How to insulate the cellar from freezing from the inside: options for insulating walls, ceiling and floor. How to insulate a cellar from the inside with quality materials How to insulate a cellar from freezing

It is convenient to store food in the basement, for example, vegetables, fruits, preservation, meat products. To ensure long-term and high-quality storage, it is important to organize a favorable microclimate in the room. It is necessary to properly insulate the damp cellar and protect it from freezing. If this is not done, it will be cold and damp, mold and fungus will appear, which makes it impossible to store food in it.

Why insulate the basement and when is it not necessary?

A cellar is built in the basement of a private house, under a garage, or a separate room is dug for it. To create a suitable microclimate, they resort to warming, while achieving:

• dry walls;
• waterproofing of joints between the foundation and walls;
• high-quality wiring insulation;
• wall insulation inside;
• surface treatment with special solutions that prevent the appearance of mold and fungus.

The need and level of basement thermal insulation should be considered on a case-by-case basis. It largely depends on the climate of the region. In places where there are no severe and prolonged frosts, the cellar does not need to be insulated. If they mean a room under residential building, during the construction of which the foundation was properly waterproofed, then it will not require additional insulation.

In regions where prolonged frosts are not uncommon, the temperature can drop below zero, in which case thermal insulation is indispensable. Also, cellar insulation will be needed for unheated garages and detached structures.

The level of insulation depends on many characteristics of the room:

• forms;
• depths;
• volume;
• location of buildings.

Most often, the underground structure is cooled in the upper part to the level of soil freezing. In order to save money, many insulate only the ceiling and the upper part of the walls. The lower part of the basement is usually less affected by outside temperatures.

In the current cellar, it is quite simple to determine exactly where it should be insulated - frost will grow in these places. It is not advisable to do this below the freezing level, since the layer of soil that does not freeze is itself a natural thermal insulator: it retains heat in winter and cool in summer.

What insulation to choose?

Choose an option that is able to maintain its shape, has excellent characteristics and resistance to water. Such heaters have a set of such qualities:

• Styrofoam;
• sawdust and peat soil;
• polyurethane foam;
• Penoplex;
• expanded clay.

Insulation with sawdust and peat soil is only suitable for external insulation of a detached cellar.

1. Styrofoam.

It is the most popular due to its easy installation and low cost, but it will not provide sufficient protection against moisture and cold. Water falling on the insulation freezes and destroys it, so waterproofing films should be used. It is more suitable for the ceiling.

2. Polyurethane foam.

It has earned its popularity due to many advantages:

• reliable protection against moisture;
• the possibility of obtaining the tightness of the basement;
• biological neutrality;
• fire resistance;
• lack of joints and seams.

It also does not absorb moisture, so it does not become moldy or fungus-prone.

Polyurethane foam is used for outdoor and internal insulation. The downside is the installation method, which requires the use of an expensive unit high pressure, but the effect is very high.

3. Penoplex.

It is an advanced foam plastic, which is obtained by extruding polystyrene foam. Its production is carried out at a temperature of 135-142 with a speed of 60 kg/h. Get plates with a porous consistency, the granules of which are firmly interconnected. The air is evenly distributed throughout the product. The thickness of the cells filled with gas is 0.2-0.4 mm.

The homogeneous structure makes it more durable than foam. Penoplex should be mounted to the surface strictly according to the rules, otherwise it will lose some of its qualities.

4. Expanded clay.

It is mainly used for walls. Suitable for both outdoor and indoor work.

Do-it-yourself basement insulation rules from the inside

Thermal insulation can be placed on the ceiling, floor or walls.

Expanded clay is the most optimal in terms of price and quality. Do-it-yourself laying is carried out in the following steps:

• Determine the height of the backfill and install special beacons.
• Concrete is covered with expanded clay gravel measuring 0.5-2 cm. The thickness of the layer is determined depending on the subsequent load.
• A vapor barrier is laid on top with an overlap equal to the height of the layer.
• Beacons are installed, the first of them should be separated from the wall by a gap of 35 cm, and the rest - by the length of the rule with which they plan to level the concrete plane.
• On the beacons, a reinforced screed is poured.

