Warming the foundation of a house without a basement - is it necessary? Insulation of the foundation of a house without a basement Materials for base insulation

Have you imagined how in the summer heat you run away to the basement, where there is a pleasant coolness?

Or maybe you dreamed in your dreams about how on a cold winter evening you go down to the basement of your house, and there jars with delicious canned mushrooms, cucumbers, tomatoes and other pickles are neatly placed on the shelves?

Who knows, maybe you have long dreamed of going down the chic stairs to your own wine cellar? Or maybe on the ground floor there will be a sauna with a swimming pool and a billiard table?

As they say, dreaming is not harmful. However, in order for your dreams to take real shape, you need to clearly calculate how much money it will cost you to build a house with a basement floor. Is the game worth the candle, or can you do fine without a basement, being content with a pantry?

To do this, let's consider how expedient it is to build a house with a basement. After all, each of the developers will give you a lot of arguments “for” and “against” in favor of building a cottage with or without a basement.

On the one hand, the basement will never be superfluous, because thanks to this, you can save the useful living space of the house by moving all the technical premises there. Plus, the possibilities of the house project itself are expanding.

On the other hand, the construction of a basement will increase the total estimate for the construction of a cottage from 15% to 30%. Agree, this is a pretty decent amount of money.

Advantages and disadvantages of a house with a basement

The possibility or impossibility of building a basement floor is influenced by a number of hydrogeological factors, among which the type of soil and the level of groundwater occurrence play a priority role.

• Soil type

The development of the foundation in the case of a site with rocky soils is hampered by the mandatory involvement of special equipment. Thus, earthworks will cost the future owner of the house a good "penny".

• Groundwater level

When building a basement, in the case when the groundwater level is higher than the depth of the foundation, impressive additional costs also arise. After all, the future owner of the house will have to spend a lot of money on the purchase of reliable waterproofing.

If we consider the situation of building a house without a basement on a similar land plot, then a horizontal waterproofing device at the level of the basement of the foundation will be sufficient.

House with a basement: the main advantages

Additional area + comfortable seating area. In the basement, you can place a laundry room, pantry and boiler room, storage for work equipment and other tools. This frees up usable living space on the ground floor. If the relief of the site allows, the basement floor can be equipped as a garage.

The basement floor can also be made cozy, closed from prying eyes, a recreation area where a gym, a billiard room or a sauna and a wine cellar will be located.

Underfloor heating + seismic resistance. Of course, in a cottage with a basement on the ground floor there will always be a dry and warm floor. In addition, a one-story house with a basement is more earthquake-resistant than a traditional two-story cottage.

House with a basement: the high cost of construction as the main disadvantage

The device of high-quality waterproofing, ventilation, excavation with the involvement of special equipment - all these are significant items of expenditure in the construction of a house with a basement floor. Therefore, in some cases, it is the high cost of the project that becomes the main reason for refusing to build a basement.

Ventilation device. If there is stale air in the basement, and the walls are covered with condensation (or worse, mold), it will be unusable. After all, this can lead not only to damage to supplies, but also to premature wear of the structural elements of the building and foundation. Therefore, a competent ventilation device in the basement should be considered at the design stage of the house.

In the case of shallow groundwater, and also if, for example, a boiler room or workshop is located in the basement, special attention should be paid to the ventilation device (including forced ventilation). Since in the premises, even if they are heated, there will be increased humidity.

Another point worth mentioning is that in order to create a comfortable microclimate, constant heating of the premises located on the basement floor should be carried out. This also affects the increase in costs during the further operation of the house.

Devicewaterproofing. The probability of flooding the basement with groundwater or rainwater is one of the most unpleasant. To avoid this unpleasant problem and high humidity, it is necessary to perform waterproofing work on the basement floor even at the stage of building the foundation and basement walls.

Do not forget also that the soil has a higher heat capacity than air, so the installation of a heater will be required on the basement floor.

I want a wine cellar… What do you need for this?

The wine does not like high humidity, ultraviolet light and foreign odors. The ideal temperature for Bacchus' home corner (wine cellar) is no more than 12°C. In order to create the necessary climatic conditions and protect the wine from external influences, it is recommended to install special “climatic” doors in the wine storage.

For shelving, limestone is better than wood, as stone stabilizes temperature fluctuations (when opening doors to a wine cellar) and is not as susceptible to mold.

