A brick house is blowing from the wall. Elimination of freezing of the concrete slab overlap. Wall insulation options

This article will focus on typical mistakes allowed at erection of brick walls.

It is no secret that the quality of others country houses, to put it mildly, leaves much to be desired. Through negligence or ignorance, builders make unacceptable mistakes, which sometimes lead to emergency consequences. Moreover, the denial of norms and rules becomes hardly an unsystematic character.

In such conditions, customers have a hard time. To any question they receive an "exhaustive" answer something like this: "We have always done this, and no one has complained." It is difficult for a person who is far from construction by occupation to defend his point of view, find convincing arguments and catch the hackers of poor-quality work performance. As a result, the house was built, but it is uncomfortable or even unsafe to live in it. Wasted money, wasted materials, finally, wasted time.

You can, of course, give advice from the very beginning not to take your eyes off the builders, constantly monitor the progress of work, and invite independent experts to resolve controversial situations. But not all customers have the opportunity to regularly visit their country estate. In addition, only a specialist can detect many errors. The best option is to organize an independent technical supervision of the construction process. This kind of services is offered by specialized firms that have the appropriate license.

V last years low quality brickwork acquired the character of a mass phenomenon. Application of substandard solution, non-compliance technological standards and other gross violations lead to disastrous consequences. The walls are literally cracking at the seams, the cladding is peeling off, there is a threat to the health and life of the inhabitants of the house. In such cases, there is only one way out: partial (in combination with repair and reinforcement) or complete demolition of the defective structure. Meanwhile, even safe, but curved masonry can create many problems. Curved surfaces are very difficult to finish - plaster, stone, etc.

Errors in design and construction often lead to wetting and freezing of the outer walls. As a result - high heat loss, dampness, mold and slow but sure destruction of bricks. There can be no question of any comfortable and serene living in such a house. And the correction of such, if one may say so, shortcomings requires huge financial, labor and time costs. I'm not talking about the moral damage caused to the owners.

	Laying on the principle of "tyap-blooper". The brickwork was made in violation of technological standards. The bricks are laid at random. The seams are uneven, in some places their thickness reaches 30 mm, while the norm is not more than 15 mm. At the same time, the vertical seams were completely left without mortar. What kind of energy saving can we talk about if there are gaps in the wall!
	Obliquely. And here the builders, without further ado, laid out the wall along an inclined line. The quality of the work does not stand up to scrutiny. But the would-be masons did not have to lead the wall with ledges under the inclined rafters pitched roof... But at the same time, emergency situation: slope can fall out at any time
	Wall shrapnel. This wall is a victim of unscrupulous manufacturers. This is what happens to bricks that contain excess lime. In damp weather, lime “shooting” took place. The process is stretched out in time and it is not known when it will end. You can stop "shooting" by finishing. But do not forget that plastering is a "wet" process
	The wall is covered with hoarfrost. The freezing of the walls of this respectable mansion occurred for two reasons: due to insufficient thickness and the wrong combination of hollow and facing brick... If the problem is not resolved soon, then the house is in big trouble: destruction of the cladding, dampness, mold, discomfort, heat loss
	Insidious condensation. This is what happens as a result of improperly erecting a three-layer wall. The builders forgot to leave ventilation gap between cladding and insulation. And besides, they saved on thermal insulation. On the inside facing brick condensation has accumulated and has leaked out. In winter, the walls will freeze, which will lead to the destruction of bricks
	Curved tracks. Uneven seams on brick cladding spoil the whole view of the facade. Of course, the walls will not fall apart from this. However, it is easy to understand the disappointment of the owners, who spent a lot of money on expensive home decoration and received a very mediocre result. In Soviet times, experienced builders called such seams between bricks "advance pay"
	Natural ventilation. And here the builders took and filled the gap between the window and the ceiling with hollow bricks. Everything would be fine, but the brick was put on spoons - they saved on material (they saved two whole bricks). And along the way, they provided the room with constant ventilation. Even if the holes are then sealed with mortar, this section of the wall will freeze through (the thickness is only 65 mm)
	"Infernal portal". Above this doorway just right to write: "Leave hope, everyone who enters here." Trying to "correct" the structure, the builders actually deprived the reinforced concrete lintel of the fulcrum. Those pitiful 5 cm of walls (at a rate of 15-25 cm), on which the element now rests on one side, will soon collapse, unable to withstand the pressure of reinforced concrete
	Who builds like that ?! The water doesn't have to look for a hole in this basement wall. The brickwork is replete with holes. Moreover, the builders did not just violate the current norm (it is forbidden to use hollow bricks when erecting a basement). but also went against common sense... They laid the bricks as if they wanted to expose the voids on purpose.
	Elusive beauty. Another example of the misuse of hollow bricks. When decorating the platbands, we used products that were not intended for facade cladding. In addition, the voids "look" into the street. Polyurethane foam itself needs protection from rain, snow and sun. And the builders did not bother to fill the bricks with mortar.
	All wrong. This steel lintel was incorrectly assembled from the beginning. The main mistake- insufficient bearing width. Support nodes should include concrete cushions that would ensure an even distribution of the load and prevent localized destruction of the brick. In addition, steel lintels need insulation (with the same brick)
	Zigzag failure. Such serious cracks in brick cladding occur for various reasons. Most likely, the deformations are caused by movements of the foundation, built without taking into account the hydrogeology of the site. It is also possible that during the construction of two-layer walls the correct relationship between the foam concrete base and the brick cladding was not ensured.

