How to work with stone wool. Do-it-yourself wall insulation with mineral wool. Mounting on hangers

Today, a method has been developed for obtaining a special type of insulation - stone wool made from basalt. Twenty years ago, such mineral wool was used exclusively for the needs of the defense industry, and today this insulation is widely used for thermal insulation of any buildings.

Mineral wool does not contain such environmentally harmful components as acrylic and phenol-formaldehyde resins. It consists only of natural binders, therefore it is safe for humans. This heat-insulating material not only perfectly retains heat, but also allows you to create a reliable sound insulation of the premises. Mineral wool from basalt is becoming more and more popular and has already been tested by time, but people still have a lot of questions regarding technological issues, which we will try to focus on in this article.

How to properly fix the mineral wool?

In this case, it all depends on the type of insulation and on the type of structure on which the thermal insulation is mounted. Light grades of mineral wool are installed in frame structures by surprise. Rigid mineral wool boards are fastened with special dowels or fixed using special adhesives.

When fixing by surprise, mineral wool is laid very tightly in a wooden frame pre-assembled from slats and bars. The thickness of the frame must match the thickness of the insulation. Between the slats they maintain an interval less than the width of the mineral wool by 1.5-2 cm, which does not allow the material to slip during operation. Mats are mounted starting from the bottom of the structure, and rolls - from above. In this case, solid pieces are laid first, and free space, for example, near doors or windows, is filled later.

Mineral wool of high density is often mounted without intermediate / support bars. It is completely driven behind the frame and pressed against the supporting structure without a gap, after which, for safety reasons, it is fixed with dowels with a wide cap, that is, the so-called "dish-shaped" dowels. In such a system, the frame elements are located on top of the insulation layer and press the wool against the wall, in addition, brackets that pass through the mats help to keep the insulation in place.

When using the bonded thermal insulation method (wet method), frames are not used at all, therefore, adhesive compositions must be used as fasteners. In this case, you will have to purchase a dry mix, but necessarily intended for gluing mineral wool insulation. Recently, polyurethane glue in cylinders has become more and more popular, which allows you to mount dense mineral wool to any base, including wood, metal, and polymer. This technology also involves the use of dish-shaped dowels. In more detail, we considered the features of gluing insulation in articles on adhesive compositions and wet insulation of the facade.

What is the best way to cut mineral wool?

It is recommended to cut heat-insulating materials from stone wool with a hacksaw or a sharp long knife specially designed for this purpose, the blade of which is serrated. In any case, the equipment must be well sharpened so that the fibers break out as little as possible. Many companies that produce insulation also offer their customers cutting tools: knives about 300 mm long, as well as saws with teeth without divorce, about 60 cm long. In the absence of special devices for such purposes, kitchen bread knives with fine teeth show themselves well and wavy edges. Thin soft slabs and mats (50 mm) can be cut with an ordinary assembly knife.

Mineral wool produced in rolls is best cut before unrolling. And mineral wool boards are taken out of packs and cut one at a time. It should be remembered that during the installation of thermal insulation, the insulation must fill the entire insulated space very tightly, therefore, allowances should be left before cutting: for plates - 0.5 cm; and for mats - about 1-2 cm.

Is it true that mineral wool must be protected from moisture and wind?

During the operation of insulated buildings, their walls, roofs and other structures should be protected from high atmospheric humidity and from strong winds. Therefore, mineral wool insulation after installation from the outside is covered with canvases from a vapor-permeable moisture and windproof membrane. This allows you to prevent the penetration of cold wind and drops of slanting rain into the thickness of the wall. At the same time, water vapor from the internal space, passing through the walls through diffusion, will be able to go outside without obstacles.

The undoubted advantage of mineral wool is its vapor permeability, and this property should be used to the maximum. When installing mineral wool heat-insulating materials between the bearing wall and the insulation, it is not necessary to lay a vapor barrier, since such sealing will negatively affect the climate inside the building. The lack of artificial ventilation in this case will lead to an increase in humidity and the formation of condensate, which, in turn, will cause the formation of mold and fungi.

