Wall of a frame house: sequence of layers; materials; installation requirements Part 3

Frame house - the structure is lightweight, durable and warm. These effects are achieved due to the correct alternation of layers in the wall cake. IN first part we examined the principle of the frame wall and the optimal materials for the outer cladding; second part dedicated to heaters; now we will consider wind and moisture protection and vapor barrier.

Frame technology, due to its low cost, is by no means simple. The wall cake has several layers and, most importantly, in it, place the films correctly: wind and moisture protection and vapor barrier. In no case should you confuse them in places, but this happens, believe me!

Wind and moisture protection of the walls of the frame house

Wind and moisture protection is a membrane that protects the insulation from moisture from the outside, but releases steam from the inside. That is, the structure of the wind and moisture protection film consists of micropores that freely pass air, but do not let water through. This is necessary to create a microclimate inside the wall.

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The meaning of this layer is to protect the insulation from water and maintain ventilation in it - to let steam out, which will exclude the appearance of condensation and the accumulation of moisture in the wall. If you do not install wind and moisture protection, water will penetrate the wall along with precipitation, wet the insulation, which over time will lead to rotting of the wooden elements of the wall structure, the appearance of mold.

Another function of this layer is to protect housing from blowing out and, accordingly, from blowing out heat in cold weather. The wind and moisture protection layer is an indispensable element of the frame house!

Why is it done

Most of the frames are insulated with mineral wool - it is cheap, reliable, and practical. But mineral wool and its varieties: glass wool; basalt wool; slag wool; have an increased moisture absorption coefficient for insulation (0.09-1.9% by volume). That is, these mineral fiber insulation materials absorb water from the environment.

Water, in turn, destroys the structure of the fibers in the insulation, in connection with which its thermal insulation characteristics decrease, and shrinkage occurs faster. Water will not bring anything good in walls with other insulation materials: polystyrene foam (PPS) and extruded polystyrene foam (EPS).

What is vapor barrier and what is it for

A vapor barrier is, in fact, an ordinary film, completely sealed: it does not allow steam or water to pass through. It differs from ordinary cellophane in strength and, in some cases, reinforcement. But if there is a need, to save money, you can install an ordinary thick film as a vapor barrier - it will not decrease!

The task of vapor barrier is to protect the wall, and specifically the insulation from the steam, which is formed in the house during living. That is, we took a hot bath, we cook in the kitchen - all these are sources of steam, which will surely fall into the walls and condense there if they are not protected. Well, then everything will go along the chain: wetting of the insulation, its loss of thermal insulation characteristics, rotting, mold. In one word - trouble!

Not only steam, but also dust ...

But there is one more useful property of vapor barrier - fencing the room from dust. Heaters, and especially mineral wool, tend to disintegrate over time - this is a natural process. This happens not only from moisture, but also from vibrations to which the frame house is subject.

So, microparticles of fibers enter the room and, therefore, into the respiratory tract of those living in the house. This is dangerous for people prone to allergies, and also in healthy people it will cause some discomfort: after all, breathing air with fragments of glass wool is not what a house is built for. It is the vapor barrier that saves you from this phenomenon.

When reading this information, some will ask: is the house made of wood, and the walls are not breathing? Answer: do not breathe. A frame is a kind of greenhouse, a thermos, in which the delivery of fresh air should be carried out by: airing; ventilation system. It's like in an apartment - the walls don't breathe there either.

How to distinguish wind and moisture protection from vapor barrier

It is possible to determine the wind and moisture protection and distinguish it from the vapor barrier as follows: if you blow into the wind and moisture protection film, it will let air through both in one and the other direction. But if you pour water on it, the membrane will repel it.

There are more technologically advanced and expensive options for a moisture-proof film, which I easily let air through in one direction, and with significant difficulty in the other. This is due to the fact that the pores of the film are made in the form of a cone, and therefore the movement of air in one direction is difficult. Such films have increased protection against water, since the pores on one side are narrowed (cone effect), and the other side, accordingly, removes steam more efficiently.

Did you know the difference between wind and moisture protection and vapor barrier? Write in the comments!

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