Insulation of the loggia from the inside is carried out by quite a lot of owners, which is associated with the desire to expand living space. Most often, insulation is done from the inside, since this option involves spending less money. To understand how to properly insulate a loggia, it is worth learning about all the nuances of carrying out such work.
Is it necessary to insulate the loggia?
Insulation of a loggia usually occurs for the sake of insulating the entire apartment or converting the premises into living space. The effectiveness of the described work depends on the correct execution of all operations; the result is also influenced by additional factors, which include the type of material used, the side on which the loggia faces and the presence of glazed loggias above and below. Before starting work, it is worth calculating in advance the influence of all these factors.
The choice of materials is based on their desired result. If you want to glaze and insulate a balcony in a region where there are severe frosts, then you should use only three-chamber double-glazed windows and install insulation in several layers. If the loggia is used for storing things, it does not need to be insulated.
In the case when, due to the space of the loggia, you want to implement design project, it needs to be insulated. Such work will not only protect the room from the cold, but also make it soundproof. In addition, proper glazing and insulation of balconies and loggias involves sealing the cracks, so that exhaust gases and dust cannot enter the apartment. This is especially necessary if the balcony faces a busy street.
How to properly insulate a balcony from the inside with your own hands - this is the question I had to ask myself when the idea came to my mind to turn our ownerless balcony into a home one. As it turns out, I am not at all comfortable sewing in a room that is a child’s room. I wanted privacy and silence so that I could be completely focused on work, and I also interfered with the children’s study and recreation.
In this article I will talk about how we carried out renovations to transform our cold and drafty loggia into living room, or rather to my office and how much it cost us. I will also give valuable advice that will help you avoid mistakes and save your nerves and money)
- Replacing a window on a balcony
- Plastering a balcony (loggia)
- Cost estimate. How much money did we spend on insulating the balcony (loggia)
- A few tips for those who are planning to insulate a balcony with their own hands
How to insulate a balcony from the inside with your own hands
What I had to face and what our loggia looked like before insulation
When I told my friends about my idea, at first everyone laughed at me. They began to say that there was not enough space there, and they were frightened by the cold of the unheated room - after all, our loggia was essentially an outdoor room. To give you an idea of what I had to face, I am attaching a plan of the balcony. I had to turn three and a half squares of usable space into a full-fledged office, where my two sewing machines with table, cutting table, ironing board.
The first window has a balcony door and access to the kitchen. This wall is the main one - it’s already warm, so you don’t have to sheathe it. Subsequently, we abandoned covering it with plaster, since the brick itself looks quite interesting in the interior. We just cleaned its surface from dirt with sandpaper.
The second window is located on the wall of the loggia, it required complete replacement and hit the stained glass windows. The photo was taken after installing a new double-glazed window.
Replacing a window on a balcony
The first thing my story with the balcony began was the replacement of the existing double-glazed window. When we moved into our new building, we saw that on the loggia (unlike other rooms) the developer installed windows in one layer of glass. Of course it was summer option, they missed the cold with all their might. There was no talk about replacing the double-glazed windows, because I also wanted to change the shape of the frame and make the opening sash of different sizes. I don’t know how the design of our house was made, but the architect clearly did not make an effort for the convenience of the residents. Therefore, first of all, I found a company that manufactured a good-quality two-chamber window according to our dimensions. As the window manufacturers stated, such a window provides 25% more heat retention in the room than the one supplied by the developer.
When ordering a new window, there was one small point that significantly increased the amount of our costs - lamination. That is, from the street side, all the window frames of our house are dark - burgundy color, under the tree. Therefore, we also had to not get out of the general picture and make a window into the general color scheme. For lamination, window manufacturing companies ask for 20% of the total cost.
The price for a window measuring 2580 * 1520 cm with a burgundy frame, including installation and delivery, was 20,700 rubles. And we sold the dismantled old window at a profit on the Avito website.
Important (!)- if you are going to subsequently insulate the balcony and increase the ceiling after installing the window, then tell the window technicians about it. They will put extensions on the top of the window so that later your extended ceiling does not cover the shutters and you can hang curtains.
