The better to insulate the attic of an unheated room. The subtleties of attic insulation in a house with a cold roof. Thermal insulation with mineral wool

August 27, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works (laying the foundation, erecting walls, constructing the roof, etc.). Internal construction works (laying of internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communication, high technologies, computer equipment, programming.

If you live in an apartment building, then you probably never thought about attic insulation. Moreover, you hardly guessed about the presence of such a technical room in the building, unless, of course, you ran to the roof as a child.

However, in a country house or country cottage (which I am currently building for my son), the under-roof space plays a huge role. Often an open expansion tank of the heating system, ventilation pipes, chimneys are installed there. And sometimes they equip living quarters - attic.

Therefore, I will not talk for a long time about how important thermal insulation measures are for this room, but I will simply tell you how to insulate the attic of a private house using the example of my own son's country home.

I think the described technology will be useful to everyone who builds or is going to build a dwelling outside the city with their own hands.

Thermal insulation materials

Attics have been insulated for as long as I can remember. My great-grandfather and grandfather used hay and straw, sawdust and shavings for this purpose, and some in their village also used dry leaves from trees.

Dad was already a more “advanced” builder and cold - in a private house and in the country house he insulated the attic with expanded clay and old soldier's blankets. By the way, expanded clay granules are also used in modern construction.

Now I will not tell you which option is better from the above, as I can offer more technologically advanced and efficient thermal insulation materials for attic insulation.

However, before that, I’ll note what technical characteristics a heat insulator should have in order to be used for the described work:

Light weight. The material after laying should not exert a large load on the attic floor, roof rafters and load-bearing walls.

Otherwise, even during construction, more durable building materials will have to be included in the project, which increases the amount of the final estimate.

Safety. The material used for insulation should not harm human health.

Therefore, both the floor of a cold attic and the roof must be insulated with heat insulators that do not emit hazardous chemical compounds into the air. Especially if you plan to equip a living room there in the future.

Ease of installation. The less effort you need to spend on the installation of heat insulators, the better, right?

In addition, there is not much space in the under-roof space of some houses, so working there is not very convenient. I always try to buy materials that do not require the use of sophisticated equipment.

Low thermal conductivity. The better this indicator is, the smaller the layer of heat-insulating material should be used. Accordingly, the interior space of the attic will not greatly decrease.

Again, I consider this important, since I plan to make an attic in my son's dacha in the attic. But I think it’s not very interesting for you to lay thermal insulation with a thickness of 20-30 cm.

hydrophobic properties. In attics, the air often has high humidity, which reduces the efficiency of the heat-insulating layer.

I advise choosing materials that are either treated with water-repellent compounds, or those that do not change their technical characteristics when wet.

Fire safety. The roof is where there is a risk of fire due to improper installation or blockage of the chimney.

Therefore, when choosing a material, I would give preference to those varieties that do not ignite under the action of an open flame and do not support combustion.

Of course, I failed to choose the perfect insulation that 100% meets all the listed requirements. But still I will tell about those with whom I had to work.

So, I insulated attics:

polyurethane foam;
foam;
mineral wool;
expanded clay.

I'll tell you more about them.

polyurethane foam

The raw material for the manufacture of this heat insulator is plastic. Insulating the attic with polyurethane foam is a pleasure, but this requires special equipment. The fact is that the insulator is applied by spraying, for which compressors are used.

But you do not need to buy screws, adhesive mixtures, crates and so on. And the polyurethane foam itself is applied very tightly, leaving no gaps through which cold air can penetrate into the under-roof space.

After hardening, the insulation becomes rigid, therefore it additionally strengthens the structure. The material has antiseptic properties; mold, fungus and other microorganisms do not multiply on its surface.

If you need to insulate the ventilation pipe in the attic, you can also use polyurethane foam. Only not sprayed, but in the form of ready-made shells with a protective layer of aluminum foil. They simply need to be fixed to the pipelines with adhesive tape or plastic ties.

The biggest drawback of the material in question is the high price. However, if you consider the total cost of work, then you can save money, because in this case additional hydro and vapor barrier is not required.

Styrofoam

This insulation, as well as expanded polystyrene, similar in technical characteristics, are widely used for warming rooms under the roof. I personally prefer the expanded polystyrene obtained by extrusion. It is more durable, does not burn, has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity and is not damaged by rodents.

The cost of insulation is quite affordable, and anyone, even the most inexperienced summer resident, can lay it in the attic. Polystyrene is processed with hand construction tools and fastened with dowels.

