Every self-respecting builder, both a beginner and a professional, knows that roof insulation, for example, roof insulation with Penoplex, is one of the important points in any type of construction. A warm roof is a guarantee of warmth in your home.
In our article, we will consider issues related to the roof insulation itself, as well as the types of materials, modernization, where the insulation begins and how to do it right, and most importantly, how to rationally solve this issue. After reading the description to the end, you will understand that it is quite achievable and realistic to insulate the roof of any building.
More than 25% of heat loss passes through the roof.
To reduce this indicator, modern designs consist of the following elements:
- Heaters;
- Steam and waterproofing films;
- membranes.
Having thought about improving the thermal insulation of the roof - insulation, decide, for starters, which method suits you the most.
We list the main ways:
- Roll thermal insulation;
- Zasypnaya (stuffed);
- blown;
- Sheet.
When faced with a choice of how best or how cheaper to do the job, keep one thing in mind: the roof will be warm when the materials are selected based on a whole list of features of both the area on which the building is located and its internal specifics.
Do not risk buying expensive materials, hoping only for super quality (which is not always true).
Let's consider each of them in detail.
Materials and types of insulation
Roll insulation is a material made of glass, stone or mineral fibers. Basically, this entire range is non-flammable, does not absorb moisture and is resistant to rot.
It comes in the form of rolls or mats. Manufacturers often use a foil backing to provide a vapor barrier effect, or a paper backing for added strength.
Consider the main dimensions of the rolls:
- Roof insulation thickness - 100, 150 or 200 mm;
- Width - from 370 to 400 mm;
- Length - from 6 to 8 meters.
Important: The thickness of the insulation for the roof is selected, taking into account such important parameters as humidity and the size of the attic.
You should not be guided by the principle "The thicker, the warmer." Calculate the volume of the room, its shape and choose the appropriate size and thickness of the insulation.
When thermal insulation needs to be laid on slopes, use rolls with a backing protruding from the sides.
Important: pay attention to bitumen-polymer roll insulation.By fusing it directly to the surface, you can save your time and money.
A striking example of a roll type of thermal insulation is a roof insulation with a polymer filler and a substrate.. Being foil, it provides a vapor barrier of the roof and rooms.
The density of such material is very low - from 15 to 20 kg per cubic meter, which provides a high level of thermal insulation.
Zasypnaya roof insulation used for uneven spacing between beams. The main material is expanded vermiculite in the form of granules or individual fibers. In addition to it, foam glass and perlite sand are used. When heated, vermiculite increases in volume by 7-9 times.
Calculate the work plan in advance. Do not use the backfill (stuffed) method in ventilated attics - the material may simply weather out. For roofing, insulation is not only roof insulation, it is a regulator of air access to the attic.
That is why it is so important to use the backfill material correctly. If your roof structure is non-standard, this method will be the best way to solve the problem.
How to insulate the roof with a stuffing method, consider the following example. For the convenience of supplying the material, we install a metal mesh, fix it on the studs arranged in a checkerboard pattern (the height of the studs is consistent with the goals set).
On these studs we stretch a metal mesh with a cell of 15 by 15 mm. And layer by layer we fall asleep our material.
The next type of insulation - blown, is a fibrous mass with the qualities of a polymer.
This mass is blown out through a flexible pipeline. This method cannot be used in attics and rooftops with complex terrain.Before work, consider in advance the increase in the volume of material. This will help save time and extra money.
Helpful: Use blown insulation based on cellulose fibers. Such material is environmentally friendly and has a high degree of quality factor.
Another way to insulate your roof is sheet insulation.. Usually, mineral fiber mats, polyurethane and polystyrene boards are used. Fasteners are made directly on the roof rafters.
The thickness of the insulation for the roof varies depending on the purpose and shape. Unlike roll insulation, sheet insulation made from modern materials is lighter, which significantly reduces the cost of transport and installation itself.
So, we have considered all types of roof insulation. Insulated roof - the correctness of its installation, depends not only on the materials. There are certain nuances when designing a roof with thermal insulation. Here is one example of an insulated roof with a prefabricated coating.
1 - concreted profile of galvanized strip steel; 2 - waterproofing tape; 3 - mounting profile with a step of 50 cm; 4 - thermal insulation; 5 - roof with leveling layer; 6 - gravel backfill; 7 - hinged support; 8 - plaster; 9 - reinforced concrete slab; 10 - vapor barrier; 11 - profile forming the seam
Important point!!!
The thermal insulation efficiency of the layers located behind the heat-impermeable layer should not exceed 13.5% of the total thermal insulation of the coating.
The vapor barrier must be in the right place as shown in the diagram.
How to insulate the roof - methods, notes
The technology of roof insulation that we offer is very easy to use. The number of technologies themselves is large. One of them may be the technology of foam roof insulation.
Penoplex is used when insulating objects of the inversion type (from the Latin inversio - rearrangement, turning over). With this option, the waterproofing layer is located on the surface of the roof base.
Penoplex is a heat-insulating material with closed (closed) cells. It does not absorb water, does not shrink and does not rot.
We use it as follows:
- First, we lay a waterproofing carpet under a sloping screed. The screed is located on the basis of the roof.
- We lay Penoplex plates on top of the waterproofing. A special design with a stepped end "in a quarter" will exclude the manifestation of "bridges" of cold.
- Applying a geotextile filter layer.
Another example of the use of heat-insulating materials when working with roofing is ursa roofing insulation. One of the popular types of this insulation can be called mineral wool with RSA M-11-F foil coating.
We use Ursa insulation for the roof as follows:
- We form the first layer 100 or 150 mm thick from a vapor barrier material. We lay between the rafters and fix.
- We lay the URSA M-11-F material in the second layer and lay it on top of the rafter group and thus avoid the formation of "cold bridges"
- The place where the thermal insulation adjoins the wall or other structure is carefully glued.
In addition to various technologies, we note special cases of thermal insulation of roofs. For example, insulation of the attic roof.
We take into account the following most common factors that should be considered first:
- Installation of thermal insulation separating the inside from the outside;
- Air humidity arising from human activities;
- The amount of water vapor in the room that can absorb air;
- Inaccurate laying of the vapor barrier layer.
And the last question that we will consider today is what kind of insulation is best for the roof? It is simply impossible to answer it unambiguously. There are hundreds of different materials, as well as their varieties. It is necessary to listen to the opinions of specialists, and above all the breeders who produce these materials. If you have the opportunity to talk to such a person, you will save a lot of money on choosing materials in accordance with your plans. Do not forget about the environment when choosing thermal insulation, especially if the work is carried out in residential buildings. Saving on health is not worth it, it's worse than marriage.
But if you want to focus on something specific, then make your choice from the two options presented above. Their characteristics are universal and can be used in any kind of construction. Do not rely on the opinions of passers-by or intermediate conclusions. Soberly assess the situation, do not hesitate to take paper, pencils to write down the questions you are interested in. Then do-it-yourself roof insulation won't seem like a problem to you at all. Good luck with your construction and all the best.
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