic insulation with expanded clay is often carried out in the floor area. From the inside, expanded clay needs a vapor barrier coating. The material needs a frame, and this “eats up” part of the attic space. A special “box” is usually created on the floor, into which expanded clay is poured, and a wooden floor is laid on top.

More often, insulation with expanded clay and insulation of the attic with sawdust is complemented by mineral wool or polyurethane foam, especially for horizontal surfaces. You shouldn’t choose just one option to insulate an attic in a private home – you should wisely combine materials. For horizontal surfaces it is better to use bulk insulation; they are cheaper and more convenient to install.

Insulation of attic floors with sawdust and polystyrene foam

Sawdust insulation can be used as one of the methods of attic insulation. But this method is no longer in demand today as before. The main disadvantage is the flammability of the material, which is not suitable for the roof of a house. Insulating an attic with foam is easy to do, but it also has significant drawback– fire hazard and release of toxins during combustion.

Comparison table for thermal conductivity of materials

Video: how to insulate an attic in a private house

Proper insulation of the attic of a private house will allow this room to be used as a living space. In addition, cold air will not enter the lower tiers through the ceiling, which will significantly reduce energy costs. Next, we will consider the main canons of this procedure.

Thermal insulation of the attic of a private house using backfill materials is the most ancient method. Since ancient times, sawdust has been used as insulation, promoting good preservation. comfortable temperature in room. Still this technology finds its application, because it is implemented with your own hands without problems. We'll talk about it and other options further.

Loose-fill insulation is used mainly for floors interfloor ceilings. Of course, it is possible to use them for thermal insulation of the ceiling, but such a procedure will be difficult, because you will have to build a frame. Therefore, it is better to use this category of materials for their intended purpose.

Before starting the main work, you will need to prepare the surface, namely:

Remove old ceilings (if any).
Clear everything of debris and dirt.
Create a sheathing. You can use 4x4 blocks for this. They should be placed in increments of no more than 50 cm for the floor, and within 1 m for other parts.

"Oldfather's method" - sawdust

Let's start with the oldest insulation - sawdust. This material has a lot of disadvantages - low moisture resistance, poor thermal conductivity, etc. However, even today people use it to insulate attics. The reason is simple - it is the cheapest (sometimes even free) option. This method can be safely recommended for residents of southern regions where there is no frost. For such a climate there is no need for high-quality insulation floors.

Tip: sawdust can be purchased for free (or for a nominal price) at any large sawmill.

Thermal insulation with sawdust is carried out in the following sequence:

We carry out a thorough inspection of the ceilings for the presence of cracks and cracks. To prevent cold air from entering the main room through the attic, they must be sealed. Previously, clay was used for this, but today you can use more advanced compounds: sealant, cement-sand mortar etc.

Important! If the gaps between the floors are more than 2 cm, the boards need to be re-laid.

Then we wake up the whole space slaked lime with carbide. This layer has several functions, but one of the main ones is protection against mice. It's no secret that rodents appear in many private homes (especially in attics). However, this composition will effectively repel them.
Now we fill the niche with sawdust - it must be dry and free of debris. Recommended layer thickness is 20 cm.
Then it is necessary to treat the sawdust so that it ceases to be flammable: we sprinkle it with slag waste, or treat it with fire retardants.
We cover the attic joists with boards or plywood.

Linen

This is another insulation from the old days. However, now you can find improved analogues that have many advantages:

Environmentally friendly - only natural ingredients are used in its production. When working with your own hands, a person does not risk getting skin irritation (unlike using, for example, glass wool).
High efficiency. Excellent specifications allow you to make your home as protected as possible from the penetration of cold air.
Easy to use.
A variety of forms - factors. Linen comes not only loose, but also in the form of rolls or slabs. This allows you to use it to decorate the house from all sides (floor, ceiling, walls).

The process of insulating an attic using flax is practically no different from using sawdust. The only difference is that the prepared surface needs to be covered with craft paper. This measure will improve performance characteristics and protect against the influence of natural factors (mold, fungus, etc.). If you do not expect complete insulation of the roof, then you will need to cover the logs with a vapor barrier layer (for example, a membrane). For fastening we use “liquid nails” glue or a construction stapler.

The most effective method is expanded clay

We discussed above budget options, which can only be recommended for residents of warm regions. To reliably protect the attic of a house in areas with the harsh Russian climate, it is necessary to use better and effective techniques. Among backfill materials, expanded clay is the best. This is a porous material that is obtained by firing clay (or its shale). It is light and has an oval shape. Regarding the form of release, fractions are distinguished: 5-10 sand, 10-20 crushed stone, 20-40 gravel.