Overlap - horizontal Basic structure, which is created between two vertical rooms, dividing them in height. Wherein top part the slab usually acts as the floor for the upper room, and the lower part of the slab acts as the ceiling for the lower room.

Overlap can be conditionally divided into:

Basement - a structure dividing the basement and first floors.
Interfloor - a structure located between two floors.
Mansard - separates the floor from the attic room.
Attic - separates the floor from the attic.

A horizontally located structure made of such building materials, like wood, metal, concrete, reinforced concrete, and meets certain engineering and construction requirements. These requirements usually include the ability of the floor to withstand permanent and temporary loads, i.e. have increased strength, as well as have sound, heat and waterproofing functions.

Types of floors and their technological features

Depending on the material used, the floors are divided into:

Wooden
Reinforced concrete

The above types of floors can be used depending on their purpose and design features buildings.

Wooden floors

Installation of beams
Beam or timber floors are often used in timber or traditional private houses. In this case, the floor beams must be made of hardwood or conifers wood.

The essence of wood flooring is simple. Are taken wooden beams or glued timber with the following dimensions:

height 150-300 mm;
width 100-250 mm,

the ends are cut off at an angle of 60-80 °, treated with an antiseptic and washed. After that, the ends of the beams are wrapped with roofing material and placed in niches with a depth of 150 mm, leaving a gap of 30-50 mm between the wall and the beam. The resulting gap is filled with mineral wool.

It should be remembered that the beams are installed on load-bearing walls structures at a distance of 600 mm and up to 1.5 m from each other.

During installation, the beams are installed starting from the extreme ones, having previously retreated at least 50 mm from the walls of the structure. Then, intermediate beams are evenly installed in the remaining space.

After distributing all the beams over the surface, it is necessary to check them for horizontal position. For leveling, tarred boards are usually used. required thicknesses... It must be remembered when aligning that all beams in horizontal plane should be on the same level.

To create additional stiffness for the future floor, the beams can be reinforced with special steel anchors, nails and steel plates. This is extremely rare in brick houses, so we will not focus on this. But in wooden houses the beams are fastened using special connecting brackets.

After preparing the base of the floor, you can proceed to covering it.

Installation of wooden floors
Planks (25-45 mm thick), OSB panels or thick plywood are usually used as flooring for wooden floors.

Installation is as follows. First, they attach to the beams cranial bars with a section of 50x50 mm on which a rough floor is laid *. On top of the subfloor, layers of steam and thermal insulation are laid successively, and after the final floor *. This method is used when installing a basement floor.

Installation of interfloor ceilings takes place in a slightly different way. Cranial bars are attached, to which a vapor barrier layer is attached from below, and then the ceiling material for the lower floor. Further, with inside cranial bars, between the beams, noise and thermal insulation material... Mineral wool or expanded clay can act as such a material.