Mineral wool

Fibrous heat insulators are a versatile material. Mineral fiber-based heaters are rolled, slab, in the form of a dry mix, and so on. They are great for insulating attic floors and roofs.

Basalt fiber, from which mineral wool is made, has a very high melting point. Therefore, this insulation can be used for installation on chimneys, the surface of which can be very hot.

There is one point here. The insulation is not waterproof and, when moistened, may lose its heat-shielding properties. To avoid this, when insulating, it is necessary to install hydro- and vapor barrier membranes. Or buy those varieties of mineral wool that are treated with special water-repellent compounds.

The bottleneck of some types of mineral insulation is environmental friendliness. In the manufacture of basalt mats, a certain amount of formaldehyde resins is used, which can be harmful to human health. Especially during the installation process.

Expanded clay

Granules of this material, as I already told you, were also used by my father, insulating his first cottage. Expanded clay has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity and weighs a little. However, it is loose, so it can only be used to insulate the floor of the under-roof space.

But the installation process itself does not require any tricks. You just need to pour it on the floor, and then properly protect it from moisture with a moisture-proof membrane. If you are going to equip the attic later, you can cover it with a screed on top, and then lay a decorative coating.

Independent insulation of the attic space

We sort of decided on the most popular heat-insulating materials, now I’ll tell you how to properly insulate the under-roof space so that you can equip an attic there in the future.

Let's take up the question of how to lay the insulation under the crate, because this method will allow you to stuff the decorative material of your choice without any problems in the future.

In my son’s attic, I decided to use mineral wool, but I’ll tell you right away about foam plastic, since the work technologies are similar, and it’s easier to work with foam plastic if you are a beginner builder.

The whole process of warming consists of several stages:

preparation;
waterproofing;
laying a heat insulator;
vapor barrier;
arrangement of the crate and installation of decorative trim;
insulation of engineering communications;
floor insulation.

I will tell you about each stage in more detail.

Preparatory activities

Let's start, as usual, with preparation, because it is unlikely that your attic is already ready for construction work.

After all, in almost 100% of cases this room is used as a trash storage, where all unnecessary things are taken down (and sometimes they are taken from the apartment). In the attic of my son's dacha, it was clean, since the house is new, but in my home, when sorting out the rubble, I found old books, clothes, several family heirlooms (which my wife did not consider as such) and much more.

In addition, if you have tried to perform insulation before, then I advise you to get rid of any traces of this process. For example, remove sawdust, scraps of felt, construction debris, and so on from all slots. Believe me, I have insulated attics more than once and I know how important it is.

By the way. And drive all the spiders out of the attic, then clear the room of the cobwebs. After all, you will build an attic for yourself or your children, and not for any insects.

Last moment. Bring the necessary tools into the attic and provide lighting. It is unlikely that you have sockets there, so you will have to stretch out an extension cord with a light bulb. Although these measures seem obvious to you, since I had to return to the city for electric, since not a single extension cord at the construction site reached from the switchboard to the attic.

Waterproofing

A waterproofing membrane is needed in order to protect the thermal insulation layer itself and the room under the roof from excessive moisture. This is especially important if the roof has been laid for a long time (for example, you are insulating the attic of an old house) and the roofing materials used are not the most modern.

The moisture-proof film is installed directly on the roof structure. It must be stretched and overlapped so that after the end of the work an airtight layer is formed. You can fasten the material with a construction stapler with staples.

Insulation laying

The heat-insulating material, as I said, must be mounted on a pre-mounted crate. However, if you want to save a little, you do not need to design a separate frame. The roof truss system will perfectly play its role.

In the latter case, in order to press the material and be able to mount the decorative sheathing, it will only be necessary to equip a light counter-lattice at a certain distance from the surface of the heat insulator. Then you get a small ventilation gap that removes excess moisture from the insulation layer.

So, the scheme of work on laying insulation is as follows:

Rolls of mineral wool must be cut so that their width corresponds to the distance between the rafter supports. After that, lay under the roof surface, gluing to the surface or temporarily attaching with wooden slats.

To make installation easier, mineral mats can be used.. Their width should slightly exceed the distance between the rafters, so that after installation they suddenly fall into place and do not fall out.

The foam must be cut as accurately as possible so that it comes close to the installation site.. The gaps between the insulation panels will greatly reduce the effectiveness of insulation measures, so they need to be blown out with mounting foam.

vapor barrier

After laying the insulation, you need to install a vapor barrier membrane. It will protect the insulating material from the penetration of moisture to it, which is formed during the life of people.