Heating a loggia, which method to choose
A loggia usually has walls made of one layer of brick; the worst option is a balcony made of corrugated sheets. Therefore, to feel comfortable in this room during the cold season, a heater is needed.
There are two options for making your loggia warm. The first one is to open balcony door so that it is heated by the adjacent room. The second is to install electric “warm” floors or buy oil radiators.
I’ll tell you right away from our experience - one heater was not enough for us, and we decided to install a warm floor. Despite the fact that the walls of our loggia were insulated, there was cold from the neighbors above and below - after all, their balconies remained uninsulated.
Selecting material for insulating a loggia (balcony)
At the very beginning, my husband was advised to do the insulation of the balcony with his own hands; in general, he is handy - he can lay laminate and glue tiles. But in the case of the balcony, I didn’t have time to wait for him to find free time, the work of a professional was needed here, since correcting mistakes would cost more. So we found a master who is engaged in this business and observed his work from the side. I found him through Avito, what I first of all paid attention to was real photographs and accommodation in our area (so that he could go to lunch without spending a lot of time).
I didn’t just want to cover the balcony with panels, but to make walls that could later be covered with wallpaper, so for internal lining we chose drywall. Finding a good specialist who would work with drywall and install wiring (after all, I also needed sockets and lighting) turned out to be not an easy task. But I was lucky and found good specialist, who promised me to bring my idea to life! On his advice, after taking all measurements, we purchased the following to insulate our loggia:
- plasterboard - for walls and ceilings
- plywood - for the floor
- TechnoNIKOL Rocklight - for floors
- technoNIKOL technoplex - for walls and ceilings
- isolar - reflective metallized substrate
- bars
The most important thing on this list is insulation. It is thanks to this that you get a full-fledged living room. We chose two types of insulation:
The first type, for floor insulation, is TechnoNIKOL Rocklight. It consists of rectangular slabs pressed from basalt fibers, in common people it is called mineral wool. There is no need to be afraid that it can have an adverse effect on the air in the room (many write about harmful fumes, etc.), on the contrary, due to its ability to transmit moisture rather than retain it, it is widely used for insulating damp rooms where there is a possibility of mold and mildew . According to the Technonikol company, its slabs do not burn and do not absorb moisture, therefore today they are recognized as the most the best insulation materials on the market. In order to cover the floors of a 3.8 m2 loggia in two layers, we needed 1 package of TechnoNIKOL Rocklight, which contained 12 slabs.
The second insulation we used is TechnoNIKOL Technoplex for internal wall cladding. As I mentioned above, the developer built our loggia in one layer of brick, due to this there was a blast from every corner. In addition, inconvenient stained glass windows were installed in the loggia on either side of the window, which from the outside gave the house a business-like appearance, but inside served as a source of constant drafts and moisture for the residents. This type the insulation is made of nanographite, due to this it has an unsightly gray. Although in weight and appearance it reminded me more of foam plastic, despite its lightness it has excellent thermal insulation characteristics. After our balcony stopped looking like a bamboo hut, I started thinking about how to use these magic slabs to make soundproofing from neighbors in the living room)
The third type of insulation- it rather comes as an addition to the first two, it is metallized substrate isolon or isolar. We all know that a shiny surface is highly reflective. It is this ability of the metallized surface of the substrate that allows you to redirect heat into the room, as if reflecting it and preventing it from escaping outside.
As a result, I can say that all the insulation materials coped with their tasks with a bang, they really retain heat, like a thermos. But at the same time they miss excess moisture, preventing the formation of mold.
How to insulate a balcony with your own hands step by step photo
1. Cleared the balcony of everything unnecessary. Before the technician arrived, we cleaned our balcony of rubbish and debris, a window was already installed and heating radiators were installed.
2. Patching “holes” in stained glass windows using TechnoNIKOL Technoplex insulation boards. This did not affect the appearance of the house in any way, and for us the problem of eternal drafts was solved. The slabs were laid in two layers, all cracks were filled with polyurethane foam.
After taking measurements, cutting the slabs is done using a jigsaw and a hacksaw for metal.