Rational decision or burying money in the ground?

As you can see, building a house with a basement is a costly business, but in most cases, the owners of such houses receive a number of pleasant advantages.

Architectural studio Pollio has all the necessary resources to carry out complex engineering surveys, geodetic and geological studies of the land. If you are in doubt whether it is possible or not to build a cottage with a basement on your land plot, please contact our specialists for competent help.

In addition, you can use the services of our company in the development of individual and adaptation of standard projects of houses, during the technical audit of a land plot and in order to attract qualified specialists to carry out architectural supervision of construction.

The most common version of the foundation for small private houses, when a non-buried strip foundation is made (there is no basement), and the base of the floor is created directly on the existing soil. This is done where there is no threat of high standing groundwater, and the relief of the site is homogeneous, lying approximately at the same level of the horizon. If the soil is located under a large slope, soil moisture during the year is excessive, it makes sense to make the base of the floor of the first floor of the house at a distance from the ground, leaving a ventilated space between them. Features of the device of both floor options in private homes will be considered in this article.

Features of the foundation device

The advantage of floors that rest directly on the underlying soil layers is that they do not carry an additional load on the foundation of a private house. The floors of the first floor, which do not come into contact with the soil, provide for the device of a kind of floor slab, which is based on the foundation. Therefore, the second option requires taking these features into account when designing and calculating the required width of the base sole.

If the base of the floor of the first floor is a reinforced concrete slab, be sure to take care of the waterproofing of the foundation itself and the place of its contact with the overlapping structure, especially if this option is chosen due to the high soil moisture. A slab that is not insulated with a hydrobarrier will pull moisture from the foundation, which will lead to its premature destruction and loss of strength, as well as the penetration of dampness into the house. In addition, care should be taken to ventilate the space between the ceiling and the soil, thereby reducing the level of humidity here.

The device of the floor of the first floor on the ground

This method of arranging floors in a private house where there is no basement is considered the simplest in terms of execution and inexpensive in terms of material costs. There are two main options that apply in this case:

• installation of a concrete floor base (screed);
• installation of wooden floors on logs.

Each of the presented options has its own characteristics, both in terms of the complex of necessary works, and in terms of the final result. The choice often depends on what building material is the main one in the construction of the house itself. If the walls are made of logs or timber, a wooden floor will be more organic. In a stone or brick building, a screed is better. But this is not an absolute pattern, so there may be other combinations.

Concrete insulated screed

The base of concrete, which is poured on the ground, has long been used in all kinds of utility and technical buildings, such as garages, sheds, warehouses. On the first floors of private houses without a basement, concrete screeds have been used relatively recently as the basis for finishing flooring. Several factors influenced the popularization of this method, such as:

• the need to create smooth horizontal surfaces, which require some types of modern flooring;
• the emergence of affordable materials for effective thermal insulation;
• arrangement of systems of water heat-insulated floors for heating.

Now let's take a step-by-step look at how to properly create a concrete screed on the ground on the ground floor of private houses.

Preparation and rough filling

Preparatory work begins with tamping the soil and adding a pillow for a rough screed. The soil can be compacted both manually, using a simple device in the form of a piece of log with an attached double-sided handle, and mechanical devices that exist for this purpose. In order for the ramming process to be most effective, the soil surface is abundantly wetted with water.

The initial layer of backfill is selected based on its total thickness. If the distance from the soil to the level of the intended floor is significant (more than 25-30 cm), the most accessible material is used first. It can be construction debris or clay.

Further, the pillow is formed by a layer of large gravel, the thickness of which should be about 10 cm. The gravel creates a rigid base, roughly levels the surface and prevents a possible capillary rise of moisture from the underlying layers. On top of the gravel, a sandy (or small gravel) pillow is formed about 5-7 cm thick. The quality of the sand does not play a role here, so a clay-saturated quarry option is quite suitable. The sand cushion is leveled as much as possible, after which a durable plastic film is laid. The latter performs two functions:

• the first layer of waterproofing;
• an obstacle to the water contained in the concrete.