For vapor barrier, special films are used that do not allow the heat insulator to be moistened, but do not prevent air infiltration through the building envelope. As a result, a microclimate comfortable for living will be formed in the attic, when viewed from the point of view of humidity.

So, after installing the insulation, it is necessary to attach a vapor barrier to the rafter supports (which act as a crate). This should be done with a stapler, gently pulling the film.

The edges of the material overlap each other to prevent the mineral wool from getting wet. To further insure yourself against surprises, I recommend gluing the seams with adhesive tape.

Vapor barrier films allow air to pass only in one direction. Therefore, before installation, make sure that you have unfolded the membrane to the desired surface.

Control grille

Having finished with the films, you can begin to complete the operations for finishing the walls (well, or the roof, that's how you look). I will use it for this, but in the same way you can fix OSB boards, drywall, lining, and so on.

Here, too, there is an opportunity to significantly save on the purchase of materials and reduce the time for all work. The fact is that the main details of the crate will be powerful rafter legs, and you will only have to make cross bars, which will serve as additional stiffeners for the sheathing.

The material for the transverse frame can be a wooden rail or a galvanized profile. The essence of this will not change. The parts just need to be screwed from above to the rafters so that they are located at right angles to them. The step between adjacent elements depends on the decorative finish, I made 30 cm so that the skin does not sag under load.

The decoration itself also depends only on your imagination. I'm going to glue the wallpaper on top for now to save money, and then I'll come up with something prettier. You can do the same.

Just before sticking the wallpaper, do not forget to putty the seams between the plywood sheets and perform other necessary operations (priming, and so on).

Warming of engineering communications

If you do not provide for the creation of an attic, it is imperative to insulate the ventilation ducts in the cold attic, as well as, if available, pipes for heating, water supply and smoke exhaust (which term I came up with).

Of course, you can use mineral wool for this, wrapping it around pipes, wrapping it with roofing material and fixing it with wire. But why complicate your life if you can buy ready-made shells for pipes of the desired diameter (made of polyethylene foam, polyurethane foam, polystyrene, and so on). They just need to be snapped onto the pipe and wrapped with adhesive tape to be sure.

The cost of such insulators is low, so you definitely will not go broke.

Attic floor insulation

The floor is a horizontal surface, so it can be easily insulated with bulk material. For example, expanded clay. But since I started working with mineral wool (styrofoam), I won’t buy expanded clay, I’ll limit myself to what I have at my disposal.

So, the attic insulation technology is as follows:

First you need to clean the surface of dust, accumulated debris, foreign objects, and so on.
Then install the support lags. I make them from wooden blocks with a section of 20 by 10 cm. You can select the height of the lags based on the thickness of the thermal insulation material you have.

The entire surface is covered with a layer of waterproofing. Be sure to check the tightness so that the mineral wool does not get wet, as this may affect its technical characteristics.

Cotton wool is laid on the waterproofing layer. Choose a material that is specifically designed for insulating horizontal surfaces. For example, Izover KT37.

From above, the vapor barrier membrane is again stretched, onto which the facing material is stuffed. I used plywood, which I plan to cover with linoleum.

If you do not plan to use the attic as a living space, then you can not insulate the roof, but only insulate the floor. In this case, you need to pay attention to some features:

Wood for lags and sheathing must be treated with hydrophobic, fire-fighting and antiseptic compounds in order to maximize its service life.
To enter, it is better to use an insulated hatch to the attic, since it is this structural element that is often the source of large heat losses.

Now we can say with confidence that the insulation of the floor (or the ceiling from the side of the cold attic) has been completed in full. And in order to achieve maximum efficiency of thermal insulation measures, I still advise you to make an insulated hatch with a ladder, as described in the video in this article.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is nothing terrible and heavy here. If you liked the material or have any questions, you can ask them in the comments. I would also be grateful for stories about how you perform attic insulation in a private house with your own hands.

August 27, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thanks!

In order for the house to be warm, and we did not have to overpay for heating, it is necessary to take care of the high-quality insulation of the walls, floor and roof. It is also important to insulate the ceiling of a private house in the attic. There are several options for insulating the attic in a private house inexpensively and efficiently. How to do it yourself, what materials can be used for this? Let's consider this question in more detail.

How to insulate the attic of a private house correctly?

An attic is a space under a sloping roof that is not used for residential purposes. If the roof slopes are not thermally insulated, insulation material can be placed on the ceiling that separates the space under the roof from the living rooms.

The roof space that is not used for living is often devoid of an insulating layer, which creates the need for laying a buffer zone to insulate the ceiling. The complete absence of such insulation is allowed only when the room is unheated, for example, a garage. In other cases, it is necessary to retain the heat that is used to heat living rooms, since warm air tends to rise up. To save money spent on heating, it is necessary to prevent its leakage through the roof.

