A corner in a brick house freezes: video instructions for DIY installation, how to dry a brick building, what to do if the wall is cracked

It often happens that a corner in a brick house freezes and an ice crust or frost forms on it. It runs vertically, horizontally or in all directions. The cause may be construction errors or a normal physical phenomenon. Both options result in the corner part of the house becoming covered in moisture, which freezes when the temperature outside is low. This can happen in a private brick house or in an apartment.

A corner in a house or apartment freezes

What can cause a corner in a house or apartment to freeze?

It is unfortunate, but most often the developer is to blame, or rather the builders who did not take the installation of the corners of the building seriously.
It is worth noting that the corners of the house are so-called geometric bridges of cold, that is, those zones that are characterized by increased thermal conductivity. If the builders poorly sealed the seams or slightly reduced the thickness of the insulation (bypassing all the requirements), laid an insufficient amount of mortar, or decided to save on insulation, then all this will lead to troubles during the operation of the house. It should be taken into account that in places where cold bridges exist, in winter the temperature can easily drop below the so-called dew point (the place where warm air meets cold air). This means that the humidity will be approximately 50%, and in the corner zone the thermometer may well show only +9 degrees. In the room itself, the temperature remains unchanged, which leads to the formation of condensation, and as a result, mold, ice crystals and other “surprises”.

It is also worth considering that freezing problems can arise along the entire length of the wall. If we are talking about the upper vertical angle, then in this case the reasons lie in the fact that the wall is not correctly adjacent to the roofing. In this case, cold bridges are also formed. This is possible if the attic is not insulated or the work was performed poorly. Therefore, to solve the problem, you need to deal with the attic and under-roof space.

Poor quality material may also be the cause. For example, there are too many microcracks and cavities in concrete in which moisture accumulates. Problems can also arise in the fundamental part, because cold bridges can be both horizontal and vertical. If the foundation subsides or is washed away by groundwater, then problems immediately arise with freezing corners and walls. Perhaps the walls of the house were simply built with a warmer climate in mind.

Considering the reasons for the freezing of the corner of a house, there is not much difference in what it is built from. The problems are usually the same. Except that in brick buildings the masonry is often done incorrectly, which leads to similar problems.

Of course, the first thought after a corner freezes is to insulate it here and now, without leaving the house. But don't rush to do it.

The reason is ventilation

First, it is important to check the functionality and quality of ventilation in the rooms. The channels must be clean and free of foreign objects. If the ventilation system is not functioning at all, then none of the fixes will help achieve the best result.

You can simply ventilate the room more often or forcefully remove moisture from the rooms by opening all windows and doors. If improvements are observed, then the problem is in the ventilation; repairing it will help cope with freezing walls.

The reason is insufficient insulation

The first signal of insufficient heating in winter is the formation of condensation on the walls. If you neglect the problem, the surface will begin to become moldy. But how does this moisture appear? From physics, you can recall the concept called “dew point”. It represents the point in the wall where moisture or steam begins to turn into water. The colder the room, the closer the dew point becomes. Moisture begins to form on the wall inside. If such freezing of the walls is observed, then the only solution is to insulate them from the outside.

If you perform insulation from the inside, this will not solve the problem, but will only eliminate the visible signs. However, behind the insulation, the wall will begin to get even more wet, and mold will begin to spread.

Poor sealing

What happens when a wall in an apartment freezes due to poor sealing? How to determine this? It is necessary to check all openings for drafts and cracks: balcony, doors, windows. To do this, it is enough to use your hand (she will feel a slight whiff, if there is one) or matches/lighter, then the flame will burn unevenly, and “dance” or go out altogether. The disadvantage of this method is that for a full check you will need to remove old finishing material (wallpaper, paint, tiles) from the corners. However, if the corners in a brick house freeze, then it will still not be possible to save the old wallpaper.

What to do when you find a source of cold? It needs to be eliminated. For example, small cracks are filled with silicone sealant. Large ones are best covered with plaster. However, in order to get rid of frozen corners and restore the microclimate once and for all, it is better to insulate the room from the outside. In this case, you can only do this with a problematic wall (at corners or at panel joints).

