With the current high cost of utilities, many homeowners are considering saving their finances. One of the components of the family budget is the payment of thermal energy. And you can reduce the number in receipts by keeping warm in the house. Helped in this matter, along with other areas, are quality, insulated and airtight front doors.
New products of modern production do not require additional insulation, they are still at the manufacturing stage receive an integrated insulation and reinforcement system. If the door to the apartment has not changed, it is necessary to carry out work on its upholstery with appropriate materials. Consider the issues of insulation of the door leaf.
Understanding the causes of drafts
Many residents try to carry out repair work on their own, thereby saving finances, and to a greater extent receiving moral pleasure from the work done on their own. There is not one way to eliminate the leakage of heat through slots in the jamb, doorway or in the door itself.
And why, in fact, this element of the apartment loses thermal energy? There are a number of reasons for this:
- damage to the insulation inside the old product (caked from the time of the mineral wool or decayed material from excess moisture);
- an increase in the gaps between the frame and the door frame web (improperly installed box, deformation of the web, failure of the hinged hardware);
- gaps and voids around the frame and opening in a concrete slab (poorly blown foam, the product itself does not comply with GOST and has low insulating properties).
What you need to troubleshoot
First of all, all the necessary materials are procured, which are useful when performing work.
Insulation. Today, manufacturers offer a lot of different synthetic fabrics, which, with a small thickness, have high heat-preserving characteristics. They are made on the basis of foam rubber and its derivatives or synthetic winterizer. For greater efficiency, they are glued on one side with a foil reflective film.
Sealant. A special hollow rubber hose that attaches around the perimeter of the quarter in the door frame. It provides product sealing when closing doors. Single or double rib varieties are produced, which are mounted on a self-adhesive base or self-tapping screws.
Upholstery material. Carries out decorative and protective functions. Dermatin or a skin substitute is used that does not allow air and moisture to pass through. The canvas is fixed with special upholstery nails, between which a wire is sometimes wound, creating an additional pattern on the front side.
Tool. To perform the work, you will need such tools: a grinder, a hammer, a construction stapler, an electric screwdriver or a screwdriver, mounting foam, a folding meter or tape measure, a knife or scissors. Before starting work, the condition of the door frame is checked. Also, if the door itself has sunk, it is better to lift it by replacing the awnings or twisting them to new places.
Work order
Sealing of the space between the box and the opening is checked, if necessary, the old destroyed foam is removed. The gap is cleared of debris, and voids are filled again. The ends of the wooden door are processed using a planer: the canvas should go freely into the quarter.
Next, a seal is installed. With small gaps between the frame and the door, a groove is cut into which the seal body is recessed to the desired depth.It is mounted so as to be placed closer to the outside of the door. The clearance gap must be between 2 and 5 mm. If it is smaller, the door will not close; if it is larger, the seal will not bring the expected effect.
Also, to eliminate drafts in the gaps, sealing rollers are used. They are made of the same material as the main door leaf. Dermatin is cut into strips along the length and width of the canvas. And the width of the strip itself is 10 centimeters. First, the strips are attached with the back side outward at the edge of the door. Round rollers of any polystyrene are inserted into this strip, and after upholstery and insulation of the fabric, the formation of the protection of the gaps is completed.
The most important thing is insulation and upholstery of the main canvas. For this purpose foam rubber and dermatin are used, a skin substitute (eco-leather) is chosen a little less often as the top decorative layer. Sheet foam, usually 2-3 cm thick, is cut a little more (5-8 cm). The material shrinks when fastened, and there is no need to closely monitor the location of the sheet so that it does not move out and expose the door leaf. Strengthen it with self-tapping screws or a construction stapler. After completion of work, surpluses from all sides are cut off. Sometimes batting is fixed over the insulation to improve sound and heat insulation.
Dermatine also cuts out larger, 3-4 cm on each side. Upholstery starts from the middle of the door. Then, strongly stretching the material, fix the canvas at the top and bottom. The edge of the upholstery is tucked inward. The entire “sandwich” is nailed around the entire perimeter. Nails are located at the same level and distance (through a gap of 5-6 cm).
The final step is to install the door handle and eyelet, if one is available. The insulation of the front door has two functions: direct protection of the apartment from the outside cold, and decorative - improving the appearance and improving the design.