Before starting repairs, it is very important to learn how to properly insulate the attic in a private house, and many factors should be taken into account. These include the design features of the roof and the height of the attic.

The better to insulate the attic of a private house with a concrete floor

Concrete floor - monolithic or prefabricated is intended, as a rule, for a residential attic. Sometimes, however, such a solution is also used for a non-residential roof. How and how to insulate the attic floor in a private house made of concrete?

The concrete floor is insulated after the construction and finishing of the roof. This operation will be simple as long as we have convenient access to the attic, and also if the height of the attic allows free movement.

The most commonly used material in such cases is mineral wool. Compressed mats are especially recommended, which are gradually expanded up to the nominal thickness. The elastic surface easily fills all the nooks and crannies in the attic. The mats should be placed close together without any gaps between them that could lead to heat leakage.

It is much more difficult to achieve this result with more rigid materials such as expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene or polyurethane foam.

To create a structure, insulation must be laid between wooden beams, to which boards or wood panels will be screwed to form the floor.

It is also possible to make a mineral lining from a mineral solution that is poured over the insulation insulated with foil, but this solution is rarely used.

How to insulate the attic of the house with loose insulation?

If the attic is too low, so that the work is not very difficult and time-consuming, a good solution would be to insulate with one of the loose insulation materials:

granulated cotton;
polystyrene granules;
cellulose fibers.

The thickness of the insulation layer depends on the material used and the thermal permeability of the ceiling. The average thickness is approximately 20 cm.

How to insulate a wooden ceiling?

If the ceiling is wooden, it is better to insulate the attic of a private house with your own hands in a slightly different way. Thermal insulation is placed primarily between the beams. In this case, mineral wool materials or wood derivatives are used. How to insulate the attic of a private house with mineral wool? Thanks to their excellent elasticity, the boards or mats fill the gaps between the ceiling beams very well. Before insulating the attic of a private house with mineral wool, a lining should be laid from the bottom of the roof. If it's going to be a drywall suspended ceiling, it's a good idea to place an extra insulating layer on the underside of the attic. Wooden beams will also be insulated, which has a very positive effect on the heat transfer of the entire layer.

Also, if the ceiling is insulated in this way, it will be easier to build a floorboard or OSB floor over it. If you decide to abandon the insulation of the false ceiling, then an additional heat-insulating layer will be located in the attic. The construction of the floor will then be more difficult for two reasons. First you need to nail beams with a section of 4 x 6 cm perpendicular to the ceiling beams and put an insulating layer between them, in addition, the surface of such a floor will eventually turn out to be higher, thereby reducing the height of the attic.

A photo. When insulating a wooden ceiling, the thermal insulation material is placed primarily between the beams

Polystyrene in its traditional form is not used to insulate wooden ceilings, but it is possible to fill the space between the beams with polystyrene granules. However, the light weight of such backfill, despite good thermal insulation, does not give the ceiling satisfactory sound insulation. Also, this type of insulating material does not provide sufficient fire protection for wood.

Among bulk heaters, mineral wool granules or cellulose fibers are much more profitable. Both products have very good thermal insulation properties, provide good sound insulation and protect the structure in the event of a fire.

In buildings that have an unused attic, it is cost effective to implement a roof truss structure. Prefabricated elements replace traditional rafters. They form large triangles that are closely spaced next to each other.

The space under the roof with such a design is severely limited by bevelled beams. At the same time, it is almost impossible to isolate such an attic with slabs or mats. The most rational solution in this case is insulation with a blower using polystyrene granules or cellulose fibers.

The air flow fills the space through holes in the gable walls, through a hatch in the roof, or through the so-called viewing hole.

Bulk material is able to crumble very densely in all nooks and crannies of this attic. Insulation work should be carried out only after the construction of the ceiling is completed. It is also necessary to check if the ceiling can support the weight of such insulation, it may be necessary to provide adequate reinforcement.

Attic ventilation

Since many of the insulating materials, including mineral wool, lose their insulating properties as a result of high humidity, it is necessary to make sure that the attic space is provided with sufficient ventilation. Good ventilation is provided by air intakes on the eaves and outlets made in the gable walls. They must be protected with a net to prevent the entry of birds and small animals. It is advisable to cover the top layer of highly elastic insulating materials with a windproof film, then less heat will be blown out of the insulation.