Important! Expanded clay involves the use of a screed, which promises a significant weighting of the structure. Therefore, this technology can only be used if the floors are strong enough.

Expanded clay is laid as follows:

Level the rough base (if necessary). Height differences of more than 1 cm are unacceptable.
We lay a film of any thickness, the main thing is that there are no holes.
Pour a cushion (no more than 10 mm) of gravel.
We scatter expanded clay over the entire area and level it. It is very important to achieve uniformity. For convenience, you can use a laser level.
To avoid the expanded clay shifting to the side when pouring the mixture, first fill in the liquid solution.
If you are going to use the attic as a full-fledged living space in the house, you need to provide additional strength to the screed using reinforcing mesh. We lay it on a liquid solution.
We install beacons to determine the evenness of the future coating.
Pour in a thick solution and level it with the rule. Our coating will be ready for full use in 7-10 days. Until this time, it is not advisable to bring any heavy objects into the room.

The described technique is the most effective in its class. However, it is characterized by impressive expenses. In addition, a serious load is created on the floors ( wooden houses may not be able to withstand it). Therefore, it should be used only if the attic is planned to be used as a living space.

We analyze roll and tile options

This type of material can be used to decorate a house on all sides. However, we will consider the roof (in our case, the ceiling) and walls. Preparing the rough surface is the same as for the floor. That is, it is necessary to remove old materials, clean them and create guides.

For those who love eco-friendliness - seaweed ladders

This unique material, because it is the most environmentally friendly in its segment. Due to the presence of iodine, mice do not breed in it. Moreover, it is not subject to biological factors(mold, mildew, etc.) and does not rot. According to their own operational characteristics ladders are not inferior to their synthetic “brothers” in any way. They are not at all afraid of water, so there is no need to create a moisture-proof layer. Installation is carried out in the following sequence:

We evaluate the ceiling and walls (if any) for the presence of cracks and seal them. If they are small, use sealant or similar materials. In more serious cases, you will have to add corrugated sheeting.
We attach the ladders and fix them with large construction brackets. Even the slightest cracks should not be allowed to form, otherwise the ceiling will let in cold air.
We cover the attic structure with boards or plywood.

The most common material is stone wool

This is a more advanced analogue of mineral wool with improved technical characteristics. Today it is used more often than others to protect homes from the cold. The installation method is practically no different from that described above. However, there are some nuances:

The cotton wool on both sides must be covered with a vapor barrier film. We attach it to the ceiling with staples or glue. We fix the closing part to the logs.
If during the preparatory operations you will be stuffing bars (which act as guides for the ceiling and walls), we recommend that you first purchase insulation and make the distance between them the same as the width of the roll.
Laying must be done joint to joint or even with a slight excess. Compliance stone wool allows you to do this.

To install it on the ceiling, you will need an assistant to support the roll.

Modern and high-quality method - polyurethane foam

This is a complex polymer that has excellent technical characteristics. It is quite rare to implement such technology with your own hands, however, it needs lighting. In this case, similar polyurethane foam is poured. The foam substance sets quite quickly, resulting in a monolithic structure.

In addition to high thermal insulation characteristics, polyurethane foam provides high noise absorption, as a result, the impact of raindrops on the roof will not be heard.

For application, you will need a special spray installation (this is why few people decide to use polyurethane foam with their own hands). However, it can be rented. So, the work is done in the following sequence:

We clean the ceiling and walls from dust and dirt. Otherwise, the sprayed substance will not adhere well.
All wooden elements We first coat it with an antiseptic (if possible, on both sides), and then with a deep penetration primer (for wood only).

Important! When working with a sprayer, do not forget to use a respirator and gloves.

After waiting for complete drying protective compounds, we spray the foam substance with our own hands. We do this slowly from the bottom up.
After waiting for complete drying, we cut off the excess (if any) with our own hands and cover the ceiling and walls with any sheet material(plywood, drywall, etc.).

To achieve maximum protection for your home from the cold, we recommend combining the methods described above.

High-quality ceiling insulation in a house with a cold roof reduces thermal costs, reduces heating costs and increases living comfort. Thermal insulation is carried out different ways, using materials of various composition and form of release. How to choose the best option?

We will talk about which methods are most effective in constructing a system that prevents heat loss through the ceiling. We'll tell you what to look for when choosing insulation. In our article you will find valuable recommendations to improve the thermal insulation characteristics of the house.