A vapor barrier film must be used when installing thermal insulation indoors - in this case, it is installed on the warm side of mineral wool. This allows you to protect the insulation from water vapor from the premises. Reinforced polyethylene can be used as a vapor barrier, which is placed between the insulation and the cladding.

If the design allows, a ventilated air gap must be provided between the insulation and the exterior finish. This will help keep the mineral wool dry, without compromising the vapor permeability of the building.

What if you need to use wool in a layer of 15 or 20 cm, and the insulation is supplied with a thickness of 5 or 10 cm?

There is nothing complicated here. It is necessary to calculate the required thickness using formulas or using an online calculator (we talked about this in the last article), and then you can easily build an insulating barrier from several layers. In addition, this method makes it easy to eliminate the problem of cold bridging and joint blowing. To do this, when installing the insulation, the sheets of the outer and inner layers should be shifted relative to each other by 20-30 mm in order to reliably close the seams.

Is it necessary to use protective equipment? Which?

Mineral wool is considered a safe heat-insulating material, both during operation and during installation. However, when working with this insulation for a long time, it is still better to protect yourself using personal protective equipment.

Stone wool, compared to glass wool, is much more convenient to use and safer, but care should still be taken when installing it. It is best to work on non-hot days in overalls made of dense fabric, covering the entire body from contact with mineral wool. It is not recommended to touch this material with bare hands; to protect them, you can use "glazier's gloves" - fabric with rubber or silicone coating in the area of \u200b\u200bthe palms. It is also imperative to protect the eyes and scalp. Wear a respirator to protect your respiratory system.

During the installation of stone wool, a break should be arranged to ventilate the room. Open packs of material must be carefully shifted, preventing them from falling, so that microparticles do not stand out from them. At the construction site during the installation of thermal insulation there should be no children, as well as people who do not use protective equipment.

Are there any nuances in transportation and storage?

Mineral wool insulation should be stored in whole packages on a flat dry surface, the height of the stacks should not exceed 2 meters. Stacks are made in enclosed spaces protected from rain and moisture. If mineral wool is stored outside, it must be covered with plastic wrap or tarpaulin.

Mats and insulation boards are transported in a horizontal position in covered trucks. During transportation, the insulation must be protected from mechanical damage and precipitation. During loading / unloading and transportation, do not compress the material too much.

You need to unpack the mineral wool correctly. To do this, the insulation is taken out of the package immediately before installation, which significantly reduces the risk of damage to the thermal insulation. Insulation packaging can be used on a construction site when laying out mineral wool (when you need to protect it from pollution), it is also suitable as bags for construction debris.

Which cotton wool is better?

There is no unequivocal answer to this question, since in different conditions the material of a different type will be the best option.

Basalt soft wool. Use it where high loads are not expected. This material can be used for insulation of walls made using frame technology, as well as for thermal insulation of floors and roofs. Just because cotton is soft doesn't mean it doesn't perform well. It is simply made from thin fibers, which ensures the presence of many cavities in the insulation, in which air is trapped, which prevents heat loss.

Mineral wool of medium hardness (density). It is used mainly for the insulation of ventilated facades, where high-velocity air flows are created in the air cavities. It is also used for fire prevention measures, sound and heat insulation of ventilation ducts. Mineral wool of medium density can be installed without problems instead of soft basalt wool, but the cost of thermal insulation will be more expensive.

Rigid basalt wool. This insulation is used in places where high loads on it are possible. For example, where it is planned to insulate walls with reinforcement and plastering (wet method) or when creating certain types of floors.

Cylindrical heaters for pipes. Usually they are produced with a diameter of more than 50 mm. They are slotted parts that can be deployed and put on the pipe, or two-piece models that are connected on the pipe.

