Most apartment owners use the balcony as a place to store rarely used things. If you want to get additional living space and turn it into a place for relaxation, a flower garden or an office, you can do it without involving specialists. We will describe in detail how to reliably insulate the balcony from the inside with your own hands.
Content:
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What is the best thermal insulator to use?
Types of heaters
To finish the balcony, you can use both rolled and tiled materials that provide reliable thermal insulation:
- Styrofoam: inexpensive tiled material with sufficiently high thermal insulation properties has two significant drawbacks; the first - a large thickness of the sheets, when using it, the already small area of \u200b\u200bthe balcony will be significantly reduced; the second disadvantage is high fire hazard; to ignite it, a lit cigarette accidentally thrown from the top floor is sufficient; therefore, for cladding a balcony, purchase class G2 material that does not support self-combustion
- penoplex (extruded polystyrene foam): in composition, this material is similar to polystyrene, but due to a special production method with equal thermal insulation properties, it has a smaller thickness, greater mechanical strength; however, the cost of penoplex is higher; since the material has a low water absorption coefficient, in order to avoid condensation, the balcony will need to be regularly ventilated; about how to insulate the balcony with penoplex from the inside, we will tell a little lower
- "Penofol": foamed polyethylene, protected on both sides with aluminum foil, which serves as both wind and moisture protection; a significant plus is the minimum thickness, for insulation it is enough to use a material several millimeters thick; Izolon, Penolon, Teplofol, Energofol have similar composition and properties; disadvantage - high price
- mineral wool (glass, slag or basalt wool): the undoubted advantage of all these materials is high heat-insulating properties; some experts believe that the increased moisture permeability of the material in the case of balcony insulation is only a plus - absorbing excess moisture well, the material will protect the room from accumulation condensation on windows, walls; however, over time, mold can form in mineral wool, so it must be reliably protected from moisture penetration from both sides with the help of hydro and vapor barrier
It is undesirable to use heat-insulating materials having a significant mass (for example, brick) for insulating balconies. After all, the bearing capacity of the balcony slab is limited. With excessive load, such a design simply may not withstand the additional weight.
The use of expanded clay for floor screed is also not recommended. Its main disadvantage is the ability to absorb moisture. As a result, its mass increases significantly.
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The use of penoplex
To finish the balcony you will need the following materials:
- gas silicate blocks 80-100 mm wide for erecting a parapet
- glue based on cement for their laying
- slab or roll insulation
- wooden slats for the manufacture of lathing and installation of a rolled heat insulator; their thickness is selected so that it is equal to the width of the heat insulator
- self-tapping screws for mounting lathing with a diameter of 3.5-4.8 mm
- when using sheet material (foam or polystyrene) as a heater, special glue for their fastening
- polyethylene film or membrane material to create hydro- and vapor barrier
- polyurethane foam, mastic (for example, "Germabutil", "Germaflex" rubber-based) or silicone sealant for sealing joints, cracks
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Where to begin? Inspection and repair of balcony slabs
Balcony slab needs restoration
The condition of balcony slabs is not always satisfactory - over time, they can partially collapse. Therefore, before starting insulation balcony, you should check how strong, reliable its foundation.
Minor and medium repairs are allowed to be carried out independently. If significant cracks appear, or even more so if reinforcement is exposed, fragments of the slab collapse or move away from the wall, specialists should be called.
Remember that major or emergency repairs should only be done by qualified installers from the management company. If the reinforcement is severely corroded, it may be necessary to reinforce it with steel beams. In case of severe destruction, the balcony slab can be completely cut off.
To repair damaged concrete sections:
- All unnecessary is removed from the balcony, and all debris is completely removed, as well as the remnants of loose concrete
- If the reinforcement is exposed, it is cleaned of rust. A reinforcing mesh is laid on top. So that it does not rust over time, it must be completely drowned in concrete. To do this, it is necessary to leave a gap between it and the plate.
- Formwork is placed along the perimeter of the balcony slab
- After pouring the concrete solution, the screed is ironed - sprinkled with dry cement, then rubbed into the dry mortar
- To protect against moisture from below, the balcony slab is primed and then plastered. On the sides, a galvanized steel outflow is mounted
Filling the floor screed on the balcony
After the reconstruction of the slab, it is desirable to waterproof it.. For these purposes, roll materials or bitumen are used. Modern waterproofing materials include penetrating impregnation of the Penotron type. It is better to apply it in 2 layers.
Repair may also require a balcony railing. New structural elements in the form of shaped pipes are attached to the anchor or by welding.
