How to insulate the wall in the apartment from the inside with your own hands

Most of the housing stocks were built in the distant past, when the issue of energy conservation was not as acute as it is today. Brick and panel walls are not adapted to retain heat from heaters. And the battered seams do not have an elementary waterproofing layer.

Frozen air easily penetrates through them. Due to the temperature difference, the slow destruction of wall materials occurs. And the home environment in a cold and damp room does not seem cozy and comfortable.

The rise in price of energy makes us think about saving by warming the walls of our homes. For many, the question was, how best to do this: from the outside or from the inside? After all, wall decoration from the side of the street is more effective, since, first of all, protection against cold air and precipitation appears.

However, there are cases where you can not do without internal insulation:

• if the house has historical or cultural value;
• if the wall is part of an unheated room, on which it is not possible to mount foam boards;
• when the wall closes the expansion joint.

Frame construction of houses according to the technology has internal insulation. For several decades, this type of construction of houses has gained popularity, which confirmed the energy-saving qualities.

To increase heat saving, it is enough to apply a layer of insulation material under the casing. Log houses are finished in a similar way, only wood is used as thermal insulation.

Material requirement

For various reasons, internal insulation sometimes remains the only way to solve the problem of energy conservation. Then you should approach the selection of materials and installation with full responsibility so as not to create an even bigger problem.

The wall outside will continue to freeze and be exposed to rain. But inside, a warm barrier will create condensation, which contributes to the formation of mold and fungal deposits. Slow destructive action will lead to deformation of the wall surface and, as a result, to new heat losses.

Building materials that have minimal vapor permeability and moisture absorption will help to avoid harmful effects.

When heated, they should not emit toxic fumes. Another important point is the absence of joint seams through which condensate can penetrate. Popular heaters: mineral wool, warm plaster, cork coatings - do not meet the required qualities for interior decoration.

Suitable heaters

• An excellent solution to improve the energy-saving properties of the room is to use the technology of underfloor heating on the walls with the appropriate finish. As a result, a two-layer surface with heating elements inside heat the wall if necessary, spreading heat throughout the room. The advantage of this method is the affordable installation, simple finish, ease of management. A fungus does not appear on a dry wall. However, gaining heat will increase the cost of electricity, which is a minus of the use of heating elements of the heated floor.
• Polyurethane foam meets the requirements for internal insulation. The barrier created with its help is able to prevent the penetration of moisture, a stream of cold air and even noise from the street into the home. But the installation method is very specific and will require additional costs for formwork and waterproofing. In addition, further processing of the wall with polyurethane with stucco is problematic. Therefore, it is necessary to establish an additional surface from drywall. Polyurethane foam will retain heat in the room, and this is a big plus material. Installation makes internal insulation difficult and costly.
• Penoplex by properties cannot be used for internal work. But if the installation is carried out taking into account all the requirements and recommendations, then the material can become a protection against penetration of moisture and cold into the room. Advantage polystyrene foam at an affordable price and easy installation. The disadvantage is properties that are inappropriate for the use of the material indoors.
• Penofol is a multilayer structure of foamed polyethylene. One side of it is covered with film, the other with foil. The effect of penofol resembles the principle of a thermos. To increase efficiency, it is most often used in addition with mineral wool. The advantage of this type of insulation is the high rates of hydro, sound and thermal insulation. Installation is not difficult. The disadvantage can be considered a rise in price due to the use of several layers and the hygroscopicity of mineral wool, which can draw moisture.

It should be noted that all options for warming the premises from the inside reduce the usable area. The wall can move from 7 cm to 15 cm inside the room. When planning work, make sure that the final parameters of the home can accommodate all the furnishings.

Advantages of internal insulation work:

• no need for installers;
• there is no dependence on the season and weather;
• the ability to mask communications;
• increase in sound insulation;
• You can perform the installation yourself.

Which to choose

To make a reasonable choice of material for warming the room from the inside, relevant criteria will help:

• moisture resistance;
• health safety;
• low heat conductivity;
• lack of ability to ignite;
• strength and durability.

Among the heaters presented on the modern market of building materials, polyurethane foam can be noted. It has all the properties that will provide reliable protection for the home. Compliance with the technology will provide the room with warmth, coziness and comfort. A dense layer without cracks will not allow pathogenic bacteria to multiply, and harm human health.

The application technique is the spraying of special equipment on the surface of a binder. Excellent adhesion characteristics facilitate quick connection to the main wall. The material is safe, as the composition does not contain toxic substances.

How to insulate with your own hands

An affordable way to increase the energy saving of an apartment can be done by installing high-density polystyrene or foam. To do this, you need the tools:

• drill;
• rule
• putty knife;
• level;
• construction knife;
• mixer.

Materials:

• polystyrene PSB-S-25 (polystyrene foam);
• vapor barrier film;
• reinforcing mesh;
• dowels;
• foam adhesive;
• hardware;
• profile angles;
• primer;
• antifungal additive;
• sealant.

Walkthrough

• Start work with surface preparation. The old finish must be removed, and the walls treated with a special solution to remove fungal deposits. Work with open windows, as the antiseptic is toxic. After drying, in order to increase adhesion, a primer should be applied to the surface.
• Cover the foam or foam plates with special glue and press them firmly against the wall. The distance between the sheets should be minimal. It is recommended to secure the plates with plate-shaped dowels for reliability.
• Treat the joints of the insulation with sealants.
• Cover the entire surface of the plates with glue and fix the reinforcing mesh. Joints should be lapped 10 cm. Next, cover the entire grid again with an even 2 mm layer of glue.
• Fix a metal profile in the corners to strengthen the structural strength.
• The dry surface can then be treated with plaster or other means.

The main requirement of the technology is to fill all voids and seams with sealed material to avoid the formation of bridges for the flow of cold air and the occurrence of dampness.

Features of insulation of a corner apartment

Due to the blowing of two walls at once in the corner apartment, the room temperature is always much lower. To increase the heat, many residents install additional radiators. But this measure does not bring the expected result. The corner of the outer wall is also prone to freezing. And condensate brings unpleasant surprises. Manipulations with the heating system can have only preventive measures. For thermal protection, it will be necessary to warm the walls, eliminating the formation of condensate.

The design must be robust, withstand hanging cabinets and shelves. For this purpose, a crate is made of a wooden beam with a pitch of 50-60 cm. The cells are closed with a layer of vapor barrier film and filled with foam or mineral wool in combination with penofol. The joints are blown with foam. The insulated surface is sewn up with the selected wall material: drywall, OSB, treated wood panels.

The installation of foam plates in the usual way will not make it possible to use the wall surface fully. In addition, mechanical stress can damage the integrity of the material.

Tips / Tricks

• When doing the installation yourself, you must comply with the requirements for the selection of materials and work.
• The construction team must have professional skills and experience in carrying out such work.
• The insulation must comply with the requirements for materials for use inside the home.
• The vapor barrier film should only be of high quality. Compounds are carefully treated with sealants.
• The thickness of the insulation layer is calculated relative to the climatic features of the region. The temperature in the room should be in the range of 20-22 degrees, and the humidity should not exceed 55%. High humidity will contribute to the formation of condensate, therefore, with an increase in standard indicators, it is recommended to turn on ventilation or ventilate the room.
• If the insulation is carried out on the top floor, then the ceiling should be insulated in a similar way.