The space under the attic is one of the most energy-consuming areas in the home. Insulating the attic will help not only maintain comfort in the house, but also save energy, which must be spent on heating the home space. This process will also help significantly extend the life of the entire building.
Features of the
Insulation of the attic in a house with a cold roof is especially necessary, since according to statistics, heat loss here is about 20%, which is almost a fifth of the budget of an average family. This is due to the fact that, according to the laws of physics, warm air always rushes upwards, which means that thermal insulation of various walls, cracks and joints, as well as surfaces, is simply necessary. This leads to the question of how to implement such an idea.
A long time ago, people tried their best to cost private houses, which could stand for a hundred years. Living in them was quite comfortable, and the frame, made of good wood, was constantly kept dry. Most often, the roofs of such houses were made gable and had a small slope angle. This can be explained by the fact that in the cold season, the snow had to be kept on the roof, since, oddly enough, it performed the function of a natural insulation. In the upper part, one window was made, which was closed for the winter, so that the air in the attic played the role of a heat insulator.
During the warmer months, the window was slightly opened at night to reduce the temperature in the attic. When it got hot, the windows were closed, and the air temperature did not rise, which made it possible to regulate it.
Subtleties of construction
Before starting work on the preparation of insulation of the attic space, it is necessary to understand exactly how it should be operated in order to choose the right set of actions that will make it possible to maintain the required level of humidity and temperature.
There can be three use cases:
Unheated attic space. In this case, due to correctly carried out thermal insulation, the temperature should be maintained here in the region of 5-50 degrees
- Warm attic. This type of room can be provided with heat thanks to ventilation pipes from the living quarters. It is through them that warm air will enter the attic. Typically, such rooms are typical for buildings with several floors.
- Heated attic attic. In this case, the attic will be a normal living space with heating. To insulate such a room, significantly less heat and waterproofing are required. In this case, a vapor barrier layer may not be used, but at the same time it is simply necessary to seal the joints and gaps with high quality.
When it comes to private construction, the first and third options will be an excellent solution.
Materials (edit)
Today on the market you can find a large number of materials that sellers position as excellent solutions for insulating attic spaces. It can be difficult for an ordinary buyer to understand this sea of options and solutions.
In order for the choice to be as correct and effective as possible, it is necessary to take into account the conditions where such material will be used:
- It is better to give preference to products that are resistant to moisture.
- If there is wiring in the room, it is better to use fire-resistant materials to avoid a fire when short-circuited.
- In no case should the insulation be caked. Otherwise, it may lead to the loss of its basic functions.
- Its properties should be maintained in the temperature range from +25 to -35 degrees. At the same time, in more severe frosts, the insulation should not become freezing, and in extreme heat, it should release substances harmful to health and the environment into the air.
Before insulating the attic floor, it is necessary to take into account what material the attic floors are made of. If wooden beams are used, then one of three types of insulation must be used:
- bulk;
- tiled;
- roll.
If the floor is a whole concrete slab, then it is better to use dense slab or bulk heat insulators with a large mass. Thanks to their use, it is possible to make cement screed.
If we talk directly about materials, then in the form of plates or mats are produced:
- Styrofoam;
- penoplex;
- mineral wool;
- polyurethane foam;
- straw;
- penoizol;
- seaweed;
- foam concrete.
If we talk about roll options, then they are:
- linen;
- glass wool;
- stone wool;
- seaweed.
As for bulk materials for attic insulation, we are talking about such products as:
- slag;
- straw;
- expanded clay;
- reed;
- ecowool;
- foam granules;
- buckwheat tyrsa;
- sawdust.
It is best to insulate floors with environmentally friendly materials. For example, ventilation insulation can be made with ecowool or some similar material.
If we talk about sawdust, then their main advantage is an affordable price. At the same time, it should be noted that before use, they should be dried and treated with an antiseptic, or slaked lime should be used, which should be mixed with carbide before that. Sawdust affected by the fungus should never be used.