Sometimes crushed stone and sand are used instead of expanded clay, then the surface is first poured with hot bitumen, which will play the role of waterproofing. A sand and gravel pillow is poured on it. The thickness of the crushed stone layer should be 9 cm, and the sand - 6. A flexible insulation in the form of Penoplex or expanded polystyrene is laid on top, which is poured with a concrete screed.

• the ceiling is plastered;
• treat all surfaces of the floors with a waterproofing agent;
• install a heater;
• cover the insulator layer with reinforcing mesh;
• whitewash the ceiling with lime mortar with the addition of copper sulfate.

Thermal insulation is placed so that the seams between the plates are practically invisible. To increase the reliability of the joints, they are sealed with mounting foam.

Warming the walls of the cellar from the inside with your own hands happens like this:

• Preparation: inspect for cracks and flaws. The plane is cleaned of dirt, and the identified potholes are closed cement mortar.
• Installation of waterproofing - adhesive-based rolls are excellent in its quality.
• Sticking plates on a surface lubricated with special glue. Fix with dowels with wide caps.
• Installation of a reinforcing mesh necessary for applying a plaster layer.
• Plastering and applying decorative finishes.

4. Finishing doors or covers inside.

The door to the basement is usually arranged for separate rooms. The insulation is made with rigid materials. They are attached to door leaf from the inside and covered from above with a wood, plastic or plywood board. It is also important to exclude the presence of lye around - they are sealed with a special sealant.

The cover can be insulated with expanded polystyrene or polystyrene foam, which are easily glued to it, then decorated in the same way as doors. If gaps are found, they are closed with sealing tapes.

Not only the walls, floor and ceiling of the building need thermal insulation. If the building has a basement, it is important to pay attention to its insulation, which will solve a number of problems.

Why and how to insulate the basement - we will analyze below.

1 Why insulate the cellar?

Often, homeowners prefer not to insulate the cellar - to save money during construction.Because of this concrete base is in constant contact with the ground. In winter, the ground freezes, which is whyfreezes and concrete.

In addition, the soil contains moisture: after rains, it can linger in the ground for more than one or two days.In addition to precipitation, the soil itself in the area may be wet, and then the base private home will be constantly exposed to moisture.

As a result, this leads to the following problems:

at the destruction of the concrete itself is speeding up (due to the fact that in winter moisture penetrates into the smallest cracks, cracks, recesses, and freezes and thaws there; when freezing, the liquid expands, as a result, the cracks expand);

in the basement of a private a low temperature is set at home (concrete itself retains heat very weakly, even with a thickness of several tens of centimeters);

in the basement of the house high humidity is maintained, which leads to the appearance of fungus, mold;

air n and the ground floor of the house in the rooms becomes cold th , and if the humidity in the basement is very high, then mold can also occur in the premises.

Due to the problems mentioned above, the usable area below the house cannot be fully used. From dampness and mold, things (be it furniture or food) will quickly deteriorate. And for a person, too humid air, which contains microspores of the fungus, is also harmful: it can lead to allergies and respiratory diseases.

2 Where and what to insulate?

H static heat and waterproofing of the basement does not solve the problem: all walls and floors must be protected from moisture and cold.basement ceiling insulation(overlapping between the cellar and the first floor of the house) do as needed to achieve maximum heat retention effect.

Also, the owner of the house, who does not know how to insulate the basement, may have a question about how exactly to do it: from the inside or outside?

Only insulation is the correct answer.outer side: only in this case it will be possible to create the right "barrier" against the cold. Otherwise, if done only basement insulation from the inside - moisture and cold will still negatively affect concrete. In addition, mold and fungus can still appear, only it will happen inside, between the basement wall and the heat insulator.



AT internal insulation is necessary already if necessary. If the owner wants to achieve maximum heat preservation inside, then work can be done inside. If you just want to avoid dampness and mold, as well as protect the building itself from premature destruction, it is enough to insulate the basement from the outside.

3 About material selection

Since the main "threat" of the structure will be moisture, it is necessary to choose materials that are resistant to it. For this reason, mineral wool insulators, which can be saturated with moisture and crumble, disappear.

In order to insulate the walls of the basement from the outside (this is precisely the main type of work), it is best to use:

• Styrofoam or extruded polystyrene foam(thermal conductivity coefficient - 0.035-0.04 and 0.03 W/mK);

  expanded clay (thermal conductivity coefficient - 0.12 W / mK for an average density of 400 kg / m³ );

  sprayed polyurethane foam (thermal conductivity - 0.03-0.035 W / mK).



