How to insulate a balcony with cold glazing

Heating of a balcony insulated by us requires minimal heating, but we do it without fail. Like any warm room in our climate zone, a warm balcony also needs to be heated. Not in all cases and certainly not all the time, but heating for the balcony must be provided. The whole question is how to heat and how much will it cost monthly?

Let's say right away: on our balconies this is always the possible minimum, on others it depends on your luck. It can be cold even with central heating radiators in 20 sections. Such balconies have also come to us for refurbishment more than once. It is clear that everything can be heated - even a greenhouse in the cold, the only question is: how much will it cost? We can only say about our balconies: either practically nothing or approximately what a washing machine costs you. And only in a couple of frosty months. This is such a small price to pay. A few hundred rubles a year is not the price for one more room in an apartment.

What does a cold balcony mean?

A cold balcony or cold glazing involves the installation of aluminum or PVC windows with single glass (sometimes single-chamber double-glazed windows).
Aluminum, due to its high thermal conductivity, is not able to maintain a comfortable above-zero temperature on the balcony. PVC profiles consisting of 3 or fewer chambers also do not provide effective heat conservation. In addition, the installation width of such frames is less than 60 mm, and therefore it is not possible to install a double-chamber warm double-glazed window. The cold type of balconies also includes frameless Finnish glazing, which lacks the usual window frames. The main purpose of cold glazing

– this is protection from wind, drafts, precipitation and dust, as well as the opportunity to beautifully and modernly decorate this area at a relatively low cost. “Cold” windows will not be able to make your balcony or loggia warm, because they are not based on multi-chamber double-glazed windows with energy-saving properties, and the profile is not able to withstand low temperatures.

In this case, you should figure out whether it is worth insulating a balcony with cold glazing, how rational and economically profitable it is.

An uninsulated balcony cannot be used comfortably at any time of the year, unlike a warm one, and therefore more and more owners of such structures want to insulate this area, providing themselves with additional square meters. When it comes to insulating a cold-type balcony or loggia, even those ignorant of “construction and renovation” wonder whether it is worth carrying out work on insulating a cold balcony in this case. To begin with, I would like to clarify what the concept of a “cold balcony” actually is.

As my 20 years of experience in glazing and finishing have shown me, everyone has their own idea of a warm balcony. For some, it is enough to be able to comfortably hang out clothes and smoke in the winter without wearing a down jacket, while others want to remove the balcony block and make this room part of the apartment. If in the first case the optimal temperature is +10˚ C, then in the second - on the loggia or balcony there should be at least +18˚ C at any time of the year! Different requirements – different approaches.

It is quite possible to improve the temperature regime for the first option by finishing with heat-insulating material - noise insulation will increase by an order of magnitude, the temperature will be 5-6 degrees higher than “overboard”. If you want the balcony to be as warm as the apartment, insulation will not pay off. After all, the main heat leakage occurs through window openings. In this case, you will have to reglaze.

I answer briefly the question, does it make sense to insulate a loggia or balcony with cold glazing?

– yes, but at the same time you will not provide such a level of insulation so that the temperature on the balcony is comparable to the temperature in the room. Since the heat transfer through “cold” window structures is too high.

Next, I want to examine this question in more detail, as part of other frequently asked questions, both on the Internet and in contact with me.

Equipment for home vegetable storage

To maintain humidity and temperature at optimal levels for plants, you can use homemade boxes or ready-made purchased products.

The most popular options:

Thermal cabinets are metal boxes of various sizes and capacities that can operate even at -40°C. Thanks to the built-in heating elements and thermostat, they are able to independently maintain temperature conditions ranging from +2 to +10°C. Some models have a manual control function that allows you to set “frames” from 0 to +20°C. A significant disadvantage of such products is the high price and the need to connect to the electrical network.

With such a balcony cellar, the crops are not afraid of any weather surprises

A flexible container for storing vegetables on the balcony in winter is a fabric bag made of two or more layers of insulating material, between which a heating element is located. The capacity of such storage is up to 300 liters, but it will not take up much space on the balcony - when supplies run out, the compact container can be easily folded and hidden. The disadvantages include a rather primitive design (a bag is just a bag), difficulties with separating “unfriendly” products into sections and connecting to the electrical network, which is not possible on every balcony.

For easy storage, thermal bags are equipped with 5-10 kg dividing nets

Homemade cellars are insulated plastic, metal or wooden containers in which it is convenient to store vegetables on the balcony in winter. These can be ready-made or completely home-made boxes, tanks, barrels, and various furniture. Such a vegetable storage facility can be built of any size and equipped with the same thermostat and heater. The only drawback is the amount of free time it will take to make the cellar yourself.