A cold roof is a budget and practical option for organizing the roof of a house for seasonal living. This design significantly saves construction costs, but does not contribute to heat conservation.

It is advisable to resolve the issue of thermal insulation of the ceiling zone at the stage of building a house. However, insulation is often used in the used premises.

The warm air of the heated room rises and, in contact with the cold ceiling, quickly cools. Thermal energy losses through an uninsulated roof and ceiling reach 25-40%

Thermal insulation of the ceiling solves a number of problems:

Reduces the cooling intensity of heated air, helping to save home heating costs.
Increases sound insulation in the room, muffling the rumble from the wind or noise from heavy rain.
In summer, insulating material helps keep the room cool by keeping heated air from outside in.

Insulating the ceiling increases the comfort of a private home and optimizes the microclimate of the room. If the installation technology is followed, thermal insulation prevents the appearance of condensation on structural elements.

Methods of thermal insulation of floors

When thinking about how to properly under a cold roof, first of all, you need to decide on the method of thermal insulation.

There are two radically different approaches:

insulation from the attic side;
installation thermal insulation material from inside the room.

The first method is more preferable for a number of reasons. Thus, the installation technology itself is significantly simplified - there is no need to build a suspended frame or fix the insulation with glue to the ceiling.

External insulation eliminates expensive repairs inside the room, and also does not reduce the height of the ceilings. The latter is especially true if the distance to the ceiling in the premises does not exceed 2.5 m

Also, with this approach, the risks of condensation are minimized. The same cannot be said about thermal insulation from inside the room.

If you choose the wrong insulation and do not exclude contact warm air with a cold stove, then water vapor from the room will accumulate - this is fraught with the appearance of dampness, fungus and gradual destruction of the ceiling.

However, in some situations, internal ceiling insulation is a necessary measure, for example:

lack of access to the attic;
carrying out reconstruction of an old building with a ready-made attic floor;
thermal insulation of a garage located in the basement.

If necessary internal insulation Installation technology should be followed to prevent condensation from appearing inside the building. It is important to comply with two requirements: block the flow of water vapor and use insulation of sufficient thickness.

Review of the best insulation for ceilings

The choice of installation method is determined by the list possible options heat insulators. When insulating from the attic side, the range of materials is much larger - from natural compounds to technological modern solutions. Installation from inside the room imposes a number of restrictions.

Regardless of the placement method, it must have low thermal conductivity. The coefficient determines the ability of the insulator to transfer energy from heated elements to cold ones. The lower the thermal conductivity, the better material retains heat.

An important selection parameter is moisture resistance. Ability to preserve material physical characteristics in a humid environment it is especially important when insulating from the attic side, when the roofing covering is sufficiently worn out

Additional requirements include:

durability;
environmental friendliness and safety for humans;
low flammability - it is better to use non-flammable insulators, compositions with minimal smoke generation;
resistance to rodents - important for materials placed in the attic.

It is important to take into account the vapor permeability of the insulation. But there are nuances here. When thermally insulating a concrete slab from the attic side, it is necessary to use a material that allows steam to pass through. For installation from inside the room, on the contrary, use vapor-tight insulation.

Type #1 – mineral wool insulation

The popular heat insulator maintains its leadership position due to its affordability, ease of installation and good thermal efficiency.

For installation under cold roof They use mineral wool with a synthetic binder, basalt insulation and glass wool. The latter option provides maximum thermal efficiency. The thermal conductivity of glass wool is 0.044 W/(m°C).

However, it should be used with caution - the particles cause irritation to the skin and mucous membranes. Glass wool is not acceptable for indoor use. Basalt insulation does not have these disadvantages. Additional advantages of the material: fire safety and plasticity.

General disadvantages of mineral wool materials:

water absorption;
low strength;
tendency to shrink;
content of unsafe components - abrasive particles or formaldehyde resins.

To place layers of mineral wool, you will need to install wooden logs; it is advisable to waterproof the insulation itself on top.

Type #2 – bulk cellulose insulator

Bulk material produced from paper and pulp waste. To protect against rotting and fire, synthetic components are added to ecowool.

The material is used for external way insulation - in the attic. Ecowool is sprayed dry over the ceiling or applied mixed with glue. Requires special equipment to operate

Characteristics cellulose insulation and the technology of its application have endowed modern method thermal insulation has a number of advantages:

good thermal efficiency - thermal conductivity is about 0.038 W/(m°C);
the material fills all the voids and cracks, forming a solid fabric - no cold bridges are formed;
due to its light weight, ecowool of any thickness can be laid;
durability of service and preservation of original properties;
environmental friendliness - ecowool does not emit toxic fumes;
low flammability and self-extinguishing ability;
vapor permeability.