There is an opinion that the best option for sealing cracks and seams is polyurethane foam. Yes, it is good for dry rooms. But at high humidity, its use is not rational. It will begin to absorb moisture from the street and transfer it indoors. This is a kind of cold bridge. As a result, the problem will not go away.

The walls freeze due to the seams in a panel house, what should I do? The seams are made taking into account minor deformations. Therefore, hiding them with ordinary putty is not enough. Because it will crack again at the slightest movement. In this case, a composition is selected that is not afraid of deformation.

Why do corners freeze?

Because of cold bridges, corners are the most vulnerable part of almost any home. These areas of the building structure have increased thermal conductivity. Any vertical or horizontal angle is a geometric bridge of cold. If there is a construction defect - poorly sealed seams, through voids in the concrete, an insufficient layer of mortar between the bricks, lack of the necessary insulation - problems cannot be avoided. Where there are cold bridges, the wall surface temperature in winter can drop below the dew point (to approximately 9 ° C and 50% humidity) while maintaining room temperature inside the room. It is in such places that due to temperature differences, condensation forms, which leads to the formation of mold, and when frozen it turns into ice crystals.

The most logical solution in this case seems to be laying insulation from the inside along the walls. But any such material is essentially a heat insulator, which equally insulates the wall from heat and cold. The use of insulation can even worsen the situation, as it will shift the dew point (the place where cold and warm air touch) to the inner surface of the wall. As a result, cold air from the street will freeze the wall right through, since the heat from the apartment will not be able to penetrate the insulating layer. Wetting and freezing will continue, the insulation will become unusable and will no longer perform its functions. In addition, ice crystals will continue to destroy the wall material, further increasing cold bridges.

When purchasing a country house or an expensive apartment, you can use the services of companies offering thermal imaging. Specialists will help you detect all heat leaks and conclude whether it is possible to correct the builders’ mistakes. This can save owners from many troubles associated with the operation of the house and will save significant money.

Is it worth insulating a corner from the inside?

Owners of country real estate and city apartments prefer to immediately cover the problem area with sealant, putty, or seal it with all kinds of thermal insulation materials. Unfortunately, such measures will only help if the corner is frozen quite a bit, which is rare. You also need to understand that a heat insulator laid from the inside will block not only cold, but also heat. Insulation can only make things worse, since it will cause the dew point to shift to the inside of the wall. As a result, cold air will freeze the wall right through, because the heat insulator prevents the heat from the house from warming up the concrete, brick or wood a little. As a result, the wall material will only begin to deteriorate more intensely, and the problem will be solved in a very short time.

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But sometimes facade work is simply impossible to carry out. In this case, it is also recommended to take into account some nuances.

What to do

Before choosing a crack repair method, it is advisable to conduct a test to determine the condition of the structure and find out whether the process continues or not.

If the tape breaks, it is first important to find out the reason in order to understand how to proceed. If the crack does not grow, it is sealed with heat-insulating material and then plastered.

When the facade is lined, it is impossible to do without partially relaying the bricks

If the crack does not grow, it is sealed with heat-insulating material and then plastered. When the facade is lined, it is impossible to do without partially relaying the bricks.

Having studied all the factors that cause the crack to expand, choose the following method to solve the problem:

• to fasten the masonry walls, metal conductors are used;
• partially relay the wall;
• lengthen the current wall or strengthen the internal ones, which will create additional strength and immobility of the building;
• carry out work to strengthen the foundation. The most difficult method, requiring the help of not only a specialist, but also special equipment.

Walls and corners in a brick house freeze due to disruptions in construction or incorrect design. It is best to resort to an external method of eliminating this drawback, but additional internal heat and waterproofing will be cheaper.

The principle of eliminating the problem

Eliminating freezing of a house or a separate part of it is not so simple.

As a rule, the most common places for such problems to occur are the corners of the building.

They are the ones that are most susceptible to various deformations and may contain voids that arise due to the junction of two walls. The only way to get rid of wall freezing is to shift the dew point back towards the street. A similar effect can be achieved in one single way - complete thermal insulation of surfaces.

Such a procedure requires a huge investment of time and effort, and also costs a lot of money. However, this is the only way to be sure of achieving a positive effect. In addition, complete insulation of the house will not only make it warmer, but will also make it possible to save money on heating.