These materials are not the only insulators, but they areThey get hired most often, and they are best suited for this kind of work.

In addition to insulation, the basement of the house will also require outdoor waterproofing. To create a moisture protective layer, you can use:

moisture-resistant additives in concrete (if the insulation of the cellar in the garage or house is planned at the stage of its construction);

welded insulation;

coating insulation.

It will be optimal if the waterproofing is carried out by a combination of the first option with any of the remaining ones.

4 Rules and procedure for work (for external insulation)

T Now let's figure out how to insulate the basement.First, let's describe general rules and the stages relevant for the exterior (most important) finish:

Work preferably in warm and dry weather. Since the process will take several days (depending on the materials used, the number of workers and the pace of work, as well as the perimeter of the building - it can go up to several weeks), it is best to do this from late spring to early autumn (in warm regions).

It is necessary to insulate and insulate the entire wall, along the entire height and around the entire perimeter. Insulating part of the basement will not do anything, since in unprotected areas the problem with humidity will remain the same.

The blind area is dismantled (if any).

A trench is dug around the entire perimeter of the house and to the full depth of the foundation. Its width should allow you to fully work with finishing materials.

The surface of the freed wall is cleaned: from finishing materials(if any), mud, sand, vegetation.

The surface is inspected for cracks, chips, grooves. If they are found, they must be covered with a cement mortar. Further work can be started only after it has completely solidified.

If the basement is to be insulated with polystyrene foam (or extruded polystyrene foam), the surface will have to be leveled (otherwise the hard sheet will not stick evenly).

The surface is covered with a primer, preferably in several layers. Further work continues after the last layer has completely solidified.

If waterproofing of the basement of the house is necessary (which is desirable), it is applied (surfacing) after priming.



After that, you can work directly with the heater.

5 Application of polystyrene foam (expanded polystyrene)

You can also use polystyrene foam (or polystyrene foam) with your own hands: this makes this material one of the most popular and common insulators.

The process looks like this:



The required volume of material is calculated: the height and length of the wall are measured, multiplied, then the result is multiplied by 4 - the number of walls (for square house). If the building is not square, for the calculation you can simply measure the height and length of each wall separately, multiplying them, and then sum the results.

To the result must be added another 10-15% (fitting, material breakage).

A sticky solution is being prepared.

An adhesive solution is applied to the foam sheet with a spatula. This must be done evenly so that each part of the sheet is firmly glued to the surface.

Starting from the bottom, from the corner, the sheets are glued to the surface. Each next (top) row need to be fixed with slight offset: vertical seams must not overlap.

The seams between the sheets are smeared with adhesive mortar (cement mortar, plaster).

The entire insulation can also be covered with a solution - this will create an additional protective layer.

6 Wall insulation from the outside with foam (video)

7 Application of expanded clay

Expanded clay is a bulk material that you can also do the work with your own hands. Its disadvantage is that it will be necessary to make a wide layer (several tens of centimeters), since its thermal conductivity is higher than that of polystyrene (which means that it transmits heat better). However, if the goal is not the maximum effective insulation, but just protection from moisture - then a layer of 10-20 centimeters will be enough).

The steps are:

H and a short distance from the basement wall (the distance is determined based on how warm the cellar should turn out, on average 20-40 cm), another brick wall is built.

Along the bottom of the resulting channel (between the brick and concrete), gravel filling is done.

Fits drainage pipe. It is necessary so that moisture does not linger before construction, but is diverted to the side.

Expanded clay is poured between the basement wall and the built brick wall.

It is better to isolate the brick from the outside by covering it with cement mortar or moisture-resistant street plaster.

8 Thermal insulation of walls from the inside of PPU (video)

9 Application of PPU

But this material cannot be used with your own hands - it requires a special spray installation, which costs more than one thousand dollars.

The stages of work are as follows:

In the installation, the components are mixed - to prepare the final material (polyurethane foam).

Under pressure, the material is sprayed onto the surface of the wall, instantly solidifying, and forming a dense light yellow mass.

10 Completion of work and interior decoration

After the work (regardless of the method) has been completed, you can additionally build a wall of brick or slate. Then the dug trench is filled up, and a blind area is arranged on top.

