In winter, when severe frosts Ice, frost or condensation may appear on the inner surface of the door - this indicates freezing of the entrance metal door. What to do in such a situation? The difference in temperature outside and indoors leads to such consequences and indicates poor thermal insulation of the door. Therefore, we will consider in detail how to insulate a metal door in a private house and apartment.
Metal by itself cannot serve as a heat insulator, i.e. it has a high thermal conductivity coefficient. Honeycomb cardboard, which is used to fill most cheap ones, e.g. Chinese doors also fails to cope with the function assigned to it. And it doesn’t have such a task; it is designed to reduce the weight of a metal door.
In rare cases, a cavity door leaf filled with insulation, but it is impossible to check its presence in doors in the middle price range, so you have to take the seller’s word for it, and then think about how to insulate an iron door with your own hands.
It's obvious that simple ways Like sticking a seal around the perimeter of the door leaf can do little to help in this situation. A more serious approach is required here, in particular, to insulate the entrance metal door in accordance with all the rules for carrying out thermal insulation work.
The process begins with the selection of the optimal thermal insulation material, which determines the effectiveness of insulation and its duration.
Types of insulation:
Thanks to the reflective ability of the foil layer, it retains almost all the heat in the room. Used only as additional material.
These include polystyrene foam and expanded polystyrene (penoplex). Their advantage is ease of installation and relatively low price. Since it is not hygroscopic, it does not require additional films. This is the only suitable option for installation in a cottage, country or rural house. After all, in in this case the door serves as a barrier to low temperatures and wind, which is not observed in apartment buildings, where the door opens into the entrance.
Note. Choosing thermal insulation material, give preference to penoplex (expanded polystyrene). It is an order of magnitude denser than polystyrene foam and will provide the door with much more effective insulation.
This category includes glass wool and mineral (basalt) wool. Their difference is only in the raw materials, in their thermal insulation characteristics they are not much different. Mineral wool is characterized by environmental friendliness, Fire safety, the ability to vary the installation height without additional trimming.
Cotton wool is sold in rolls or sheets, which makes it possible to cut blanks from it required sizes and place them in cells formed by the stiffening ribs of the door itself. To provide the desired height(thickness of insulation) it is enough to simply press down the material (press cotton wool), the thermal insulation properties will not be affected.
But cotton wool has a drawback that prevents it from being recommended for installation in iron doors for private homes. Because With different sides doors operate at different temperatures, and sometimes the difference is up to 40 ° C (-15 outside and +25 in the house). This leads to a shift of the dew point inside the insulation, and the wool gets wet. The effect can be neutralized by installing a hydrobarrier film.
But, nevertheless, professionals do not recommend insulation iron door cotton wool in a private house. It can become an acceptable option only if the entrance door to the apartment is insulated, since in this case there is not such a big difference in temperatures (it is much warmer in the entrance than outside).
Presented with polyurethane foam. Spraying makes it possible to fill all the cracks, but has a high price.
Thermal insulation of luxury metal doors is carried out using three types of materials: foam plastic (main material), penofol (additional), polyurethane foam (filling the voids of the stiffeners and frames).
Note: a set of materials, which can be found in stores, for insulation outer door made of metal is of little use, because They use dermantin, foam rubber or synthetic winterizer as insulation.
Tools you will need: tape measure, drill, jigsaw, screwdriver, pencil, stationery knife.
Note. When working with glass wool, you need to take care to protect your respiratory tract, hands and eyes (respirator, gloves, goggles).
After the door leaf is disassembled, it may turn out that there are no stiffeners in the door cavity, then they will need to be made.
For this, a metal profile or corner with dimensions corresponding to the thickness of the door is used. Its widespread use is due to the fact that it is easier to weld metal to the metal surface of the door.
However, many masters agree that it is better to use wooden beam, because Wood has lower thermal conductivity. The difficulty when working with timber is that it is difficult to fasten it securely enough without damaging the front layer of the door leaf.
Insulation technology steel door from the inside will be described in several stages, in the form step by step instructions so that even without experience in construction you can do the work yourself.
Note. When planning to insulate a Chinese metal door, be prepared for the fact that it will not be possible to disassemble it. You'll just have to cut one of them front sides canvas and replace it later with an overlay made from a sheet of chipboard.