You can insulate a freezing wall using ecowool or polyurethane foam.

For those who do not want or cannot shell out a tidy sum for thermal insulation of the entire building, there is a more economical solution. It consists of spot insulation of corners or walls. A similar option is not as effective as creating a dense monolithic thermal insulation layer, but can also be beneficial. In some cases, insulating a small part of the wall is quite enough to remove condensation from its inner surface.

You can achieve the desired effect in several ways, which look like this:

• use of polyurethane foam;
• use of special heat-protective plaster;
• direct insulation with thermal insulation materials.

Each of these methods is capable of eliminating wall freezing, but the effect of spot thermal insulation is quite small and cannot guarantee complete insulation of the room.

Insulation technology

Internal and external thermal insulation of enclosing structures in a corner apartment is carried out taking into account technological features.

We insulate the walls from the inside

Algorithm for insulating the walls of a corner room from the inside in a panel house:

• preparatory work. It is necessary to clean the surface of the old finish, eliminate base defects using mortars;
• waterproofing. A special membrane material or polyethylene film is used. The joints of the waterproofing sheet are glued with tape to create a monolithic coating;
• sheathing. Both wooden and metal guides are relevant. In this case, the wood is treated with antiseptics and fire retardants. The interval between the sheathing elements is selected in accordance with the dimensions of the insulation;
• installation of a heat insulator. The slabs are laid in the openings of the sheathing. Gaps are sealed with construction foam;
• vapor barrier. The membrane is laid in a sealed layer, the joints are taped.

Insulation of a corner apartment from the inside

Next, plasterboard is installed, which serves as the basis for the final cladding of the wall.

External insulation of a corner apartment

Thermal protection of enclosing structures from the outside in a panel building involves the following steps:

• the surface is freed from foreign elements in the form of external units of climate control equipment, satellite dishes, billboards and other objects;
• clean the base, repair chips, cracks and potholes;
• construct the sheathing using metal profiles;
• perform two layers of waterproofing with a layer of vapor barrier between them;
• install insulation slabs between the guides of the steel frame.

Next, finishing work is carried out.

To insulate the outside walls of a brick house, the following technology is used:

• before installing the foam sheets, the brick base is cleaned of the old finishing coating;
• it is necessary to level the surface to ensure the tightest possible fit of the polymer insulation panels. To do this, carefully plaster the base and treat it with primers;
• glue is applied to the back side of the slab in a continuous strip around the perimeter and in portions over the entire area, applied to the base and pressed tightly. The seams are treated with sealant to create a monolithic thermal and hydrobarrier.

After the heat-protective coating has dried, the surface is protected with an additional layer of primer and decorative finishing begins.

Some ways to eliminate freezing symptoms

You should not immediately take measures to insulate the room - simple insulation, especially from the inside, will not give practically any effect, but will only shift the dew point, and the moisture will condense elsewhere.

For example, cold air will come into contact with warm air indoors. And this will significantly worsen the situation.

Advice. The problem is identified, as a rule, in the cold season, but it must be solved in the warm season, when it is possible to thoroughly dry the house as a whole and problem areas in particular.

The best option:

• sealing seams;
• thermal insulation of the facade;
• thermal insulation of the foundation.

Although thermal insulation of the facade is unlikely to be possible if the facade is lined with decorative or facing bricks. In this case, the only way out is to carry out internal insulation work.

Although their effect is much lower, if they are performed correctly, this will solve the problem associated with freezing of corners and walls.

Insulation and insulation of problematic walls and corners inside the house

If a problem appears in the house after all the finishing work has been completed, most likely you will have to do the repairs again, since cosmetic measures will not give results.

