Warming the Base with Your Hands

You built a house outside the city. It's not a house, it's a miracle, because everything is done by oneself. And it turned out beautiful, and cozy. But the trouble is - it's cold in this wonderful house. And the walls are insulated, and the material is the most effective, and from below the cold pervades, the floor as icy. Probably, you forgot about the warming of the socle.

Hundreds, and even thousands of builders-lovers are faced with this problem. If the house is built by a professional company, then everything is taken into account. And the insulation of the socle is not in the last place. But the amateur builders sometimes do not have enough knowledge and skills to do it all the same. But still let's figure out how and in what reality this warming is carried out.

First, let us remember a little physics. There is such a thing as thermal conductivity. Some materials are higher, others lower. In concrete, it is very high. And the foundation is reinforced concrete blocks, then the floor slabs are made of the same material.

According to a very simple scheme, heat from the first floor through the slabs falls on the foundation, and then into the ground. And this scheme is not only simple, but also trouble-free. How much the first floor is not drowned, in a very short time all the heat will go away. That's why you need to "slow down" it. Than?

Insulation or thermal insulation are different:

• Mineral wool of different types;
• A jute insulation based on vegetable fiber;
• Extruded polystyrene foam.

Expanded polystyrene is the most versatile insulation that:

• Has the lowest thermal conductivity;
• Does not absorb moisture at all;
• Chemically stable;
• Not prone to infection with mold or fungus.

Therefore, the insulation of the base with extruded polystyrene foam is the best option for a private house. You can insulate the plinth from the inside or outside. But it is better from two sides.

It is the insulation of the base from the outside - a very important factor in improving the comfort of your home. These works Must be carried out during construction. But even if the house is already built, it is possible to make the basement insulation. To do this, proceed as follows:

1. Prokopat along the perimeter of the house groove depth of at least 60-70 cm.
2. The bottom of the groove should be filled with expanded clay aggregate (mixture of expanded clay and cement mortar).
3. Apply waterproofing to the concrete foundation blocks . You can use a roofing material in two layers, which is glued to bituminous mastic. It is very good to make a waterproofing glass, but its use requires special skills and the use of a gas burner.
4. On the waterproofing we paste the plates from extruded polystyrene foam with the help of special glue.
5. On top of the usual stapler we sew polyethylene film.
6. Fill the groove with expanded clay concrete.

Insulation of the plinth from the inside is an additional measure to external insulation and a guarantee that your house will be warm and cozy. How it's done:

1. First, the concrete blocks of the plinth must be leveled. With the help of a hammer and a chisel, all the protrusions and tubercles are knocked down. The best option is to plaster the blocks.
2. On the prepared surface, apply a special glue and level with a spatula.
3. Fix the plates of expanded polystyrene firmly to the surface.
4. Then reinforcing mesh is fixed. This is done by applying a 0.5 cm layer to the grid of the slab.
5. The field of this can be done with a decorative lining or with a painting paint.

To complete the work, it remains to insulate the slabs. It is not difficult:

1. Carefully fill the joints between the slabs with cement mortar.
2. To paste sheets of a polyethylene film, and joints to glue overlap.
3. Over the film is pasted extruded polystyrene foam.

Of course, if the house is already built, the work will be more time consuming. It is necessary to raise the floors, make insulation, collect them again. If the heater under the floor is, it is advisable to insulate the slabs of the overlap on the other side - from the basement. The technology of work execution remains unchanged.