Foil basalt wool. This thermal insulation material is characterized not only by low heat transfer, but also reflects heat, directing it inside the premises. Mineral wool can be covered with foil on one or both sides. When laying, the heat insulator is installed with the foil side to the heat source. The scope of this insulation is quite extensive, it is considered a universal material suitable for all methods and types of thermal insulation.

Stitching cotton. It is a very durable mat, one side of which is sheathed / reinforced with steel mesh (galvanized, stainless, fire-resistant, acid-resistant). Cloths can be of various thicknesses, can be used to perform various types of thermal insulation. Stitched wool is usually non-combustible, therefore it can be used to insulate surfaces with elevated temperatures (up to plus 660-700 degrees).

An important technical characteristic of mineral wool is its specific gravity. Insulation with a density of up to 75 kg per cubic meter is ideal for thermal insulation of planes where heavy loads are not expected, for example, for laying in ceilings in attics and roofs. Basalt wool of low density is often used for wrapping pipes of heating plants, boilers and similar units / communications.

Stone wool, the density of which is up to 125 kg per cubic meter, holds its shape well and is great for insulating ceilings, walls inside buildings, and various vertical structures. It is used for thermal insulation of brick walls, as well as surfaces made of foam block or aerated concrete. The mineral wool of this specific density allows not only to insulate the building, but also to ensure its reliable sound insulation.

Basalt wool of high density - from 175 to 200 kg per cubic meter is characterized, in addition, by increased rigidity, hence the abbreviation in its name (PPZh). Such a heater is used for thermal insulation of initially too cold planes - reinforced concrete, sheet metal. The PZH-200 brand is also excellent for arranging additional protection of residential buildings from fire. Only high-density mineral wool can be installed using wet facade insulation technology.

The laying of mineral wool is required in those moments when it is necessary to insulate the apartment: floor, walls or ceiling. In addition, with the help of this material, you can make the structure itself more reliable and durable. Mineral wool has many advantages, and disadvantages are found most often with improper installation. That is why you should know all the stages of laying perfectly.

We get acquainted with mineral wool and find out what kind of material it is

Mineral wool is a material that is obtained from molten rocks, fibrous material, metallurgical mixtures. If you choose it, pay attention to the views created from rocks. They are characterized by maximum quality, reliability and long service life..

Main advantages:

Air exchange - the material perfectly passes air, and this indicates the creation of the necessary climate in the room, because the air will seem fresher.
Safety, because mineral wool is an environmentally friendly material. That is why you can easily lay it in a room for allergy sufferers and insulate children's rooms. With its help, you can reduce the risk of substances inside the structure that can harm the body. True, it is worth noting that recently there have been many discussions about this. That is why you should choose materials from well-known manufacturers, whose goods are confirmed by certificates and licenses.
, which is achieved due to the good elasticity of the material. That is why it will be so pleasant for you to come after a hard day's work to a room that is practically isolated from street noise that interferes with rest.

Mineral wool also has disadvantages, the main of which is “weakness” to moisture. Constant exposure to water will lead to the soaking of mineral wool, which means that its ability to insulate will be lost. Despite this, it is mineral wool that is the most optimal option for thermal insulation. After all, it is resistant to deformation, durable, able to absorb sounds. Separately, it is worth dwelling on the fact that this material has fire resistance - it can withstand up to +1000 ° C.

Before proceeding with the installation, you should learn some "tricks" of this work, as this will allow you to bring the installation of mineral wool to perfection. So that the material retains its properties for a long time, ensure high-quality ventilation. To do this, it is necessary to lay a layer of film or foil between the layer of mineral wool and the roof, acting as a vapor barrier material.

It is best to purchase mineral wool in the form of rectangular or square slabs, rather than a shapeless piece. Due to their shape, they will fit together well, which will provide additional convenience during installation. If your country house does not have an attic, you can simply insulate the attic, but then, in addition to insulation, you will also need expanded clay and other types of bulk materials for reliability.