The following work needs to be done:

• remove wallpaper, plaster;
• unstitch the seams;
• treat seams and walls with antifungal compounds;
• The next serious operation is how to dry a brick house, that is, dry the walls and the room itself . For this, it is best to use heat guns, but household heating devices can also be useful;
• re-fill seams, voids or cracks that have appeared with polyurethane foam, liquid foam compositions, you can use so-called “warm” types of plasters , which contain particles of expanded polystyrene, which have high heat-insulating properties;
• cleaning treated seams and surfaces and preparing them for plastering work;
• performing plaster, most often several layers are required, for the first, again, you can use the same “warm” plasters , but you can also use regular plasters, but with the addition of hydrophobic additives, the instructions detail how to use them;
• Additionally, you can apply a layer of liquid insulation with excellent adhesion characteristics . Outwardly, it resembles paint and is applied with a roller or brush. In addition to its main function, it has both antifungal and anti-corrosion characteristics, which allows this material to be used, for example, for anchoring ventilated facades, significantly eliminating the effect of “cold bridges.”

Application of non-standard architectural and design techniques

There is an architectural way to avoid the formation of so-called geometric “cold bridges” - the construction of beveled or rounded corners of the building. But not everywhere, for obvious reasons, this method can be applied. However, it is quite possible to install pilasters or other decorative elements on the façade.

If a corner in a brick house gets wet, for the same purpose, when installing a multi-level ceiling, you can make a special box or niche into which to mount the lighting.

In operating mode, this is an excellent heating device for warming up the air, and thereby moving the dew point from the room deeper into the wall or even closer to its façade. The vertical version of this design can be arranged similarly.

Summing up

It turns out that the only possible solution to the “cold” problem is insulation. However, if possible, it is not recommended to lay heat-insulating material inside.

Ideally, work on insulation and preventing possible freezing of corners should be carried out during the construction of the house. But if you missed the poor quality work of the builders or made a mistake yourself, then you should pay attention to the fact that experts recommend rounding or bevelling the outer and inner corners of buildings.

If the house is already in use, then you can round off the inside. Heat-insulating plaster is also suitable for this. Thanks to this simple procedure, you can reduce the temperature difference by 30%.

Healthy! Pilasters, which many consider to be design elements, act as additional insulation for the outside of the house.

How to independently determine freezing of walls in an apartment

There are several options for determining whether a wall in an apartment is freezing. It must first be carefully inspected, paying attention to changes such as:

• peeling of finishing materials (wallpaper, plaster);
• the appearance of condensation;
• the appearance of frost in the morning and evening;
• severe cooling of the surface;
• abundant growth of fungus and mold.

Methods of how to determine freezing of a wall in an apartment allow anyone to do this. All changes seen must be captured on camera, since in the future, during the proceedings, this may become evidence of the guilt of the organization responsible for ensuring normal living conditions for people.

Before you get rid of freezing of the walls in the apartment yourself, you need to carry out an inspection of the premises by a specialist. In this case, it will be possible to obtain compensation for the money spent in the future.

Preventing the appearance of dampness

Following certain rules will help reduce dampness to a minimum and prevent its occurrence in the future.

• Laundry should be dried outside living rooms or with the hood turned on for air removal.
• When cooking, pots and pans should be covered with lids to prevent steam from escaping.
• In the bathroom, where the highest concentration of humidity is, as well as in the kitchen, hoods and ventilation openings should be regularly cleaned to remove excess debris, and these rooms should also be ventilated daily.
• In a private house, you can insulate the attic and also cover the walls with a waterproofing material, preferably with pores.
• All flammable substances that form a lot of moisture, in particular paraffin, should be used extremely rarely indoors.
• All rooms in the house should be ventilated daily.
• Correct errors in the heating system in a timely manner.
• Use a dehumidifier to reduce humidity. This household appliance can easily cope with the problem of dampness, and its compactness allows you to move the dehumidifier from room to room.

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Who can carry out thermal insulation outside

It is better to leave the insulation of panel walls in the hands of highly professional specialists who have sufficient experience and carry out work in accordance with SNiP and following the sequence of technological operations

Coordination with the relevant authorities to allow insulation of the external walls of a panel house is not required if the building is not of historical value.

At the same time, no matter what kind of insulation you use, the material must meet certain requirements, including:

• high degree of thermal conductivity;
• moisture absorption;
• airtightness;
• Fire safety;
• environmental friendliness;
• long service life.

Important: insulation for temperate climates must be of sufficient thickness - from 8 cm

Reducing humidity

If walls often get wet in interior rooms with high moisture (bathhouse, bathroom), then the problem is most likely in the ventilation system. Therefore, first of all, you should check the ventilation openings for the presence of unnecessary objects that may interfere with air circulation.

