Thermal insulation of expanded polystyrene foundation

Insulation of basement with polystyrene foam - a popular way to improve the performance of thermal insulation and prevent the freezing of the foundation.Styrofoam - is not nothing but a foam made by more modern technologies.Extruded polystyrene foam has a greater strength compared with the usual foam, as well as more convenient form for mounting plates.

Advantages of thermal insulation using expanded polystyrene:

• high thermal insulation characteristics, resistance to frost;
• low water vapor permeability;
• Styrofoam Plates are easy to install, cut a desired size;
• surface does not require additional training, admitted irregularities;
• low price material.

polystyrene Disadvantages:

• flammable material, so the installation on the ground part of the foundation requires finishing non-combustible materials;
• Styrofoam is often damaged by rodents and requires the installation of reinforcing mesh;
• Expanded polystyrene absorbs moisture, which contributes to its destruction, so the insulation of foundations in the wet ground for additional waterproofing;
• mechanical strength of the material is also low, so the soil back filling, having solids, additional mechanical protection in the form of shields.

technology foundation polystyrene insulation

1. Preparing the foundation.Thermal insulation foam is possible for projects under construction, and for already exploited.The foundation must be fully excavated, cleaned from soil, dust, construction debris, grease and rust.Remains of roll waterproofing and foundation must also be removed.Insulated with polystyrene foam foundation can be both outside and inside, but the most effective is the external insulation, when the foundation itself is included in the thermal insulation zone.
2. Selection of Styrofoam.If you choose to consider two factors - the calculated density and thickness of the insulation layer.Styrofoam plates have a thickness of 30 to 100 mm, with the need to make a thicker layer of insulation attached in two layers.The density of polystyrene for insulation of the foundation should be selected from 35 kg / m3, the flammability class for the underground part of the foundation does not matter, for the cap is better to choose polystyrene with flame retardant additives, or isolate it from the combustible structural parts of the building layer noncombustible mother.
   

   When selecting polystyrene pay attention to the thickness

3. Waterproofing basement.This important step will avoid wetting the foundation of the groundwater in the case of transmission of a layer of insulation.Waterproofing insulation can be carried out by any means, with the exception of waterproofing mastic asphalt on organic solvents - polystyrene in contact with solvents quickly loses its properties and destroyed.Therefore, when the surface waterproofing mastic is better to choose a polymer or water-based.
   

   Waterproofing is an important step which should not prenebrigat

4. Fixing polystyrene to the underground part of the foundation.insulation boards are fixed on the foundation by means of contact adhesive for expanded polystyrene.Glue is applied on the perimeter of the plate, and several bands in its center, it is maintained for 1 minute and pressed firmly to the foundation.Waiting for a few minutes, after which the next plate fastened.Mounting plates to produce better by level, in order to avoid distortions in the joints.If the results of the calculations required layer of insulation thicker than the maximum thickness of the polystyrene standard, the insulation is secured in two layers, one on one.This plate is positioned so that the second row fully overlaps the joints of the first center of the plate.If the stickers are still gaps, their zapenivayut mounting foam.
   

   Apply the adhesive on the polystyrene

5. important stage - Protection of insulation.The disadvantages of polystyrene are its low mechanical strength and the likelihood of damage by rodents.Therefore, to preserve the integrity of the heat-insulating layer to protect it by a reinforcing mesh or wooden boards.The mesh or panels are fixed on the perimeter of the foundation to a height of backfill using dowel-nails.On top of the grid can be plastered with cement mortar foundation with the addition of waterproofing components, which will also help to avoid getting wet insulation and its destruction during freezing.
   

   important step is to protect the insulation layer

6. Drainage.This step is required for buildings that are installed on wet soils with high water table.Drainage is performed around the perimeter of the foundation and output in natural lowland pond or a specially dug pit drainage.Drainage is a perforated tube of any material laid on a prepared bed of crushed stone and sand.Backfilling the foundation produce soft soil or sand, gently, so as not to damage the styrofoam slab.
   

   Drainage around the house an important part

7. Warming cap.Socle of the foundation is also subject to insulation.Prepared and seal the surface of the foundation is ready for installation of insulation boards.Krepjat polystyrene plates for the same glue, gluing the same order.
   

   Insulation of the basement of the basement

8. After the glue has dried, that is a day or two, an additional plate heater is fixed to the base using a special fixture - dowel-nails with a wide hat.Each plate should account for at least 4 attachment points, and to reduce their total number, which can be installed in dowel joints plates.Pre-drilled into the foundation plate and the hole in the depth of a few centimeters longer than the length of dowels, and then gently hammer anchors, should seek a nail.Plastic plugs by broad hats hold great slabs of expanded polystyrene and at the same time do not create thermal bridges.
   

   process styrofoam fixing using dowels to the wall

9. Soil Warming.An effective technique that allows not only to improve thermal performance in a building, but also protects the very foundation of the destruction.The principle of its operation is that the soil around the foundation is isolated from the sub-zero temperatures with the help of insulated blind area, and the border is removed from the freezing of the foundation walls at a distance of insulation.Typically, blind area width is not more than a meter.Warming otmostki penopolistrola produce slabs, laid in the formwork on the prepared bed of sand, after which the blind area reinforced rod and pour concrete.When filling is necessary to make a small slant outward to precipitation does not stagnate on the blind area.
   

   process of warming soil

10. trim cap.Finishing is necessary to protect the insulation from mechanical damage and to give a decorative kind of the foundation plinth.On the plate heater is attached masking reinforcing mesh with an adhesive based on cement, then wait for the glue dries and produce plastering cap.On the plaster can be mounted either facing material or paint the base paint.
    

    Finishing cap

Insulation of expanded polystyrene foundation - not the most effective way for buildings undergoing high mechanical load from the ground.Expanded polystyrene has a strong analogy, for example, polyurethane foam insulation or slabs Penoplex.To perform thermal insulation of building foundations, built on the grounds silnopuchinistyh, safer to use these materials.