Another good natural material that can be used in the described process is reeds … It has little thermal conductivity. Only mature plants can be used as insulation.
If we talk about penoizole, then this material is a slightly modified foam. It is applied in the form of a foam that hardens over several days. It is not affected by biological factors, is not afraid of moisture and is not subject to combustion. At the same time, if we talk about its shortcomings, then when using it, it is necessary to use special equipment, as well as to have certain knowledge.
Expanded clay - one more material on which I would like to focus my attention. It is absolutely environmentally friendly and fireproof. True, its disadvantage is its high thermal conductivity. In order for it to perform its functions qualitatively, it is necessary to fill it with a layer of about 20 cm.
Mineral wool Is also a fairly popular material with low thermal conductivity. Most often sold as mats or rolls. Its main drawback is its high price. But recently, many have resorted to using ecowool, which has not the worst characteristics, but is much cheaper.
In general, it can be noted that the choice of insulation depends on the personal preferences of the home owner, as well as on each specific attic.
Surface preparation
The first action that must be performed as part of the preparatory work is to clean the attic of things and various debris, because in almost 90% of cases the attic is used as a storage for things. If there has already been an attempt to insulate the attic before, then you should completely get rid of all traces of this process.
You should also carry out hydro and thermal insulation of the attic.
If the previous insulation remains, then it is necessary to check in what condition it is, since some areas are especially susceptible to the appearance of rot and fungus. They should be removed and treated with antifungal agents.
After that, you need to make sure that there are no cracks or gaps in the wooden floor or roof ceilings, gables, rafters and other elements. If they are found during inspection, then they must be eliminated by applying a putty or replacing damaged elements.
If we talk specifically about the flooring, then it must be carefully examined for irregularities. If they are there, then they need to be eliminated. After that, soak the beams with an antiseptic. Then you need to collect the floor roll - the boards are nailed to the beams from the side of the house.
Work technology
After the preparatory work has been completed, you can proceed with the insulation of the attic with your own hands. The technology may differ depending on the type of insulation chosen.
Laying mineral wool
If you want to insulate the floors with mineral wool, then first a layer of vapor barrier is laid on the floor and the joists. As a rule, foil, polyethylene or a special membrane can be used to create such a layer. It is laid with an overlap, and the joints are greased with glue, after which rolls of insulation are laid on top. Also, mineral wool is placed between the rafters.
When viewed from the side of the cornice, the material is laid horizontally, placing it on its side, which makes it possible to create a barrier to the penetration of wind. If there is a blowing of the room, additional insulation is applied to this entire structure, which tends to let steam through. As a rule, isospan is best used in this case. The implementation of such a scheme to create a kind of "pie" will significantly improve the thermal insulation characteristics of a non-residential attic.
Foam insulation
If the choice fell on polystyrene, then its use will make it possible to obtain a monolithic insulation type coating. To begin with, such insulation is laid only on a flat surface, which means that all irregularities on the floor must first be removed. After that, a vapor barrier layer is laid on the base.
Now the insulation plates are staggered, and the joints are covered with polyurethane foam. When it hardens, it is necessary to make a cement-sand mortar and a screed. It is important to know that the layer of this solution must be at least 5 cm thick. This technology is considered to be quite successful.
Sawdust and straw
If you decide to choose sawdust, then this is also not the worst option. Houses have been insulated with this old method for more than a dozen years.
First, you should remove all existing gaps with clay. After that, a small amount of sand must be placed on the floor so that it fills the gaps in the floor, if any. Then the base is sprinkled with a composition of carbide and slaked lime, which will avoid the possible appearance of rodents.
After that, you can add sawdust. The layer thickness should be up to 20 cm. Since sawdust is a combustible material, they should be sprinkled with slag. This will be the final step, since no material is placed on top of the sawdust anymore.
You can also insulate the attic floor with straw. For this, the attic base is covered with a clay layer of about 5 mm, after which straw is laid. Its thickness can be from 20 to 45 cm. In this case, everything will depend on the climate.