It’s easy to check how clogged the ventilation channels are: hold a burning candle to the vent and watch how the flame reacts: if it reaches towards the grate, then the channels are not clogged and there is a draft. When there is no flame response to ventilation, additional devices need to be installed in order to establish air circulation.

When the holes are not clogged, but the draft is still weak, additional slots can be made at the bottom of the door for air intake. If this does not help, a forced exhaust is installed in the ventilation duct. Such fans are turned on only when there are no people in the room, as they can seriously harm your health.

Experts advise installing fans with a built-in humidity controller in the bathroom. When humidity rises, the fan operates automatically, eliminating air oversaturated with dampness.

Features of finishing external corners

Regardless of what kind of lumber, timber or logs the house is made of, there are two main ways to connect corners:

• “into the bowl”, after the junction there is a certain piece of log;
• “in the paw”, beams or logs are cut without leaving any residue.

Exterior finishing of corners, chopped “into the paw”

When using this method of cutting corners, a very beautiful form of joint is obtained, which can be decorated in an original way, for example, by painting different elements of the log with contrasting colors.

With a corner connection without any residue, insulation becomes of particular importance, since in this option, the corner remains unprotected and, in the absence of good insulation, allows the cold to pass through.

Typically, this method of cutting a log house is used if the cladding of the log house is planned in the future. Closed corners, chopped without leaving any residue, become warmer and more airtight.

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However, if you cladding a log house that has not undergone complete shrinkage, the cladding may become deformed. At the same time, corners should not be left open for a long time. The ends of logs can crack under the influence of precipitation and sunlight.

You can cover the pre-caulked corners with a regular board. If you fix the board rigidly, then when the log house settles, the logs may hang and cracks may appear. To avoid this, it is necessary to make a vertical slot 2 cm long in the board and, when screwing it to the corner joint, screw a self-tapping screw into the highest point of the slot.

A board nailed in this way will not interfere with the natural shrinkage of the house. If over time the length of the slot turns out to be insufficient, you can unscrew the screw and screw it again to the top point.

After the shrinkage processes are completed, the corners can be sheathed with clapboard or siding. Cladding corner joints chopped into a paw does not cause any particular difficulty, since the corner is cut without leaving any residue, it will not interfere with making the sheathing in the usual way.

Covering external corners, chopped “into a bowl”

In another way, this angle is called “warm”, and this is no coincidence. With this type of cutting, the corners allow less cold to pass through, making the house warmer. But from the outside of the building, the logs protrude outward; often the ends are of unequal length, which does not allow the frame to be installed correctly. The question arises: how to sheathe the corners of a log house in this case?

In some sources you can find advice: gradually cut down the protruding structural elements, and fasten them with staples to strengthen them. However, as a result of sawing off the ends, which are elements of the supporting structure and give strength to the house, the building may lose stability and weaken.

If pins were not installed during construction, then for a weakened structure, even the slightest effort is fraught with destruction. Therefore, you should think carefully before making such a decision.

The cladding of a log house must be done in such a way as to keep all corners intact. When installing the sheathing, it is necessary that the distance from the wall of the house corresponds to the length of the protruding elements.

If the ends are of different lengths, they are filed so that they form an even line. It is quite possible that in this case the frame will recede greatly from the wall, then the dimensions will have to be equalized using thick bars with a section of 50x50 mm.

You can use an alternative option, which involves mounting the frame separately for the wall and separately for the corner. In this case, the corner frame is an independent structural element and is made in four planes. The presence of additional corner elements will increase the consumption of material, but in its finished form such a structure looks very impressive.

Some nuances of sealing joints

If the tightness of the seams is broken and cracks appear in the walls, the corners in the room begin to become damp. In this state of affairs, there is only one way out: the waterproofing of the joints between the panels needs to be repaired, and microcracks in the walls need to be repaired.

After high-quality sealing, the walls should not gain moisture. They can become damp and leak only when the technology for sealing the seams is broken.

The main mistakes are applying sealant without prior repair or using a low-quality sealant.

