“Get your sleigh ready in summer!” - reads folk wisdom. The cold season is just around the corner, and it is necessary to take timely care to preserve heat in the apartment - one of the main components of home comfort - and to insulate window structures. How to properly insulate a window based on aluminum profile?
Insulation of aluminum window structures
When an aluminum frame is used for glazing, one cannot fail to note some of its properties: along with high strength, lightness and low price, this material has high thermal conductivity, which not everyone considers a positive characteristic.
Aluminum profile forms vertical racks and horizontal crossbars, thus the glazing contour is divided into sectors. Inside each sector, either a window with opening sashes, or “fixed” glass (fixed), or an opaque panel is installed.
In some cases, a balcony or loggia is equipped with single glasses inserted into an aluminum profile. The cost of such structures is low. However, all costs for insulation are borne by the residents.
There are several options for insulating such a window:
Insulation of aluminum windows by installing a second row of glazing is the cheapest and in a simple way save the balcony from freezing, and also provides good level soundproofing. This technique is also used when it is not possible to dismantle the aluminum profile with which your loggia is equipped. However, this method has a drawback. A window closed by an internal thermal circuit is quite difficult to clean, and not every loggia can withstand a large mass of glazing. As a result, this method is used quite rarely.
IN in some cases the loggia is completely freed from glazing: the entire aluminum frame is removed, and a “warm” contour is installed in its place. But insulation in this way is possible if the loggia or balcony has independent glazing within one floor.
With through glazing covering several floors, in order to insulate the window, the third method is most often used. The opening sashes are being replaced with window design made of PVC, and “fixed” glass is removed and double-glazed windows are installed in their place. Then, using sandwich panels, the remaining sections of the old glazing are insulated.
If insulation is carried out in this way, then the loggia and balcony can be safely used as a pleasant addition to the living space all year round.
Cold and warm glazing of the loggia
A window made of aluminum profile will not be able to retain heat at the proper level, which is why such glazing is called “cold”. In winter, a loggia (balcony) with such glazing cannot be used as additional living space due to the so-called cold bridges. Through them the air inside will be cooled. So that the loggia can be fully used as a study or winter garden, “warm” glazing is used, which involves the installation of plastic windows. Advantage of PVC structures have a high degree of thermal insulation, however, a “cold” aluminum window is much cheaper to install. Thus, when choosing the type of glazing, it is necessary to decide how the loggia will ultimately be used.
Of course, you can carry out insulation yourself, however, so that a balcony or loggia not only serves as a reliable shield from the cold for a long time, but also pleases the eye with a neat appearance, it is advisable to seek help from professionals. The RemOknaService company will produce everything necessary work, All you have to do is rejoice home comfort, looking through a warm window at bad weather or winter cold!
When buying an apartment glazed balcony or a loggia are included in the standard set of options. Almost all construction organizations hand over objects with ready-made glazing, which can be cold or warm.
Warm glazing involves the installation of massive plastic or. Expensive option. The scope of application is limited by the load-bearing capacity of the balcony slab.
Cold glazing is a common single-chamber option. They weigh little and do not overload the balcony. Protect from rain, snow, wind, dust. They will not save you from severe frosts. Therefore, insulation of the balcony with cold glazing is required. It includes:
- Sanitation and insulation of seams between window frames and a wall.
- Floor insulation.
- Insulation of walls.
- Insulation of the ceiling slab.
There are external and internal insulation. External work is carried out by industrial climbers and is therefore expensive. This method is not popular with consumers. Internal insulation is done by hand.
Insulation of seams between window frames and walls
Seams are a weak point in a window structure. They can allow moisture and wind to pass through. . Fungus appears at the joints. To obtain airtight joints, you need to perform a number of actions:
- Clean the seams around the perimeter from paint, plaster, sealant, and old polyurethane foam. You will need a spatula 100 - 150 mm wide.
- Carefully inspect the seams for gaps and empty spaces.
- Fill voids in joints polyurethane foam. Curing time is 24 hours.
- Tape the joints with protective tape to protect them from getting wet.
- Seal the seams. The method depends on further work. You can putty, paint or install plastic strips. If you plan to insulate the side walls, then no additional finishing steps are required.
Important! Polyurethane foam is available in two versions: for summer and winter use. This must be taken into account.
Floor insulation
It’s better not to go out into the cold, but into warm covering. This is why it is so important to insulate the floor of a balcony with cold glazing.
Main stages:
- Leveling the reinforced concrete base. Often balcony slabs are supplied with a wavy surface. Potholes may appear during operation. Defects are repaired cement-sand mortar. It is mixed on site or purchased ready-made.
- . You will need bars 50×25 mm. Guide bars are laid along the balcony. Transverse logs are placed between them in increments of 500 - 600 mm. The wooden frame is connected with black self-tapping screws.
- Laying insulation. Foam plastic or basalt mineral wool is used. The thickness of the insulation is 50 mm. It fits into cells made of timber. The pieces are cut out slightly larger size, so that it is inserted “into the spacer”. creeps from above waterproofing film, but this is not necessary.
- Laying the load-bearing covering. The most commonly used are chipboard and OSB. The sheets are cut and mounted on a wooden frame. Fastened with black self-tapping screws.
- Installation of the finishing layer. Maybe laminate, ceramic granite.
Wall insulation
An important stage, without which you won’t get a warm and cozy loggia. The order and type of work depends on the type of balcony.
IN major cities, capitals of regional centers and even in small populated centers built on the basis of a master plan, new buildings are increasingly appearing, and more often entire microdistricts with new multi-storey buildings whose balconies and loggias have a complex semicircular contour and glazing. Glazing made in the same style and color scheme gives an attractive appearance and relieves owners who have purchased apartments in such buildings from the hassle of glazing their balconies themselves.