Advice. It is not recommended to make only longitudinal or transverse frame cells; it is advisable to use a combination of them. Especially if we're talking about about insulation with soft insulation materials, which tend to settle (fall down) during operation.
Note. If the cotton wool is not protected, it will get wet and conduct heat; in addition, it will come into contact with inner surface doors. And constant exposure to moisture on metal will sooner or later cause it to rust. Moreover, the average door does not have internal corrosion protection.
For these purposes, chipboard or plywood is used. To prepare the workpiece you need:
- transfer the dimensions of the door leaf, including the peephole and lock, onto the sheet;
- cut out a template;
- screw the sheet to the door frame with self-tapping screws;
- eliminate irregularities, protruding edges, and also grind off the edges of the sheet a little.
Note. Fastening cladding panel performed from bottom to top. This way it will level out as you screw it in.
The result of all work will be an insulated metal door, which will reliably protect the premises from heat loss.
Now you can hang it back on the hinges and check the functionality of the handles and lock.
But it is worth noting that insulating a metal door only in the area of the door leaf is a small part possible works on thermal insulation of doors.
One of the sources of heat loss is the door frame. In most cases, it is hollow, which means it transmits heat well.
Insulation door frame It is performed by blowing polyurethane foam inside the metal profile.
It's easy to do. It is enough to drill holes in the frame profile (not through holes) at a distance of 400-450 mm. The diameter of the hole is equal to the diameter of the tube from the foam container. After this, the cylinder tube is inserted into the profile and the foam fills the free space. Material prepared for the website www.site
Note. In the same way, you can insulate the metal stiffeners in the door cavity immediately after installing the frame.
In addition to the work performed, there are two more directions through which heat escapes outside (blowing from under the iron entrance door):
All work on insulating street or apartment metal doors can be done independently. But if you are afraid of making a mistake, it is better to order the services of a master. The cost of his work will be from 1,500 rubles. (excluding material cost). And the final price will be determined taking into account the type of door, the complexity of dismantling one side of the door leaf, the presence of stiffeners, the type of seal and the type of finishing material.
However, the costs of insulating external doors made of metal are always justified, since they entail a significant reduction in heat loss through the doorway and avoid the appearance of condensation on the surface of the door, which leads to the destruction of the door leaf.
A modern metal entrance door is actually complex design, where iron is just a shell. The cavities of the leaf can be filled with insulation, since the main function of the door is to retain heat. But there are often heat leaks, not only in private houses, but also in apartments. In addition, inexpensive metal doors have ordinary tin as a body, and instead of insulation - cardboard honeycomb.
Reasons for heat loss in the house:
A metal door that does not have proper insulation is a direct source of cold in the house
That's why Door insulation is an important component of thermal protection of the entire house. But before you implement your idea, find out the exact reasons for the loss of heat, so that you don’t end up wasting time and energy on insulating the doors, and the reason for the uncomfortable microclimate lies in the cold bridges formed through the cracks in the house.
Important! The thickness of the iron door leaf is not an indicator of the thermal insulation of the door. A thick layer of metal is, first of all, protection against penetrations and only then a heat insulator (provided that there are no cracks in the structure).
Sometimes heat can be lost not through the leaf, but through the cracks of the iron door frame
The insulation on the door not only protects the room from the cold, but also insulates the rooms from extraneous noise, which is quite important in apartment buildings. Therefore, when choosing a ready-made door design It’s worth asking about its contents.
Penofol
Penofol equipped with a reflective foil layer, thanks to which all the heat remains indoors. But, as a rule, it is used only as an auxiliary insulation material.
Rigid (sheet) insulation
Sheet heat insulators (penoplex, polystyrene foam, etc.), good for ease of installation and low cost. Since the material is not hygroscopic, it is not necessary to attach a vapor barrier and moisture-proof membrane when installing it.
When choosing rigid insulation, give preference expanded polystyrene (penoplex). He significantly denser and stronger polystyrene foam, besides insulates more effectively.
Soft (rolled) insulation materials
Rolled or sheet soft thermal insulators include glass wool and mineral wool. They differ only in the base; their thermal insulation characteristics are approximately the same. Material environmentally friendly, non-flammable, allows you to independently choose the installation height, eliminating additional trimming. These advantages make cotton insulation especially popular.
Illustrative examples of heat loss
The material is sold in rolls or slabs. From rolled wool You can cut out elements of any shape and size, and to reduce the thickness of the insulating layer, just press and fix the material.