How to insulate an attic in a private house video

Warming the attic floor of the house allows you to save more heat inside the room, and not spend it on heating a cold attic. Well, if it is used as a utility room (technical attic) or as an attic, but if not? Then it is pointless to spend resources on heating an unheated attic space.

That is why it is worth making the insulation of the cold attic ceiling using heat-insulating materials. You can perform insulation from the side of the attic or from the side of the room (inside / outside). It is best to do this during the construction period of the building, or immediately before the final finishing of the room. But even during the operation of the house, there is no reason not to insulate the ceiling from the attic.

The thickness of the attic floor insulation is standardized using SNiP II-3-79 "Construction Heat Engineering". This manual contains detailed recommendations on the choice and formulas for calculating the resistance to heat transfer of various thermal insulation materials. The calculations take into account not only the type of material, but also the average annual temperature, the duration of the heating season, the wall material of the house.

The attic floor insulation technology depends on the material chosen.

In this article we will consider the most popular heaters.

Mineral wool is a heater, the fibers of which are arranged in a certain way. Namely, this randomness leads to the fact that an air cushion is formed between the fibers, which informs the insulation of its properties. However, the same feature of cotton wool increases the ability to absorb moisture. To avoid this, you need to know how to properly install mineral wool.

Benefits of mineral wool:

high density;
long service life;
Fire safety;
ease of installation;
the use of mineral wool for insulation of horizontal surfaces does not lead to its caking, slipping and, as a result, the formation of cold bridges.

Among the disadvantages: the ability to absorb moisture.

There are three main ways to lay cotton wool: continuous, in grooves or in cells (see photo). The choice of method depends on what load will fall on the floor in the future. The most stable frame is obtained in the latter case.

First stage

It starts with laying the vapor barrier film. The film will allow you to remove the steam that rises from a warm living space to a cold attic. To lay the film correctly, you need to carefully read the markings applied to it. Be sure to observe an overlap of 100 mm.

If insulation is made on wooden beams, then the film must go around all the protruding elements. Otherwise, the beams may rot.

At the junction of the film and walls or other protruding surfaces, it is necessary to raise it to a height equal to the thickness of the insulation plus 50 mm. and glue it with tape or wrap it on the insulation plate.

Second phase

Insulation (wool) is being laid. This is a fairly simple process. Slabs or strips are easily cut with a construction knife to the desired size.

When laying the sheet, make sure that there are no gaps left or that the mineral wool material is not strongly squeezed. Both will lead to a decrease in the quality of insulation. Typical mistakes in the photo.

a) insufficient thickness of the heat-insulating material;

b, c, d) the thickness of the attic floor insulation is incorrectly selected.

insulation with foil will increase the resistance of the material to heat loss. The sheet is laid with the foil side down.

the insulation should not protrude beyond the beam. If such a situation has arisen, the beam must be extended with a wooden beam or an additional rail to the thickness of the insulation.

a thin insulation laid in two layers retains more heat than one thick one. In this case, the plates must be laid in a checkerboard pattern.

if there are protruding structural elements in the attic, for example, a chimney pipe, you need to raise the insulation to a height of 400-500 mm. and fix it.

Third stage

Waterproofing is carried out if the attic is not supposed to be used, and the truss system is not protected by a waterproofing film. If the roofing material is separated from the attic with a film, then you can proceed with the final stage.

Draft floor. It is laid over the insulation and serves as the basis for the final finish.

The process according to the installation technology is similar to the insulation of the attic floor with polystyrene foam.

The advantages of these materials:

low cost;
ease of operation;
waterproof.

Among the disadvantages: flammability.

Attic floor insulation technology with polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam

The process of installing rigid insulation based on is more than simple and can be done by hand. The work can be divided into two stages:

surface leveling. To ensure high-quality insulation, there should be no significant irregularities on the floor of the base. You can eliminate such differences by performing a screed with a sand-cement mortar.

slabs are laid butt-to-butt or between beams. The presence of a bar increases the strength of the floor.

Tip: carefully seal any seams, incl. joints with beams. Bypassing the obstacle, try to cut holes as accurately as possible. A homogeneous thermal insulation layer retains heat better.

Rough coating

Styrofoam must be protected from destruction with a film in a non-residential attic. In a frequently used or residential attic, you need to somehow move, so it is better to equip a subfloor from OSB or a sand-cement screed over polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam.

Sawdust is finely chopped wood.

Advantages:

naturalness;
no toxic impurities;
light weight;
material availability.

The disadvantage is flammability.

Attic insulation technology with sawdust

before proceeding with the insulation with sawdust, they need to be prepared. Namely, mix cement and water with sawdust in a ratio of 10:1:1.