The film is laid continuously with a wall approach of up to 15 cm. Now you can pour a rough layer of concrete. For these purposes, a lean mortar is usually prepared, where the ratio of fillers (sand and gravel) and cement is approximately 9:1. Here, instead of crushed stone, if possible, you can use expanded clay. A pillow made of expanded clay concrete will provide additional insulation for the base of the floor. The rough screed is formed with a layer of about 10 cm. Despite the fact that the initial filling does not have to have an ideal surface, it is desirable to level it more carefully. This will facilitate further waterproofing and laying insulation.

Important! For the preparation of concrete, any sand is not suitable. There is a lot of clay in the quarry material, which will drastically reduce the strength of the concrete slab and lead to its cracking. For these purposes, river sand or washed sand is needed, including for the preparation of expanded clay concrete composition.

The draft layer is usually not reinforced, since the load on it is small. After pouring, a break in work is necessary to allow the concrete to gain strength. Although the material completely crystallizes within 26-28 days, it is sufficient to wait a week. During this time, concrete with sufficient moisture gains about 70% strength. During this period, it is necessary to monitor the proper moistening of the concrete surface, especially if the work is carried out during the hot season. To do this, abundantly moisten the ripening concrete 1-2 times a day.

How to make waterproofing and insulate the floor?

For the main waterproofing layer, it is better to use not a polyethylene sheet, but a full-fledged, reliable material. Here it will be enough to process the rough concrete base with bitumen, followed by laying the rolled material. Suitable roofing material or hydrostekloizol. The rolls are rolled out with an overlap of adjacent strips by 10-15 cm. Hot gluing in this case can not be used, but it is necessary to process the joints with bituminous material. The rolled material is laid on the surface of the wall above the level of the intended finishing screed.

You can insulate the floor with dense foam (it is cheaper), or extruded polystyrene foam. The second one is preferable for these purposes, as it is much stronger, absolutely hydrophobic, and its plates usually have tongue/groove-type docking elements at the edges, which greatly simplifies its installation. The seams between the sheets of insulation can be filled with polyurethane foam or treated with special glue. Foam also needs to go through the gaps around the perimeter of the room between the wall and polystyrene foam.

Finishing fill

For these purposes, a solution is prepared with a normal ratio of 4:2:1, or 3:3:1, where, respectively, gravel, sand, cement. Before finishing pouring concrete, it is necessary to lay a mesh for reinforcement and install beacons, thanks to which it will be possible to achieve a strictly horizontal surface.

Reinforcing mesh can be used metal with a cell of 100 mm, or rigid plastic. The reinforcing elements are overlapped (1-2 cells), not reaching the wall about 1.5 cm. Here, a damper tape is glued around the perimeter, which is designed to compensate for temperature changes in the linear dimensions of the screed. The mesh should not lie on the insulation, but should be located approximately in the center of the concrete layer. To do this, use special stands or improvised means (bottle caps, brick fragments, etc.).

After the installation of the final floor base and its careful leveling (grinding or self-leveling solutions), it remains to wait for its full maturation and proceed with laying the final floor covering.

Wooden floor installation

Despite the wide variety of modern floor coverings, wooden floors have a lot of adherents among consumers. This can be understood given that wood is the most environmentally friendly material that can create a favorable microclimate in a residential area. Moreover, a modern board that is used for flooring allows you to make an ideal surface without cracks, which in appearance is in no way inferior to parquet.

The classic way of laying a floor board involves the presence of a log, - wooden beams, which are arranged in parallel with a certain step, which depends on the thickness of the floor wooden layer. On the ground floor of a private house, when the floors are laid on the underlying soil, preparatory and intermediate work until the creation of a rough foundation and its waterproofing is no different from that described above. That is, for the device of a high-quality wooden floor, a reliable leveled concrete base is also required.

After installing the bearing bars, the floor should be insulated. The use of expanded polystyrenes is undesirable here, since these materials do not allow steam to pass through, which can cause water condensate to form, which will adversely affect the wood. In addition, foam, for example, can be chosen by rodents, which will entail some discomfort.

For a wooden floor on the logs of the first floor of a private house, it is better to use mineral wool, or rather one of its varieties. However, when laying mineral wool, you should take care of the moisture insulation of the insulation. If the hydrobarrier has already been created from below (on top of the rough screed), then it remains only to arrange the top layer of the hydrobarrier film.