Despite its many advantages, ecowool has not gained much popularity. The main reasons for low demand: high cost, impossibility of installation by hand.

In addition, ecowool is prone to shrinkage and wrinkles; it is advisable to provide a rigid support on top for movement around the attic.

Type #3 – slab polymer types

This group of insulation materials includes: polystyrene foam and (EPS). Their thermal efficiency exceeds that of mineral wool insulation. The leader is EPPS, the thermal conductivity coefficient is 0.038 W/m°C.

Expanded polystyrene is superior to polystyrene foam in terms of strength, rigidity and fire safety. However, in case of fire, EPS boards also emit toxic fumes

Polystyrene foam is cheaper than polystyrene foam. Among the general advantages are:

water resistance;
low biological activity;
wide choice of geometric sizes and thicknesses.

Both materials are vapor-tight, so they are used to insulate concrete and brick surfaces.

The material is suitable for . Penofol is placed with the foil side facing the inside of the room - the canvas not only retains heat, but also partially reflects it back.

As independent material It is advisable to use foamed polyethylene in areas with a mild climate. In regions with harsh winters, a combination of penofol and penoplex shows a good effect.

Type #4 – bulk heat insulator

Lightweight porous material in the form of round granules. Contains baked clay. The natural origin of the insulation explains its environmental friendliness.

Additional benefits of expanded clay:

fire resistance;
ensuring a good degree of sound insulation;
durability;
chemical inertness;
not of interest to rodents;
the insulation does not produce dust.

The thermal efficiency of expanded clay depends on the density of the embankment and the size of the granules.

To ensure heat conservation, you will have to use an embankment 20 cm thick or more; in cold regions, the layer is increased to 40-50 cm. This leads to an increase in the cost of the insulation procedure and significantly increases the load on the floor.

Type #5 – liquid polyurethane

Polyurethane foam is supplied to the surface under pressure; special equipment is used for spraying. Polyurethane foam is an excellent solution for attic floors with complex terrain and thermal insulation of hard-to-reach places.

The main advantages of ceiling insulation with foam:

formation of a seamless sealed coating;
high adhesion to materials - polyurethane foam fills all cracks and voids;
low water absorption;
excellent thermal efficiency due to the porous structure frozen foam– thermal conductivity index is about 0.027 W/m°C;
preservation of qualities in humid conditions;
possibility of multi-layer spraying – relevant for cold regions;
providing acoustic insulation;
durability of the coating – service life is about 25 years;
speed of processing;
resistance to microorganisms;
lightness of the material - does not put pressure on the ceiling.

Polyurethane foam is difficult to ignite, the insulation does not propagate combustion.

Spray insulation is considered one of the best solutions for processing the attic floor. The limited use of polyurethane foam is explained by the high cost of the method

The total cost includes the price of the insulation itself and the cost of attracting craftsmen with equipment. Spraying foam cannot be carried out if the air temperature in the attic is below +10 ° C.

Type #6 – natural materials

Main advantages traditional methods: affordable cost and environmental friendliness. Technique of use and effectiveness of such natural materials, like sawdust and algae, different.

Features of sawdust insulation

Bulk woodworking waste is often mixed with shavings and distributed over the ceiling from the attic side.

Insulation methods:

Dry backfill. Mounted on the floor wooden joists, the cells are filled with sawdust. The material shrinks over time and requires periodic renewal.
Wet method. Combine sawdust, cement and water in a ratio of 10:2:1.5, respectively. This thermal layer is more durable.

Weaknesses of sawdust: flammability, rodent hazard and water absorption.

Characteristics and varieties of algae

In coastal areas, algae is widely used, and the second name for insulation is damask. The material is natural, good thermal insulation characteristics. Rodents do not grow in algae, and the insulation itself is not afraid of moisture and does not rot.

There are three types of damask:

hanging– bales or loose rolls collected from dried compressed seaweed;
mats in nets– canvas 10 cm thick, tied with synthetic thread for ease of installation;
dense slabs– the composition contains up to 85% algae, the rest is a binding component, for example, silicone.

In terms of thermal efficiency, damask is significantly inferior to many insulation materials; the heat capacity coefficient is 0.087 W/(m°C).

Calculation of the thickness of the thermal insulation layer

The effectiveness of thermal insulation depends on the accuracy of determining the thickness of the insulation, which is part of it. In addition, the indicator allows you to calculate the loads placed on ceiling structure. When calculating, the values of the permissible weight and the required thermal protection are compared.