With proper organization of space, a loggia can turn into a spacious storage room

Advice. An excellent container for storing fruits and vegetables can come from an old refrigerator or freezer, so don’t rush to throw away equipment that has served its purpose.

Is it necessary to insulate a loggia if it is not used in winter?

An uninsulated loggia adjacent to the wall of your room or kitchen can become a source of air leaks (I think everyone is familiar with the expression “it’s coming out of the wall”). In addition, the doors to the balcony or loggia will still open one way or another, and at the same time cold will enter the room.

Nobody talks about the major insulation that we do under the room, but at a basic level it is quite rational:

close and insulate all seams between the window frame and the wall;
seal cracks in the walls, if there are any; most often they form in the corners of old structures;
put insulation with a reflective surface on the floor, walls and ceiling;
make finishing, for example, with PVC panels.

DIY home cellar

There are quite a lot of varieties of homemade vegetable storage facilities, so let’s look step-by-step at the principle of making models that work with or without an electrical connection.

Preparatory work

The simplest option for placing vegetables and fruits is a closed shelf or pencil case with several sections. This could be old furniture or an inexpensive plastic model with perforations on the walls, in different sections of which you can place carrots and beets, onions and garlic and other products. This storage option is suitable only for regions where the temperature does not drop below zero even in the cold season (during rare frosts, the box can be wrapped in oilcloth and several blankets).

Spacious shelf made of wooden trays

For climate zones where frosts in winter are not uncommon, it is worth building a box or thermal box for storing vegetables on the balcony in winter. True, this option will only work if the room is well insulated.

To make the box you will need:

Wooden beams with a section of 2*4 or 4*4 cm.
Plywood or other wood material for the frame.
Board for the pedestal, at least 2 cm thick.
Insulation - mineral wool, polystyrene foam, penofol, facade panels (an old fur coat or blanket will do from scrap materials).
Antifungal impregnation.
Drying oil, varnish or water-repellent paint.
Wood saw.
Door hinges, nails or screws.

Before you start making the box, determine a place for it on the balcony. After this, you need to create a drawing indicating the length, width and height. Of course, the dimensions of the future storage largely depend on the volume of your food supplies and the size of the room, but a huge box on the balcony is also useless. The optimal solution for most layouts would be a product height of 1-1.2 meters, a width of 0.8-1 m and a depth of 0.6-0.8 m.

Advice. To minimize the consumption of usable space, you can place the container at one of the ends of the room. If the loggia is wide enough, it is better to use the area under the window for storage - part of the wall adjacent to the living space will help keep the vegetables warm.

Instructions for making a box with your own hands

To isolate the bottom of the container from the cold floor, you need to cut a pedestal from a thick board to the size of the bottom of the future box. If you can’t find such a thick substrate, you can build a small podium 5-10 cm high from beams, and put boards or plywood on it. For better thermal insulation, you can place foam plastic under the pedestal (mineral wool should not be used in this case - if the podium is not hermetically sealed, high humidity will quickly damage this material).

Is it necessary to insulate a balcony with plastic windows?

Plastic windows come in different varieties, from basic assembly with standard parameters to premium class. Accordingly, the technical characteristics of such structures will differ significantly, despite the warm PVC profile.

Plastic windows ≠ warm balcony. It all depends on the configuration of the window systems.

Therefore, you need to insulate a balcony or loggia with plastic windows if you want to ensure there the same temperature as inside a living space. Plastic frames with 3 or more chambers really improve heat efficiency. But here also do not forget about the double-glazed windows and the quality of materials that are responsible for the tightness of window structures. Therefore, if you have plastic windows, but they use “unimportant” double-glazed windows, first of all replace the glass and check whether the rubber seal is worn out.

In addition, the facade walls of the balcony/loggia are thinner than the interior walls; they must be insulated with several layers of insulation, and, if necessary, a heater must be installed. Plastic windows, even if they are warm, do not go well with cold walls, especially those that still have gaps or cracks.

Interior work

Internal thermal insulation of the balcony space includes a whole range of works.

The process begins by sealing all the cracks. For this purpose, frost-resistant sealants and mastics based on polyurethane are used. It is more convenient to apply them using a gun or a special plastic nozzle.