Internal insulation is carried out in exactly the same way as described above, with the only exception that it is inefficient to use expanded clay for walls.

It is preferable to insulate the basement from the outside, since this process from the inside of the perimeter can harm the foundation. But thermal insulation of the basement from the inside in already built houses is much cheaper.

To decide on the possibility of insulating the basement from the outside or from the inside, you need to decide how wet its walls are and where the moisture comes from.

Why is the basement damp and what to do

Sometimes on the walls of the basement you can see droplets of water. There may be two reasons for this.

• Water comes from the ground through the walls or from the basement floor.
• Water condenses on the walls from the warm incoming air in summer. Since basement walls that are not insulated from the outside will always be cold (ground temperature).

Now consider two options:

• what to do if the basement is flooded, and water from the soil penetrates into it;
• if the basement is dry, then how can it be insulated from the inside and how it is done with your own hands.

If water penetrates, then it is unacceptable to insulate from the inside

Basement insulation from the inside is a necessary measure when external insulation is impossible or not cost-effective. It is possible to conduct internal basement insulation only on dry foundation walls. But at the same time, there is a risk of an increase in the rate of destruction of the foundation due to its freezing.

If water penetrates into the basement from the ground through the foundation walls, then it is strictly not allowed to lay the insulation on the inner side surface of the foundation.

Internal insulation will cause even more moisture in the foundation, as well as lower its temperature in winter period, since there is no external insulation.

The freezing area inside the foundation will increase much, which, together with high humidity, very quickly disables the foundation.

How to drain and drain water

Eliminating the penetration of water into the basement from the ground is either difficult or impossible. More often need to equip around the house drainage system or repair an existing one.

In this case, it is necessary to tear off the foundation from the outside. In this case, talking about internal insulation loses all meaning, since the foundation walls become free for external insulation and additional waterproofing.

There may be other drying options. Sometimes the issue is resolved comprehensively for a group of houses or a whole village, by digging a drainage ditch.

Sometimes the basement can be drained only by equipping a well with a pump in it. Although pumping out a spring under the house is an extremely thankless task, but what to do? This source of water can serve for the purpose of water supply at home, so not all pump work will be "downwind".

Thus, for a wet basement, one method of insulation remains - external with preliminary drainage of the soil.

That's right - insulation from the outside

Briefly about the external insulation of the basement. If we are talking about a heated basement, then the insulation layer on the outside is not recommended to be less than 0.15 meters.

For external insulation of the foundation itself in order to preserve it and reduce heat loss from the house, the thickness of the insulation can be 0.1 meter for the upper belt along the perimeter of the house with a height of 0.5 meters, and 0.05 meters for the lower one, the same height.

The general scheme of insulation of the foundation without a basement from the outside and from the inside with waterproofing of the concrete structure is shown in the figure.

Now let's take a closer look at the option when the soil around the basement is dry, and there is a need to insulate the basement, and it is advisable to do this only from the inside.

Polyurethane foam for basement insulation from the inside

Steam condensation on foundation walls always occurs in summer because a wall at ground temperature will be below the dew point for warm air entering the basement.

When insulating the basement from the inside, it is necessary to lay the insulation on the wall in such a way that there is no empty space between it and the surface.

The use of a heater that passes steam well for insulating the walls of the basement from the inside is not allowed, as it will immediately get wet from condensate.

The best option for indoor use is sprayed polyurethane foam. It adheres strongly to any surface and fills all the cracks, so that there are no voids left.

A false wall is built on top of the polyurethane foam, which rests only on the side surfaces. In this case, the continuity of the insulation must not be violated.

How to apply extruded polystyrene foam

Extruded polystyrene foam is also great for warming the basement from the inside. But the material is slab, so the wall must be leveled carefully before applying it. In difficult places, it is allowed to cut the material according to the surface configuration.

It is impossible to fasten the insulating material to fragile foundations, i.e. plaster or loose concrete. Before insulation with glue or foaming compounds, the plaster is removed, with the exception of extra-strong layers. The wall, if necessary, is leveled with an adhesive mortar, and in case of significant flaws, with a very strong cement-sand mortar.

In the case of basement insulation from the inside additional mount dowels of insulation sheets are not necessary and harmful.