This should also be taken into account: if waterproofing of joints is carried out in one apartment, and not in the whole house, then the problem of dampness will not disappear. Moisture will penetrate into poorly sealed seams in an apartment on the floor above or on the technical floor, so although more slowly, it will find its way into the desired room.

Defects in the floor connection

It has been noticed that residents of the last floors most often suffer from freezing corners. This happens because during the roofing process the workers did not properly insulate the connection between the roof and the walls. As a result, cold air leaks into the rooms through cracks in the joints of the walls.

FLAX AND JUTE.

Well suited for sealing gaps between logs. They have useful properties such as not spreading fungi; however, it dries just as quickly. The material is easy to use, most often found in the form of strips, and unlike mosses, it does not crumble and is excellent for the construction and insulation of log houses. It has the ability to remove moisture and this occurs due to the capillary structure of the fibers. ‍ Jute grows in tropical latitudes, is collected by hand and processed in the same way, because of this the cost of flax may differ from jute. Jute has a tube structure and removes moisture that accumulates between the logs much more intensively. Sold in the form of rope and tape rolls.

Condensation after installing new windows

It happens that pockets of dampness appear in the corners of an apartment after replacing ordinary windows with plastic ones. The installed windows are very airtight; they tightly close the openings, as a result of which the ventilation of the room deteriorates. You can avoid damp walls in such cases if you know what to do.

Ventilation is often sufficient to exchange air in a room. However, if this is not enough, you can improve ventilation by installing an additional fan on the vent. Then the humidity in the room will decrease, and there will be no condensation of moisture on cold walls, in particular in corners where air exchange is reduced.

The problem of damp corners often becomes a concern during the cold season. Many people don’t even notice damp walls at first, but when the moisture turns into mold, the problem should be taken seriously. Constant dampness in the room causes fungi, mites and centipedes to multiply, and residents may develop various diseases, shortness of breath, cough, and allergic reactions.

Application for freezing of walls in an apartment

It is necessary to draw up a statement about freezing of walls in an apartment in the correct way. Otherwise, the complaint may not be considered. First of all, the text of the document should indicate the name of the organization to which it is being submitted. Mandatory elements of the application also include the applicant’s full name, address of residence and contact for feedback.

An application for freezing of walls in an apartment must contain the following attributes:

1. The essence of the appeal. It can be laid out in any form. It is necessary to explain the reason for writing the application and the specifics of the problem.
2. Evidence base. This is usually the certificate of inspection of the apartment by a specialist.
3. A complaint about freezing of walls in an apartment without appropriate evidence of a problem may be rejected.
4. Date of registration and signature of the applicant.
5. Links to the current legislation of the Russian Federation. It is necessary to indicate the norms that this or that organization has violated.

There is also an option for what to do if a wall in the apartment, located in the corridor or stairwell, freezes. In this case, it is advisable to file a collective complaint from several property owners in the building.

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In extreme cases, even significant damage to walls can occur.
It starts with plaster. This works similarly to a glass bottle of water placed in the freezer. Freezing water molecules increase their volume, and as they expand, they destroy the structure of others that are in their path. When this happens in a layer of plaster, it begins to fall off the wall. A wall in an apartment freezes most often due to the fact that a large amount of moisture accumulates in it. As a result, its surface becomes damp or wet. The reasons for this problem may be hidden in the following:

1. Poor organization of the ventilation system. Because of this, the natural drying of the walls is significantly worsened. Liquid constantly accumulates in them, regardless of the factors why this happens.
2. Insufficient heating during the cold heating season of the year. In this case, the premises in the houses do not warm up properly. Thus, the wall in the apartment freezes in a very short period of time.
3. Low competence of the builders carrying out the construction of the building. Often, specialists, due to their laziness or lack of experience, poorly seal cracks directly next to window frames or between structural elements.
4. Waterproofing that has become unusable. This problem most often occurs on the upper floors of multi-story buildings. If a wall in an apartment freezes, the owner must understand where to turn. Most often, the management company or housing office is responsible for waterproofing a house on the upper floors.
5. The appearance of cracks in the house. This reason is considered by experts to be the most difficult to correct. This is due to the fact that in such situations the house needs to undergo major repairs. If work is not carried out to eliminate cracks, they will increase in size every year. This applies to both length and width.