3. Exiting electrical wiring to the balcony. In my workshop it was planned to install three sockets for sewing machines and a laptop; the wires were pulled from the nearest socket in the kitchen.
4. Floor insulation using beams and TechnoNIKOL Rocklight insulation ( mineral wool). According to our master, he likes to work with this type of insulation most of all. Since when placed between the beams, it expands on its own and does not leave any gaps, which means it does not require the use of polyurethane foam.
Although basalt wool and glass wool are two different things, I still played it safe and carefully closed the door to the balcony while he was laying the floors. And then I vacuumed all the walls for an hour. Our master, of course, laughed for a long time when he saw me walking around in a medical mask and gloves. For me, any mention of glass wool is a fear from childhood, when we ran around a construction site and accidentally touched glass wool, any of us received a burn, after which it itched and burned for a long time.
First, a frame or so-called formwork for the future floor and walls is assembled from wooden blocks. The slats are fastened together metal corners using dowels and a screwdriver.
If the frame is laid on concrete, then first, using an impact drill, holes are drilled on concrete floor at fastening points. Then in wooden joists Dowels are inserted, applied to the fastening points and the screws are driven in with a hammer.
Mineral wool mats can be laid directly on concrete screed, V wooden frame between the lags. It does not shrink at all, so it is used even on high-traffic surfaces.
To give the floor additional thermal insulation properties- on top of the first layer of insulation from basalt wool you can build a second frame of the sheathing and lay another layer of TechnoNIKOL Rocklight in the same way. In this case wooden blocks are attached with a screwdriver to self-tapping screws.
Next, an isolar layer is used - this is a metallized substrate that reflects heat and protects from moisture; it is widely used to create a warm balcony (loggia). After laying all the layers of building materials, we reached the same floor level as the room without thresholds or steps.
Important (!)— the metallized substrate is laid with the reflective surface facing up.
5. Ceiling insulation using TechnoNIKOL Technoplex insulation. Two wires were installed in our ceiling ceiling lights. Therefore, before proceeding with the installation of the ceiling, under wooden beams was withdrawn electrical wiring. I really like this method - it looks neat, without unnecessary wires. Electricians have a lot to learn from Bashkir masters)
6. Insulation of walls using TechnoNIKOL Technoplex insulation.
The main difference between nanographite insulation and basalt wool is that it is not elastic. Therefore, when installing it in the sheathing, gaps remain, which then need to be filled with polyurethane foam.
After all the joints have been processed, a metallized Isolar substrate is applied on top of the insulation. It is attached to the sheathing using a stapler and special adhesive tape (connecting tape) - isospan.
After covering the entire surface with a metallized backing, sheets of plasterboard are attached to the wooden sheathing using self-tapping screws and a screwdriver.
Plastering a balcony (loggia) with your own hands
After the balcony was completely covered with plasterboard sheets, including the ceiling, we had to plaster the walls. Wallpaper cannot be glued to bare drywall because top layer It is made of paper and can come off if wet. Additional surface treatment of sheets includes primer and putty.
At this stage of the work, our master left us, since he was only involved in insulation, and the work of a plasterer and painter was not part of his duties. We had a choice - either find a new worker, or pick up a spatula ourselves. A significant role in the choice was played by the amount that the plasterers - professionals - asked for the treatment of our small area.
Therefore, my friends, for the first time in my life I picked up a spatula and plastered my balcony myself (I posted a photo with the result below). But I’ll say right away that I liked plastering, as it turned out to work with gypsum mixture It’s not difficult at all, and if you’re not particularly picky about your walls, feel free to pick up a trowel and master new look activities! Subsequently (how they frightened me seasoned craftsmen) after drying, nothing fell off, and the loggia became even warmer - after all, I myself responsibly covered all the cracks and joints.
So, to plaster a balcony covered with sheets of plasterboard I needed:
- gypsum plaster “Volma layer”
- deep penetration primer for drywall
- Serpyanka tape for joints
- spatula
- container for diluting plaster
- drill with mixer attachment for mixing the solution
- oilcloth to protect the surface from dirt (floor and brick wall)
1. First I went over the walls with a primer to improve the adhesion of the finish coat. Waited 40 minutes until completely dry.
