Hello. My house was built about 50 years ago and was inherited. Walls cast from slag; The outside of the house is lined with brick. The brickwork is currently very well preserved. This house always had problems with the walls due to the proximity of groundwater, lack of steam heating and waterproofing.

The inside of these walls are plastered with clay. Now the walls are collapsing and have cracks because... slag in walls up to 1 m high from ground level is destroyed under the influence of dampness and time. The foundation is more or less normal. At the moment I am planning to waterproof the foundation and make drainage to drain groundwater.

But what to do with the walls? How to prevent their further destruction and strengthen them for many years? And does it even make sense to do something in such a house? Thank you in advance for your response.

Sergey, Donetsk.

Hello, Sergey from Donetsk!

What can I say? Everything is determined locally in accordance with the possibility or impossibility of repairing the lower part of the wall.

Sometimes the following operation helps. (Naturally, with the foundation waterproofing and drainage work you mentioned for groundwater drainage.)

At a height of a meter, along the approximate boundary of the tolerable quality of the walls and the collapsing areas along the entire perimeter of the walls of the house, a slot-groove is cut to the full thickness of the walls and a support in the form of a channel is inserted there. Since it is impossible to do this at the same time - the walls can simply collapse downwards, then the grooves and installation of the channel are done in sections of about a meter to one and a half meters. In this case, you still need to manage and connect the ends of the channel to each other using backing plates and welding.

/Less often used is a wide edged antiseptic board wrapped in roofing felt with a thickness of 50 millimeters, which is also inserted into the groove in sections and fastened into a single base./

After such a base frame is made, supports are made from rolled metal (less often wooden beams) under it in increments of the same meter and a half. Why are they tapping the slag of the walls again, but this time vertically, for their installation. The result is something like a frame - a strapping crown with its support on pillars, which in turn must rest securely on a strip foundation (usually through metal plates).

Then the old cinder wall along the bottom of the entire perimeter of the house is dismantled. And instead, concrete is poured using formwork, which becomes the base of the walls.

As a result, it turns out that the upper part of the walls remains from old slag, and the lower part of the walls from concrete.

But I repeat once again, everything is determined by location, because there is a lot of fuss, and as a result, the upper part of the walls still remains from old slag.

There are such old houses in which the facing brick is a relatively tolerable support for the roof of the house. Then in some places the ceiling is strengthened (but only on the condition that it is connected to the brickwork of the cladding, and not just resting on cinder walls) and the rafter system with the help of racks. And the slag-cast walls are completely removed and instead they are made either of concrete with reinforcement, or sand-cement or expanded clay concrete blocks are placed.

Well, the last option, when none of the above can be done and you have to completely destroy the structure and build a new one in its place.

Other questions on the topic of flooding and consequences.

Good day. The thickness of the walls is 20 cm. The windows are plastic, not large. The total area of ​​the house is 150 sq. m. Humidity is strongly felt at level 2. ...

You are drowning the street. 7 buckets of coal is approximately 80 liters or 120 kg. coal per day. = 120 kg. x 6.67 kWh/kg = 800 kWh/day. If the efficiency is 50%, then the heat output of the stove is 400 kW*h/day / 24 hours = 16.6 kW/m2. You have 40 sections of cast iron radiators, which is approximately 160 W. per section, i.e. 40 * 160 W = 6400 W or 6.4 kW. That is, it turns out that you burn coal in the stove, which emits 16.6 kW, but in reality 6.4 kW comes into the house through radiators, plus about 500 W from the stove itself. for every square meter of oven surface area. That is, if the surface area of ​​the furnace is 6 m2, then the power (heat transfer) of the furnace is 3 kW. As a result, 6.4 kW radiators + 3 kW stove = 9.4 kW, and you burn 16.6 kW of coal. That is, not 50% of the total heat from burned coal goes into your chimney, but more. To reduce these losses, you need to double the number of radiator sections, and then all the heat from the coal you burn will go into the house.

If you do nothing, moisture and dampness will not go away. What can be done:
1) insulate the whole house 5 cm. EPS from the inside + redo the interior decoration + you will need to think about ventilation. In this case, you make completely airtight walls and provide fresh air through windows or some other way. The disadvantage of this option is that you will have to do all the interior finishing again (if you have it done). With this option, there is no need to add radiators.
2) insulate 15 cm of ordinary white foam on the outside. Maybe 10 cm is enough for Almaty. In this case, a problem will arise with the manufacture of external finishing, because it will have to be done anew. With this option, there is no need to add radiators either.
3) if you don’t insulate anything, then you need to at least double the number of radiators. The disadvantage of this option is that you will have to heat the house all the time, because you cannot freeze the walls, otherwise moisture will immediately leak out. Another disadvantage of this option is that you will still burn 7 buckets of coal per day, which is a lot.
4) the ceiling must be very well insulated. if you have a cold attic, then you need to pour sawdust there, at least 30-40 cm.
5) floor insulation is questionable, because I still don’t understand what kind of insulation you have on the floor.