Many of the regular readers of our insulation portal often ask the question: Do I need to insulate the foundation of a residential building without a basement? If the structure has a basement, then there are no questions - we isolate it in any case. We all understand that the absence of a basement means that the building stands on a concrete foundation, which is recessed into the ground to a certain depth. To find out the details, we turned for help to the leading engineer, an expert in the field of control and accounting of heat consumption - Leonid Zverev.

Editor:

Hello Leonid! Please clarify the situation, is it worth insulating the foundation of a house without a basement? To what extent will the dwelling lose heat through the concrete base, at what stage should this be done, what insulating materials should be used for this? Our readers are very interested the effectiveness of the choice of such insulation and, of course, the level of heat conservation when insulating the basement.

Leonid Zverev:

Good afternoon. Well, for starters, let's figure out why the basement is missing? Modern building systems of modular or frame houses do not initially provide for a basement. From the side of heat engineering, such a room, significantly deepened into the ground, is not required in the current living conditions.

We return to the main question: there is a house, it stands on a foundation, why insulate it? In this case the concrete base is in contact with the walls which are insulated and maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. Concrete absorbs moisture in large quantities. This does not harm the material itself, it does not collapse from this and retains its original strength. However internally, the amount of heat from the walls and floor begins to be transferred to the base, so to speak, trying to heat it up. As a result, we get a problem: through the adjoining of the floor and walls to the concrete base, a significant amount of heat begins to leave, which is so carefully accumulated inside the room in various ways.

The most effective type of insulation is extruded polystyrene 5-15 cm thick. installed outside the foundation. Such plates are quite simple and quick to install, do not require special skills or professional tools. The joints between the plates, as well as the irregularities of the foundation base, are filled with liquid foam in the required amount.

If the housing construction is located on a flat area and there may be cases of accumulation of moisture under the base of the building, it is also necessary to take care of waterproofing. The hydrobarrier can be of several types: in the form of a rolled film coating, water-based cement materials, roofing felt or resin applied directly to the insulated surface.

Currently, the building materials market has a huge selection heat-insulating liquid coatings, the so-called ceramic-based paints. Such materials simultaneously act as a heat insulator and prevent the penetration of moisture into the basement.

In conclusion, I will say the following - the insulated foundation is not afraid of freezing during frosts, the floor covering will retain heat more efficiently, and the lower part of the wall will never be moldy.

More recently, in the 80s of the last century, utility bills accounted for only 3-4% of the total family income. Today, the share of a communal apartment on average already reaches 10-15% of family income, and payment for heating - 30% of this amount. Not surprisingly, most Russian citizens prefer to keep a close eye on spending, and especially on heat leaks in homes. It has been established that the basement and foundation account for about 20% of heat loss, so the insulation of the basement of the house is just as important and necessary as the thermal insulation of the walls. Properly performed insulation will not only save expensive heat, but also avoid moisture condensation on the walls of the basement, the formation and development of mold, and also protect the structure from freezing.

No. 1. Basement insulation: outside or inside?

The basement is called one of the most vulnerable parts of the house, because it bears not only a large load in the form of the weight of all walls and ceilings, but also often high humidity. The socle is called the continuation of the foundation, which rises above ground level and passes into the outer walls of the house. Simply put, it is a connecting element of the foundation and walls of the building, starting from the floor level of the first floor. It protects the house from the penetration of moisture and cold, and also plays a decorative role, since a house without a base looks somehow squat.

Theoretically, it is possible to insulate the basement of the foundation both from the inside and outside, but the efficiency will be very different. If carried out internal insulation, then to a certain extent it will be possible to achieve insulation of the room from low temperatures, but condensate will accumulate between the wall and the insulation, from which the basement will suffer. In addition, the latter will not be protected from the harmful effects of cold. The result will not be long in coming - the appearance of microcracks from freezing, their expansion, constant wetting, and later deformation and crumbling, and a decrease in strength characteristics.

External insulation allows you to protect both the room and the basement material from the cold, and the dew point shifts towards the insulation, which is much more resistant to moisture and low temperatures than the basement. As a result, we get a warm room and extend the life of the structure. Thermal insulation work is best done at the stage of building a house, but even after its construction, it is possible to perform effective insulation, although it will be a little more difficult to do so.

No. 2. Is it necessary to insulate the basement of the house?