Laying mineral wool - stages of work

Laying mineral wool - step by step diagram

Step 1: Preparatory work

To begin with, it is worth removing absolutely all the cracks near the pipes, in the ceiling and near the ventilation ducts. To do this, you need polyurethane foam, but you can also use felt or tow, which will be much cheaper. Do not forget to avoid direct contact of materials with all communications, also do not block cables and wires - they should be directly accessible if necessary. In the event that you are going to use bulk materials, create a clay mortar screed on top of the insulation.

Step 2: Providing a vapor barrier

Do not forget about vapor barrier, as it will avoid the influence of humidity on the basic properties of mineral wool. It must have a number of properties: air passage and ventilation, as well as water vapor retention. In the markets you can find material such as glassine, which is attached with a stapler. You can also glue the material with double-sided tape - this will provide additional tightness.

Step 3: Waterproofing

It is necessary that the waterproofing layer is laid directly under the roof. The reason is that in the winter season, moisture condenses on the cold surface of the roof. Waterproofing in this case will be a barrier - it will not allow moisture to get on the tree, which can lead to decay. For ventilation, a small gap (2-3 cm) should be left, which will allow moisture to evaporate without causing damage to the material. Even the cheapest polyethylene film can act as waterproofing - its service life reaches 50 years, and it also does not absorb moisture. The strips of this material should be overlapped - first the lower strips are attached, and the upper ones should overlap them so that the liquid does not flow under the material.

Step 4: Choosing a mount

The fastening method depends on the distance between the rafters and the density of the material. If we talk about a material whose thickness is 5 cm, the principle of operation is as follows: it should be fixed with a stapler to the rafters. There is another option - a crate assembled from small slats is attached under the material. In the event that the thickness of the material reaches 10 cm (sold in mats), it is simply placed in a spacer between the rafters.

Step 5: Laying the insulation

Laying mineral wool requires the use of mastic, screws or glue. You can also sew sheets of fabric directly onto the slats, or in spacing. Very often, builders fasten mineral wool in this way: between the beams in a thrust with fixation with a cord. If you decide to go this route, you should nail a few nails at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other - you will wind the cord around them. The plates are laid on the slope from the bottom up. After all of them are installed, we drive in nails or screw in screws, which will avoid problems with material displacement.

Incorrect material placement can lead to problems. For example, the presence of cracks, subsidence of cotton wool - all this leads to heat loss. Often the owners of private houses complain that it blows cold from the corners of the ceiling. The reason may be the presence of a metal crate that does not retain heat. Do not forget that the most qualitative effect from the use of mineral wool will be complex.

Internal insulation will not give the desired result without external, otherwise there will be no heat accumulation. It is worth remembering about the zones of so-called sub-zero temperatures - this effect can be overcome only by insulating the walls from the outside. The advantages of such insulation include an increase in the life of the building, as well as saving the usable area of \u200b\u200bthe inside of the house. To give the room a finished look, use lining or.

Many people think that there are no heaters on sale that could combine economy and efficiency at the same time. Either you have to pay too much for quality, or be content with a craft that becomes unusable. Mineral wool is able to completely refute the existing opinion. Affordable price, unique properties and quality - this is its main description. That is why today this material is so popular for insulating ceilings and walls.

Wall insulation with mineral wool allows you to reduce overall heat loss, which can reach 30%. This is a popular and affordable heat-insulating material obtained by melting metallurgical slags and rocks. Due to such qualities as non-flammability, resistance to rotting and deformation from mechanical stress, the necessary density, as well as excellent heat, sound and wind insulation, mineral wool is often used to insulate the facades of wooden and brick houses.

Features of mineral wool

Being a heater, mineral wool has become widespread due to its characteristics and ease of installation. Plates for external insulation of a house differ from the material for internal work in density and hydrophobic qualities. The release of insulation in the form of plates simplifies the installation process, and knowledge of the technology allows you to carry it out correctly.

Manufacturing companies produce slabs with a thickness of 5, 10 and 15 cm. Most often, work on the insulation of external walls with mineral wool is carried out using 10 cm slabs.