The problem with your house and the dampness in it is that you have thin walls and large heat losses, so as soon as you lack the power to compensate for your heat losses, the walls immediately begin to freeze and release moisture. In Almaty, at +5, the frost already penetrates to the bones, this is the peculiarity of the climate there, plus the winds there are decent. So, in any case, you need to insulate the house, because the insulation will simultaneously act as a wind barrier, because the wind blows some of the heat out of the cinder walls, since their thickness is only 20 cm.

Questions:
-What is the surface area of ​​the oven?
-What kind of insulation is there on the floor? What is the floor of the house made of? Is there any insulation there at all?
-What kind of insulation on the roof?

Slag-filled houses at an affordable cost. We strengthen the old structure, guarantee its reliability and increase its service life. To do this, our craftsmen build a new foundation, perform brick cladding, replace the roof and carry out interior work. Turnkey renovation! Warranty - from 5 years!

Old slag house

Work technology

All technologies for repairing a slag-filled house require mandatory reinforcement of the structure. This primarily concerns the foundation, walls and roof. The most durable and suitable material for strengthening the walls of an old house is brick. This cladding is used both for the construction of walls and for finishing objects built from other materials.

General technology for repairing a slag-filled house:

• We dismantle the old roofing (most often slate) and the rafter system. At the same time, we remove the remaining slag filling from the attic.
• Next to the old, usually loose foundation, we pour a new strip foundation.
• We carry out the arrangement of the blind area, waterproofing and insulation of the basement.
• We remove the slag fill in the corners of the house and lay strong columns.
• We are building a brick wall on the new foundation. We use clinker facing material. To increase strength, we connect the new wall to the old one. We insulate the gap between them.
• We are installing a new rafter system, installing and insulating the roof (metal tiles), and covering the gables.

Brick cladding

1. High strength and reliability - it cannot be compared with the strength of slag walls, which are already more than 40-50 years old. Also, brick is 3 times stronger than foam concrete blocks.
2. High durability - brick objects last more than 100 years. This is the best way to extend the life of an old cinder-filled house. It is even better to choose clinker material for cladding.
3. Complete fire safety - the fire resistance of brick has never been in doubt. Your home will be safe, but for this you still need to properly arrange the electrical wiring.
4. Environmentally friendly - we carry out safe brick cladding that does not contain any chemicals. The materials our craftsmen use are natural products.
5. Opportunity to implement unique architectural solutions. We offer finishing of facades of old cinder houses according to individual projects.

The house becomes stronger and more beautiful

Why is it not so common to repair the facade of a slag house with bricks:

• High price of brick construction. Especially when compared with ordinary plaster, which is most often used for such purposes.
• The high weight of brick cladding requires the construction of a massive foundation. Strengthening the existing foundation for a cinder house makes no sense. As a rule, this design is not durable and reliable.
• Work on repairing and finishing the facade of a slag house with bricks cannot be carried out all year round.

Repair example

To implement this project, craftsmen used modern technologies to quickly repair slag-cast (slag-filled) old houses:

• The roof was dismantled.
• The foundation was poured.
• The old cinder walls were lined with clinker bricks and insulated.
• We installed a new rafter system, laid roofing, and insulated the roof.
• The internal walls were covered with plasterboard sheets.
• The interiors were decorated in a laconic modern style, adding delicate Japanese motifs.
• A dark parquet board was laid on the floor in the bedroom of this house. One of the walls of the home was painted coral.

Interiors after renovation

Cladding technology

Our craftsmen securely attach the new brick wall to the slag base. For this purpose, we establish special connections. We select their length taking into account the thickness of the slag load-bearing walls, new cladding, ventilated gap and the thickness of the mineral insulation.

Note! It is imperative to leave an air gap of 3 cm between the new brick and old slag wall. To ensure ventilation of the new facade, craftsmen leave special technological holes in the new wall.

We lay a new brick wall from the bottom up, regularly checking its evenness using a level. To prevent efflorescence on the new facade, our specialists use masonry mortar prepared from special mixtures. We use clinker bricks for your projects, which are characterized by the highest strength, durability and frost resistance.

We guarantee that no cracks or efflorescence will appear on the walls of a slag house after reinforcement and cladding. Quality from specialists! Warranty - from 5 years.

The video discusses the main points of repairing slag houses.

Our company offers to repair a cinder-cast house at a competitive price. By contacting us, you can be sure of high quality work aimed at increasing the durability, thermal insulation and presentability of your home. Call, check prices for repairing a slag house and order a turnkey project!

What exactly is slag?

If after this question medical associations begin to flash in your head, then it’s not a problem: this term is also used in the medical field. But now we are talking about construction. And from the point of view of construction, slag is the solid residue that appears after the completion of the process of smelting metal from ore. Well, or after the coal is burned. There are other options, but in this case we will not dwell on them. If we talk about what building materials are made from slag, then these are usually tiles and bricks.