The expanded polystyrene layer must be continuous and completely adjacent to the surface of the foundation on the adhesive. The joints between the sheets (thorn groove) are coated with sealant. Thus, a complete obstacle is created for the movement of steam through the polystyrene foam insulation layer and its condensation in the voids on the wall.

Styrofoam for basement insulation is not recommended due to its low vapor and water resistance. It is possible to use only extruded non-absorbent options.

Insulation thickness

In order for the insulation of the basement from the inside to be sufficient in terms of the minimum level of heat loss, the thickness of the insulation should be:

• 10 centimeters for polystyrene foam;
• 8 centimeters for polyurethane foam.

How to insulate a basement

To insulate the basement from the inside on your own, you can choose only extruded polystyrene foam. This heater is relatively expensive. But cheap foam in the basement is not applicable, due to the fact that it can gradually become saturated with moisture.

Basement insulation from the inside:

• the existing plaster is stripped, the wall is cleaned of dust;
• the wall is impregnated with a water repellent;
• the wall is leveled, if necessary, with foam glue or a strong (comparable to concrete) cement-sand mortar;
  Styrofoam sheets are glued to the wall. The glue is applied to the wall with a notched trowel, the sheets are applied and tapped with a mallet, when joining, the seams between the sheets are smeared with sealant.

Only expanded polystyrene sheets joined in a groove are used.
The surface of the glued sheets is leveled with a grater if necessary.
On top of the expanded polystyrene is applied decorative plaster or a false wall is built on top of the insulation.

If finishing is needed

In the basement, expanded polystyrene does not require additional protection, since sunlight does not penetrate into the basement. Therefore, a layer glued on the wall with your own hands can not be covered with additional protection.

If finishing is necessary, then the easiest way to insulate the basement from the inside is to do the following:

• cover the expanded polystyrene with a thin layer of glue with a notched trowel 8 mm;
• drown in glue plaster fiberglass mesh with a cell of 4 - 5 mm;
• apply another layer of glue on top of the mesh with a figured roller, obtaining a figured surface that is suitable for painting.

But this simple option can be replaced with any other finishing option, with the exception of a heavy finish ( ceramic tile, stucco ...), and ways where you need to break through the continuity of insulation. Most often, either figured plaster or wall alignment for wallpaper is used.

How to insulate the floor

Of course, it makes sense to insulate basement walls only when reliable floor insulation is done. Cold penetrates the basement from all sides. It is necessary to create a box of insulation, with the exception of the thermal insulation of the upper floor, if the basement is heated.

As a rule, the floor in the basement is bulk on the ground. This type of floor can be insulated by raising it by 20 - 30 cm with laying waterproof strong insulation under a reinforced concrete screed. This conventional technology provides:

• laying polystyrene foam 15 centimeters thick on the ground (compacted sand bedding);
• closing polystyrene foam with a waterproofing agent;
• pouring on top of a reinforced concrete screed with a thickness of 5 centimeters or more with reinforcement with a metal mesh.

Only by doing a similar set of works on warming the basement from the inside, you can make it a heated room below ground level. But before embarking on such work, you need to think again about the possibility of conducting external insulation of the basement walls so as not to harm the structure.

In the country, personal plot or in the courtyard of an honest house they arrange a separate facility for storing vegetables, conservation, winter preparations, twists and other things. The right device the cellar involves insulation to create an optimal microclimate in the storage. The cellar and basement differ in a number of parameters, which means that the approach to warming them for the winter will differ in several ways.

What is the difference between a cellar and a cellar

Basement- a room located under a residential building. The key characteristic is the presence of indirect heating. In this case, during the heating period in the basement is much warmer than in the cellar. In addition, it contains communications. In this connection, the requirements for basement insulation are tougher. Among other things, the basement ceiling is a serious source of heat loss from the heated rooms on the ground floor.

Cellar- an object located separately or under a summer kitchen, garage, outbuildings. The temperature in it is more stable throughout the year, which means that preservation, vegetables or wine are stored much better.

This is what leads to the fact that if there is free space on the site, the owners tend to build a cellar on the street. And already in the process of operation, the question invariably arises whether it is necessary to insulate the cellar. After all, from an excess of heat, vegetables will begin to wither and rot, and from a lack of heat, they will freeze.

Of course, it is better to carry out thermal insulation work during the construction of the cellar. But what about those who already have a cellar in the country. How to insulate the cellar from freezing without serious costs?