After that, on top of the beams, another layer of vapor barrier is laid, and on top of it either planed boards or OSB boards or thick plywood.

In rare cases, when the distance between the beams is large, then before laying the boards or slabs, logs are first laid perpendicular to the beams, placing them closer to each other than the beams.

The installation of attic and attic floors is about the same as the installation of interfloor floors. In all three cases, the thickness of the beam must be at least 1/24 of the length of the beam itself.

The surface of the floor resulting from the installation of a wooden floor, depending on the flooring material, is covered with a topcoat *. If planed boards were used as a material, then the best option would be to cover them with paints and varnishes, and not lay anything on top of them.

Dignity
The advantages of a wooden floor are:

Significantly low weight of a wooden floor in comparison with reinforced concrete, which reduces the load on the walls and foundation of the building structure.
Comparative simplicity and speed of installation.
Installation of a wooden floor can be done on your own.
The low cost of such a floor in comparison with monolithic or reinforced concrete.

disadvantages
There are downsides to wood flooring. These include:

Highly flammable material.
Regular processing of wood floors with fire retardant impregnations and paints and varnishes.
The fragility of wooden floors.
The tree needs air circulation.
Fragility.

Make hardwood floors where you need them, not where you want them.
Everything wooden elements ceilings should be located from smoke ventilation ducts at a distance of at least 250 mm.
The entire floor tree must be treated with fire and bio-protective agents.
Beams in places of contact with brick or concrete must be processed protective compounds and wrap with roofing material.
Do not make the distance between the beams more than 1000 mm.
Do not exceed the width between the beam supports more than 6 m.

Reinforced concrete floors

Reinforced concrete floors - ceilings with reliability, durability, as well as good strength and fire resistance. Probably the most significant drawback of this type of flooring is its heavy weight.

Reinforced concrete floors can be conditionally divided into monolithic reinforced concrete and precast concrete slabs.

Monolithic reinforced concrete floors

Monolithic reinforced concrete slabs are slabs in which a reinforcement frame filled with concrete mixture is used as a base.

Floor reinforcement
Reinforcement of interfloor floors begins with the fact that the reinforcement is welded to the ends of the reinforcement or wire rod with a diameter of at least 10 mm released from the reinforcement belt. Of course, it is better to immediately calculate and release the ends of the reinforcement with a diameter of 14 mm or more. In this case, the ends of the reinforcement are produced so that the reinforcement welded on the entire surface forms a mesh with cells of 200x200 mm.

The welded fittings are tied or welded together at the joints. The end result should be a mesh.

The diameter of the reinforcement used is calculated based on the design loads. For these purposes, there are special tables, according to which you can calculate which reinforcement should be used for floors with certain parameters. However, from personal experience I will say, it is better to play it safe and take reinforcement of a larger diameter than necessary. After all, all currently existing tables and building codes are interpreted on the basis of material, the quality of which is equated to quality Soviet Union... But everyone should understand that the quality of current materials is far from ideal.

As my grandfather used to say: " Better to play it safe and sleep well than save money and sleep poorly."

So, pouring a floor with a slab thickness of up to 150 mm, it is recommended to use reinforcement with a diameter of at least 14 mm, and with a mesh cell size of no more than 200x200 mm. If the span is more than 4.5 m, then it is better to take the reinforcement with a diameter of 20 mm or more, and leave the cells the same.

One more important point... For the reinforcement of interfloor floors, it is advisable to use solid reinforcement rods. If the spans are large, then it is better to weld the reinforcement together.

After the reinforcement has been completed, you can proceed with the installation of the formwork.

Installation of slab formwork
Correct installation formwork is a guarantee of high-quality overlap.

For formwork, you can use boards or boards made of boards, OSB boards or metal sheets... It is better to wrap boards, boards or OSB boards with polyethylene and attach it with a stapler, and metal sheets can be greased with oil or working off. This will further ensure easy separation of the formwork from the concrete, and will not allow the material to deteriorate from moisture.