Also, you are probably familiar (well, or I’ll introduce you now) with such a building stone as cinder block. This is a small, let’s say, slab that is prepared using slag concrete mortar. The binding element in cinder blocks is cement.

So, a small educational program has been completed. Now that you have a general idea of ​​the subject, you can move on to a more practical part. The point is this: sometimes, already in the process of building a house, developers turn a blind eye to the quality of the slag that is chosen for the walls. Like, there is cement, it will connect everything. This is where the mistake lies. Slag is not just a filler. It affects both the properties of lime and the properties of cement. Hence, as one well-known Duchess said, the moral: this is a high-flying bird (in the sense that the slag must be of high quality).

Now here's what. Cinder block walls and other cinder walls can behave differently over the years, meaning they can suffer varying degrees of complexity and severity of damage over time. Therefore, before you commit slag wall repair, you need to carefully evaluate how worn the material is. Then it will be easy to choose repair options.

What can happen to cinder concrete walls?

Let's start with something simpler and less extensive. Let's say you have a house with cinder walls, and over time the plaster begins to peel off, which will require repairs. We already discussed how to do it once in an article - repairing plaster walls in separate places, I advise you to read it. This can happen both externally and internally. What to do? For external repairs, strengthening rather than restoration work may be recommended. The principle of siding is quite suitable for such a case. But indoors it would be a good idea to use the method of covering with plasterboard sheets. This will hide the defects and the walls will become smoother. At your discretion and taste, you can use other types of slabs for interior decoration. It's up to you to choose.

So, now about the cracks. The matter in this situation will be somewhat more complicated and painstaking. If you still don’t want to change your home, build a new one and do similar pirouettes, then we take up the tool (not the head) and begin decisive action. You can start repairing walls by repairing the foundation. Longer, but also more serious. You can arrange reinforced belts (they must be reinforced) around the entire perimeter of the house and then plaster them over a metal mesh. And if you still carry out this procedure in combination with strengthening the foundation, then the result will be doubly reliable: “palaces made of slag concrete” will last for many, many years.

It almost slipped my mind: there are also structures made from bulk slag! They differ from those already listed in that they do not have the usual seams. What to do if they are repaired? For example, if the plaster is crumbling and cracks appear, you can pierce the plaster with nails, then pump a cement solution into the cracks under pressure. Next, create a kind of formwork from wood, and then cement it.

Repairing walls in an apartment “overtakes” almost everyone. And how could it be otherwise: cracks in the walls, falling off plaster and other “little things” not only indicate the dilapidation of the living space, but are simply depressing in appearance. Therefore, combat readiness number one is the first thing you need to fearlessly start this exciting process. And the result will certainly please you. Imagine, the walls will become smooth, you’ll select the finishing – it’s like moving into a new house! Moreover, they could and did everything with their own hands. Double respect (respect, of course). Now you can take a break and enjoy. Remember, the hobbits said: “We sit on the field of victory and taste its well-deserved fruits!” Although you may not remember the quotes. It is important that you really succeed in your planned serious business. Good luck!

Repairing cinder walls in a house outside and inside - what can happen to cinder concrete walls?

Repair of slag walls. Detailed instructions for repairing slag walls, necessary tools, skills, useful tips and secrets..

What to do if the walls of a slag dump house crumble? How to independently repair slag-cast walls to achieve the desired result?

In the post-war years and until the 70s of the last century, there was a shortage of high-quality building materials in the country. Therefore, houses in villages and in the private sector were often built from slag, which was industrial waste. It was mixed with cement mortar and poured into pre-installed formwork, thus erecting walls. Since this was all done unprofessionally, and cement was saved by greatly diluting the solution with sand, in our time it is becoming increasingly important to repair slag-cast walls. They crack and literally crumble.

Slag dump house. The walls are crumbling. How to make repairs?

Of course, ideally such a house should be demolished and a new one built in its place. However, not everyone can afford such expenses. Besides, while construction is going on, you need to live somewhere. Therefore, we will consider repair options.

What should you do if the repair of slag walls definitely does not give the desired result?

Alas, it does not always make sense to spend time, effort and money on repairing walls of this type. If time and the forces of nature have made them completely unsuitable for carrying out any restoration work, we recommend doing the following:

• strengthen the foundation or make a new one. As with the walls, some savings were probably made on materials for the foundation. This means that even if the house has not yet shrunk and the walls have not cracked, one day this will still happen. And this is a matter for the foreseeable future;
• according to your financial capabilities and the availability of free time, build brick walls (or walls from other building materials) on top of the new foundation, continuing to live in your old house, which you will, in fact, “surround” with the new one;
• Upon completion of the main construction work, dismantle the old house. This will not be difficult to do, given the degree of wear of the walls;
• do not forget about arranging a blind area that will reliably protect the foundation from the destructive effects of moisture.

And most importantly, rest assured that you will succeed if you want to make your home better and more comfortable!