The thickness of the insulation is determined by the formula

q = R * k,

q– thickness of heat-insulating material, m;
R– thermal resistance, m 2 °C/W;
k– thermal conductivity coefficient of insulation, W/(m°C).

The R value is determined from tabular data - the indicator is calculated for each region, taking into account the climate characteristics.

For example, the normalized thermal resistance of floors for Nizhny Novgorod is 4.26 m2°C/W. If you use penoplex to insulate the ceiling, you will need a layer of thermal insulation 12 cm thick

To calculate, it is enough to multiply the indicators 4.26 and 0.038. The last value is the thermal conductivity coefficient of extruded polystyrene foam. The weight of the ceiling is calculated based on the volume of insulation and its density. The first indicator is determined by the product of the area and thickness of the thermal insulation, the second - the tabular value.

The minimum load on the ceiling is exerted by polyurethane foam and ecowool, their density is in the range of 25-60 kg/cu. m. One of the heaviest insulation materials is expanded clay - 180-330 kg/cu.m. m.

Features of installation of different materials

The tactics of action depend on the chosen material and the location of its placement - from inside the room or from the attic.

Laying mineral wool

Installation of insulation is carried out along the attic floor.

When constructing a thermal insulation cake, it is important to meet two conditions:

ensure protection of mineral wool from water vapor coming from inside a warm room;
arrange ventilation of the outer surface to ventilate moisture from the insulation.

Mineral wool slabs are laid between beams or strips of prepared sheathing. Can be mounted on the ceiling surface.

Before starting work, it is necessary to check the boards for rot and treat the wooden elements with an antiseptic. Make sure the roof is not leaking

The surface is cleared of debris and, if necessary, a wooden frame.

Further actions:

Install a vapor barrier membrane.
Roll out rolls or place mats between beams.
Mount wooden base, maintaining a ventilation gap between the insulation and the hard floor.

The last step can be missed. However, it will not be possible to walk in the attic or store things there, since mineral wool cannot be pressed.

Internal lining with expanded polystyrene

This thermal insulation option is suitable for concrete ceiling. Expanded polystyrene slabs are fixed to the surface with glue and secured with “fungi”.

Before installing the insulation, the ceiling is treated with an antifungal compound and primer.

The procedure for attaching polystyrene foam boards:

Apply glue to the insulation, apply and press it to the ceiling.
Cover the entire area with slabs, leaving no gaps between the elements.
Use a hammer drill to drill holes for fasteners.
Kill the fungi.
Foam the joints and gaps between the plates.
Cut off the remaining foam and fix the reinforcing mesh with adhesive.
The surface should be primed and plastered.

After the layer has dried, clean the ceiling and apply the final decorative coating.

Filling the attic with expanded clay

Minimum layer bulk insulation– 20 cm. To adjust the height of the backfill, you need to prepare a beacon - make the desired mark on a piece of reinforcement, securing a piece of electrical tape.

If a wooden base is insulated with expanded clay, then the floor must first be covered with waterproofing extending onto the walls. Polyethylene film will do

On concrete base There is no need to lay a hydrobarrier.

Sequence of work:

Pour in expanded clay and distribute the granules evenly.
Check the thickness of the insulating layer. Its height should be 3-4 cm below the level of the flooring. If this norm is neglected, then when walking through the attic the sound of granules rubbing will be heard.
Cover the layer vapor barrier membrane, glue the joints of the canvases with tape.
Install a rigid base. Boards, fiberboard or OSB panels are suitable.

The floor on top of expanded clay makes it easier to move around the attic and increases the effectiveness of the insulation cake.

Application of Spray Insulation

It will not be possible to carry out the work yourself, since spraying will require expensive equipment - a machine high pressure. In addition, skills in working with equipment are required to evenly distribute polyurethane foam.

It is better to entrust the work to a specialized company and conclude an agreement with them for the provision of services. At the appointed time, a team arrives and extends a hose with a gun into the house.

Install wooden joists on the attic floor. They will be needed for subsequent fastening of the flooring.
Fill the device with components in the required proportions.
Set the gun to the minimum foam supply force.
Apply polyurethane foam between the joists in an even layer.
Wait for the composition to dry. If the thickness of one layer is not enough, then the treatment must be repeated.
Level the cured coating by cutting off the excess to the level of the joist.
Mount on boards on a rigid base.

To insulate a small ceiling yourself, you can use a disposable foam spray kit.