Vata deficiency - high hygroscopicity. The material is afraid of moisture and if the insulation absorbs water, it loses its heat-protective properties. Experts do not recommend using this insulation for doors, since with a high contrast of external and internal temperatures, the likelihood of the insulation getting wet is extremely high. However, the option is quite acceptable for front door to the apartment.
Inflatable (sprayed) insulation
With the onset of frost, it can be difficult to keep the house warm if there are loopholes for cold air. A poorly insulated door is one of the main sources of heat leakage. Most often, old structures - doors - suffer from unsatisfactory tightness. modern models have a layer of insulation and seals. But over time, even the highest quality material wears out and loses its properties. Every owner of a house or apartment has to face the question of how to insulate a wooden door. The solution to this problem is simple. It is necessary to eliminate the gaps between the door frame and the opening, install a seal around the perimeter of the door leaf and insulate the leaf itself.
Wood is a material that has low thermal conductivity and should not allow cold to pass through. Why then might it be necessary to insulate a wooden entrance door? Here are the main reasons for poor sealing:
To perform insulation wooden doors, you need to prepare the material.
Insulation for door leaf:
Polyurethane foam is necessary to eliminate drafts through the junction of the door frame and the opening.
The seal is necessary to insulate the door around the perimeter:
For decorative design door leaf and protection of insulation from street moisture and air will be required upholstery: leatherette, eco-leather, natural wood lining, laminated MDF. Related materials, which are necessary for the work - upholstery nails and wire.
Do-it-yourself insulation of a wooden door begins with measuring the door leaf and purchasing material. The door must be inspected in order to identify defects and eliminate them:
We will need:
To install the seal, it may be necessary to insert a groove, so it’s good if you have a corner one on your farm. Sander, equipped with a cutter.
What is the best way to insulate a wooden entrance door with your own hands to ensure the maximum degree of thermal insulation for the door leaf? The most effective would be to insulate the structure on both sides.
Upholstering a door with leatherette is a simple and popular method. It is most convenient to do the work when the door is removed from its hinges, but with some skill you can also work with the door hung. The process goes like this:
Sometimes it is more expedient to insulate a door in a private house with polystyrene foam or polystyrene, covering it with clapboard or laminated chipboard. In this case, the door leaf becomes thicker and heavier. For this method, you need to assemble a wooden frame and attach it to the door leaf. There will be a layer of insulation inside the frame. Its thickness is selected so that it matches the width of the plank. Since foam plastic is a dense material, and when laying it there will still be small gaps, all gaps between the individual pieces of foam plastic and the frame are filled with sealant. After cutting off the cured sealant, you can begin covering the door with the outer material. You can do without a frame. In this case, the foam is glued directly to the canvas, and then the door is sheathed with leatherette.
The seal will ensure a tight fit of the door to the frame. Installation of the seal is quite simple, since it is usually a material in the form of a tape, one side of which is coated with a special adhesive composition. It will be more difficult to select the desired thickness of the seal: if the thickness is insufficient, the material will leak cold air. Excessively thick is also not a suitable option. If the door is difficult to close, this can lead to the handle becoming loose and the lock breaking. How to insulate a wooden entrance door with a sealant correctly? Here's the procedure:
A dense roller made of leatherette strip with insulation inserted inside is designed to seal the joint between the jamb and the door leaf. Do it as follows:
This simultaneously creates a warm door leaf and a sealed gap between the jamb and the door leaf.
A wooden door, insulated with your own hands, if you follow these simple tips, will reliably protect your house from both drafts and street noise.
Wood and its products excellent material for making doors. Its significant disadvantage is its susceptibility to moisture. As a result, the door may warp and shrink. As a result, the door frame does not fit tightly to the opening - gaps form, and cracks appear in the door leaf. Therefore, the question of how to insulate a wooden entrance door with your own hands is practical significance. Methods of insulating a door come down to combating cracks and gaps through which drafts penetrate and heat escapes.
An effective way to increase the thermal insulation of a door structure can be:
Installing a second door will help save heat
An additional method of insulation wooden door in a private house - installing a second door at the entrance to the house. For inexpensive doors, this is an advantageous alternative to using polyurethane foam, isolon, or wood fiber.
The greater the temperature difference between the outside and inside the door, the higher the heat loss. The space between the doors - the vestibule - is constantly filled with heated air, so when installing additional door at the inlet, heat loss is minimal.