The choice of insulation method involves work in one of the following areas:

• cellar insulation from the outside;
• cellar insulation from the inside;
• combined insulation. The most efficient way, because is complex.

Types of cellars for a private house

When deciding how to insulate the cellar from the inside or outside, the type of cellar is taken into account first of all:

ground cellar

ground cellar

A separate room with a penetration into the soil up to 0.5 m. It can be free-standing or wall-mounted (one of the walls of the cellar is the wall of an outbuilding or garage). From the point of view of insulation, this is the simplest option, because. It is possible to insulate the walls and roof from the outside and from the inside.

Buried cellar (semi-underground)

buried cellar

The lower point of the building is located at a depth of no more than 1.5 m from the ground surface. In this case, in addition to warming, you should also think about neutralizing the effect ground water and frost heaving of the soil.

Underground cellar (bulk)

Underground (bulk) cellar

Distinguishes the location of the floor at a level of 2-3 meters underground. With proper waterproofing, this is the most advantageous cellar in terms of operation, which perfectly keeps the positive temperature, approximately constant, throughout the year.

Despite the differences in construction, the design of the cellar is not diverse.

Standard cellar design:

• walls - with dense soil - earth, with movable - brick or stone;
• floor - absent, or rather it is unpaved;
• ceiling - reinforced concrete or wood.

Accordingly, the ceiling, walls, and floor are insulated. Those. all cellar surfaces through which heat loss is possible.

Cellar insulation materials

Despite the significant variety of thermal insulation materials, it should be taken into account that not every one of them is suitable. The material for cellar insulation must have properties such as the ability to maintain geometry, withstand the pressure of water and soil, have high insulating properties (table), and absolute hygroscopicity.

Related article: Clay crafts

For these reasons, it is of little use for thermal insulation. mineral wool or ecowool.

If you arrange the materials in descending order, then the following sequence will appear:

• cellar insulation with styrofoam. The most popular heater After all, in addition to thermal insulation characteristics, foam is distinguished by low price and ease of installation. Styrofoam does not rot, is not hygroscopic, biologically inert, has a low weight, does not require the use of vapor barrier films and the arrangement of the crate. Mounted both outside and inside the room;

• cellar insulation with sawdust or peat soil, which retain heat well and are unattractive to rodents;

• basement insulation with polyurethane foam. PPU refers to sprayed heaters. Possessing all the properties of its predecessors, it is distinguished by incombustibility and the ability to fill the entire space (crevices, cracks). PPU creates a shell, which is the most reliable way to insulate the cellar both from the outside and from the inside. At the same time, the cost of polyurethane foam is high, and the application requires special equipment and the involvement of specialists;

• cellar insulation with polystyrene foam. Expanded polystyrene has all the characteristics of polystyrene. It is distinguished only by a higher price, which is due to the greater density of the material, the integrity of the sheet structure (the ability not to crumble during installation), the presence of a tongue-and-groove mounting system;

• cellar insulation with expanded clay. Expanded clay, like any other bulk material, is distinguished by a limited scope. As a rule, it is used for floor insulation. It can also be used for walls with external insulation of an underground (dug) cellar.

• cellar insulation with black soil. Used for outdoor insulation. In this case, the earth is poured onto the roof of the cellar. However, with the current level of technological development, there are many more effective ways insulation while maintaining the absolute ecological cleanliness of the site.

Insulation technology depending on the type of cellar

Approach to thermal insulation, taking into account the design of the structure.

Ground cellar insulation

With this design, the main emphasis is on the insulation of walls and roofs. So, it is best to do outdoor work and use foam or polystyrene foam. Insulation work is carried out on the street, according to the installation technology of these materials. The roof is insulated from the inside. For these works, soft or hard insulation can be used.

Underground cellar insulation

The walls of such a cellar are half located in the ground. Therefore, there is a risk of flooding. To level it, you need to release (dig) the buried part of the outer wall from the ground, treat it with any waterproofing solution (mastic) or wrap it with roofing material. Then lay a rigid insulation or polyurethane foam, re-wrap it with roofing material (this will protect the sheet from deformation) and cover it with soil. To minimize the influence of water, it is better to equip the drainage system.

