What to do if the corner of the house freezes

A common issue faced by many homeowners is frozen corners in their homes as winter approaches and the temperature drops. If left untreated, this problem can cause discomfort, higher heating bills, and even structural damage. Keeping your house safe and warm throughout the winter requires knowing why this occurs and how to fix it.

Poor insulation or thermal bridging, in which heat escapes through openings or inadequately insulated portions of the building, are common causes of frozen corners. Moisture intrusion may make this worse, further decreasing the insulation’s effectiveness. Early detection of these symptoms can help avert later, more serious issues.

It’s critical to act quickly if you observe that the corners of your home are freezing. This issue has a number of workable answers, from quick fixes to more involved approaches. There are things you can do to make sure your house stays warm and energy-efficient throughout the winter, such as sealing gaps, upgrading insulation, or taking care of moisture problems.

The common causes of frozen corners will be discussed in the sections that follow, along with helpful tips for preventing and fixing the problem. You can enjoy a cozy living space all year round and shield your house from the damaging effects of winter with the appropriate strategy.

Why can a corner in a house or apartment freeze

As unfortunate as it may be, the builders or developers are usually at fault because they did not take the installation of the building’s corners seriously. It is important to remember that the corners of the house are the areas with higher thermal conductivity, or what are known as geometric cold bridges. There will be issues when the house is being used if the builders did a poor job sealing the seams, decided to skimp on the insulation, or slightly lowered the thickness of the insulation (skipping all the regulations).

Remember that during the winter, temperatures in locations with cold bridges can gently drop below the so-called dew point, which is the point at which warm and cold air meet. This indicates that there will be about 50% humidity and that the thermometer may only register +9 degrees in the corner zone. Since there is no change in temperature within the room, condensation forms, which in turn produces mold, ice crystals, and other "surprises."

It’s important to keep in mind that freezing issues can arise all the way along the wall. If we are referring to the upper vertical angle, the wall’s improper proximity to the roof covering is the cause in this instance. Cold bridges are also formed in this situation. This could occur if the work was done improperly or if the attic is not insulated. Therefore, you must address the attic and under-roof space in order to solve the issue.

Low-grade content may also be the reason. For instance, concrete has an excessive number of microcracks and cavities where moisture can collect. Since cold bridges can be both horizontal and vertical, issues may also arise in the basic section. Problems with freezing corners and walls arise right away if the foundation has sunk or if groundwater has washed it away. Maybe the house was just designed to withstand a warmer climate.

It does not really matter what the house is made of, given the reasons behind the freezing of the corner. Usually, the issues remain the same. Unless, that is, masonry is frequently done incorrectly in brick buildings, which causes such issues.

Naturally, the first thing to do, without having to leave the house, is to insulate the corner as soon as it freezes. But take your time doing this.

In order to stop additional damage and make sure your home stays warm, you must act swiftly to address the root cause if a corner of your house freezes. Air leaks and inadequate insulation are typically the main problems. You can effectively prevent freezing corners and maintain a comfortable and energy-efficient home by sealing gaps, upgrading insulation, and making sure there is adequate ventilation. To stop these issues from happening again, timely repairs and routine maintenance are essential.

Is it worth insulating the corner from the inside

Owners of suburban real estate and city apartments prefer to immediately seal the problem area with sealant, putty or glue all kinds of thermal insulation materials. Unfortunately, such measures will only help if the corner is frozen very slightly, which is rare. You also need to understand that the heat insulator laid from the inside will block not only the cold, but also the heat. The insulation can only make things worse, since it will shift the dew point to the inside of the wall. As a result, the cold air will freeze the wall through and through, because the heat insulator prevents the heat from the house from slightly warming up the concrete, brick or wood. As a result, the wall material will begin to deteriorate only more intensively, and the problem will be solved for a very short time.

But sometimes performing facade work is just not feasible. It is also advised in this instance to consider a few subtleties.