The kit contains everything you need: cylinders with components for preparing foam insulation, a spray gun, hoses, personal protective equipment

Assembly and preparation takes a couple of minutes, no power supplies are needed - the device operates autonomously.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Technology of floor insulation with mineral wool:

Thermal insulation of the ceiling of a private house with sawdust:

Insulating the ceiling with a cold roof is one of the conditions for comfortable and economical operation of the house. When arranging a thermal insulation layer, it is important to choose the right material. The installation method is important, as well as the mandatory formation of a reliable condensate cutoff.

To make the under-roof space of a private house warm and even habitable, it is necessary to insulate the attic from all sides - along the gables and roof slopes. This is quite a difficult and troublesome task, given the slopes of the attic walls to which the insulation will have to be attached. Here it is important to maintain the technology so that the thermal insulation “pie” lasts for decades and at the same time retains heat well. Therefore, the question is how to properly insulate with your own hands cold attic, it is worth considering in more detail.

Insulation options

Before considering the list of materials, it makes sense to clarify what the concept of “insulating an attic” means, since the choice of insulation depends on this. Some homeowners put into this concept the insulation of the ceiling and the hatch into the attic in order to reduce heat loss in the house, and the under-roof space itself will remain cold. Others mean thermal insulation of roof slopes from the inside with insufficiently insulated ceilings, as was done in old houses using clay.

Still others want to make the attic space usable and warm, which again requires insulation of the attic walls, which are roof slopes and side gables. It is this kind of thermal insulation that will be discussed in detail below. If we are talking about insulating the floor of a cold attic, then the choice of materials here is quite large:

expanded clay;
wood waste (sawdust);
glass wool in rolls (such as ISOVER or URSA);
slab or rolled mineral wool (ROCKWOOL, KNAUF);
slabs made of foamed polymers (foam plastic, extruded polystyrene foam).

Note. The list does not include options for insulation with polyurethane foam and ecowool due to their high cost, but we have listed the most popular materials for attic floors. In addition, you won’t be able to insulate the attic floor with sprayed polyurethane foam yourself without special equipment.

Now, from the list presented above, we will highlight those insulation materials that are most often used to insulate sloping attic walls. In terms of cost, foam plastic is the cheapest, and its thermal resistance is high, as is its ability to repel moisture. One problem is that the material is flammable. Therefore, for those homeowners who are concerned about fire safety your home, it is better to buy mineral wool based on basalt fiber. Only mineral wool absorbs moisture well, so you will need to provide for its removal, which will be discussed below.

A few words about glass wool, which is also quite suitable for thermal insulation of an attic. It doesn't burn either, but high temperature cannot withstand, the material becomes charred at 200 °C or more. If you plan to make the attic space residential, then glass wool has no place there at all, it is harmful to human health.

Insulation with mineral wool

As mentioned above, mineral wool is a porous material that can absorb moisture and also allow vapor to pass through it. Even if this insulation is protected on both sides with a vapor-proof film, then due to the temperature difference outside and inside the house, a dew point will appear in the thickness of the wool. As a result, condensation will begin to form from the air that is already in open pores material.

When insulating an attic with mineral wool with your own hands, you need to learn one rule: the insulation is insulated from moisture only on one side - the inside, and a ventilation gap (vent) is required on the outside. Thanks to it, moisture will be removed from the wool, thereby maintaining its thermal insulation properties.

Also, glass and mineral wool are afraid of direct contact with water, which is why they instantly get wet and cease to be insulation. This means that on the street side it must be protected from wind and precipitation, while ensuring that water vapor escapes in the same direction. This is why it is more difficult to insulate an attic with mineral wool than with foam plastic, which is vapor-tight. The diagram below shows the correct “pie” of thermal insulation of the inclined walls of the attic from the inside:

As can be seen in the diagram, the insulation is laid in the openings between the rafters, but first a waterproofing film is laid between the rafter boards and the roofing - diffusion membrane. It is this that protects the mineral wool from direct moisture, allowing all vapors to pass out into the air, from where they are carried away by ventilation air. The vent must be arranged under the entire plane roofing, as shown in the diagram:

Since the diffusion membrane is at the same time a protection against water that can enter its surface from the outside through cracks in the slate, the film sheets should be laid out horizontally on top of the rafters, starting from the bottom. The canvases are laid with an overlap of 100 mm, and the joints are sealed with tape. When it comes to insulating an old house, where the slate is nailed to the sheathing boards without a membrane, you will have to install it in strips vertically between the rafters.