When designing glazing, architects proceed from the fact that a balcony (loggia) is not a heated structure. Therefore, the glazing provided for by the project is always laid as single, capable of protecting the balcony from wind, dust and atmospheric precipitation, but not from low temperatures. More than 50% of Russians do not want to understand the simple truth - a balcony is not a sauna or a greenhouse.
Having received a glazed loggia as a gift from the developer, they immediately begin to be tormented by the question of how an aluminum balcony is insulated.
In this article we will look at various aspects of this problem.
"Cold" aluminum window profile
Typically, when glazing balconies or loggias, the developer uses the so-called “cold” aluminum window profile with single glazing for glazing. The choice in favor of such glazing is made for economic and technological reasons. This option is the cheapest and does not increase the cost square meters in a new building. It allows you to easily glaze a semicircular or complex balcony contour.
The design of the aluminum window profile does not provide for the installation of 2-3-layer double-glazed windows.
Even a 3-chamber double-glazed window will not reduce heat loss from freezing of aluminum, which has excellent thermal conductivity.
Therefore, the developer, by installing such glazing, prevents the owners’ initiative in insulating balconies and increasing energy costs due to the high consumption of heat energy used to heat the street.
But restless citizens, no matter what, want to have “warm” balconies. The inability to physically insulate the cold aluminum profile of a balcony window forces them to look for all sorts of ways and resort to various tricks.
Legal aspect of changing the facade of a building
Any changes made to the enclosing structures of the building facade (and these include balcony parapets), as well as glazing that does not correspond to the general architectural concept, require permission from local executive authorities.
Relevant regulations have been adopted at the level of each subject of the Federation.
In Moscow, this is Government Decree No. 508 of October 25, 2011 “On the organization of reconstruction and (or) redevelopment of residential and non-residential premises in apartment buildings.” One of the paragraphs of this Resolution provides for the mandatory obtaining of permission if “the shape of window and doorways in external enclosing structures;).
The procedure for obtaining such permission consists of five successive stages and the approval of about 40 documents.
Cost of services law firms(in Moscow) providing services for coordinating changes to facades for a complete package is about 1,000,000 rubles.
There is something to think about.
Methods of insulation from “traditional craftsmen”
The simplest way to try to solve the problem of insulating a cold aluminum window profile on a balcony is to paste over its frame with a thermal insulating material - penoizol or penofol. The efficiency of such “insulation” tends to 0. This is understandable. Even using the thickest 10 mm penofol, it is impossible to provide sufficient thermal insulation. So “insulated” aluminum windows They lose heat not so much due to freezing of the metal frame, but due to heat loss through a single window glass.
Pasting single window glass thermal insulation (energy saving) film high quality can reduce heat loss in winter period up to 30%. But, of course, it cannot completely replace the second or third glazing contour with film.
Some craftsmen completely remove window frames made of aluminum profiles, leaving only crossbars-guides, and in their place they install windows made of PVC profiles with double or triple glazing. In this case, the appearance of the building facade immediately suffers. Because PVC profile has a large thickness and is visually very different from window profile made of aluminum. Such a replacement is not acceptable if the balcony is semicircular.
Another trick to insulate a balcony is to install a second glazing loop made of PVC profiles with double glazing behind the existing glazing. This significantly reduces the area of the balcony and makes it impossible to wash the window glass between window blocks located close to each other.
All these “guerrilla” methods of insulating cold aluminum profiles balcony windows, are either ineffective and still do not allow its use in the cold season, or lead to a critical loss of appearance and functionality.
Replacing with a “warm” aluminum profile
More radical is to replace the existing glazing with a “warm” aluminum profile - a structure with disconnecting elements made of PVC or other plastic with a low thermal conductivity coefficient. Thanks to this, the aluminum window profile does not freeze, since cold bridges do not form. “The warm aluminum profile used for balcony windows can have 2nd or 3rd glazing or double glazing like PVC windows.
For southern and middle latitudes, such a replacement can be an excellent way out of the situation, since choosing an aluminum profile that matches the width and color is not a particular problem. Externally, from the side of the building’s façade, such a window will not stand out among its kind in any way. Perhaps a different shine from the glass.
But for northern latitudes, even a “warm” aluminum profile is not suitable for insulation. He's still freezing. If there is heating on the balcony, then ice and icicles will very quickly form on the windows and frames.
This is due to the fact that the dew point is shifted towards the balcony and condensation of water vapor and its freezing occurs inside the balcony.
Low thermal insulation properties aluminum windows are built into the very design of the most popular manufacturer in Russia window systems: Visited (Provedal Sistemas, Spain).
Wood-aluminum windows
The most the best option, allowing you to fully insulate the balcony and make it suitable for use in winter as warm room, are wood-aluminum windows.
They come in two types:
- Aluminum profile with decorative wooden trims on the inner (room) side of the window.
- Wooden frames decorated with aluminum overlays on the street side.
The first option for windows is absolutely unacceptable, since its thermal insulation properties are no different from a “cold” aluminum window.
The second option is of interest - wooden frames, glazed with 2-3 double-glazed windows and having aluminum linings on the outside, on the street side, which not only give the window a “techno” style, but also protect the wood from the effects of precipitation.
The profile width of such windows will differ from the usual cold profile with single glazing. But you can precisely select the color of powder enamel, which is usually used to paint aluminum windows on the outside, and thereby minimize the visual difference of your balcony window from other balcony windows along the facade of the building.