The peculiarity of the domestic mentality is such that you want to save on everything. Hence the popular question: Is it always necessary to insulate the basement of a private house? Thermal insulation may not really be needed in such cases:

• if the house is intended only for summer residence;
• if the house does not have a basement, and the basement is small (0.5 m) and arranged in order to avoid flooding;
• if the house is located in an area where there is no harsh winter.

In all these cases, you can get by with insulated floors. If the climate in the region is harsh, the house is used for permanent residence, and it is supposed to store food in the basement, equip a garage, boiler room or other utility rooms, then you cannot do without insulation.

No. 3. Basement insulation materials

In the recent past, a mixture of clay and straw was used to insulate the basement of the foundation. Over the past few decades, many new, more advanced and convenient ways to perform thermal insulation have appeared. A series of requirements:

In addition, the insulation must be durable, vapor-permeable, resistant to mold and rodents.

Today, the following materials are used for insulation:

• heat-insulating boards (foam plastic, extruded polystyrene foam, mineral wool);
• polyurethane foam, which is applied by spraying;
• expanded clay - the most popular option for bulk thermal insulation;
• warm plaster;
• thermal panels;
• priming.

No. 4. Basement insulation with extruded polystyrene foam

Extruded polystyrene foam - the most popular material for warming the basement of the foundation. Often it is also called penoplex by the name of the company that produces the material under the trademark of the same name. The insulation resembles the polystyrene familiar to all of us, but is more rigid and durable, withstands soil pressure well, does not wrinkle or sag.

Advantages:

Moreover, penoplex has soundproofing properties, and thanks to the impregnation with flame retardants, it receives resistance to fire. TO shortcomings include a large number of joints - minus all tile materials. Even the largest sheets of polystyrene foam do not allow you to create a monolithic insulation structure, and the joints will have to be carefully covered or foamed. It is better to take sheets with a lock, thanks to which they fit more tightly, reducing the risk of cold bridges. In regions with a harsh climate, it may be necessary to install foam in two layers, and the plates of the second layer should close the seams between the plates of the first.

In addition, the material, although not as fragile as polystyrene, can withstand decent loads, but crumbles when cut. Installation is simple, but requires accuracy and care, takes a lot of time. It is better to practice this summer, in warm, dry weather.

A more affordable analogue of the material is polystyrene foam, which is not obtained by extrusion. It holds heat well, but has a lot of disadvantages. Firstly, it is fragility, therefore, to protect the material from soil pressure, a wall is built half a brick thick. Secondly, it is damaged by rodents. Moreover, the material is able to absorb moisture, so you can’t do without high-quality roll or bitumen-polymer waterproofing, and the need to carry out all these works negates all the benefits of buying polystyrene foam, so the material is less and less used to insulate walls and plinth.

No. 5. Foamed polyurethane foam for basement insulation

Foamed polyurethane foam can be safely called an ideal insulation in terms of performance. The application of the material is carried out by special installations in which polyol and isocyanate are mixed under pressure, which leads to the synthesis of the polymer and the formation of carbon dioxide. The latter creates bubbles isolated from each other. Spraying is carried out in a thin layer on a pre-prepared base.

Advantages:

• high thermal insulation properties, which are provided, in particular, due to carbon dioxide bubbles, because its thermal conductivity coefficient is lower than that of air;
• resistance to mold and mildew;
• solidity of the insulation layer, filling all cracks and defects, no seams;
• strength, rigidity, elasticity and lightness of the material;
• high degree of maintainability. In which case, the damaged area can be repaired with a new portion of the polymer;
• high speed of work - the thermal insulation of the basement is carried out within one day.

Among shortcomings the high price of the material and the impossibility of independent work - you need special equipment, reagents and the ability to handle them. In addition, the insulation is afraid of sunlight, so it is better to try to finish the facade as soon as possible.

No. 6. Mineral wool for basement insulation

Mineral wool is understood as a number of materials, but for the insulation of the basement of the foundation usually basalt wool is used. Rocks are used as raw materials, which are melted and pulled into thin threads, from which they create a heater. It is produced in rolls and slabs, and both can be used: rolls allow you to get a minimum number of seams, and slabs are characterized by increased strength.

Advantages:

• low coefficient of thermal conductivity, achieved due to the fibrous structure;
• soundproofing;
• fire resistance, as it is based on minerals;
• high rates of vapor permeability;
• strength and resistance to mechanical damage;
• mold resistance;
• high durability;
• easy installation.

