What is needed to insulate the roof?

When building a house, the issue of roof insulation should be resolved immediately. Correctly performed work increases the level of heat in the house by 30%, prevents dampness and mold from forming on the walls. The rafter structure is also preserved intact, which increases the service life of the entire structure. The roof can also be insulated during major repairs.

What do you need to know about roof insulation?

This type of work involves installing an insulating layer both from the inside and from the outside. The first option has proven itself best in the case of a pitched roof structure. The process itself is as follows:

• arrangement of lathing from thin slats for installation of a waterproofing layer;
• laying of insulation material in the manner specified in the manufacturer's recommendations;
• installation of a film with vapor barrier properties;
• sealing of seams at joints;
• creation of ventilation gaps by installing slats.

External insulation is carried out in different ways, taking into account the purpose of the roof. The used roof format involves pouring a cement screed over the surface of the insulation. In this case, it is necessarily reinforced with a metal mesh. After that, bitumen mastic was applied and a geotextile protective layer was attached.

An unused type of roof requires preliminary cleaning of the treated surface from dirt. It also needs to be leveled, eliminating all bulges and recesses. Then a layer of vapor barrier and insulation is laid. Particular attention should be paid to joints near windows, corners, pipes, bends.

Materials used for roof insulation

Today, experts use many types of roof insulation. The choice of the best option is determined by several important factors. These include strength and thermal conductivity, the ability to protect against moisture, exposure to low temperatures and ultraviolet radiation, and the ability to remain in a stable shape for a long time. Good sound insulation and environmental friendliness are also included in the list of required characteristics. Most often, the following are used for roof insulation:

• glass wool - works great outside on flat surfaces;
• mineral wool - has good thermal insulation, is affordable and environmentally friendly, can be installed on all types of roofs;
• polyurethane foam - provides an ideal thermal insulation indicator;
• foam concrete - also retains heat well without creating unnecessary loads on the foundation structure;
• penoizol - a sprayed material that allows you to work in hard-to-reach places;
• expanded clay - a loose material that requires further compaction and covering with a screed, is characterized by rapid drainage of precipitation.

Other materials available to users also include ecowool, foamed glass, sawdust. Working with them requires special technologies, detailed in the manufacturer's recommendations.