Warming the foundation with their own hands

We started to take care of the foundation warming not too long ago, and then, they began to do it out of necessity. Now it is rare to find that the house under construction was without a warmed foundation. How can you perform basement warming with your own hands, and what is the reason for the need to perform such work?

The fact is that sudden changes in temperature and heavy rains affect the foundation not in the best way, and with time it begins to collapse. The conclusion suggests itself - you need to warm the foundation! However, other questions immediately arise:

1. Can sand be used as insulation?
2. How to insulate expanded clay?
3. How to warm polystyrene foam?
4. How can I warm the slab base?
5. How to insulate the column foundation?
6. How to warm the pile foundation?
7. What insulation is better to use?

We will answer all the questions in order.

Sand

Although ordinary sand is not a heater, it can still be used temporarily for this purpose. Such insulation is inexpensive, and often this method insulates the foundation of baths before the walls are erected. This "insulation" must be reliably protected from moisture ingress into it.

More efficiently is the use of perlite sand, which can act as a heater, and therefore more efficient. Working with any of these materials will have to deal with the implementation of a large amount of work, and have a lot of sand, because the height of the backfill must be brought to the floor level.

Керемзит

This material is widely used in Russia as a heater. This was influenced by its good thermal insulation qualities and low cost. When pouring the foundation, expanded clay is placed in its inner part, however this technology has its drawbacks.

Excellent qualities of expanded clay, as a heat insulator, are significantly reduced by the solution surrounding it, as is known, concrete is a true conductor of temperatures. This method is used for shallow basement.

Due to the low weight of this composition, you can safely make a formwork of slate.

Styrofoam

This insulation is made in the form of sheets, making the process of insulation much easier. However, before starting work, it is necessary to apply waterproofing of the foundation in places of contact with insulation. Sheets are attached from the bottom of the foundation to the floor level. The thickness of the material may vary depending on the type, thickness and depth of the foundation. Since the expanded polystyrene is destroyed by sunlight, the visible part of the insulation should be immediately closed with facing panels.

Works are not difficult, but they need to be done correctly. First, a waterproofing membrane is fixed on the foundation, and then polystyrene foam is stuck onto it with the help of special glue. Glue consumption is small, as it is applied to the plate point.

For the removal of groundwater is another membrane, which also serves as the protection of thermal insulation material.

Warming of the slab base

Previously, only foam was used for these purposes, but due to the short service life (binding properties are lost, and foam is crumbled into balls of which it consists), it has practically ceased to be used. Today extruded polystyrene foam is used everywhere, which has a high density, and it can be used for decades.

This is followed by the order of laying layers of this "cake": plastic film spreads, and then the plate is poured. Thanks to this design, moisture and cold from the soil do not enter the room.

• Geotextiles are laid at the bottom of the excavated pit.
• The layer from sand and crushed stone falls.
• Then just before laying the slab is laid insulation.
• On it the reinforcing structure is made.
• Pouring concrete.

As you can see, nothing complicated.

Warming of the column base

If a basement room is not planned under the designed building that will stand on heaving soils, then a columnar foundation can be made, but its insulation has its own nuances. Most often for these purposes special zabirki are made, which play the role of a socle.

These are low walls, for which wood is used, less often brick or stone. Expanded clay is poured into them, which will well protect the foundation pillars from freezing, so they will not suffer even with a strong swelling of the soil.

Warming of the pile foundation

The pile-screw foundation is completely submerged to a sufficiently large depth in the ground, therefore it only requires external warming of the grillage, which must be isolated from moisture ingress, because it will cause corrosion in contact with reinforced concrete. You can use various insulating materials.

What is better to use?

Choose a good insulation - this is already half the battle. Today, a "sea" of insulation is offered, and each manufacturer tries to convince the buyer that his product is the best, but we will approach the selection in the right way, assessing the insulation according to its characteristics. Probably no one would argue that suitable material should not:

• to deform from the soil pressing on it;
• soak up the water.

Having applied all these two requirements to the purchased material, you can insulate the foundation with your own hands, without fear that the insulation will not bring results.

In this article, we emphasize only polystyrene foam, which today is the most popular insulating material. It is valued for the fact that it is convenient to work with it: it can be cut exactly, and then glued or fastened with screws. Unlike foam plastic, it does not crumble, does not absorb water, which means that with the onset of frost, frozen water will not destroy it. He also does not let air through. Thanks to such excellent properties, expanded polystyrene will last a long time without losing its insulating qualities.