Pour the attic floor with the finished mixture and level it. It is worth noting that it is possible to use sawdust as a heater without using a frame only in a non-residential attic. Otherwise, when walking on the floor, sawdust will be compressed, and the concrete screed will collapse.

build a cellular structure from a bar. Pour a solution with sawdust into each cell. The advantage of this method is that a subfloor can be laid along the timber. And the attic will be usable

Expanded clay is obtained by firing clay.

Advantages:

low thermal conductivity;
naturalness;
environmental friendliness;
ease;
availability.

The disadvantage is associated with the difficulty of lifting expanded clay to the height of the attic.

Expanded clay is usually used if it is necessary to insulate the attic floor over the slabs.

Expanded clay attic insulation technology

The work is carried out in three stages:

the plate is inspected for cracks and cracks. They are sealed with mortar or covered with thick paper. The protruding elements do not create difficulties with backfilling of expanded clay.

mount a crate from a bar. A rough floor will be laid on it in the future.

loose insulation is poured onto the stove and leveled with a conventional rake. Layer thickness 250-300 mm. You can move around expanded clay without restrictions.

Tip: when filling expanded clay, it is better to combine granules of different sizes (diameters). This way you can avoid the appearance of voids.

At the end, a subfloor is mounted or poured with a sand-cement screed.

Please note that the insulation of the attic wooden floor has some nuances:

the tree is subject to decay, which means that the steam rising up must pass freely. Improper installation of films or the use of non-breathable materials, such as roofing felt, will lead to the destruction of wood in the future.

using foil insulation, you need to place it with the foil down. So the wood will be protected from water ingress and at the same time, it will not accumulate steam moisture.

"Correct" - use a superdiffusion membrane or vapor barrier film

"Wrong" - to lay a special film without taking into account the marking or in general a regular film

The scheme of insulation of the attic floor for heaters of various types is given below.

Conclusion

In this article, we dwelled on the main stages and features of warming the attic floors of a private house using various types of heaters. We hope that this information will be useful to you.

Attic insulation is an important part of the overall thermal insulation of the house.

The insulation of any structure must be approached comprehensively. So say all the experts.

After all, it is impossible to maintain the temperature regime in the house, regardless of its structural material, at the proper level, by insulating only the walls in it.

Therefore, both the floor and the ceiling are subject to thermal insulation, especially the attic. Question: "How to insulate the attic?" is very acute when it comes to a wooden, private building.

Everyone knows the law of physics, according to which warm air has a lower specific gravity, therefore it always rises, while cold air remains at the bottom. The same thing happens in the rooms of the room. Warm air rises to their ceiling, cold air is closer to the floor. If the thermal insulation of the ceiling or attic is not carried out, then warm air freely penetrates through the structural material of the ceiling and gives it part of its energy. In a word, if the ceiling and attic of the house are not insulated, then about 30% of all heat losses of the building pass through it.

Features of warming the attic of a wooden house

It is necessary to insulate the attic in a Jewish house in order to avoid heat leakage.

To properly insulate the attic in a wooden structure, you need to remember a few rules:

warm air always has water impurities in its composition, that is, warm air in a room is always saturated with domestic steam. A tree, being constantly in an atmosphere of high humidity, may lose its technical characteristics or simply rot. Therefore, when carrying out thermal insulation of this design, it is necessary to remember about the waterproofing layer;
the tree is able to pass air through itself, that is, it “breathes”. Air and steam in it can be on the surface and in the thickness of the insulation material, even if it is located outside the structure, therefore an additional layer of waterproofing material is also needed here;
wood, in comparison with other structural materials of buildings (brick, metal-concrete structures), has a lower bearing capacity, therefore, the insulation material for a wooden house should not exert additional load on the ceiling;
the heat-insulating material must have fire-fighting characteristics to prevent the spread of fire in a wooden building.

mineral wool, glass wool

Mineral wool, glass wool - materials are environmentally friendly products, fire resistant, lightweight, easy to install. However, it is distinguished by high rates of vapor permeability and water absorption, therefore they require the presence of waterproofing or a vapor barrier.

polyurethane foam

Attic insulation technology with polyurethane foam.

Polyurethane foam - obtained from gas-filled plastics, sold in the form of pressurized cylinders, applied by conventional spraying to the desired surface. Advantage - it forms a seamless coating that prevents the formation of cold bridges, it has a high degree of adhesion to a wooden surface, therefore it does not require additional fasteners. It is lightweight, therefore it does not exert additional pressure on the ceiling, it has high rates of heat and sound insulation, and does not absorb moisture.