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Double-glazed window design
If your balcony has ordinary 1-chamber double-glazed windows, they should be replaced. Otherwise, you will waste a significant part of the energy resources spent on heating the room. A warm balcony requires 2- or 3-chamber double-glazed windows. In the conditions of the Far North, they can be 5-chamber.
Balcony glazing is more difficult than the usual installation of double-glazed windows in window. In this case, the installation of additional components is required. Therefore, be sure to invite proven masters of high qualification.
It is undesirable to use wooden double-glazed windows for glazing. Due to the accumulated condensate, over time they will begin to rot. Plus, the weight of such structures saturated with water will be significant.If for some reason you decide to focus on wooden products, do not forget to regularly treat them with an antiseptic and paint them.
The use of the latest technologies - glazing using I- or K-glasses - will help reduce heat loss by 30%. The first option - I-glass with a multilayer coating, which includes a small percentage of silver - can reflect up to 90% of the outgoing heat. Since such surfaces can be easily scratched, they are installed with a coating inside the room.
Non-ferrous metal oxide is applied to K-glass, due to which heat is reflected from the batteries into the room. Such a coating is less afraid of damage. Although the prices for both glass options are the same, the degree of heat reflection in K-glasses is less and amounts to 30%.
Energy-saving double-glazed window
Poor quality profile may turn yellow over time, so pay special attention to certificates of its quality. Choose profile systems from trusted manufacturers. If you want double-glazed windows to last longer, do not save on fittings either.
A more economical way of sealing windows is ordinary polyurethane foam. But it will be better if all the cracks are sealed with a sealant that has water-repellent properties. You should not refuse to install flashings - they not only look decorative, but also protect the room from drafts.
You can order blinds for balcony windows or cover with a special opaque film. It will protect the premises from prying eyes.
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Balcony insulation step by step
Loggia insulation structure
It is necessary to sheathe with a heat insulator not only the walls, but also the floor and ceiling, otherwise the insulation will simply lose its meaning. After all, reinforced concrete slabs freeze through during the cold season.
Preparatory work
Crack sealing
Before starting work, carefully inspect the balcony for cracks. If they are found, carefully fill them with sealant or mounting foam. Their excess must be cut off. After all, when installing the skin, they will interfere with its alignment.
So that at the end of the repair you do not have to wash dusty, dirty windows, attach a plastic film to them. If it is planned to lay communications on the balcony (electrical wiring, sockets, tubes for air conditioners), it is more convenient to do this in advance.
Laying foam blocks
Laying foam blocks
Both foam and aerated concrete are able to reliably store heat, so they are often used to insulate balconies or loggias. However, since aerated concrete is able to absorb water, it is better to stop on foam blocks. Their air cells are completely closed from moisture penetration.
When using aerated concrete, additional finishing will be required to protect against rain and snow.
- If there are significant differences in height or potholes on the concrete slab, it is leveled with cement mortar
- Work on laying foam blocks is started a week after concrete has been set of sufficient strength.
- If the free area allows, it is better not to remove the metal fence. You can win 15-20 cm of usable area if you strengthen the masonry with reinforcement with thick metal bars
- With the help of fittings, the parapet must also be additionally attached to the walls of the house. She is walled up between rows of foam blocks
- It is better to lay the masonry not with an ordinary concrete solution, but with a special adhesive designed for cellular blocks. It will help reduce the thickness of the seam to 3 mm, protect against the loss of the solution and the appearance of cold bridges. Its cost is fully compensated by reducing the thickness of the seams
- To lay out the first row, the glue must be diluted a little thicker - so that the spatula installed in it does not fall on its side
- The place for masonry is marked in such a way that the center of the bricks falls on the attachment points of the window frame, that is, the distance from it to the edge of the balcony slab is 5 cm
- To save space at the docking points with the parapet, the blocks are sawn
- The wall must be strictly vertical. Therefore, the location of each row must be verified by the building level
Wall and ceiling insulation
All joints are sealed with foam
How to properly insulate a regular or brick balcony?
Installation of insulation is better to start from above, from the ceiling:
- First, a waterproofing film is laid in such a way that overlaps form. It is necessary to fasten the strips together with construction tape or a stapler. It is also necessary to make an overlap of 15 cm on the walls
- When laying rolled heat insulators, a preliminary installation of a wooden crate will be required. Sheet insulation can be mounted directly on the glue
- Since the main load will fall on the crate (it must withstand the weight of the insulation, as well as the facing material), the wooden bars should be fixed to the ceiling with self-tapping screws of sufficient length
- So that the laths of the crate do not deform during temperature changes, leave a gap of 5-10 mm between them and the walls. It is mounted to the ceiling with self-tapping screws. For this, holes are pre-prepared in it.