We attach the prepared formwork or formwork material with a wire to the reinforcing mesh. It is recommended to install the formwork on the entire surface of the floor to be poured.

At this stage, do not forget that the attached formwork must be suspended 30-50 mm lower reinforcement cage... For these purposes, special clamps or brick fragments of the same size are installed between the formwork and the reinforcement at a distance of 1-1.2 m. These clips must be installed precisely at the intersections of the rebars.

After attaching the entire formwork and setting the clamps in this way, we check that the wire is tightened well, without allowing the formwork to sag. To be on the safe side installed formwork can be additionally supported from below with spacers. After these steps, you can proceed directly to the concreting of the floor.

Floor concreting
To fill the floor with a concrete mixture, you must first calculate the thickness of the future floor. According to the documentation, the thickness of the slab is calculated based on the size of the span, and is taken in a ratio of 1:30. For example, for a span width of 6 m, the ceiling thickness will be 200 mm.

The thickness of the overlap can be determined by measuring the required 200 mm from the formwork upwards, after which, using a water level, make a marking along the perimeter of the walls, and then select it with the help of skipping and blueing.

Having decided on the thickness and having made the necessary markings, you can start concreting. In this case, the entire process must be completed in one go. If it is not possible to concrete at one time, then in the place of the gap it fits metal grid made of wire with a diameter of 2-3 mm with a cell of 10x20 or 20x20 mm. However, this is an extreme case.

When placing concrete, it must be very well vibrated so that the concrete fills all the voids and settles as tightly as possible. The quality of the concrete slab will depend on this.

For vibration, you can use a stick in the form of a shovel handle, or, if possible, special vibrators. For leveling concrete, it is better to use a long rule, or an even, polished bar.

Filling in this way the entire surface of the overlap, we leave it for 28 days until it completely solidifies and acquires the necessary concrete strength... You can, of course, remove the formwork earlier, it depends on the ambient temperature.

After this time, we remove the formwork, first removing the supports, and then, biting through the wire, remove the formwork panels. The resulting irregularities on the lower part of the floor are removed with a pick.

Dignity
The advantages of a monolithic reinforced concrete floor are:

Possibility to make slabs of various shapes and sizes.
These slabs have no deflections, or in rare cases they are minimal, imperceptible to the eye.

disadvantages
There are disadvantages of a monolithic reinforced concrete floor. These include:

Labor intensity of the process.
Necessary maintenance of the floor during the acquisition of the required design strength by concrete.
Filling requires a minimum of three people.
Special equipment is required, possibly mechanisms.
The high cost of work in relation to wooden floors.
The need to buy ready-made concrete mix, or prepare it yourself.

For reinforcement, use reinforcement not of the diameter that you are advised, but one or two sizes thicker.
For tying the reinforcement, it is better to use a special strapping wire.
As a formwork, it is better to use knocked down wooden boards with a thickness of 25 mm, or metal sheets, which are supported from below by boards for a more reliable attachment.
Wooden parts of the formwork can be packed in plastic wrap, and metal parts can be oiled or oiled. This will allow not to spoil the building material, and it will be easier to separate the formwork from the floor mortar.
It is better to install the formwork immediately on the entire surface to be poured.
It is recommended to fill the floor in one go.
In hot weather, the overlap must be watered (do not fill) in order to avoid the appearance of cracks, and in winter time- such an overlap requires heating, and in concrete mortar it is better to add special antifreeze additives.

Precast concrete slabs

Factory precast concrete slabs are perhaps the most common building material used for floor slabs. These slabs have different sizes and consist of a reinforcing cage, poured over with concrete. In most cases, these slabs are hollow.

The essence of the installation of reinforced concrete slabs is reduced to several points:

Measure the surface of the future overlap (length and width).
Find optimal solution by the size of the plates, their location and number.
Find a company for the production, delivery and installation of slabs.
Pay for the brought material and installation of the product.

That's actually all that is needed for the installation of floors from factory reinforced concrete slabs.