Polyurethane foam does not rot, endures the action of an aggressive environment, microorganisms do not develop on its surface. It is characterized by strength and rigidity, it does not absorb water and does not pass steam through itself. The disadvantage is the high price compared to similar products.

Styrofoam

Expanded polystyrene - it is mistakenly called polystyrene foam. Expanded polystyrene, unlike polystyrene, undergoes several additional processing steps, therefore it is characterized by increased strength. Properly organized on the basis of its insulation layer in the attic of a wooden house is vapor-tight. Expanded polystyrene is moisture resistant, but does not tolerate the action of organic solvents. It promotes the spread of fire.

How to properly insulate the attic - execution technique

If the attic of a wooden house is not planned to be converted into a living room, it is enough just to insulate the floor. Stages of the warming process:

You can properly insulate the attic of a private house with your own hands.

clean the surface of debris and rot, treat the floor with an antiseptic, if there are gaps, they must be additionally caulked;
the attic is covered with a waterproofing film, but it must let steam through, otherwise the ceiling will rot;
logs are erected, to which the floor finish will subsequently be attached, and the thermal insulation should be laid in even layers without gaps;
waterproofing layer, but it should no longer let steam through;
if the attic will later serve as a living space, the insulation is additionally covered with expanded clay, followed by its viscous;
finishing.

How to properly insulate the pitched roof of a wooden house

first, the entire surface is covered with a waterproofing film. It is overlapped so that joints do not form with construction tape;
Next, the heater is laid. Mineral wool performs well in its quality, but only in the form of mats. It keeps its shape perfectly and does not sag when in an upright position. Mineral wool is laid between the rafters and fixed by means of a slatted crate or mesh made of nylon cord;
the vapor barrier layer will not allow steam in the air to penetrate into the thickness of the insulation, thereby reducing its technical characteristics, but at the same time allowing the thermal insulation to “breathe”. The vapor barrier is attached to the rafters over the insulation and fixed with construction tape;
finishing - fiberboard or chipboard, you can use drywall.

When providing insulation for a private house, one should not forget that special attention should be paid to such a place as the attic.

Warm air tends to rise to the top, and therefore, in a temporarily unheated room, heat can escape through the space of a cold attic. Therefore, the issue of attic insulation must be addressed without delay.

1 Why is attic floor insulation necessary?

Insulation of the cold floor of the attic with stone or mineral wool, by and large, is necessary in little used premises, which are properly equipped with special roof ventilation.

The attic, or rather its ceilings, perform the function of a kind of boundary between heat and cold. In such places, attic floors are exposed to intense moisture due to the formation of condensate.

However, it is possible to properly insulate the floors in the attic of the house with mineral wool with your own hands. The very process of insulating the floor in the attic with mineral wool is the creation of a durable thermal insulation coating, which will have a low degree of thermal conductivity.

The very technology of insulating the floor with mineral wool in the attic, as well as implies strict adherence to its stages and requirements.

By itself, this technology is quite simple and understandable. Good thermal insulation of the attic floor with mineral wool helps to close unwanted gaps.

To do this, the insulation must be laid tightly. In most cases, mineral wool is used to insulate the attic of a house.

The presented insulation is the most suitable for this type of work, it can also be used to insulate the floor surface in the living quarters of the house.

With the organization of good insulation with mineral wool, the most optimal temperature will be maintained in the living quarters.

If the procedure is not performed correctly, then moisture rising from the floor of the house will lead to the formation of condensate.

It will accumulate on the ceiling, and then seep through the floors. The resulting temperature difference in those areas where attic floors adjoin the walls of the house initiates the formation of mold and microscopic fungi, which can be the causative agents of allergic diseases.

1.1 Attic insulation requirements

The process of insulating the attic floor and, more precisely, the level of its quality has a direct impact not only on the size of heat loss, but also on the duration of the operational life of the entire truss structure and roofing.

The fact is that the water vapor inside the heated room diffuses to the attic of the house. In order for the applied insulation to provide a high degree of calculated efficiency of the heat-insulating layer, it must always be dry.

Based on this, the insulation must be protected from excessive moisture by vapors of ascending heated air using a special vapor-tight material.

If the attic is well insulated, then it will not only provide high-quality thermal insulation, but will also help to increase the operational life of the entire roof structure.

If there is no vapor barrier, then steam will penetrate through the unprotected floors of the attic and condense on the surfaces of the floor.

This will lead to the fact that moisture will drain onto the rafters, which, under its influence, will slowly begin to rot from the inside.