To prevent the possibility of rodents, as in previous cases, slaked lime with the addition of carbide should be used. But other substances can also be used. After that, a layer of clay 2 cm thick is applied to the straw, which will prevent the insulation from igniting in a fire hazard situation.
Expanded polystyrene
It is also possible to insulate the attic with expanded polystyrene. It is usually used in old houses where the floors are made of wood. It retains heat well and does not form any load on the supporting structures. In addition, expanded polystyrene is easy to cut and install. It is also worth noting that it does not absorb water at all and is an environmentally friendly material.
To insulate the place under the roof and the floor, slabs 12-14 cm thick are used. They are laid in 2 layers. The first is fixed between the lags, and the second - on them. After that, the entire structure is reinforced with slats, on which a vapor barrier is then laid. The final touch will be plywood upholstery or paneling with lining.
But you should know that such thermal insulation should be used in the attic only when this room will have a technical focus or act as a utility room.
If it is decided to use the attic in some other way, then it is better not to use this material due to the fact that it does not protect against noise and is poorly resistant to the effects of various chemicals. In addition, few types of expanded polystyrene are fire resistant.
Ecowool
Another good option for insulating an attic is using ecowool. This type of insulation is installed using a blow molding machine. The advantage of this method is that there is no need to prepare the base. However, such a layer will be uniform without gaps.
The thickness of the ecowool should be about 25 cm in order for it to perfectly fulfill its duties. However, you should be aware that during operation, the amount of insulation will decrease. For this reason, the layer of ecowool needs to be increased by a quarter. After applying the layer, a so-called protective crust should appear in 1-3 weeks, which will be evidence of the completion of the insulation process.
We insulate communications
But the matter is not limited to floor insulation. If it is not supposed to make an attic, then it is imperative to insulate the ventilation ducts, as well as all types of pipes that are available, since engineering communications in the attic require insulation without fail.
This can be done with mineral wool, simply wrapping it around the pipes, and then covering them with roofing material and securing with wire. Or you can buy ready-made shells for communications, including funnels, which are made from polyurethane foam, foam or other materials. To fix them, you just need to click on the pipe and wrap with electrical tape. By the way, the price of such insulators is low.
We insulate the cold attic
This method can be used if access to the attic for some reason is impossible or extremely limited. It has a certain drawback - the height of the ceilings in a summer cottage or other building will become smaller. Insulation in this case consists of the same steps as when creating thermal insulation. But they should be carried out in the reverse order: first of all, it is necessary to lay a vapor barrier film, then a heater, which must also be covered with a vapor barrier layer.
The ceiling is insulated as follows:
- First, the membrane is fixed to the surface with a sealing adhesive.
- A crate is created from wooden battens. The step should be about 0.5 m.
- Insulation is inserted into the interframe space.
- Then the vapor-tight membrane is attached with the same glue.
- It remains to wait for the glue to dry.
Tips & Tricks
This process has a lot of features and subtleties, which means that it should be carried out immediately and in a complex:
- If we talk about tips and tricks, then, first of all, you should answer the question: for what purposes will the attic of the house be used … This will make it possible to understand what complex of measures must be carried out for high-quality insulation of the attic.
- Another important tip is - it is necessary to study the reviews of the materials. The fact is that it is impossible to try all the insulation materials in your home, but it is easy to understand which one is the most effective, because someone insulates their attic with penoizol or polyurethane foam, and someone with penoplex. Thanks to the reviews, you can understand exactly what material needs to be used in the house.
- The next important point is you should not save on thermal insulation materials … Better to spend a little more money, but pack everything tightly from the inside of the room in the attic. This will allow you to get the maximum effect from thermal insulation, which should be not only internal, but also external.
- Carrying out thermal insulation of the attic - this is an extremely responsible business and requires maximum concentration and understanding of the whole essence of actions. After all, if the thermal insulation is not performed according to the technology, then the effect from it will be extremely small. For this reason, you need to have the maximum theoretical base in order to cope with this task quickly and easily.
For information on how to insulate an attic floor with mineral wool, see this video.