Insulation of a bulk cellar (underground)

It is carried out both outside and inside. Below are detailed recommendations and tips for the phased thermal insulation of a building for storing agricultural products in the country.

How to insulate the cellar with your own hands

Different insulation technologies in the form of step-by-step instructions.

External insulation of bulk cellar

The most time-consuming part of the work, the implementation involves the implementation of a number of actions:

• the soil surrounding the roof and walls of the cellar is removed.

  Note. It is sometimes not possible to excavate the soil. For example, when the cellar is dug in the ground, and the resulting slopes are finished with bricks. Such walls can collapse. In this case, users are advised to remove the soil at a distance of 100-150 mm. from the wall, and then gradually remove the rest.

  Additional protection against moisture will be provided by the arrangement of a crushed stone-sand cushion at a depth of 200-300 mm. from the base of the wall.

• rigid insulation boards are mounted or polyurethane foam is applied;

• all defects from the surface of the walls are eliminated;

• for further work, it is necessary that the roof and walls are absolutely dry. Therefore, work is stopped until the walls are completely dry. As you can see, work is best done in the warm, dry season;

• roof insulation is, in fact, the overlap of the cellar with insulation. The technology provides for laying roofing material over the ceiling, backfilling the roof from above with a clay-straw mixture. The height of the embankment on the roof is 0.4-0.5 m. The mixture is carefully compacted and covered with a dense film. The edges of the film are wrapped on the wall with an overlap of 150-200 mm.

• waterproofing of the wall. Priming will not help much in this case. It is better to use a bitumen solution with diesel fuel (1: 3), mastic, roofing material or a special film;

• the joints between the sheets are blown with mounting foam;

  Some craftsmen advise tightening the insulation with a polymer mesh to ensure the integrity of the sheet. Roofing material will more successfully cope with this task. But often the distance between the wall and the soil is simply filled with expanded clay, soil with a high content of clay, or a mixture of soil, sawdust / straw and clay.

  In the absence of ventilation in the cellar, it is advisable to take care of it at this stage.

• the resulting hill is covered with a layer of fertile soil 100-150 mm high. followed by disembarkation herbaceous plants, which will protect the cellar from the sun's rays, and strengthen the soil with their roots.

Related article: We do laying porcelain stoneware on the floor with our own hands

Cellar interior insulation

From the inside, walls, ceiling, floor and doors are subject to thermal insulation. A few photos as an example of the finished result.

Finishing the insulated ceiling in the cellar with plastic clapboard

Cladding the insulated floor in the cellar with tiles

Cellar thermometer (temperature sensor)

Shelves in the cellar, insulated walls covered with drywall and painted

Insulation of the cellar wall from the inside

Execution technology:

• walls are inspected for defects;

• the cellar is freed from the contents, shelves and drawers are temporarily dismantled;

• the detected defects are eliminated (the protrusions are knocked down, the slots are foamed with foam or sealant);

  To the quality of the surface is advanced increased attention, because significant irregularities hinder quality installation polystyrene;

• the wall is waterproofed (with mastic or liquid rubber);

• rigid insulation boards are fixed.

  For this, dowels-umbrellas or glue are used. Foam fixing starts with bottom row and moves up. In this case, in each subsequent row, an offset of half the sheet is performed;

• a polymer mesh is attached to the insulated surface;
• the joints of the sheets are blown with foam. If the gap is significant, foam trimmings are placed in it;
• apply plaster.

Note. To eliminate pockets of mold formation, it is advisable to treat the walls with a solution of lime and copper sulfate.

(banner_advert_2)

Basement floor insulation

There are several methods of insulation that have proven themselves in practice. Consider floor insulation with expanded clay, as the most best option, in terms of price / quality ratio.

Work order:

• after the concrete, on which the beacons are set and fixed, has hardened, expanded clay gravel with a fraction of 5-20 mm is poured. At the same time, the thickness of the gravel layer depends on the load that will fall on the floor;
• a vapor barrier film is laid on its surface with access to the wall. The height of the overlap is equal to the height of the backfill;
• the floor is deepened to the depth of the future heat-insulating layer (200-300 mm) and leveled;
• beacons are installed on the film. The first one is at a distance of 300-400 mm from the wall. The rest at a distance equal to the length of the rule, which will be equal to the screed;
• reinforced screed is poured. The thickness of the screed also depends on the load.