Important. The membrane strips must be fastened to the side surface of the rafter board using a stapler and as often as possible, leaving a 5 cm wide air vent on top.

The next stage is laying the insulation directly into the gap between the rafters, for which it is cut into strips whose width is a couple of centimeters larger than this gap. By the way, mineral wool manufacturers make slabs 600 mm wide and rolls 1200 mm wide, adapting to the standard spacing of rafter boards. In this case, additional fastening of the insulation is not required; then a vapor barrier film is laid and installed interior decoration.

Like the sloping walls of the attic, the gables also need insulation. But here the composition of the “pie” depends on building material of this roof element. If it is made of brick or timber, then it would be more correct to insulate the gable of the attic from the outside, guided by the following diagram:

It is clear that such thermal insulation implies external insulation of the entire house, which is not always possible due to various reasons. Then we continue to insulate the attic from the inside, installing it vertically on brick wall wooden beams for further installation of insulation. Before doing this, do not forget to lay a diffusion membrane under the beams. The same is done if the pediment has an old structure - a wooden frame with outer cladding made of clapboard. The insulation “pie” then looks like this:

Note. The same “pie” is used for internal insulation brick pediment attic. Masonry plays a role here external cladding from the boards shown in the diagram.

Foam insulation

It should be noted that insulating an attic with polystyrene foam is somewhat easier than with mineral wool. Primarily due to the vapor permeability of this insulation, so it is not necessary to install an internal vapor barrier. But a diffusion membrane and ventilation are needed in any case, because wood also participates in the “pie,” which must also release moisture somewhere. So the first stage of do-it-yourself attic insulation is repeated as described in the previous section.

Foam plastic with a density of 25 kg/m3 is cut so that it can be tightly inserted between the rafters. Then all joints should be blown out with polyurethane polyurethane foam, due to it, air circulation through the cracks is eliminated and additional fastening of the insulation is provided. Then everything is simple: the interior trim made of plasterboard or other facing material is attached to the rafter boards.

Thermal insulation of gables is carried out in the same way. It should be noted that this technology can also be used when insulating an attic with extruded polystyrene foam (penoplex). This modern insulation has higher performance than polystyrene foam, including strength. If there is a need to lay penoplex in 2 layers, the second can be attached to the first with ordinary self-tapping screws and glued with polyurethane glue.

Insulation of ventilation pipes in the attic

In modern private houses, the attic is often a technical floor where ventilation units and pipes for moving air - air ducts - are located. If the temperature there is significantly lower than in the premises, then the air ducts must be insulated and here’s why:

The air passing through them is heated by energy carriers paid for by the homeowner. It is unacceptable for air to waste heat in a cold attic;
due to temperature differences inside and outside the air ducts, condensation will constantly be released.

The cheapest way to insulate ventilation pipes is to buy rolled mineral wool and wrap it around the air duct, securing it with twine.

After which the layer of mineral wool is covered with special foil to prevent moisture from entering. But in compressed form the thermal resistance roll insulation decreases, so it is better to use ready-made foam shells. They are placed on the air duct on both sides and secured with knitting wire.

Ventilation pipes rectangular section It is most convenient to insulate with self-adhesive material made of foamed polyethylene. This is an excellent vapor-tight insulation, one side of which is covered with a sticky layer that adheres well to the metal surface.

Conclusion

In fact, there are more materials and methods for insulating an attic, but we have listed the most affordable ones for doing it yourself. For example, a layer of polyurethane foam does not require any “pie” at all, but it can only be applied if you have special units. So on this moment polystyrene foam with mineral wool remain the most popular insulation materials, as well as the technology for their use.

To reduce heat loss in a private home, one effective system heating is not enough - to minimize them it is necessary to insulate all elements of the building. The same applies to the roof. If you do not plan to install an attic, you will need to insulate the cold attic floor.

A little history of roofing

Since ancient times, people have built private households with such high quality that they could stand for 100 years. At the same time, it was not cold to live in them, but the roof frame was made of natural wood was always dry. As for the shape of the roofs on such buildings, they were most often built with two slopes and had a slight slope.

This choice was explained by the fact that the snow that fell in winter had to linger on the roof and perform the function natural insulation. One, or less often two, windows were made in the attic of the building. They were closed for the winter and then the air in the under-roof space played the role of a heat insulator.

IN summer period The windows were opened slightly at night to lower the temperature in the attic. When it was hot, they were closed, and the air did not heat up. This is how the temperature in the attic was regulated.