Insulating a house from the outside with mineral wool is not only effective, but also cheap.

The raw materials for the manufacture of mineral wool can be very different, depending on this mineral wool is divided into basalt, fiberglass, dolomite and slag. Thin fibers of insulation are held together by resins that do not have any harmful effects on human health and the environment. The structure of the mineral wool can be:

spatial;
corrugated;
horizontally layered;
vertically layered.

Advantages of mineral wool

Houses insulated with mineral wool are perfectly sound and heat insulated.

Insulation plates hide imperfections and curvature of the walls. In addition, it is much cheaper than polystyrene foam. It perfectly withstands mechanical stress. The duration of operation of such a material is many times longer than that of polystyrene. By the way, unlike the latter, the density of mineral wool allows the walls to "breathe". This is especially true when warming a wooden house. It should also be noted the following advantages of the material:

low thermal conductivity;
the density of mineral wool allows the walls to "breathe";
excellent noise and sound absorption;
non-flammability (especially important for thermal insulation of wooden walls);
low cost;
ease of installation, the ability to select plates of the desired thickness and density;
resistance to rot and mold.

Warming technology

Sometimes thermal insulation is carried out from the inside, however, it is correct to fix the mineral wool to insulate the walls of the house from the outside. This technology has the following advantages:

fixing the insulation outside the house protects the walls from frost, wind, humidity and temperature changes;
there is no reduction in usable living space;
there is a transfer of the "dew point" outside the outer walls, which protects the facade from dampness and prolongs its service life;
insulation works are combined with the outer cladding of the facade.

Wall insulation with mineral wool involves the use of a heater with a thickness of at least 10 centimeters.

External thermal insulation is traditionally carried out with plates of different densities. In general, the density of mineral wool can be 75 - 150 kg / m3. First, less dense slabs are attached to the walls, which perfectly fill all the irregularities of brick, wooden or concrete walls. And on top of them, mineral wool is mounted, the density of which is 100 - 150 kg / m3. They form a flat surface, on top of which finishing work is carried out.

Warming of a wooden house

Particular attention should be paid to the choice of insulation for a wooden house. The fact is that wood is prone to rotting and untimely destruction.
This is especially true when the density of the insulation exceeds the density of wooden walls. As a result, moisture penetrating from the interior through the wooden walls of the house settles on the inside of the insulation and leads to the appearance of mold, fungus and, as a result, to decay of the facade.

Unlike denser materials such as polystyrene foam and polystyrene foam, mineral wool perfectly passes air and vapors, allowing wooden walls to "breathe". Traditionally, work on insulation with mineral wool is carried out using rolled insulation. Before its installation, wooden walls are treated with special antiseptic and flame retardant impregnations.

Insulation installation instructions

In general, regardless of the material from which the walls of the house are built, the process of insulating them with mineral wool can be represented as the following instructions:

Results

Thermal insulation of the facade with mineral wool is one of the most popular ways to insulate a house. Due to the low thermal conductivity of this material, most of the heat remains in the house, and moisture is removed outside. Mineral wool is an environmentally friendly, non-flammable material that does not let in street noise and sounds. This is an affordable and highly demanded material in the construction and repair industry.

Colds are coming and many residents again face difficulties with heating. It seems that the radiators are hot and the electric heaters are turned on, but there is still not enough heat. Especially often residents of corner apartments face this, especially if their apartments face the north side. Something needs to be done, and one of the solutions to the problem will be to insulate the walls with mineral wool. How this will look in practice, we now consider thoroughly.

What is mineral wool

Mineral wool - an effective insulation

Mineral wool is a fibrous material for thermal insulation on a synthetic basis. For its manufacture, basalt minerals are used. Obviously, because of the basalt group, it is also called stone wool.

Cotton wool is quite resistant to high temperatures, it practically does not react to chemicals. But, most importantly, mineral wool is an excellent material for thermal and sound insulation.