2. I sealed all the joints on the drywall with sickle tape. It forms a strong adhesion to binder mixture, which is especially important at seams and corners.
3. Prepare the solution. I first diluted everything according to the instructions, and then mixed the plaster with water by eye. The second time you already know exactly what consistency the solution should be. I applied the plaster in two layers. It took me four hours to work. I concluded that you can cope and learn how to work with a spatula even if you are a beginner. You can judge what I got from the photo. After drying, the color of the Volma layer plaster becomes gray rather than white, so the ceiling had to be whitewashed with water-based paint.
How much money did it cost us to insulate the balcony with our own hands?
- Double-chamber window with lamination (installation, installation) - 20.700
- Nails, switches, sockets, cable, foam, sealant - 4,800
- Insulation, bars, drywall, plywood - 11,600
- Window sills, window frames, laminate, wallpaper, lamps - 4,000
- Master's work - 10,000
Total for our loggia with an area of 3.43 sq.m. It took us 51,100 rubles. The amount of costs depends on the size of the area to be insulated and what materials will be used for this. As you understand, insulating a balcony in a Khrushchev-era building will cost much less than insulating large balcony with panoramic windows.
1. Be mentally prepared for the fact that you will need to allocate temporary space for building materials. All these insulation, sheets of plasterboard and wooden blocks are impressive in size and took up our entire hallway with an area of 13 sq.m. It was especially difficult for me with small children, whom you couldn’t keep in place and you had to constantly make sure that they didn’t trip and spread dirt around the apartment.
2. Separately, it is worth mentioning garbage and dust. Despite the fact that all the dirty work was carried out on the loggia, the builder still had to walk between the balcony and the hallway for materials and tools. Therefore, the entire floor was strewn with shavings and debris. Every time after his work, I had to wet clean the house with a rag and a vacuum cleaner. This is an important reason why I wanted to quickly finish insulating the loggia.
3. The amount that was initially agreed upon for the purchase of building materials was approximate. That is, in the process you still had to buy something in addition.
4. One person definitely cannot handle all the work. There are two options: find a company that does turnkey repairs, whose prices start from 50 thousand rubles. Or, as we did, we separately looked for a wizard for each option. As a result, for the entire process of insulating our loggia, we needed: specialists in the manufacture and installation of windows, a plumber, a specialist in insulation and cladding of balconies, a plasterer and painter. It turned out cheaper than ordering from an organization, but I also had to spend time searching.
5. Keep in mind that if you decide to insulate the balcony with your own hands without the help of a specialist, then you should have the necessary tools for the job at hand. These are a jigsaw and files, a drill, a hammer, a screwdriver, a sealant gun, a hammer drill, a construction ruler with a level, an assembly construction knife for drywall, construction stapler.
6. Don’t throw away receipts; they may come in handy when repairs are completed and there are unused building materials left. Within 14 days from the date of purchase, you can return them to the store and get your money back, provided that the packaging remains unopened.
7. It is better to make purchases in large chain stores. For example, Leroy Merlin gives customers the opportunity to return unused items for repair within 100 days after the purchase. I didn’t have any difficulty returning extra rolls of wallpaper, glue and curtain rods that didn’t fit the height.
Conclusion
I hope our experience helped you on how to properly insulate a balcony from the inside with your own hands step by step photos. Many people complain that after insulation the loggia still remains cold. We specifically measured the temperature on the balcony, when it was below zero outside. She remained as warm and comfortable as in the apartment.
The work of insulating a balcony is of course difficult and dirty. But how much joy I now have in my own workshop. I have my own small corner, where I can work calmly without disturbing my loved ones, and create in my personal space. So if you have an idea to make yourself a study, but there is no space in your apartment, pay attention to the balcony or loggia. Good luck everyone, bye!
The loggia could well be called an additional room in the apartment, but, unfortunately, many people use it only in summer time, since it initially does not have insulation, and there are no heating radiators installed there.
Modern way insulation - spraying polyurethane foam Polyurethane foam is sprayed onto the walls using special equipment, and specialized companies deal with this insulation.