Manufacturers say that mineral wool passes water well and does not absorb it, but this is still not entirely true. The material has the property accumulate moisture, which significantly reduces its thermal insulation properties, so they began to add special water-repellent substances to it. But even this does not exempt from the need to arrange powerful waterproofing, and this is tedious, time-consuming and expensive, so mineral wool is used very infrequently for basement insulation - but it is perfect for walls and balconies.

No. 7. Expanded clay insulation

Expanded clay is a lightweight material that looks like fairly large granules. It is produced from fusible clays in drum machines, in which swelling and hardening take place. It turns out an environmentally friendly and completely safe material, which is called one of the most budgetary heaters. It is usually used for thermal insulation of the basement of the foundation in houses that are not used for year-round use.

Advantages:

The porous structure leads to the ability to absorb moisture, which is just not recommended for the base. However, if you try and perform thermal insulation according to science, then the influence of this property can be negated. Expanded clay insulation requires mandatory arrangement drainage: a ditch is dug deeper than the foundation, geotextiles are laid on one, crushed stone is poured and a pipe is mounted with holes to remove moisture. Crushed stone is poured on top, geotextiles are laid again and covered with sand. After preparatory work, a wooden formwork is installed to the depth of the basement at a distance of about 1 m, roofing material is laid so that it covers both the walls of the house and the wall of the trench, the seams are glued. Expanded clay is poured into a heterogeneous fraction, as it falls asleep, it is rammed. After the formwork is completely filled with expanded clay, it is closed with a lid at an inclination of at least 45 degrees - this is done to protect the base from the accumulation of precipitation.

No. 8. Insulation with thermal panels

Thermopanels are a German invention based on - rigid polyurethane foam with properties already familiar to us, on top of which decorative overlays are mounted that imitate any kind of noble material: stone, brick, tile, etc. It turns out the most natural sandwich panel, which greatly simplifies installation and copes with several functions at once.

Advantages:

• good thermal insulation and moisture resistance;
• excellent appearance;
• mold and rodent resistance.

Modern and seemingly perfect material has some drawbacks, and it's not just the high price. Firstly, special care and pedantry is required during installation: the panels should be well fixed with strong glue, some also use dowels to guarantee. Secondly, thermal panels can only be mounted on a perfectly flat plinth, otherwise a crate will be required. But all these difficulties are more than offset by excellent energy efficiency.

No. 9. Insulation with warm plaster

Warm plaster is called dry adhesive mixtures, which have little in common with a decorative counterpart. The composition of the heat insulator may include sawdust, vermiculite or expanded polystyrene.

Advantages:

• solidity of thermal insulation;
• ease of installation, because you can start applying warm plaster immediately after the preliminary primer layer dries. If you plan to apply thermal insulation in one layer, you can even do without a reinforcing mesh;
• relatively small price.

disadvantages a lot:

No. 10. Socle insulation with soil

Earth or sand can also be used as heat insulators, but this is an option when there is very little money, or you need to arrange temporary insulation with minimal investment. The essence of the method is simple: the plinth is covered with a thick layer of soil, which forms a shaft up to the floor of the first floor. In a similar way, good results can be achieved, but still the thermal conductivity of the earth is far from ideal, so the basement will still let the cold through, albeit in a smaller amount. Other disadvantages include the need for a large amount of soil, the involvement of strangers, since one cannot cope with such physically difficult work alone. Moreover, if it is planned to make the basement residential, then it will not be possible to complete the windows, and the ventilation ducts will have to be brought out above the earthen rampart.

The best options for insulation, of course, are extruded polystyrene foam and foamed polyurethane foam, but, as you can see, under certain circumstances, other heat-insulating materials have the right to use.

The construction of any building is always carried out according to the recommendations of SNiP and TSN, all work is done in strict compliance with the rules and instructions of GOST. But on the question of whether it is necessary to insulate the foundation of a house without a basement, there is no clear regulation.

Here one must be guided by common sense, because even if the building is not equipped with a basement, the base of the reinforced concrete structure is a powerful cold bridge, which will lead to significant heating costs and significant work to strengthen the frost heave.

Thermal insulation of the basement is carried out without fail, both horizontally and vertically.