- Plates or rolled material must be laid tightly, without gaps. The pitch of the crate should be slightly larger (10 millimeters) than the size of the insulation sheets. Otherwise, you will not be able to lay the material evenly.
- A more reliable option is to combine penoplex with penofol with an air gap between them 2 cm in size
- All gaps between the insulation boards are filled with foam
- The next layer is a vapor barrier made of polyethylene film or special membrane materials. It is not necessary to use it only if foil materials are used for insulation.
- Next, a second layer of a 10 mm crate is laid, on which the finishing material will be attached. Such a gap will serve as additional protection against the accumulation of condensate.
- Even moisture-resistant drywall on the balcony can warp over time. Therefore, use gypsum boards for sheathing. Moreover, they cost no more than drywall. You can also sheathe a balcony from the inside with plywood or clapboard
- Laying insulation on the walls differs little from installing insulation on the ceiling
Floor insulation
Log laying
Since insulation under the screed significantly increases the weight of the structure, the most common way to insulate the floor is to insulate the joists.
So, a detailed step-by-step instruction:
- After the installation of the waterproofing layer, a wooden beam is attached to the concrete floor (its section size is 50x50 mm). The width of the bars is selected depending on the thickness of the insulation
- The tree is pre-treated with a primer with an antiseptic or coated with drying oil
- The logs are placed across the balcony in such a way that a distance of 50-70 mm remains from the walls. Such a technological gap will not allow the bars to warp during temperature changes and changes in linear dimensions.
- To ensure normal water flow, the balcony slab is always made at a slight slope.. Therefore, the lags must first be aligned. To do this, thin wooden bars or pieces of plywood are placed under them. To obtain a strictly horizontal surface, the floors are leveled with a building level.
- Leveling with a concrete screed having a significant mass is highly discouraged in the case of a balcony. After all, this will require a significant amount of solution
- A layer of heat insulator is tightly laid between the lags. When using foil materials, they are placed with the foil down.
- The next layer is vapor barrier.She is spread with an overlap on the walls
- When laying underfloor heating, a small layer of cement screed is poured over the film
- If underfloor heating is not provided, a layer of chipboard is laid on the floor in a checkerboard pattern (with offset seams), and then a floor covering, for example, ceramic tiles, laminate or linoleum. It is better not to lay plywood on the floor, as over time such a floor will begin to creak strongly
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Balcony insulation. conclusions
In conclusion of the article, I would like to give some important tips from professionals.
Perhaps their recommendations will help you avoid many misunderstandings when insulating a balcony from the inside:
- Do not try to bring central heating radiators to the balcony. This is strictly prohibited. If such a violation is detected, you will be forced to dismantle them. For heating, use only electrical appliances: oil, infrared heaters or warm floor electrically heated
- It’s not always worth listening to the advice of programs like “Repair Schools”. When combining a balcony with a warm room, disagreements with regulatory organizations may arise. If they consider that in this way you have worsened the heat supply of your neighbors, you can be forced to bring the apartment back to its previous form, as well as pay a hefty fine.
- Legally, the demolition of a balcony door or a window unit is considered a redevelopment, and therefore requires special permission. But, since the interpretation of the law in this case is ambiguous, in some cases it is still possible to obtain such permission with high-quality insulation of the balcony
- Fashionable in recent years, frameless glazing looks very decorative, but it is not suitable for warm balconies and loggias. Use thermally insulated double or triple glazing or tilt-and-slide windows for insulation
- Close the joints carefully before insulating walls, ceiling, gender, as well as cracks with mounting foam or polyurethane sealant
- Be sure to treat any wooden cladding elements with antiseptics and materials that protect them from moisture
- Installation of insulation start from the ceiling, then proceed to the insulation of walls, floors
- The ideal option for thermal insulation is a two-layer cake with an air gap. Use materials of small thickness for this (foam or penofol)
- Polyurethane foam under the influence of ultraviolet light quickly darkens, becoming unusable. Therefore, protect its outer layer with sealant, putty or paint.
- Gypsum putty is afraid of moisture, therefore it is not used for sealing seams
- To protect the room from the formation of condensate, take care of reliable waterproofing. In its absence, fungus and mold will certainly appear in the skin.
- To demolish a balcony door, you will need a special permit.
And in the end, we invite you to watch a video about the complex insulation of the balcony
VIDEO: Comprehensive insulation of the balcony
Insulation of the balcony from the inside: a description of the materials, a complete step-by-step instruction on how to do everything with your own hands (40+ Photo Video) + Reviews