As a result, the probability of destruction of the entire roofing pie increases. The thermal insulation performance of the structure is also reduced due to the fact that the tightness of the vapor barrier layer has been broken.

Before you insulate the attic, you need to drain the layer and remove moisture from the entire attic space. To do this, ventilation should be done through windows. They can be:

Skating like;
eaves;
slotted;
Auditory.

In order to ensure maximum ventilation intensity, the indicator of the total area of all ventilation openings should be equal to 0.2-0.5% of attic floors.

If all the work is carried out correctly, then in the winter, icicles will not form on the roof. The very process of warming the attic space is carried out not from the living quarters, but from the floor of the attic.

So it is most convenient to lay insulation, the choice of which depends on the technology used and the design features of the structure.

1.2 Features of insulation of beam ceilings

When implementing such an insulation scheme using mineral wool, heat is stored in the space between the beams. Their usual height is almost always enough for this, however, if necessary, several bars are stuffed on top.

The lower part of the overlap is sewn up with the help of molded material as with. For this, lining or drywall sheets can be used.

On top of the beams, a subfloor covering is laid. It can be a tongue-and-groove board, plywood sheet or OSB board. Mineral wool is adjusted to a special vapor barrier prepared in advance.

An alternative to it can serve as an ordinary film made using polyethylene. If the vapor barrier material is foiled, then it is laid with a shiny surface down.

The intermediate distance between the beams is filled with mineral wool with the desired thickness parameters. The surface of the beams must be equipped with an additional insulating layer.

This will block the so-called cold bridges and significantly reduce the overall level of heat loss. If a high quality beam was used to create the beams, then the finishing material will spread directly onto their surface.

Mineral wool is placed between them as with, and the attic floor is laid on top. The use of this technology is especially important in houses that are made of logs or beams.

It is important to protect the mineral wool with a high degree of reliability from the ingress of the smallest drops of moisture, this is especially true if the roof has minor coating defects, due to which leaks occur.

The layer of mineral wool must be reliably protected from the effects of wind from the side of the eaves. For this, mineral wool slabs with a high degree of density are used.

2 Why is mineral wool used for attic insulation?

In most cases, when insulating attic floors, the choice of the consumer falls on mineral wool. Its advantage lies in the fact that its installation does not require special skills.

Mineral wool has excellent thermal insulation properties. Its structure consists of thin vitreous fibers, the length of which ranges from 2 to 60 millimeters.

High soundproofing characteristics are provided due to the presence of a large number of air pores.

These pores are located in the space between the fibers and can occupy 95% of the total volume of the insulation. Mineral wool is presented in three varieties, it can be basalt glass and stone.

Basalt wool is made using molten basalt rocks, to which binders are added.

This may be a carbonate-type rock, which regulates the level of acidity of the substance, which entails an increase in the service life of the insulation. Glass wool exhibits high heat-resistant properties and is able to withstand temperatures up to +450 degrees Celsius.

2.1 Technology of insulation of attic floors with mineral wool

During work related to mineral wool, it is important to comply with all safety requirements and regulations.

This is due to the fact that in the process of cutting and laying such material, the air is filled with tiny particles that can enter the respiratory organs and thus cause harm to human health.

When carrying out installation, be sure to take care of the availability of personal protective equipment. Goggles, a respirator and thick rubber gloves should be available.

The process of warming attic floors begins with the selection of the necessary tools and additional materials. Can't do without:

insulation

Boards and plywood;
vapor barrier film;
Mineral wool (excellent);
Waterproofing;
adhesive tape;
Roulettes;
Knife;
Construction stapler;
spatula.

The essence of the insulation technology lies in the fact that the insulation must be carefully laid in the space between attic floors or beams.

To enhance the thermal insulation qualities, reliable vapor barrier should be used. Warm and moisture-saturated air will continuously rise from the living rooms and go up through the ceiling.

There, in the roof space, he will collide with a layer of insulation. Due to the fact that mineral wool is generally recognized as a vapor-tight material, it will take all the outgoing moisture into itself.

If it is left without the necessary access of air and sunlight, it will gradually shrink and, in the end, will lose all its heat-insulating qualities.

In order to avoid such destructive consequences, it is necessary to lay a vapor barrier material under a layer of mineral wool.

Before starting the main work, it will be necessary to carefully calculate the required amount of insulation.

The amount of wool purchased depends on how many layers you plan to use when covering the attic. In addition, the thermal insulation thickness parameter directly depends on the climatic conditions in the region.

2.2 Proper insulation of the attic floor (video)

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