Next, the walls of the balcony are insulated from the inside. To do this, perform the following work:

place a vapor barrier film on all surfaces, all joints are carefully taped using construction tape;
install sheathing (wooden or metal);
lay insulation;
You can place a layer of penofol on top, but not necessarily;
sheathe surfaces with sheet materials;
perform finishing work.

Floor insulation includes the following steps:

cleaning and leveling the surface;
laying waterproofing, joints are treated with sealant;
laying insulation;
pouring a screed, the thickness of which is approximately five centimeters;
finishing.

The floor on the balcony can be made without screed, on joists. To do this, wooden blocks are laid on top of the waterproofing. Insulation material is placed between them, and boards, wood slabs or thick plywood are reinforced on top of the logs.

The ceiling requires special insulation only if it is not the floor of the balcony located above. In the second case, more significant sound insulation and the usual placement of insulation are required.

If the balcony is located on the top floor, then a thorough approach will be required. In addition to the insulation layer, there is a waterproofing and anti-condensation layer, and from the inside the material is protected by a vapor barrier. You should definitely check the quality of the roof.

All work is completed by finishing. If the insulation is carried out correctly, then with a little additional heating the balcony will become a cozy corner in winter.

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Is it necessary to insulate the ceiling on the balcony?

The main source of heat loss is not only window structures and walls, but also poorly finished ceilings. For some reason, he is underestimated the most and in vain. Firstly, warm air is always located at the top, so if there are any gaps or errors there, the heat will go either to the neighbors above or to the street. Secondly, due to the warm air accumulated at the top, condensation, dampness and mold form on the uninsulated ceiling.

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In some cases, there is no need to insulate the ceiling on a balcony or loggia if your neighbors above have insulated the floor.

It is better to entrust the insulation of the ceiling on the loggia to professionals, because the quality and further operation of the balcony structure depends on the order in which the layer of thermal insulation, vapor and waterproofing is laid.

The vapor barrier layer is installed closer to the interior, and the waterproofing layer is installed closer to the street.

When is it better to replace PVC windows in winter or summer?

The choice of season for glazing is yours. Both summer and winter installations have their advantages. If you replace windows in winter, you can immediately understand exactly how high quality the new glazing is, quickly correct defects, and adjust the window.

When installing a profile in winter, take care of the thermal insulation of the openings. We recommend installing windows from a profile with i-glass. A thermally efficient double-glazed window reliably protects the room from the cold and retains heat much better than a standard double-glazed window.

Ordering plastic windows is cheaper in winter, more convenient in summer. It's up to you to decide what season to glaze your house. With the right choice of materials and contractor, high-quality glazing is possible both in winter and summer. Call or leave on the website, and we will calculate the cost of winter installation of windows in your apartment or house.

Is it necessary to insulate the floor on a balcony or loggia?

I think many people are familiar with the situation when, going barefoot onto the balcony, you are faced with a cold floor surface; in winter it is unthinkable to go out onto such a balcony without slippers. Then what kind of warm balcony can we talk about? If you are making a warm balcony/loggia in all senses of the word, insulating the floor is not only worth it, but is mandatory.

In this case, before starting repair work, check the condition of the concrete slab, whether it is damaged and whether it can withstand additional loads from the concrete screed. If this is necessary, strengthen the base, and also choose lightweight modern materials with heat-insulating properties. Additionally, use hydro- and vapor barrier tapes.

External insulation

The nature of external insulation is selected depending on the time of year. If the outside temperature is above zero, then you can use polystyrene foam followed by finishing with plaster.

First, the surfaces are cleaned of dirt. Sheets of polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene are glued onto them. Additionally, they are reinforced with special dowels. A reinforcing mesh is pulled onto the surface. It is additionally secured using an adhesive composition. Apply it in two layers. After hardening, uneven surfaces are removed and finishing is performed.

Insulation with mineral wool can be carried out at any time of the year. The sheathing is attached to the surface of the balcony. Mineral wool slabs are laid between its elements. The material is covered with waterproofing from above, which is secured with smaller wooden blocks. Finally, the balcony is finished with siding or other similar materials.

Does it make sense to insulate a balcony without heating?

Heating is not the main factor in insulation; besides, it is forbidden to install radiators on the balcony in accordance with the general requirements of building codes. Functionally, the main task of heat-insulating materials is to retain heat inside the room and cold air outside. The insulation does not warm the balcony, it simply does not allow the cold to pass through, and therefore, given the general tightness of the box, to create comfortable conditions it is worth insulating the balcony or loggia, even if they are not heated.

If you want to additionally warm up this area, install an oil or electric heater there.