In private houses, the owners themselves deal with this problem. In multi-apartment buildings, these deficiencies must be corrected by the management company or HOA. If the culprit of freezing is a developer organization that made mistakes during the construction of a house, it is necessary to file a complaint with it.

Cold bridges refer to those areas of the house that should initially be insulated. These include all corner parts. Builders are required to insulate them and use special insulation

Important! Internal insulation has a number of advantages. You will not need to obtain permission to transform the facade from the management company

In addition, you can insulate the apartment from the inside on your own.

Drawing up a complaint about freezing of walls in an apartment

Any complaint about freezing of walls in an apartment must be supported by appropriate evidence. It includes:

• certificate of inspection of the premises by a specialist;
• photographs of a wall that was frozen;
• written refusal of the management company to take action to correct the problem, etc.

The more thorough the text of the complaint, the more chances the applicant will have to get help before getting rid of the freezing walls in the apartment.

The consideration of a complaint requires a certain period of time. That is why experts advise handling it immediately after the first signs of freezing appear. In this case, before the onset of severe cold weather, it will be possible to correct the problem with the wall.

Thermal imager and freezing of walls in an apartment

We insulate the house before winter

In September, which is usually quite warm and dry, we carry out thermal modernization of the house. Then the moisture, which even seeps through the external facade, will stop in the absorbent layer of polystyrene foam or mineral wool and will not reach the wall. An effective way to protect the facade is to insulate it using the former BSO ETICS system (seamless insulation system). Two types of thermal insulation material:

1. expanded polystyrene,
2. mineral wool.

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Each of these materials has its own advantages and disadvantages. Both will protect walls from direct contact with moisture and low temperatures. However, mineral wool, as a completely natural product, will provide the building not only with high thermal insulation, but also with high vapor permeability. This provides greater safety by avoiding interlayer condensation in the walls, eliminating the formation of fungi indoors. Therefore, this material will be much better for old, damp walls. Using mineral wool, we also obtain non-flammable barriers with high sound insulation.

The only thing you should pay special attention to is full compliance with the manufacturer's instructions and carrying out work under proper conditions. Particular attention should be paid to the areas around windows and doors, as well as the roof and its junction with the walls. These are places where cold bridges (or thermal bridges) can occur - points through which heat loss occurs. This is worth knowing! Cold bridges - due to their formation - are divided into geometric, structural and material. Geometric cold bridges are created in places where the surface that receives heat is smaller than the surface that releases heat (for example, the corners of buildings, where a decrease in internal temperature is also a consequence of limited air circulation in that area). Also, thermal bridges are created as a result of the use of materials with different thermal conductivities (for example, anchors passing through an insulation layer disrupt its continuity and a point, material thermal bridge occurs). In turn, the occurrence of structural cold bridges is associated with errors during the construction of the building.

Video: How to remove freezing of walls in the house

Types of Eltis intercoms

As mentioned earlier, Eltis offers several models of intercom systems. This is not only ELTIS-TsP-100, but also other devices. They differ in the design of the call block, its capabilities and the number of connected subscribers. Today Eltis offers models in the following series:

• Series 420 – 20 subscribers, audio;
• Series 400 – 100 subscribers, audio/video;
• Series 300 – 200 subscribers, audio/video;
• Series 303 – 300 subscribers, audio/video;
• Series 305 – 500 subscribers, audio/video;
• Series 5000 – 1500 subscribers, video.

As you can see, most models allow you to organize both audio and video communication between the call block and apartments. But the final cost of equipment and installation services will depend on how many elements residents want to connect.

Be that as it may, Eltis offers intercom systems for every taste. Regardless of how many people live in your building, you can choose and connect an intercom from Eltis.

Which insulation to choose

An example of the technology for insulating an external wall.
As soon as the defects of the brick wall are eliminated, you should begin to decorate it externally. It will serve as insulation and a solution to the problem of freezing corners for many years. The same applies to panel houses. They are also insulated, no matter what floor the apartment is on, although here the choice of materials is limited.

Not every siding is suitable for a panel or multi-story building, since the finishing material must fit into the architecture of the house and not disturb it. The entire list of insulation materials is given in the table.