However, before inviting them to spray such insulation, the walls need to be prepared by lathing them. It will be a kind of frame for the sprayed and expanding heat insulator, as well as for securing the decorative finishing material.
The advantage of this method of insulation is that when sprayed, the material, expanding, closes all the cracks, making the surface absolutely not blown, without cold bridges. Polyurethane foam covers not only the walls, but also the ceiling and floor.
Video - How polyurethane foam is sprayed
Loggia design solutions
I would like to show several options. Perhaps by starting the process of turning a cold room into usable area, someone will be inspired by one of the ideas developed by the designers.
In this case, a standard loggia with a small footage is presented, transformed into cozy room rest. Here you can retire with a book or laptop and delve into reading. If you live in the apartment big family, usually each of its members does what they love, and sometimes it is difficult to find cozy place to sit in silence. An insulated loggia will be an ideal option for this.
In such a room you can place a small TV and enjoy your favorite programs or sit with handicrafts, comfortably choosing comfortable chair legs. The main thing is that there is extra space that can serve all family members in turn to do what they love.
Original version— the loggia turns into a stylish bar Such option will do for apartments in which the door to the loggia is located in the kitchen. In this case, it can become a dining room, especially since most kitchens in apartments are quite small.
If apartment owners like to frequently host parties, a loggia window sill can easily replace a bar counter.
You can also have a romantic dinner here. Evening city, which offers a wonderful view and a pleasant summer air will create the necessary mood for this. In winter, it’s nice to sit at the counter, sipping coffee and looking at the opening wide panorama outside the window.
Glass sliding doors installed between the kitchen and the loggia will help to unite or separate the rooms, depending on the need.
In this version, it was combined with the living room, and the wall, which previously served as a dividing element between the two rooms, became a unifying one, as it was transformed into a comfortable table.
Zone former loggia in this layout can be used as an office with a comfortable desk, as well as hobbies when you don’t want anyone to interfere.
And, of course, combining the loggia and the room will increase the total space, opening large window. The room will be more illuminated, which will help save on electricity.
Additional living space can be adapted for various activities, for example, on a loggia winter garden, workshop or computer room. Therefore, if the apartment is equipped with a loggia, but it is not yet insulated, you need to urgently get down to business and expand the area of your home by using a room that is not used functionally.
Video - How a loggia is insulated
Insulating a balcony or loggia is a rather labor-intensive and not quick process. It is usually performed by professionals specializing in this type of work. But if you know how to insulate balconies from the inside with your own hands, you have necessary tool and are not afraid of work, then this is a completely feasible task.
Moreover, the area of the balcony is usually small, and with proper planning of the matter and compliance with the technology of work, and especially using boards of insulating material “Penotex”, this process will not take long.
Preparing the balcony for insulation
Usually balconies and loggias are insulated from the inside with your own hands. External insulation of a balcony parapet is rarely used, since it is not only dangerous in terms of work, especially if you live on the upper floors of a high-rise building, but may require special permission from local authorities supervising appearance building facades.
No permits are required for insulation from the inside.
Answering the question: how to properly insulate a balcony from the inside? A number of conditions must be met and the work order must not be violated. First of all, the balcony is cleared of things and plants on it, building materials and other things that could interfere with the work. After this, they are carefully sealed with polyurethane foam or cement mortar existing cracks, crevices, holes at the junction of the parapet and the wall and generally wherever you notice flaws.
This must be done because otherwise, with an unfavorable cold wind, even very good insulation may freeze, it will be even worse if it gets into the cracks rainwater or snow. For most types modern insulation materials water is not dangerous, mold does not develop on them, and they practically do not absorb moisture. But on brick or panel walls moisture accumulated between the wall and the expanded polystyrene board can serve as a place for mold to grow. Then on your insulated balcony or loggia it may appear bad smell dampness.
Innovative insulation from TechnoNIKOL
LOGICPIR Balcony
Suitable for walls, ceiling, floor.
- saves space - plate thickness from 20 mm.
