Foil insulation materials are the best solution for bath insulation. The reflective surface is capable of returning up to 70% of the heat, which significantly reduces fuel costs and the heating time of the steam room. Content:
- Properties of foil insulation
- Varieties of insulation
- Preparation for thermal insulation
- Bath ceiling insulation
- Thermal insulation of walls in the bath
- External insulation
Thermal insulation is an important point in the construction of a bath, therefore, special attention should be paid to the choice of material for this process. If earlier log cabins were mainly built and insulated with caulking, now the building materials market offers various options for heat insulators - plate and roll, synthetic and mineral. A special group is made up of heaters for a bath with foil, which are becoming increasingly popular. They provide a "thermos" effect in the room, reliably protecting against heat loss.
Properties of foil insulation for a bath
In addition to retaining heat in the bath and the reflective effect, the material has high performance characteristics:
- Fast assembly … With the help of such a heat insulator, you can hide the imperfections of the walls and ceiling. It is convenient to lay it even in hard-to-reach places.
- High level of thermal insulation … Compared to its counterparts, insulation with foil provides the most efficient heat retention.
- Warm-up efficiency … It takes less time to warm up a high-quality insulated bath, which means less fuel. Therefore, the use of a foil-clad heat insulator allows you to reduce heating costs.
- Additional vapor barrier … Thanks to this, condensation does not collect on the walls, and therefore the finish will not rot or mold.
- Versatility … This material is successfully used not only for wall insulation. They also insulate the ceiling - a place where hot steam collects, and there is a need for maximum protection.
- Heat resistance … Some thermal insulators with foil are able to withstand temperatures from 0 to +1500 degrees. When heated, they do not deform.
- Water tightness … This property allows the material to be used in many areas of construction, including the construction of baths.
- Soundproofing … Correct installation allows you to reliably protect the room from extraneous noise.
- Durability … The insulation does not rot, absorbs steam, does not attract insects and rodents.
- Security … At elevated temperatures and humidity, foil materials do not emit toxic substances.
In addition, the market offers a wide variety of such heaters. You can choose the most suitable one for your bath.
Varieties of heaters with foil for a bath
Depending on the purpose and performance characteristics, the following types of materials are distinguished:
- Roll foil insulation. Available in various widths. The thickness of the foil layer is from 30 to 300 microns, and the thickness of the heat-insulating material is from 2 to 40 mm. The price is from 30 rubles per square meter.
- Fabric base or kraft paper coated with foil. The material is heat resistant up to +300 degrees. Perfectly retains heat and eliminates the possibility of dampness and mold. Cost - from 700 rubles per roll.
- Basalt heat insulator with a foil layer. High fire safety. Heat resistance - up to 160 degrees. The price is about 2 thousand rubles per roll.
If desired, materials can be combined. For example, sheathe the ceiling with foil on a fabric basis, and the walls with roll or basalt insulation.
Preparation for thermal insulation of the bath with foil material
In order to use the heat-saving properties of insulation with foil as efficiently as possible, it must not only be correctly installed, but also correctly selected in accordance with the expected operating conditions and calculate the required amount of material for the work.
Choose products from trusted manufacturers. Cheap products of unknown origin can be made from low-quality raw materials, and therefore will have low operational properties.
When purchasing foil insulation for baths and saunas, you should give preference to materials with a high ignition threshold, since fire safety in the steam room is the main criterion.
In addition, it is necessary to stock up in advance with metallized tape for gluing joints and galvanized fasteners.
Thermal insulation of the ceiling of the bath with foil materials
Ceiling insulation comes first. As you know, hot air rises up, and therefore the temperature under the ceiling of the steam room is always higher than below. For this reason, it is imperative to insulate it to minimize heat loss. For this, it is better to choose a roll insulation.
We carry out work in the following sequence:
- We attach a waterproofing membrane to the ceiling.
- We fill the bars with a section of 5x5 cm in increments of 0.3-0.4 meters.
- We put insulation between them, with a foil coated inside, and fix it with galvanized nails or a construction stapler.
- We carefully glue the joints with metallized tape. We pay special attention to the corners.
- We fill a counter-lattice from slats 4-5 cm thick.
- We install the finishing coating, observing the ventilation gap.
- In the place of the chimney, a safe distance from the chimney is usually maintained, which is covered with non-combustible asbestos material.
Please note that the insulation for the bath on the walls with foil can be used not only to insulate the steam room, but also for auxiliary rooms.
Thermal insulation of walls in a bath with foil insulation
Before starting work, it is recommended to treat the wood with fire-fighting and antiseptic compounds. Next, we adhere to the following algorithm of actions:
- We fill the crate of slats, with a thickness corresponding to the layer of insulation.
- We fix the waterproofing layer and glue the joints.
- We fix the foil-clad material with a reflective surface inward using a construction stapler between the frame elements.
- We fill the counter lattice using slats 2-3 cm thick.
- We install the finishing coat, leaving an air space.
Usually, foil materials are not used for floor insulation. This process involves the installation of a heat insulator under the cement screed, which does not require a reflective layer. In addition, the air at the bottom of the steam room is not as hot as at the ceiling, and therefore laying insulation with foil is simply inappropriate.
External insulation of a bath with foil-clad heat insulators
For outdoor use, heat insulators with a foil layer are rarely used. They are mainly intended for brick and frame structures.
We carry out work in the following sequence:
- If the bath is made of bricks, then we treat the surface with a primer in two layers, applying the next one after the previous one has dried.
- We fill a wooden frame with a step of 0.4 meters. It is desirable to pre-treat all elements with protective compounds.
- We put foil insulation between the bars, with a reflective surface inward. For fixing, we use disc dowels. The use of galvanized fasteners for these purposes is not recommended to prevent the formation of cold bridges.
- We blow out the seams between the crate and the insulation with polyurethane foam and glue with metallized tape.
- On top we attach a waterproofing layer with a construction stapler.
- We fill the counter-lattice and sheathe it with facing material, leaving a ventilation space of 1.5-2 cm to reduce heat transfer.
How the thermal insulation of the bath is carried out with foil insulation - look at the video:
Competent selection of foil-clad heaters and correct installation will allow you to significantly reduce heat loss and insulate the bath with high quality. In addition, the cost of such material is quite democratic, and you can carry out thermal insulation work yourself.