Dignity
Pros of precast concrete slabs:

High bearing capacity slabs that can be subjected to design loads immediately after installation.
These floors have a high bearing capacity.
No deflections.
High speed of installation work.

disadvantages
Cons of precast concrete floors:

The need for monolithic belt in places where the plates rest on the walls.
The impossibility of installation on their own.
Availability of qualified installers.
Availability special equipment for delivery and installation of plates.
High cost of slabs.
Cash costs for the plates themselves, their delivery and installation.

When making a floor from factory reinforced concrete slabs, consult with specialists.
Lay floor slabs only on a pre-made reinforcement belt.
Do not lay reinforced concrete floor slabs on walls less than 200 mm thick.
If you decide to use precast concrete slabs for flooring, find and contact a company with intelligent specialists.

Summing up

Each type of overlap is good for certain designs... In the course of the review, it turned out that the cheapest and least labor-intensive installation are wooden floors. However, this type of flooring can be used not in all types of structures, but only in wooden buildings and traditional private houses. Overlapping made of wood can be used for any of the four types of floors - basement, interfloor, attic and attic.

Monolithic reinforced concrete floors can be used in the construction of buildings of almost any structure, except for wooden structures. Such ceilings are more expensive than wooden ones, and require certain material and physical costs. However, they are more resilient and have more benefits than wooden floors... Depending on the type of bulk fillers in concrete mix, this slab can be used for all types of slabs.

Prefabricated reinforced concrete slabs are the simplest, but most expensive type of flooring, which also has restrictions on installation on some types of structures (wood, with walls less than 200 mm thick). They are mainly installed as a slab between the 0th and 1st floors, as well as between the 1st and 2nd floors.

* Rough floor - a horizontally flat plane, which serves as the basis for the finishing coating, and made of boards, chipboard, OSB or thick plywood.
* Finishing floor - topcoat floors such as tiles, parquet, laminate, linoleum, etc.

Foam concrete in recent times is in high demand among developers. Residential buildings of various storeys, outbuildings, garages are erected from it. The material is durable, environmentally friendly, lightweight, warm and easy to process. Nevertheless, during the operation of a foam block house, one unpleasant defect may appear - cracks in the walls. The purpose of this article is to familiarize readers with the causes of cracks in foam concrete walls and how to fix the problem.

Causes of cracks

If a crack appears in the wall of foam blocks, it is necessary to find out the cause of its occurrence. Thus, in most cases, it is possible to prevent its further spread. The wall is cracking for the following reasons:

Errors in the construction of the foundation. Many inexperienced builders naively believe that lightweight foam concrete does not require the construction of a powerful foundation. In fact, the service life of the entire structure depends on the quality of the foundation. It is necessary to ensure that the foundation was laid to the depth of freezing of the soil, and its width slightly exceeded the width of the foam blocks. In addition, under the foundation should be laid sand pillow a layer of 8-10 cm.
The block laying technology has been violated. For this, instead of glue, we used cement mortar... The resulting cold bridges could well provoke the appearance of cracks due to the temperature difference.
Foam concrete blocks were used wet. In the process of drying, the material shrinks, which contributes to the appearance of cracks. And if wet blocks were laid on the eve of frost, then the wet material will literally be torn when freezing.
The cracked material may indicate that the reinforcement of each 4th row of blocks was not applied during the masonry process.
If the height of the house exceeds 1 floor, it is necessary before installation interfloor overlap mount a reinforced concrete belt on the walls. If such a belt has not been erected, then the walls will crack, possibly due to uneven stress on their various parts.
The foundation is being erected under the outer and inner walls of the house. If the depth of its occurrence under the inner walls is less than under the outer ones, then a gap may easily appear.
It is necessary to use material with the same density for masonry walls. That is, you need to purchase it in one place and one brand. It is undesirable to use foam blocks for one masonry different manufacturers or use composite materials.

Attention! If vertical cracks appeared mainly in the middle of the wall, then, most likely, the weak foundation is to blame. In this case, it is necessary to strengthen it, and only then proceed to the elimination of cracks.

In any case, if a foam concrete wall is cracked, you can restore the integrity of the structure even on your own. Below it will be outlined how to repair cracks in a foam block house.