How to solve the problem of freezing corners

Knowledgeable builders advise insulating the foundation and facade from the outside and making sure that all seams are properly and high-quality sealed. It greatly depends on the type of building that we are discussing.

Apartment in a high-rise building

In this instance, installing external thermal insulation is not an option because no management company will do it at a resident’s request. Thus, the only work left is internal.

They are executed in accordance with the subsequent principle:

• Remove the wallpaper or any other material that was used for finishing.
• If mold and moisture are visible under the wallpaper, then thoroughly wash and dry everything.
• Find visible cracks, if the walls look solid, then tap them with a hammer. In the place where there are voids in the concrete, the sound will be duller.
• In areas where there are presumably hollow zones, remove the plaster and dry the entire corner.
• Treat the surfaces with antiseptic and antifungal compounds.
• Fill all the voids found with liquid polystyrene foam or foam to prevent subsequent moisture penetration.

Practical! To fill the gaps, some people use tow and mineral wool. This shouldn’t be done because these materials absorb moisture well and will exacerbate the situation, particularly if we are talking about large cracks.

• Clean up excess polyurethane foam and plaster the corner. It is worth choosing a special heat-insulating plaster. Such compositions do not use sand, but tiny polystyrene granules, as well as natural fillers that weigh very little. Plasters of this type have excellent vapor permeability, so you do not have to worry about shifting the dew point.

Private house

In this instance, diagnostic procedures are also completed first, but outside the structure. The size of the cracks on the surface of concrete, brickwork, or other material must be determined. Every flaw needs to be fixed.

The best course of action, if we are discussing a private residence, would be to insulate the foundation and building’s facade. There are a number of materials available today that are appropriate for this:

• Heat-insulating plaster. It is used for both internal and external finishing.
• Liquid thermal insulation. These are special compounds that are made on an acrylic base. They perfectly reflect heat, and thanks to antifungal and anti-corrosion additives, such insulating suspensions prevent the formation of mold and rust of reinforcing elements. Liquid compounds of this type are waterproof, easily penetrate hard-to-reach places and have high adhesion rates. Thanks to this, the mixtures can be used with almost any material. Liquid thermal insulation is applied in several layers, which, according to manufacturers, is more than enough to replace 10 cm of mineral wool.

Crucial! Experiments have shown that this kind of product cannot completely replace insulation. Some believe that because liquid thermal insulation was developed especially for processing hot water pipes, it should only be used for that purpose.

• Thermal panels. This can be siding, sandwich panels, etc. Thermal panels are very quickly laid on the outside of the walls, although it is better not to install them without lathing. But even in this case, the work is done quickly, and one person can handle it. If desired (or if you live in a cold region), mineral wool can be laid under the siding.
• Foam plastic. This is the cheapest and most affordable option. Foam plastic is attached to the walls (can be made of brick, concrete, expanded clay concrete, etc.), and plaster is laid on top. As a rule, this solution is chosen by the owners of multi-storey buildings. The quality of insulation will depend on the thickness of the foam itself.

Wholesome It is crucial that the foam sheets’ joints are seamless. Cold corners won’t be resolved if gaps appear during the work that can’t be filled with anything.

It’s critical to take quick action if you discover that a corner of your home is freezing. Ignoring it may result in more harm and higher energy expenses. First, determine the underlying cause, which is frequently inadequate insulation or exterior building gaps.

Enhancing the insulation in the impacted area is one practical remedy. This could entail making sure that all gaps and cracks are adequately sealed as well as adding or replacing insulation materials inside the walls. Using insulating foam or other materials made especially for cold areas is another option.

Installing heating mats or cables around the troublesome corner is an additional choice. These appliances aid in preserving a steady temperature and averting freezing. They should, however, be applied in addition to appropriate insulation upgrades as a supplemental measure.

It is essential to conduct routine maintenance and inspections to avoid similar problems later on. Maintaining a comfortable living space and shielding your property from the damaging effects of freezing can be achieved by monitoring the insulation in your home and taking quick action to address issues.

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