Retrofitting insulation for concrete window lintels

Good day,

I am currently renovating a single-family house and there is the typical weak point / thermal bridge at the concrete lintels above the windows. Mold formed there (also due to an old storage heater and the previous owners not ventilating). The heating has already been replaced. Then we were advised to insulate the exterior facade. But after I looked into the topic a bit, I would like to refrain from that for now. The disadvantages outweigh the advantages, in my opinion. After all, I want the masonry to continue to breathe. The windows and roller shutter boxes will be renewed, and in this context, I would like to insulate the concrete lintels. How can this be done? I would remove the plaster from the outside and then like to apply an insulation panel that disappears under the new plaster.

What can be used there? Heraklit? Any other tips for me?

Thank you very much in advance and best regards!

Hello,

... But after dealing with the topic a bit, I want to refrain from it for now. The disadvantages outweigh the advantages, in my opinion. After all, I want the masonry to continue to breathe.

Masonry does not "breathe"! It's amazing how this myth persists! A specialist should urgently be consulted here before sustainable problems arise due to self-taught half-knowledge, sorry!
Do-it-yourself work is all well and good, but forum posts cannot replace necessary planning!

Best regards

I know that I can hire an expensive professional for this myself; I already had an architect in the house. As I already said, it is recommended to insulate the facade from the outside. I call exactly such statements "half-knowledge"! What consequences are being withheld from the builder here to promote the economy or the trade? Energy regulations aside, I will certainly never save 30,000 euros on facade insulation with heating costs in my lifetime...! Does any of the self-proclaimed experts know what consequences such styrofoam boards leave on a building after maybe 10 years? And then the "experts" so nicely point out that you have to ventilate even more with insulation because the moisture can no longer escape at all... Of course, I could also just wrap my house in foil... So this has nothing to do with ecological building anymore. However, I do not want to start a general discussion about facade insulation here. I only want advice on how to proceed when you have clearly identified the thermal bridges, here they are the concrete lintels above the windows, without immediately covering your building completely in styrofoam. In new buildings, I have already seen insulation on concrete lintels and concrete ceilings. What is this about?

Hello,

You should avoid becoming rude at all costs - not even subtly, otherwise you will quickly stop receiving replies.

I know I can hire an expensive professional for this, I already had an architect in the house. As I said, it is recommended to insulate the facade from the outside. I call such statements "half-knowledge"! What consequences are being withheld from the builder here so that the economy or craftsmanship is promoted? Energy regulations aside, I will certainly never save 30,000 euros in heating costs with facade insulation in my lifetime...!

The task of structural thermal insulation is to minimize heat exchange between indoor spaces and outside air or between rooms with different temperatures (for example from the basement to the ground floor). In addition to saving energy, good thermal insulation also reduces the risk of structural damage caused by changing external temperature effects. Heat losses occur in buildings through openings (doors, windows) as ventilation losses or as transmission losses through closed surfaces (roof, walls, and closed windows).

Doing work yourself only makes sense if either a professional is engaged to provide advice and support and/or the respective work is carried out with more than rudimentary knowledge!

Do any of the self-proclaimed experts know what consequences such Styrofoam panels leave on a building after maybe 10 years? And then the "experts" nicely point out that with insulation you have to ventilate even more because moisture can no longer escape... I could also just wrap my house in foil right away... So this has nothing to do with ecological building anymore.

ETICS have been installed with approval for many years; damage to masonry has not occurred in these years. In fires, they do pose a non-toxic hazard; the same currently applies to the disposal of classic ETICS. However, there are also ecological solutions—feed Aunt Google accordingly and you will find them.

I do not want to start a general discussion about facade insulation here. I only want advice on how to proceed when the thermal bridges have been clearly identified, here they are the concrete lintels above the windows, without fully wrapping the building in Styrofoam. I have already seen insulation on concrete lintels and concrete ceilings on new buildings. What is that about?

What you mean is classic ring anchor insulation. The market leader Loehr is installed on most new buildings.

But be careful: You do not even have rudimentary knowledge, so €uro’s objection was and is completely correct. No one here knows your house, or its age, or the stone used at the time of construction, and ... and ... and. It may be that you only have to insulate the lintel, but it may also be that you have to apply some overlap. If you already had an architect on site, ask him how and in what form you should insulate the lintels according to his expert opinion.

The internet as well as the HBF here can only provide first aid. In reality, a professional should always get an impression of the conditions on site and show possible solutions on the concrete example.

Best regards

Thank you construction expert, such an answer already helps me. By the way, I did not start with the underlying rudeness. But unfortunately, every forum newbie has to endure this experience, no matter what it is about. Unfortunately, you get attacked everywhere with your seemingly stupid questions... Sharing knowledge is apparently sometimes annoying. But then maybe one should keep quiet with their comments.

Hi,

I know myself that I can hire an expensive professional for it,

ah, you are one of the really smart ones. Don’t want to pay an expensive professional, but want free plans from the forum

As I already said, it is recommended to insulate the facade from the outside. I call such statements "half-knowledge"!

no "half-knowledge"! To sensibly minimize such a thermal bridge, there is no other possibility. If you insulate only the lintel, new thermal bridges will arise elsewhere

Does anyone of the self-proclaimed experts even know what consequences such styrofoam boards might leave on a building after maybe 10 years?

Well, I did not proclaim myself (that was my professor) but I assume, if well planned and executed after 10 or more years: no consequences!

And then the "experts" nicely point out that you have to ventilate even more with insulation because the moisture can no longer escape...

Who actually says that you can only insulate your house afterwards with ETICS? THAT I call half-knowledge! There are plenty of alternatives

Of course I could also just wrap my house in foil... So that has nothing to do with ecological building anymore.

True! Foil also has such a super bad insulation value

I just want advice on how to proceed when the thermal bridges have been clearly identified,

As already mentioned twice above: That can’t be done without professional help --> architect/civil engineer

On new buildings, I have already seen insulation on concrete lintels and concrete ceilings. What is that about?

Such constructions are planned and cannot be transferred 1:1 to every building. Where exactly is the lintel located? How wide is the lintel? Single-layer masonry? Air layer? Questions, questions, nothing but questions

Regards