Classification of cracks in a foam concrete wall

Mechanical cracks. They differ from shrinkage cracks in greater width and length. In the overwhelming majority of cases, they arise as a result of movements or destruction of the foundation. Less commonly, they can occur due to subsidence of the entire structure on quick-moving soils. To eliminate the cause of the crack, it is necessary to examine the foundation under the crack. To do this, it is desirable to bare it. If there are problems, then the foundation is reinforced with a concrete pad.
Shrinkage cracks. They are less dangerous. They differ in their small width. They are often horizontal. Sealing such gaps is not difficult.

Depending on the type of crack, they are sealed in different ways.

Methods for sealing cracks on foam concrete walls

First of all, you need to determine the reason why the wall is bursting. Then try to eliminate this cause. After that, you can start to seal the cracks. There are several ways to do this.

Small cracks (shrinkage)

The crack formation site is cleaned of plaster, dedusted with water and primed.
Joints are being sewn. They are expanded with a metal spatula to the required width. The seam length is also forcibly increased.
We seal the seam with an adhesive for foam concrete or a mixture consisting of foam concrete chips, water and cement.
There is a certain time required for the sealing mortar to harden.

Large mechanical cracks

To eliminate wide cracks, it is necessary to reinforce them, and seal the seams themselves with one of the following materials:

Adhesive for foam concrete masonry.
Cement mortar with silicate crumb.
Polyurethane foam.
Epoxy adhesive.

Reinforcement is carried out over the entire area of crack initiation with an offset from it on the sides of at least 40 cm.This can be done in several ways:

The place of reinforcement is freed from plaster. Anchors are driven in at equal distances on the sides of the seam, between which a wire or mesh is pulled. You can use a chain-link mesh or metal construction mesh... On top, the mesh or wire is plastered. The thickness of the plaster layer is about 2–3 cm.
All plaster is removed from the crack area. A fiberglass reinforcing mesh is glued to the crack. For this it is used adhesive composition used for aerated concrete masonry. From above, the reinforcing mesh is sealed with the same solution. After it dries, the wall is putty and plastered.

The appearance of cracks on the walls in a house built from foam blocks is a frequent occurrence. In the overwhelming majority of cases, this phenomenon is not dangerous, since it is a natural process of shrinkage and drying of building materials. It is recommended to adhere to certain building codes in the process of building houses to prevent the appearance of cracks. Well, if they occur, take measures to eliminate this unpleasant phenomenon in one of the ways described above.

When building residential buildings often use concrete floor slabs. These reinforced concrete products are used both for and in the construction of walls. They are made of high quality concrete with a reinforced frame. The reliability and durability of buildings mainly depends on the quality of the materials used.

Floor slab structures

Overlapping with a monolithic slab

Differs in increased strength, which allows them to be used in places with increased risk sagging. Maximum protection against various deformations, but at the same time poor soundproofing. It has a lot of weight, which is a significant disadvantage of this type during construction.

Hollow structures

The most popular, due to the lighter weight of the product. Due to the voids, these slabs have low thermal conductivity and good noise insulation... Manufacturing costs are significantly less than manufacturing monolithic slabs... They are often made of ribbed or aerated concrete.

They are mainly manufactured in fixed sizes. And when designing a building, it is imperative to take into account the dimensions of the standard slabs produced. Depending on the requirements for the future construction, the slabs are classified by weight. Their mass on average varies from 500 kg to 4 tons.

The use of concrete hollow core slabs in the construction of foundations has been carried out for quite some time. But the installation of protection against freezing of floor slabs is not always thought out.

Damp and freezing walls are one of the most serious factors in the fragility of buildings.

The appearance of mold significantly affects the health of the inhabitants of the houses.