When designing and building a strip foundation, especially a shallow one, the norms of SNiP 50-101 are used.

With this version of the foundation, the house is not equipped with an underground, but such a project can be implemented if the following work is done: ring-type drainage is made around the perimeter, the soil under the base is replaced with non-metallic one, and all cracks are backfilled with a sand-gravel mixture.

Such procedures can only partially solve the problem, preventing the soil from filling with moisture. To do this, in building codes, it is separately recommended to insulate the blind area of ​​​​the house with polystyrene foam, laid horizontally with a width of 0.6-1.2 meters, to a depth of about 0.4 m.

At the same time, access to the side surfaces of the strip foundation with a slight depth should be maintained.

Most often, at the stage of digging a foundation pit, its walls are pasted over with extruded polystyrene foam of increased density. This solves several problems:

• Cold bridges are eliminated, which ensures floor insulation in the house and significantly reduces heat loss;
• Provides protection for waterproofing, which can be damaged by swelling from frost;
• The freezing of the concrete base is reduced, especially in cases of damage to the waterproofing layer, when the concrete absorbs moisture from the ground. When frozen, it increases by 9% in the pores of the material, which leads to gaps and cracks in the base of the house.

Insulation work on the foundation can increase its resource during operation by 40%, regardless of the presence of a basement in the house.

Thermal insulation of the basement in the house of permanent residence

The house in which people permanently live is heated, in which case the floors are insulated in several versions, each of which has its own advantages.

Floor on the ground over a layer of thermal insulation

Sheets of extruded polystyrene foam reduce heat loss, the ground under the house can freeze through the basement and foundation, which in themselves will be cold bridges;

Floor on the ground without thermal insulation

In this case, heat loss through the ceiling will be maximum, but the ground under the house does not freeze due to the heat transferred from the house.

Overlapping on beams

Between the finishing and rough layer of floors in a private house, thermal insulation is arranged in any case according to building rules, and ventilation products must be made in the basement. In this case, the soil and the foundation will definitely freeze through with constant frost, standing for several days.

Floor slab

The coldest option when heat loss is maximum. All structures and surfaces below the floor slabs will be cold.

Summing up, we can confidently say that if there are defects or gaps in the external waterproofing, then all concrete structures that are used underground absorb moisture. It freezes and creates cracks and tears inside the material.

If backfilling is done with soil that was removed from the pit during digging, then swelling of parts of the foundation becomes frequent. This is fraught with deformation and destruction of floor screeds. All these problems can be eliminated by high-quality thermal insulation.

Vertical thermal insulation consists in gluing surfaces outside with expanded polystyrene, which gives insulation to the basement and facade of the house. Horizontal - insulates the blind area by 10 cm with polystyrene foam 1.25 meters wide with a depth of 0.5 meters.

Everyone likes to live in a warm and cozy house, but after building a new house, many may face the problem of heat loss through the walls of the house, and especially through the foundation. Few people know what materials and how it is necessary to insulate it in order to avoid heat loss through cold bridges. In this article, we will consider why it is necessary to insulate the foundation, what materials must be used, and how to insulate one or another type of foundation.

Do I need to insulate the foundation of a house without a basement?

There are several reasons why you need to pay attention to the insulation of the foundation. Among them one can note:

• The first and most important reason is weather conditions, because due to constant temperature fluctuations, various forces act on the foundation, which will undoubtedly lead to cracks and subsequent destruction of the foundation.
• The second most important reason is the preservation of heat in the house, and, accordingly, the reduction of costs during the heating season.
• The third reason for the need for insulation is the protection of the interior from the ingress of low temperatures and the protection of communications from moisture and cold.

Even noting 3 important reasons, you can safely answer the question of whether it is necessary to insulate the foundation of the house, especially without a basement? We think you will answer "Yes", so let's figure out what materials can be used and how to insulate one or another type of foundation.

How to insulate the foundation of the house inside and out?

To date, there is a large selection of materials for insulation, but the most popular for the foundation are:

• Mineral or ecowool.
• Styrofoam.
• Polyurethane foam.
• Expanded clay.
• Earth.

It is up to the developer to decide which of the listed materials to use to insulate the foundation, however, the choice of one or another material should also be based on the features of the future home, thermal characteristics and financial capabilities.