Mineral wool is sold in packages (bales) and has different lengths, widths and thicknesses. It can also delaminate, which creates additional advantages during installation. There is cotton wool, one side of which is protected by foil. This is very convenient if the wool has to be installed on the ceiling, and also simply reduces its spraying during operation.

A serious disadvantage of this material is that it contains carcinogenic fractions. And this, you understand, does not reflect on us in the best way. In addition, mineral wool contains phenol-formaldehyde resin. As a result, cotton wool emits formaldehyde, which is also dangerous to health.

In this regard, when working with mineral wool and its use, precautions must be strictly observed. These measures are mainly to avoid any contact with this material. Is it possible? During operation it is possible, and during operation it is almost possible. How to achieve this, we will now see.

Under what conditions can mineral wool be used

Based on the information recorded above, mineral wool is something very attractive, but very dangerous. But it is not so. In defense of the product in question, the following comparison can be made. Electric current is many times more dangerous than the ill-fated carcinogens and formaldehydes, but, nevertheless, almost the entire population of the globe uses electricity and no one talks about its harm. There are just certain rules of operation and precautions.

Safe operation

What are these precautions or rules for safe operation? Everything is very simple - insulation made with mineral wool must be isolated from direct and indirect contact with people. What does this mean in practice? The fact that it must be separated from the living quarters by a partition. The most suitable material for this purpose is drywall.

Safety precautions when installing mineral wool

To work with mineral wool, it is necessary to use protective equipment. These items will be a respirator, rubber gloves and long sleeves, and goggles, although the latter is up to you. Do not work near open food and drinking water. Do not let children near this material and, moreover, do not play with it. A slight hit of sprayed particles of mineral wool on delicate unprotected areas of the skin, for example, between the fingers, causes irritation and itching even in an adult.

After working with mineral wool, the work area must be cleaned immediately so that fiber residues do not spread further.

Mineral wool installation methods

Mineral wool laying

All materials for wall insulation from the inside need an additional partition. And such a partition for mineral wool, as we mentioned above, is best served by drywall. There are two ways to lay mineral wool under drywall and one way to lay this wool in a partition wall. We will review them below.

Method one

Mounting brackets for drywall profiles are installed on the wall. They are screwed vertically, at a distance of approximately 50-60 cm from each other. This means that four to five brackets for fastening will be installed on one line. This is quite enough both for the CD profile, which is installed for assembling the frame, and for fastening the mineral wool sheet. We give the screwed brackets the shape of the letter P. We got such peculiar horns sticking out of the wall over its entire area. They will serve us to put cotton wool on them.

We unwind a roll or print a bale with layers of mineral wool. We measure the height of the wall and cut off the necessary piece of material. Cotton wool must be cut off "with a margin." For example, if the wall has a height of 2.6 m, then the minimum length of the mineral wool strip must be at least 2.7 m. Wool is not a tile. It is deformed and precisely cut length will not be enough.

We attach a roll of mineral wool to the top of the wall

We put a strip of mineral wool on the mounting brackets sticking out of the wall. Cotton wool is easily broken through by a bracket and hangs in a vertical position. The same principle applies to width. We set the next strip, as if with an accordion. Thus, the cushion of the applied insulation will inextricably and tightly cover the entire wall.

After the thermal insulation of the walls from the inside is completed with our own hands, we do not forget that we still need to mount the drywall profile and mineral wool, although it is installed on the wall, has not lost its bad “habits”. It is still carcinogenic and continues to release formaldehyde. Therefore, all those safety requirements for working with mineral wool, which were at the beginning, still remain in force.

The next step is to install profiles. CD profiles are installed in the usual way, however, with gloves to protect against pieces of mineral wool. If we used mineral wool without foil, then the front side, right on top of the profiles, can be closed with a hydrobarrier. By doing this, you will further secure the room and, of course, those in it from the side effects of mineral fibers. The film can be fixed on several small self-tapping screws by screwing them in various places on the profiles. After that, you can install drywall.