Factors of freezing of walls

Incorrect filling of joints between slabs. Poorly filled seams lead to a violation of the heat-shielding properties of the floors. The chance of cracking increases. Through them, the stove gains moisture.
Poor quality solution in the manufacture of products. The choice of cheap or dilute solutions results in frequent moisture penetration. They are usually very loose and cannot withstand pressure.
Errors in the design of the heating system. Poorly heated rooms are much more susceptible to frostbite on the walls. After the accumulation of moisture, they begin to freeze from both the outside and the inside.
Overcooling of metal reinforcing elements and anchors. When various cracks appear, moisture begins to get onto the metal components of the hollow core slabs. As a result, corrosion can occur. The structure of such plates softens and is more prone to decay from low temperatures.
Exhaust pipes collect condensate. With low draft, moisture builds up inside the chimneys, causing them to freeze and reduce efficiency. At the same time, poor air circulation contributes to the accumulation of unnecessary moisture.
Small wall thickness. The thickness of the walls is not taken into account for their use in the climatic conditions of the region.
Low heat engineering qualities of the materials used. When choosing materials, basically the scale outweighs in the direction of strength, while often, when installing insulation, it is simply not taken into account low level thermal insulation.
Insufficient through ventilation. In poorly ventilated rooms, the outer walls freeze through much more, losing their heat-shielding properties. Unsatisfactory internal waterproofing between the wall and the insulation leads to freezing outer surface and then to the destruction of the masonry.
Foundations with poor waterproofing, especially in houses without basements.
Violation of the structure of the vapor barrier in attic floors... Poorly executed thermal insulation transfers the performance of its functions to cement screed. Concrete surface collects moisture, accumulating condensation, and moisturizes the insulation. The heat-shielding material begins to lose its original properties, which are significantly reduced, as a result of which the floor slabs begin to freeze. The insulation also increases its weight due to the accumulated liquid.
Frequently heated basements.
Blind areas are incorrect or missing.
The vertical waterproofing of the basement walls is incorrect. Low air circulation leads to mold and condensation.
Bad in the production process. The frost resistance and water resistance of the structure of the produced hollow core slabs depend on the quality of concrete compaction. A poorly compacted composition becomes too porous and the protection of the substrate is significantly reduced.
Installation of insufficient thickness of the finishing layer.

By saving on the finishing layer, as a result, you can get global destruction. When the air temperature fluctuates, the cladding gradually crumbles, reducing the wall's protection from getting wet and frost. As a result, the fortress of the entire building is disrupted, increasing the chances of emergencies.

Prevention measures

To protect floor slabs from freezing, you need to take the following measures:

Carefully and tightly fill the gap between the plates.
High-quality installation of sealing joints should be waterproof (thanks to sealing mastics) and heat-shielding (using insulating bags). With air protection, the distance between the plates is filled with gaskets. Compression of the material of such gaskets should be at least 30-50%.
Monitor and check the ventilation of the building as often as possible.
Poor air circulation in the premises contributes to the long drying of the thermal insulation layers, the accumulation excess moisture and the appearance of mold. It should not be allowed to freeze the heaving soil under the base of the foundation and the walls of the basement floor, do not allow the air temperature to basement floor fall below zero.
If the building does not have a basement, then it is necessary to install horizontal waterproofing between the ground and the surface of the basement.
Increase the thermal insulation layer on the attic floors.
Maintain the blind areas and drainage devices in good condition. Reducing the likelihood of freezing of hollow core slabs depends on the efficiency of their work.
For the first 3 years of operation of the building, it is necessary to clear the distance drainage systems at least twice a year, thereafter - once every three years.
On damp sections of the walls, dry them without starting their condition.
Try to reduce humidity in poorly ventilated rooms. In any room, the air humidity should not exceed 60%.

How to fix it

Of course, it is always better to prevent a problem than to correct its consequences. But if the measures were not applied in time and the freezing still began, you need to start correcting mistakes as soon as possible. There are a number different methods fixes for problems with freezing walls.

Depending on the reasons and locations

Dampness and black spots in the area last floors, as a rule, occurs if the installation of insulation of the attic floor is insufficiently or poorly performed. First of all, defects in the joints between the slabs are eliminated, which reduces the appearance of moisture on interior walls... Usually, expanded clay is used as insulation for attic floors. According to the norms, for its productive action, it must be at least 30 cm.

Be sure to check if there are any problems with the ventilation of the attic space. The lack of high-quality air exchange leads to the appearance of condensation and overcooling of the floor slabs. Check the roof for leaks.
Problems can also arise from poor-quality wall joints and balcony slabs... Moisture can seep into the joints between the wall and the slabs, causing damp stains. Dry the walls as soon as possible and seal up moisture spots.

