A person is comfortable in that house in which it is warm, dry and cozy. For the absence of leaks, a competently erected roof is responsible. The comfort in the house consists of the interior, atmosphere and the absence of extraneous noise. Warming and soundproofing the ceiling in a private house with mineral wool will make the house a warm and peaceful place.
Mineral wool. General information
Before you insulate the ceiling with mineral wool, you must correctly select the material and study its properties. Mineral wool has two classifications.
The first is in the form of:
- mats (roll into rolls for transportation, have low strength characteristics);
- plates (rigid or semi-rigid, have increased strength and can be used, for example, in floor construction);
- cylinders (special products from mineral wool intended for insulation of pipelines).
The second classification is based on the raw materials used for the manufacture of:
- basalt;
- glass;
- slag.
Basalt fiber is the most common type of insulation. The second name is stone wool. This type of cotton is the most durable and is used to warm surfaces exposed to severe loads and mechanical stress. To make the material, basalt is crushed and melted, after which the finest fibers are obtained from it. The fibers are pressed, heating them before this to a high temperature. Basalt insulation is produced in the form of hard plates.
A method of manufacturing glass wool is similar to basalt fiber. As a feedstock, another mineral is used - quartz. Glass fiber allows you to reuse broken glass. Manufacturers use glass battle in the manufacture, its amount can reach up to 80% of all raw materials for production. Glass wool is available in the form of mats, rigid and semi-rigid plates.
The last type of mineral wool is slag material. Slag is made from industrial waste. The following types of slag are used as raw materials:
- domain
- cupola;
- open-hearth;
- slags of non-ferrous metallurgy.
This type of raw material is low cost, but environmental friendliness leaves much to be desired.
Insulation of the ceiling with mineral wool is best done:
- rigid basalt slabs for insulation from above (outdoors, from the attic);
- mats with a small weight for insulation from below (from the side of the room).
Advantages and disadvantages of mineral wool
Mineral-cotton heat insulator during insulation in a private house has the following advantages:
- high level of thermal insulation (a sufficiently thin layer of material is needed to provide thermal protection);
- good soundproof characteristics;
- fire resistance and fire safety;
- the material does not change shape when the ambient temperature changes;
- resistance to microorganisms, mold and fungus;
- resistance to aggressive environments;
- strength for some brands.
Thermal protection of the mineral wool ceiling has disadvantages:
- a sufficiently large weight of the material (compared to polystyrene), this is especially important when warming the ceiling in a private house from below (from the side of the room);
- the difficulty of working with the material due to the need to use additional protective equipment;
- the ability of mineral wool to absorb moisture, while reducing thermal insulation properties.
Safety precautions
When working with a mineral-wool heat insulator in a private house, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of its structure. The material is made of the smallest fibers that can separate and enter the human body. To prevent harm to workers and residents of the house, you need to pay attention to the following points:
- gloves, masks and overalls for workers to prevent the fibers from entering the skin and lungs;
- prevention of contact of air flows entering the ventilation system with the insulation surface to prevent danger to residents.
Insulation technology
Mineral wool ceiling insulation can be done in two ways. The choice of method depends largely on the type of insulated floor. For the interfloor, from which side to carry out activities is not significant. Insulation of the attic floor is better done from the side of cold air (outside), this is a more competent solution from the point of view of heat engineering. Insulation of the ceiling of the attic from the inside has the following disadvantages:
- decrease in height of the room;
- only the room is protected from the cold, the ceiling structure is subject to low temperatures;
- condensation may occur in the thickness of the ceiling structure;
- the difficulty of performing insulation work in a private house, since they will have to be carried out at high altitude with his head raised for a long time.
Insulation of the attic floor from above (outside) should be carried out in compliance with the following procedure for laying materials:
- overlap;
- vapor barrier layer;
- insulation layer;
- waterproofing layer;
- reinforced concrete screed.
In this case, only hard types of mineral wool are used. It is not allowed to use the material in rolls, since it is deformed when walking on the floor of the attic.
When carrying out measures to insulate the ceiling in the house from inside the room, the layout of the layers changes (from bottom to top):
- ceiling lining;
- vapor barrier;
- insulation;
- overlap;
- waterproofing.
For these purposes, do not use heavy mineral wool slabs, as with insulation from the outside. It is better to purchase mineral wool mats having a lower density.
The insulation of the ceiling during the interfloor overlap is carried out as well as for the ceiling of the upper floor. The difference lies in the thickness of the layer of thermal insulation material.
For thermal insulation to be effective, you need to choose the right thickness of the material. For mineral wool in most climatic regions of the country, it is enough to lay a layer 10-15 cm thick (for sound insulation 3-5 cm).
To perform a full calculation, you need to get acquainted with the joint venture “Thermal protection of buildings” and perform calculations manually. You can also use the special program “Teremok”, which even a specialist is not able to figure out.
Proper insulation of the ceiling with the use of mineral wool can save you from problems with the indoor climate and high noise levels. It is important to remember that mineral wool is afraid of moisture, it is impossible to neglect hydro and vapor barrier.