- retains heat thanks to its unique thermal conductivity of 0.022 W/m°K (compare with glass wool 0.032-0.041 W/m°K);
- protected from moisture, rot, mold and fire (flammability group G1 according to GOST 30244-94);
- will last for many years(the insulation retains its properties for 50 years).
Additional advantages of LOGICPIR Bath: easy installation all year round!
After this stage, you can begin the actual insulation with your own hands.
Ceiling insulation
Technologically, it would be more correct and better to start work by insulating the ceiling of a balcony or loggia with your own hands, then move on to the walls and complete the work by insulating the floor. Depending on the type of insulation you choose and its thickness, the ceiling may become lower by up to 10 cm. If you already have them installed on your balcony plastic windows you have to either sacrifice top part windows, because PVC profile width rarely exceeds 50 mm, or use thin insulation material, which will not allow you to achieve the effect you were hoping for. Therefore, if windows are not installed, first insulate the balcony ceiling and only then call a measurer.
Currently, there is no question of how to insulate the balcony inside. Choice various types insulation is great. Depending on the selected insulation (mineral wool, polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam "penoplex", penofol), it can be installed either on a pre-mounted wooden sheathing or directly on balcony slab. Insulation with mineral wool mats can only be done using wooden sheathing, otherwise it will be impossible to fix it on the ceiling.
Wooden blocks selected to size and equal in cross-section to the thickness of the insulation you have chosen can be attached to the ceiling using plastic dowels and long screws. The distance between the bars should either exactly correspond to the width of the insulation board, or be 30-40 mm. narrower if mineral wool mats are used so that they enter the space between the bars with force and do not fall out in the process further work on your head. It is better to lace them by passing a nylon rope between the bars with small nails stuffed into them.
If you do the insulation with your own hands using expanded polystyrene or polystyrene foam, and in the future you do not expect to finish the ceiling with wooden “lining” or plastic panels (as an option for finishing material for the ceiling - plasterboard), then there is no need to install lathing. Penotex expanded polystyrene slabs are glued directly onto the balcony slab, cleaned of paint layers, using any waterproof adhesive mastic used in construction and finishing works. It is better to use adhesive materials such as waterproof mastic or “liquid nails” glue, since in the cold season, if the balcony located above is not insulated, the dew point will shift behind the insulation and condensation will form there. Expanded polystyrene slabs do not require additional sealing of joints, since they have grooves at the ends that prevent the formation of “cold bridges”. But the joints between polystyrene foam boards can be sealed with polyurethane foam and taped with foil tape.
An additional layer of insulation material, which will significantly reduce heat loss, is best made from thin foil insulation penofol or isolon. In this case, the material is glued onto the mounted slabs of thicker insulation, always with the metallized side facing the inside of the balcony. All joints of penofol sheets are glued with foil tape. At this stage, the insulation can be completed, but you can lay a heat-heating film, which is perfect for these purposes and works from electrical network 220V.
Further finishing with your own hands depends on the availability of material and its type, if this plastic panels or “lining”, they are mounted either directly on insulation boards or on wooden blocks passed over it. It is better not to use a galvanized metal profile used for plasterboard structures, as it will freeze and moisture will condense around it.
If you did not use penofol as an additional insulating material, then the surface of the polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene can be plastered with your own hands, after gluing a fiberglass reinforcing mesh, and then painted.
After completing the work on insulating and finishing the balcony ceiling, proceed to insulating the walls. Only the parapet and side walls loggias. The room wall does not need to be insulated.
The entire process of insulating walls with your own hands is completely identical to the process of insulating the ceiling, with the only difference being that you can use thicker insulating material, especially if the parapet is made of metal structures or has a thin wall made of lightweight concrete.
You can also lay a heat-heating film over the layer of insulation laid on the parapet wall, but this is not at all necessary.
Floor insulation
This is perhaps the most time-consuming stage of work, since depending on the choice you choose flooring, from which you will make a “clean” floor, there are two possible options for working: with a sheathing device - if the floor is planned to be covered with such building material as boards, mineral wool or polystyrene foam is used, or without it - if polystyrene foam “Penotex” is used.