If the gap is not more than 8 cm, then you can use polyurethane foam... To use it, you must first clean the edges of the gap from concrete crumbs. Polyethylene and silicone surfaces require additional processing acetone. Foam hardens within 24 hours. Then the excess foam must be cut off, you can use a clerical knife, and plaster the surface, thereby closing the cold bridge. If the gap at the junction is more than 8 cm, then you will have to use a thick cement mortar.

Check the efficiency of balcony drains. If the sealing of the joints of the seams is broken, it is best to carry out it again, using newer and quality materials... The strength of the building structure largely depends on the quality of filling the joints. Correct sealing should be carried out only after careful preparation surface:

repair the outer surfaces of the wall panels;
dry all wet and damp areas;
remove any damaged sealant before applying a new coat.

In no case should mastic be allowed to be applied to wet and untreated areas. It is best to repair joints in positive and dry weather.
If an imbalance in the thermal protection of the walls is detected, insulation should be done by expanding them.

Wall insulation options

For example, with a layer of brickwork, you can veneer outside walls. This can be done without any special skills. For this you will need:

bricks;
level, tape measure and ordering, if the wall needs to be erected high;
sand-cement mortar in a ratio of 4: 1 or adhesive solution for masonry;
drill with mixer;
trowel and mortar container;
access to electricity.

You can also insulate the walls with plaster insulation on a reinforcing mesh. For this, using dowels, the reinforcing mesh is mounted to the wall. The latter does not have to be metallic. Plaster is applied between the wall and the mesh and on top. It can be a cement mortar or a ready-made dry mix for wet rooms. are more expensive, but they serve much longer than usual, since they have special additives in their composition.

Another of the most qualitative methods is installation vapor barrier material and insulation from the inside concrete wall... Installation is carried out by installing a frame lined with tiled insulation. To make such a frame and fill the distance with insulation between the wall and finishing material, you can use a variety of clamps and hardware. It can be mounting brackets, plastic dowels, "fungi", and glue, as in finished form, and in the form of a dry mixture that requires preparation. After that, it is imperative to make the facing with plaster or any other finishing material.

Materials for the frame and insulation:

metal profiles or wooden slats;
self-tapping screws for metal or wood;
sealant and polyurethane foam;
vapor barrier membrane or aluminum foil on isoprene;
sheet insulation, mineral or fiberglass wool;
dry mix for plaster.

Tools for frame installation and insulation:

grinder with circles for cutting metal or special scissors;
drill with mixer attachment;
screwdrivers or screwdriver;
tape measure, level and pencil;
spatulas and graters for grinding;
container for solution.

Between the frame and the wall, you need to leave a space of about 50 mm and cover it with expanded clay. This material will perfectly absorb the remaining moisture from the wall and stop the growth of mold. This increases the wall thickness by 150 mm. There are 80 mm foam blocks that successfully replace such frame structures. Installation is carried out on a regular cement-sand mortar (1:4).

On especially cold and damp walls, you can install a system called "warm floor", or run a warm plinth around the perimeter. This solution is best for corner rooms... When choosing a method for heating walls, the electric film option, or IR floor, is most suitable. Do not install it yourself. To heat the seam under the skirting board, you can use a warm floor, where as heating element a cable is being used.

Installation of a stationary wall electric heater will not completely solve the problem of poor-quality insulation between the plates, but you can install it yourself.

For this you will need:

drill or hammer drill;
anchors or dowels;
hammer;
socket.

Whatever the reason for the freezing of hollow core slabs, it is necessary to significantly reduce the humidity in the rooms, be sure to check the efficiency of ventilation and control the quality of the heating system. All work on the repair of the building and the elimination of the causes of freezing should be carried out carefully and accurately. Forgetting about some detail, you run the risk of facing this problem again, and very soon.

When building residential buildings, concrete floor slabs are often used. These reinforced concrete products are used both for overlapping floors and for building walls. They are made of high quality concrete with a reinforced frame. The reliability and durability of buildings mainly depends on the quality of the materials used.

Insulation scheme for floor slabs.