The foundation is the foundation of any building, since the quality of the whole house will depend on it. Unfortunately, not a single house will stand idle for a long time without it. Therefore, the issue of foundation construction must be approached with particular seriousness.
But it’s not enough to build the foundation correctly, it still needs to be properly insulated. There are several different types of foundations, but the most famous is columnar. This is due to the fact that such a foundation is built quite simply, while it takes very little time. And the cost of erecting such a foundation is very acceptable even for families with a small budget.
Experts warn that in order to better maintain heat in the cold season, the foundation will need to be insulated.
Choose a method of insulation
Many novice builders are interested in what to start with. The first thing to do in any case is to contact your local exploration service in order to know exactly how freezing the soil is in this area. And after that, you can build the foundation and insulate it. To do this, you need to choose a method of insulation.
There can be two ways to warm the foundation: outside and inside. In order to determine which method of insulation to choose, it is necessary to clarify the quality of insulation materials. After the method of insulation and the material have been selected, you can proceed to the procedure itself. But before that, some more preparatory work will be necessary. If the owner of the future home finds it difficult to complete all the work on their own, then for this it will be possible to contact a special company.
In order to close all gaps in the foundation, it will be necessary to make so-called pickups. They are needed so that precipitation does not fall into the foundation, which can ruin it. If external insulation was chosen, then in this case it will be necessary to find out another important question: is it necessary to waterproof the base?
So, what should be done if the foundation is insulated from the outside? According to most professional builders, this is the preferred method of insulation. It will help protect concrete from exposure to all unfavorable factors that exist in nature, including moisture, and fluctuations in external temperature will be well “damped” with an external heater. In addition, the cold will not be able to get into the house through the foundation under any circumstances.
The internal method of insulation is used much less often. And there is every reason for this, because in this method there are an order of magnitude more negative qualities than positive ones. Of course, he will be quite good at protecting the basement from condensation. In addition, there will be a constant and comfortable microclimate. But concrete will be practically unprotected from the effects of negative environmental factors. A sharp difference in temperature will simply lead to the fact that the foundation quickly cracks and deforms.
Therefore, before choosing a method of warming the foundation, it is necessary to take into account all the advantages and disadvantages of both one and the other method. In addition, it is necessary to take into account other parameters, such as, for example, the properties of the soil and how deep the groundwater lies in this place.
Insulation material
There are several types of materials from which insulation can be made. This foam, and foam, and polyurethane foam, and extruded polystyrene foam.
In order to choose the right insulation, you need to pay attention to some of its characteristics.The most important of them is the coefficient of thermal conductivity. The lower this ratio, the more efficient the material. It is also necessary to pay attention to the density of the insulation. The greater its density, the greater the burden will be placed on the foundation.
An important fact is the combustibility of the material itself. The safety of not only the foundation, but the whole house will depend on it. Experts recommend choosing a heater with the highest combustibility class.
Well and one more parameter on which it is also necessary to pay special attention. It is called the coefficient of moisture absorption. It should be as low as possible, since in this case the owner of the house will have fewer problems with constantly occurring mold.
We warm the foundation with our own hands
Insulating the foundation yourself is not so difficult. The main thing is to know the main aspects. Zabki will protect the house from drafts and possible rainfall. In addition, they will help protect the house from moisture.
After the pillars are installed, you need to dig a deep trench. Its depth should be no less than 20 or even 40 cm. After that, sand and gravel will need to be filled in about a third there. After all this, you will need to fix the beam with pre-prepared grooves. They are needed in order to install boards. Features of their installation can be explained in detail by a specialist.
Polyfoam is the most suitable material for insulation. It must be thoroughly cleaned before this. This is especially true for the side that will be adjacent to the foundation. It is necessary to start warming from below, after getting rid of all cracks and irregularities. Glue should be applied to the sheets, then they will need to be glued to the base, pressing them well. The sheets can be fixed using special dowels. After this, it is necessary to install a reinforcing mesh. Then you need to apply a layer of putty.
Expanded polystyrene is another type of insulation that can be installed without any difficulties. After the waterproofing has been carried out, you can proceed with the installation of insulation.
It is fastened from the bottom up, but the bitumen that is needed must be preheated to 55 degrees. Instead, you can use a special mastic. The slabs are pressed against the heated bitumen, and the insulation is ready.
There are still some ways of warming, but the procedure for them is similar to the above.