In winter, when snow fell, it covered the roof with a continuous carpet and thereby acted as a natural roofing insulator. Even in severe frosts, the temperature in the under-roof space did not drop below zero. As a result, the house was warm in cold weather.

The roof slopes were not insulated to prevent the snow on them from melting. The rafter system was left open, thereby allowing it to be inspected and current repairs. Therefore, in such attics only the floors were thermally insulated.

If roofing slopes insulate, then the attic space becomes a heated attic, which has a different functional purpose.

Building materials for thermal insulation of floors - the better way to insulate

Presented on the domestic market big choice building materials. To decide how to insulate the ceiling of a cold attic, you need to take into account the conditions in which the heat insulator will be used.

There are a number of requirements for insulation:

maintaining its original qualities at temperatures from -30 to +30 degrees;
in hot weather conditions, the material should not emit substances harmful to people and freeze in severe frost;
you need to choose a fire-resistant heat insulator if you plan to install lighting in the attic;
products must be moisture resistant so that when wet their original properties are not reduced.

Before purchasing materials for insulating the floor of an unheated attic in a private household, you need to consider what the floor is made of. If this wooden beams, then bulk, roll or slab insulation is used. When the overlap was created from concrete slabs, heavy bulk or slab insulators can be used. Often a cement screed is poured onto the floor.

They sell in the form of slabs and mats:

mineral wool;
extruded polystyrene foam;
Styrofoam;
straw;
seaweed.

The following are produced in roll form:

mineral wool;
stone and glass wool;
algae ladders.

One of the most popular options for arranging thermal insulation is insulating the attic floor with mineral wool.

TO bulk materials relate:

expanded clay;
sawdust;
straw;
reed;
ecowool;
granular foam;
slag.

When installing insulation in the attic wooden house, you need to use natural, environmentally friendly and breathable materials.

Insulating the attic floor with mineral wool

This modern and popular insulation is produced in rolls or mats. Mineral wool does not burn, does not rot, and is not dangerous for various microorganisms and rodents.

Insulation of the attic floor with mineral wool is carried out in stages:

First lay on the floor lining material. In the case of an economical option, inexpensive glassine is laid on the ceiling. More expensive and of higher quality will be the installation of a flooring made from a vapor barrier film, which is mounted with an overlap.
The joints of the segments are glued with tape or fastened wooden slats, fixing them with a stapler.
The width of the thermal insulation material is selected taking into account technical standards for a specific region. The mineral wool is laid tightly between the joists, leaving no gaps. Scotch tape is used to seal the joints.
After laying the insulation is completed, level boards are placed on the joists and thus form the floor in the attic.

The above-described solution for how to insulate the attic of a private house with mineral wool gives the material the opportunity to “breathe” and ventilate when moisture gets on it. To prevent moisture from penetrating into the insulation, waterproofing is installed under the roof.

When working with mineral wool, you need to use protective equipment, such as a respirator, goggles, gloves and overalls.

Application of extruded polystyrene foam

Polystyrene foam (expanded polystyrene) is a loose material, so it is used when it is necessary to insulate a floor made of joists and beams. For thermal insulation of slabs they use extruded polystyrene foam, which is more dense compared to conventional foam.

Before laying it, the surface of the base is leveled. On the warm side of the floor, vapor barrier is not needed, since concrete slabs have virtually no vapor permeability. Lay out on the prepared base vapor barrier film. Then slabs of extruded insulation are laid out in a checkerboard pattern. Polyurethane foam is blown into the joints.

After it dries and becomes hard, the thermal insulation slabs are poured concrete mixture about 4–6 centimeters thick. After hardening, the screed becomes suitable for use as an attic floor. If desired, you can lay the final coating on the screed.

Insulation of a cold attic with ecowool

Ecowool is a lightweight and at the same time loose heat insulator consisting of cellulose; it also contains flame retardants, for example, boric acid and borax. Before starting work, a film is laid on the floor. For laying ecowool, a special blowing installation is used.

The thermal insulation layer is applied completely, without leaving even the slightest gaps. Ecowool contains a large volume of air, so a layer of 250-300 millimeters is sufficient. When performing insulation, it should be remembered that shrinkage occurs over time. of this material. Therefore, a layer of ecowool is applied with a margin of 40-50 millimeters.

Then the insulation must be moistened with water or a solution. It is prepared from 200 grams of PVA glue and a bucket of water. The broom is moistened in the solution and the cotton is well moistened. After drying, lignin forms on the heat-insulating layer - a crust that prevents the insulation from moving.

What is the method of insulation? attic space Which of the above options you choose depends on the specific situation.