Table 2. Types of insulation for exterior decoration of a house:

NameDescription

The usual polystyrene foam is also used, on top of which a layer of plaster is applied. This is a cheap method of insulation, used not only in brick, but also in panel houses. In the latter, it is used much more often, since it allows not to disturb the overall appearance of the house. Different thicknesses of foam are used, which determine the degree of insulation. When performing work, it is important to eliminate gaps between joints. Otherwise, cold air will pass through them.

Efficient materials

At the moment there is no universal insulation; each has positive and negative qualities.

For internal insulation, choose a thermal insulator that has low vapor permeability and water absorption, and a structure with minimal fiber.

Minvata

Cotton wool obtained from slag is not of good quality, it is short-lived, and therefore suitable for thermal insulation of temporary structures. Mineral wool obtained from rocks is used for thermal insulation of permanent buildings.

Properties of mineral wool:

• fire-heat resistance – at high temperatures it does not deform and does not lose its properties;
• chemical and biological resistance – immune to chemicals, mold and insects;
• durability – service life – about 80 years;
• During installation, the insulation can be easily given the required shape.

The most popular material, the general name of mineral insulation: slag wool, basalt and fiberglass.

Expanded polystyrene

The manufacturing technology of this material is constantly being improved, so components harmful to humans have been removed from it, and the insulation itself has become more environmentally friendly.

• excellent thermal insulator;
• not subject to deformation;
• steam-resistant, water-resistant;
• withstands a temperature range from +70 to – 50 degrees;
• easy to install.

Provides good thermal protection with a layer thickness of 2 cm.

• when heated to more than 80 degrees, it begins to release toxic substances;
• lacks flexibility and begins to crumble under force;
• flammable; when burned, gas is released, which poses a mortal danger to humans.

Polyurethane foam

Polyurethane's performance is far superior to that of similar heat insulators; moreover, new technologies are being invented that make it possible to achieve even better results.

Penoplex

This is a type of polystyrene foam, which is made using special extrusion technology. Penoplex is a finely porous material, consisting of tiny air grains isolated from each other.

• low level of vapor absorption;
• low thermal conductivity;
• long service life;
• resistant to alkalis and saline solutions.

Solvents, acetone, gasoline, and formaldehyde have a negative effect on penoplex.

Liquid ceramics and foil insulation

Liquid insulation is just beginning to conquer the market. This is the thinnest insulation, but it provides the same thermal protection as mineral wool, with a layer of 50 mm.

In appearance it resembles ordinary paint, but its structure, consisting of tiny vacuum particles, turns the material into thermal paint.

Warm plaster is an energy-saving insulator that has noise, thermal and waterproofing properties.

Foil insulation prevents heat from escaping from the room due to its reflective surface. They serve not as the main heat insulator, but as an addition to the main type of insulation.

Electric heated floor

An electric mat is attached to the wall, which serves as insulation. Then it is covered with a layer of another insulator - mineral wool, foam plastic or other material. Due to heating, moisture will not accumulate inside the wall.

Builder mistakes

Unfortunately, an equally common cause of freezing corners in an apartment building is the negligent attitude of builders to their work. Shortcomings and violations of technology are manifested in the so-called cold bridges. Due to savings on mortar or insulation, poor-quality masonry, voids and cracks appear in the walls through which cold air enters the room. At the point of transition from warm to cold temperature, a cold bridge is formed, which causes condensation on the surface, the consequences of which are manifested in freezing corners and the appearance of mold.

Construction portal. Honing our skills

When living in a private house, you may encounter dampness under the floor.

This thing is unpleasant and harmful to health.

Underfloor dampness can appear immediately after the house is built or after many years of living in it.

When such a problem persists for a long time, fungus, mold, and other microorganisms appear that cause diseases in those living in the house. There can be several reasons for the appearance of dampness. Some are quite difficult to believe because they are hidden under finishing materials.

The main reasons leading to its occurrence: Insufficient floor insulation Cracks in the foundation Poorly executed blind area along the outer perimeter of the house Lack of drainage Appearance of moisture in the basement Irregularities in the floor structure Incorrectly installed ventilation in the house