Penotex boards have different densities. For do-it-yourself insulation of the floor of a balcony or loggia, grade 45 will be the most suitable.
It can easily support the weight of an adult without bending, and you can directly lay a concrete screed on it or lay any type of coating (laminate, linoleum, ceramic tiles).
After laying and gluing the Penotex polystyrene foam slabs to the slab, just like on the ceiling, it is better to secure it at the corners of the slab with dowels-“fungi”. A layer of penofol is laid on top with the foil facing up and then the cable of the “warm floor” system with wiring and automation elements. The cable must cover at least 70% of the balcony floor area and be 50 mm away from the walls. After laying the cable, the floor is filled with either cement mortar or special leveling mixtures “self-leveling floor”. You can also use finishing coat based on epoxy resins, which can be of the most varied colors and, after polymerization, can be used as a “clean floor” without any additional processing. Before pouring screeds around the perimeter of the balcony, it is necessary to lay damper tape 20 mm thick to prevent thermal deformation of the screed.
No one can guarantee that when the temperature drops sharply, the coolant (water) in them will not freeze and they will not burst. But you can become the culprit of a serious accident and you can leave an entire entrance without heat.
Conclusion
Although insulating a balcony from the inside is labor-intensive, the effect achieved by insulation can completely justify all your efforts. Such a balcony becomes not only a place of relaxation in warm time year, but also an excellent room for growing indoor and garden flowers, seedlings of garden plants.
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Insulation of cold glazing is sometimes used, although usually this activity takes a lot of effort and time, but does not give desired result, since in most cases it is carried out incorrectly. Before work, you should learn how to properly insulate a balcony, making it a comfortable room.
What glazing is considered cold?
Quite often, when purchasing an apartment, the owner is faced with what she already has. Often the developer does not apply expensive materials and installs cold glazing without insulating the balcony in any way. In this case, it may be relevant to replace cold glazing with warm one. , which will significantly improve the final result, as it will help eliminate heat loss that occurs precisely through the window frames.
However, you can improve and. Most often they serve as aluminum frames. Aluminum itself has high thermal conductivity, so the room cools down quickly. It may turn out to be cold plastic double glazed windows. Most often this is a problem with single-chamber structures. This type of glazing can protect against precipitation, wind, dust, but does not withstand frost well. Therefore, insulation of cold glazing of a loggia or balcony plays a rather important role in creating comfortable atmosphere in the house.
How to insulate a balcony with cold glazing?
How does the glazing replacement work proceed?
Any work is carried out in several stages. This procedure is performed like this:
- Calculation of the mass that the parapet can withstand. You should not use glazing that is too heavy, as this may lead to the collapse of the structure.
- Cold windows are quite easy to remove: to do this you will need to cut polyurethane foam, pull out the glass, disconnect other fasteners, if any. After this, the frame can be pulled out.
- New windows are being installed. It is recommended to use plastic ones with double glazing. They usually don’t weigh very much, but they retain heat well.
- If you had panoramic cold glazing, then you can install plastic windows from the floor or build a parapet from lightweight materials, such as gas block.
- You can choose any windows according to the opening method, it depends only on how much free space is on your balcony.
- If it is impossible to install windows with a thick double-glazed unit, you can install energy-saving glass on a thin one; they will help retain heat without increasing the weight of the structure.
Replacing a building is technically simpler and does not require special permits, so it is recommended to replace the glazing with the same shape as it was, with the only difference being that a warm structure will be used. After the installation is done, you need to install glazing beads on the glass and adjust the fittings.
Insulating cold glazing and then replacing it with warm glazing is a waste effort and money, since when dismantling old structures and installing new ones, the tightness will be broken. The finish may also be damaged and new cracks will appear in the seams. If you are planning to do warm balcony, it is recommended to start work with replacing the glazing, and then carry out work on insulating the structures. They are done in exactly the same way as when insulating cold glazing.
Cold glazing is used mainly to protect the balcony from precipitation and drafts, but even with proper insulation it is not able to protect against frost. If you plan to make your balcony really warm and significantly raise the temperature inside it, it is recommended to immediately replace cold frames with warm ones.