Method two

We assemble a frame for drywall on the wall. All profiles are fully screwed. Now you can sheathe the frame with drywall. But we need to insulate the wall. Since the staples are already in place, we have nothing to hang cotton strips on. But we take into account the distance between the profiles. It is usually no more than 40 cm, and the width of the mineral wool can be from 50 to 120 centimeters.

This suggests that we have access to the "accordion" installation method. That is, we put cotton wool under the profiles. And so one lane after another. If the distance from the profile to the wall turns out to be too small, then remember that the wool can be stratified. Passes should not be made. A duvet with holes is not the best option for warming.

After installing the mineral wool and before installing drywall, one should not forget that one more barrier from formaldehydes and carcinogens will never be superfluous. We take a hydrobarrier and pull it over profiles and mineral wool. Instead of a hydrobarrier, you can use ordinary cellophane. After that, we install drywall.

I would like to note that covering mineral wool with a film before installing drywall is not at all a prerequisite. This is more for the suspicious part of the population. In order to avoid the presence of mineral wool in the room, sheets of drywall are enough to separate the wool from the living space.

Method three - soundproofing the partition

We mount the frame of the required partition. One side is sheathed with sheets of drywall. On the other hand, we insert mineral wool. In this embodiment, the "accordion" method is especially relevant. If in the second method we pushed the mineral wool under the profile, and besides, it clung to the mounting brackets, now the wool, in fact, has nothing to hold on to. But she will hold on. For partitions, the CV profile is used, and it is installed with the letter V along the frame. That is, mineral wool can (and should) be filled into the hollow part of the profile. After that, the partition can be closed with drywall.

Ceiling insulation

Mineral wool ceiling insulation

Mineral wool can be used to insulate both a plasterboard ceiling and a suspended ceiling made of lining. The only question is how to keep the mineral wool on the ceiling. For this, a crate is made. Over the profiles or rails of the ceiling frame, rails are superimposed as needed. They will keep the mineral wool. For this purpose, it is better to use cotton wool with foil.

If you use penofol when insulating the wall, then the following tips are not relevant for you. But since you are reading this article, it means that you are going to use mineral wool.

Condensation and dampness collected on the wall. Sometimes the following picture is observed indoors: the apartment is warm enough, and condensation collects on the walls, and the walls become damp. It is possible, of course, that it is leaking somewhere, and the leak will have to be fixed, but if it doesn’t leak anywhere, and the walls are still wet? This is condensation, and it forms when there is a sharp difference in temperature in the street and in the apartment. And to be more specific, a thin wall serves as poor protection from the cold. That's what we're warming.

But what to do with the dampness formed on the hay? After all, this is not a sheet and you can’t dry it with an iron and you can’t hang it out to dry on the street! In this case, use mineral wool with foil. After warming, dampness will disappear over time, since there will be no temperature difference.

How to insert a socket or switch into an insulated wall. To insert a socket or switch on a drywall wall, you need to install a socket there, and in order to install a socket, drywall must be drilled. In these situations, drywall is usually drilled with a cutter to the diameter of the socket. If the cutter gets inside the wall, then cotton wool is wound around it and the whole piece will remain without insulation or sound insulation.

The way out is quite simple - you do not drill the hole to the end, remove the remaining circle with a knife or gently knock it in with a hammer.

Heat loss through the walls of the house can reach 30% of the total heat loss, so one of the main stages of building thermal insulation is wall insulation. Mineral wool is often chosen as a heater for walls. Mineral wool is made from melted glass, rocks or slag, resins are used as a binding element. The material has a fibrous structure, and, depending on the purpose, the direction of the fibers may be different.