The method of thermal insulation using sand and gravel. This method can only be used for bulk floor.

Work sequence:

• if the insulation is not used, then the floor is poured with hot bitumen. It will perform the function of waterproofing;
• the sand and gravel cushion is carefully rammed;
• a layer of crushed stone is poured (100 mm.);
• the floor is deepened to the depth of the future heat-insulating layer and leveled;
• a layer of sand is poured on top (50 mm.);
• on the surface can be laid hard thermal insulation material(for example, penoplex, expanded polystyrene plates);
• the prepared floor is poured with reinforced concrete screed.

Sand floor insulation in the cellar

Basement ceiling insulation

In the case of a buried or ground cellar, the roof of the structure needs to be insulated. Roof insulation works involve the use of soft or hard insulation, which is installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Understanding how to insulate the basement from the inside will significantly improve and diversify the functionality of the room. In a warm, moisture-proof basement, you can arrange a gym, dance studio, workshop, cafe and much more. Compared to external insulation, internal insulation is not as effective. Meanwhile, when there is no possibility to insulate the foundation from the outside, it will become an affordable alternative.

Know how to insulate a cellar with maximum efficiency- means to understand the principle of work, starting from the ceiling. It is its surface that is isolated first. For the ceiling, foamed polyurethane foam is suitable, resistant to mold and fungus. Insulation with this insulation will prevent heat loss through the ceiling and prevent cold from entering from the outside.

It is possible to insulate the ceiling from two sides: from above - from the side of the living quarters of a private house and from below - in the basement itself. The essence of the work practically does not depend on the choice of insulation method. They begin with surface preparation, after which thermal insulation is mounted with an additional layer of hydro and vapor barrier for heaters that exhibit insufficient resistance to moisture. The finishing stage is a rough or decorative finish.

In this sequence, they work, insulating the ceiling both from the side of the living quarters of a private house, and from the side of the basement.

How to properly insulate walls in a basement or cellar

In order to reliably insulate a cellar in a garage or a basement in a private house from the inside, sufficient attention must be paid to the walls. It is the basement wall that is considered the source of cold penetrating into the room, especially for basements that are not insulated from the outside.

As for the process of insulation, it is similar to the process of installing thermal insulation on the ceiling. They also prepare the surface, cleaning it from traces of the old coating, mounting a layer of insulation for a rough or fine finish.

Qualitatively insulating a cellar in a garage or in a private house means finding time to insulate the floor. Since in the basement it is located significantly below the dangerous depth of soil freezing, you should not worry too much about the reliability of the insulation. Even the most budgetary thermal insulation options will cope with the task of insulation.

The principle of floor insulation is the same as in the case of walls and ceilings.

What insulation to choose for insulation

An important step in the internal insulation of the basement, especially when it comes to walls and ceilings, is the selection of insulation. The final result will depend on how high-quality it will be (we are talking about the coefficient of thermal conductivity and resistance to moisture).

There are many options for insulation on the market, including those suitable for internal insulation. Below are the most tested and available ones.

Styrofoam - the most a budget option, which has a serious drawback - the lack of resistance to mechanical damage and extremely low or high temperatures. For thermal insulation, the material has been used for several decades, giving preference to it primarily due to its affordable price.

Styrofoam is used for basement insulation only if there are no other options. The insulation will not be able to reliably protect surfaces from cold and moisture, which means that in order to avoid premature wear, it will require additional vapor and waterproofing.

Another option is penoplex. The material is more convenient and effective for a private home than the foam described above, but it will cost more. Penoplex is mounted in the form of plates according to the described algorithm, not forgetting about the "bridges" of cold, inevitable with a negligent approach to processing joints.

To achieve maximum results, foam for internal insulation is used in conjunction with more advanced thermal insulation for wall insulation from the outside, for example, polyurethane foam.

This material is resistant to mechanical damage, shows itself as a modern insulation worthy of respect and trust. The disadvantage of the material is the complexity of installation. To apply insulation, you will need a special installation operating under high pressure.

Of the advantages, it is worth highlighting a stable protection against moisture without the need to install an additional layer, the tightness of the room, and biological neutrality.

A suitable option for warming a private house can also be expanded polystyrene - a sample of modern thermal insulation, similar in properties to foam plastic.