Warm balcony

Put on the balcony lounge chair, plant flowers or loggia equipped with a studio - this is the dream of many Russians today. Fortunately, the market for modern construction materials can translate this idea into practice. But the "modernization" of the balcony is not as straightforward as it might seem at first glance. So before you start it, it is necessary to weigh the "pros" and "against" to analyze the costs and complexity. "To carry out refurbishment balcony at any time of year. But it is better to do it in dry weather at positive temperature - advises Julia Mikhailova, a leading specialist in architectural and construction of "Art de facto." - Damp and cold have a negative impact on the quality of building materials used in the repair and decoration. " It is worth noting that, according to statistics, in the winter in the old panel houses a significant portion of the heat (70%), "goes" it is through the balcony and "warms" the street. In this case the insulation will save an apartment balcony from the cold and will be a step towards reducing heating costs. So, let's step by step look at how to "transform" ordinary balcony into an oasis of comfort and warmth. Starting step for the conservation of heat as one of the priority measures, many experts distinguish glazed balcony. Indeed, through the window is "lost" 40% of the heat that would warm the tenants. Today's construction market offer window systems made of different materials - wood, aluminum and PVC. What are their advantages and disadvantages? Modern wooden windows do not solid wood, and of laminated veneer lumber. This helps to avoid cracks and deformations during humidity changes. However, wood is combustible, so it is impregnated with a special flame retardant compounds. It is necessary to take into consideration the fact that due to the complex technology of high-quality wooden windows quite expensive. Window systems made of aluminum and are durable though, but because of their high thermal conductivity can not be called warm. For premises they are not usually recommended. After installation of structures made of aluminum temperature on a balcony or a loggia would be different from that of the street only by 3-5 degrees. Windows made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) are composed of multi-sections with firming metal inserts. Such designs allow to achieve high thermal performance. The main reasons for the popularity of plastic windows - durability, simplicity and aesthetics of the PVC-profile. Moreover, during the whole period of operation (from different manufacturers probation "disability" profile reaches 40 or 60 years), this material retains all the original features. In addition, PVC is an environmentally friendly material because it does not emit any substances in use.