Wall insulation from the outside with mineral wool has a number of advantages:

This is a relatively cheap insulation with low thermal conductivity;
Mineral insulation has good sound-absorbing characteristics;
Mineral wool does not support combustion, therefore it can be used for insulation of easily combustible structures;
This material is vapor-permeable and does not create the effect of a thermos, the building "breathes";
Mineral wool is easy to install - the insulation is sold in the form of mats or rolls, you can choose the most convenient option;
Depending on local conditions, you can choose the required thickness of the insulation;

Mineral wool does not rot, is not susceptible to fungus, microorganisms and rodents.

The disadvantages of mineral wool include the deterioration of its heat-insulating characteristics when wetted, so it must be protected from atmospheric moisture and condensate. In terms of environmental friendliness, mineral insulation, operated under normal conditions, does not pose any danger, since the release of harmful components occurs only when mineral wool is heated to 300 degrees or more.

The choice of the thickness of the insulation is made using a heat engineering calculation, while taking into account the thermal conductivity of the wall material, their thickness, as well as the normative thermal resistance of the walls for a particular region. For a simplified calculation, you can use the table.

Technology of wall insulation with mineral wool

The preparation of walls for laying insulation depends on the material from which they are built. Wooden walls must be impregnated with an antiseptic to avoid damage to the log house by microorganisms. Areas damaged by rot, fungus, mold must be thoroughly cleaned and impregnated with appropriate solutions - after laying the insulation, access to them will be impossible. It is enough to free brick and foam concrete walls from peeling plaster and paint. If the walls are damp, they must be thoroughly dried. The platbands and slopes of the windows must be dismantled, as well as fasteners and decorative elements that can damage the vapor barrier and insulation layer must be removed from the walls.
A layer of a vapor-permeable membrane is placed under the mineral insulation. The film is positioned so that the vapor-permeable side faces the wall of the house, and the smooth side faces the insulation. The vapor-permeable membrane is necessary in order to ensure the removal of water vapor from the walls of the house through the insulation. It is allowed to lay mineral insulation on even walls without first laying the membrane film.
On top of the vapor-permeable film, guide rails made of wood, or a profile for attaching drywall, are attached. They are attached to the wall with self-tapping screws or with the help of a dowel-nail mounting pair. The distance between the slats is chosen so that it is 1-2 centimeters less than the width of the insulation. The thickness of the rails should be equal to the thickness of the insulation. Fastening rails start from the corner of the house. When attaching the rails, use the level. If the wall is uneven, perforated drywall hangers can be used to fix the frame. If insulation in the form of mats is used, a horizontal rail can be additionally fixed along the lower border of the wall, on which the lower insulation mat will be installed.
Heat-insulating mats or rolled material are placed in the space between the guide rails, while laying the mats starts from the bottom, and roll materials - from the top, fixing the insulation on the wall either between the rails or with the help of several dowels with a wide cap. Plate material to brick or block walls is attached to a special adhesive that ensures a snug fit of the insulation. There should be no gaps between the insulation and the guides. First, solid pieces of insulation are fixed, then the remaining areas around the window and door openings are filled.
Another layer of film is placed on top of the mineral insulation - wind protection and waterproofing. The film must also be vapor-permeable so that moisture is freely removed from the insulation layer to the outside. The film is fastened with brackets to the rails without tension, after which the entire layer of insulation and vapor barrier is additionally fixed to the wall using dowels with a wide head, the attachment points for better waterproofing can be glued with metallized tape.
An important step in wall insulation is the installation of a ventilated facade. The ventilation gap should be at least 5-6 cm; for this, additional counter-rails are stuffed over the guides or profiles are mounted on which the ventilated facade is mounted: siding, block house or other finishing materials.
When the walls are insulated from the outside, their thickness increases, so you will have to install new window slopes, window sills, as well as trim and trim elements. It is better to purchase them immediately when buying a ventilated facade.

Insulation of walls outside with mineral wool is one of the most popular ways of thermal insulation of buildings. The popularity is due to the low thermal conductivity of mineral wool, due to which most of the heat remains inside the building, as well as the environmental friendliness of the material, its ability to remove moisture from the inside of the house. In addition, mineral wool is an excellent sound insulation.