Features of external and internal insulation

There are two types of insulation, external and internal. External insulation of the foundation is carried out even before the erection of the floor and walls of the house, that is, at the very beginning of construction. With regards to internal insulation, it is carried out if it is not possible to make an external one, that is, the house has already been fully erected.

In addition, there is also external insulation of the foundation, that is, after the foundation and walls of the house are cocked. The outer layer of thermal insulation allows you to increase the life of the foundation even in the presence of frequent low temperatures.

Insulation of various types of foundation

Since today there are several types of foundations that differ from each other in their designs, the insulation technology will be different for each of them, but its essence will come down to one thing - to protect the entire surface.

As a rule, the insulation of a house or foundation should be carried out evenly along the entire length of the strip base. To do this, you must first prepare the design:

• Along the entire perimeter, it is necessary to dig a trench with a width of about 1 m and a depth that is equal to the depth of the foundation.
• After that, the monolithic structure must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and earth. This is necessary in order to obtain good adhesion between the material and the foundation surface. If necessary, the foundation surface is leveled with a cement screed.
• Before insulating the foundation, you need to take care of waterproofing. To do this, the surface of the foundation is coated with mastic or any other waterproofing material.
• Next, you can start laying the insulation boards. Usually it is laid on special adhesive compositions. To achieve the best protection against cold and moisture, it is recommended to lay the insulation in two layers.

Such procedures must be performed around the entire perimeter of the foundation, trying to avoid gaps between the insulation, as this will lead to the formation of cold bridges. When the foundation is completely insulated, it is backfilled with soil.

How to insulate such a foundation at home? To perform the insulation of a columnar foundation, it is necessary to initially make a pick-up (the so-called basement). Its main function is that it protects the space between the soil and the foundation from moisture and low temperatures.

In order to make a pickup, you must do the following:

• Under the house, it is necessary to dig a small trench, the depth of which will be about 20-40 cm.
• Next, sand or crushed stone of layers of 15-30 cm is poured into it.
• Special bars with grooves are attached to the foundation pillars for further fixing the boards on them. Thin boards are inserted into the grooves of the bars around the entire perimeter.
• At the end, the lower part of the structure is covered with expanded clay.

Having done all these procedures, we can say with confidence that the foundation will be protected from moisture and low temperatures.

Insulation of a slab foundation is probably the most expensive of all types of foundation, but the cost of this will fully pay off. In most cases, the base of the slab foundation is insulated with polyurethane foam. It is applied from a special device to the walls of the basement.

Also, most often they try to insulate the slab foundation even before it is poured, that is, they perform waterproofing from any material (most often roofing material), after which a foam plastic is placed in the pit, on top of which a small screed is made. Next is the reinforcement and pouring of concrete. It is also possible to insulate a slab foundation on top of an already finished slab. It is recommended to do this in residential buildings for floor insulation.

– Insulation of the pile foundation

The pile foundation most often has such a feature as an open space between the foundation and the ground. This indicates too much heat loss, so it is simply necessary to insulate this type of foundation, otherwise the house will be cold and damp.

Styrofoam is used as a heater for the pile foundation, and the insulation technology is carried out in several stages:

• Foundation grillage waterproofing.
• Insulation lining.
• Finishing work.

Insulation of the foundation from the inside

Most often, developers have a question, is there a need to insulate the foundation from the inside, is it already insulated from the outside? There is no specific answer to this question, it all depends on the desire, however, for greater heat savings in the house, it is recommended to perform double-sided insulation.

In addition, the question may arise, is it possible to do with only internal insulation? Of course, you can get by, but it should be remembered that internal insulation does not protect the foundation itself from negative weather conditions, and after a while the foundation may begin to crack and collapse.

Styrofoam, polystyrene foam can be used as an internal insulation, however, the most optimal option is polyurethane foam, which is applied to the walls of the foundation by spraying. Polyurethane foam forms a uniform, monolithic layer of insulation, it lasts a very long time. Its cost is high, so most often developers prefer ordinary foam. Do not forget that before any type of thermal insulation, it is necessary to perform waterproofing with any material (mastic, roll materials, etc.).

In conclusion, it must be said that the insulation of the foundation of the house is an important point, especially if the built house will be inhabited all year round. This will significantly save money on space heating, and protect the foundation from the effects of external negative factors.