This method is not always suitable for apartment owners and will not eliminate drafts. To prevent cold air from entering the room, at least one door must also be insulated.
Mineral wool, corrugated cardboard, polystyrene foam, foam rubber, polyurethane, and wood fiber can be used as insulation.
Seals effectively eliminate gaps between the frame and the doorway. As a result of operation wooden structures under the influence of humidity, the volume of the door can decrease by 10%. This applies to wooden doors of a prefabricated design. For example, paneled doors can also warp. Therefore, an excellent way to insulate a paneled door is to provide a double sealing circuit: a rubber profile and special seals.
Rubber and foam rubber are usually used as a seal. Foam rubber lightweight material It also has good thermal insulation properties. Convenient for work operations, protects the home from the penetration of cold air and prevents heat transfer. However, its use is not recommended. It is highly flammable and during combustion produces a toxic poison that is dangerous to human health. To avoid dangerous situations It is advisable to opt for a rubber seal.
Insulation using sealing profiles involves gluing a rubber seal around the perimeter of the door frame. To completely eliminate drafts, the door leaf must fit tightly to the door frame. To do this, you need to choose the right thickness of the seal.
The thickness of the seal depends on the size of the gap between the frame and the door leaf. Measurements are taken in compressed form. The length is equal to the length of the door perimeter. And the width is selected according to the width of the area of their contact.
If the sealing material has been selected and all the necessary measurements have been made, you can begin insulation. To do this, moving around the perimeter of the box using paper from the adhesive part of the seal
The work itself is very simple. It is necessary to gradually separate the paper from the adhesive part of the seal, moving along the perimeter of the door frame. The seal is secured by simply pressing your hand.
You might be wondering how to insulate the front door to a bathhouse or steam room? .
Allows you to get rid of drafts and reduce heat loss in your home without additional work.
A roller is a small strip of leather or dermantine, inside of which there is a seal. You will have to make the roller yourself. The service life of the roller will depend on how correctly you chose the material and insulation, the installation location and installed it.
Wool and felt are susceptible to moisture, which can cause cavities to form inside the roller. As a result, such sealing is of little use, and the roller itself wears out quickly. Batting can be recommended as a roller filler and insulation material. Its structure is more uniform.
Upon completion of the work, we obtain hermetically sealed insulation, which effectively protects against drafts and prevents heat transfer.
The traditional way to insulate a door is to lay insulation. To insulate inexpensive Chinese doors, cheap materials are used: foam rubber, corrugated corrugated board, mineral wool, polystyrene foam. The most popular insulation material is polystyrene foam.
Advantages of polystyrene foam:
Results
To achieve optimal results, foam insulation is carried out from the inside and from outside doors. A synergistic effect is achieved by combining and simultaneous use of several insulation methods. This will keep your home warm and cozy.
The first autumn cold has arrived unnoticed, and if in your apartment or country house It’s become uncomfortable like autumn; if you take a close look at the front door and windows, you’ll most likely have to start insulating them. We won’t touch the windows now, let’s talk about the door, since this is where the most problems occur. Especially if the door is wooden and has served for many years.
Insulating a wooden front door is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance: having a simple tool and more or less stable handling skills, your personal desire and our advice will help correct the situation and meet the cold winter with dignity.
So, there are, by and large, only two ways to insulate the front door:
To seal the doorway, you will need to purchase a special rubber seal. This sealant, in the form of a tape rolled into a roll, is widely available and inexpensive, and has an adhesive base on one side, which greatly simplifies its installation. 
Before going to hardware store or to the market, you should measure your door along the perimeter, the length of which will correspond to the length of the insulation you are purchasing. Pay attention to the width of the folds: folds are the place where the door leaf adjoins the frame, and it is obvious that the width of the insulation should be similar or slightly smaller. Try to determine the width of the slot gaps - the sealing tape, due to its thickness when compressed, should completely cover the gap.
Having the results of simple measurements in hand, you can choose the right rubber seal, which is very easy to install. We seal the doorway in parts - top part along the width of the door, having previously cut off the corresponding piece of tape, then vertical sections along the height of the door and, finally, the lower part. To glue a strip of insulation, you need to carefully press its adhesive side to the folded part, gradually removing the protective paper strip. Make sure that the seal lies evenly, without distortions, along its entire length. 
