Do-it-yourself roof insulation
The climatic conditions of Russia force us to warm our homes, and since about a quarter of all heat loss in the house occurs through the roof, it is therefore necessary to warm it.
Content
- Types of thermal insulation materials video
- Attic preparation
- Vapor barrier
- Attic insulation
- Insulated roof video
- Insulation of flat roofs
Types of thermal insulation materials
Since there are many materials for roof insulation, which one to choose, you decide for yourself. In this article we will give a brief description of some of the most commonly used types of thermal insulation.
roll insulation
This type of insulation is made of glass, stone or mineral fiber, all of them are non-combustible, treated against moisture, rot and parasites.
They are made not only rolled, but in the form of mats or plates. Thickness is 100, 150, 200 mm., Width is from 370 to 400 mm., Length is up to 8 meters - these are data for rolled materials. For slopes, it is better to use semi-rigid mats with a thickness of 50 to 75 mm.
semi-rigid sheet insulation
To warm the pitched roof, it is possible to lay sheet insulation from polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam between the rafters. Some polystyrene sheets along the length have grooves, this makes it easier to cut, in addition, the grooves allow you to compress the sheets, thereby providing a snug fit to the inclined rafters.
aluminized mats
It happens that the rafters are too narrow, in this regard, it is impossible to lay slab or rigid insulation, in this case, thin aluminized heat-insulating mats are attached to the lower surface of the roof parts. This material is quite expensive, but the thermal conductivity of the layer is 25 mm. equal to the thermal conductivity of standard roll insulation, whose thickness is 8 times greater.
hard flooring with thermal insulation
In the case of using the attic under the storage room, lay a water-resistant fiberboard, a sheet of expanded polystyrene is attached to it from below to maintain heat.
These panels are small in size, which allows them to be delivered through any attic hatch and they are stacked across the beams. Preliminarily, roll insulation is laid between the beams, and panels are laid on top and fastened with screws. Do not forget to leave ventilation gaps.
blown heat insulation
This work is carried out by specialized companies, they through a flexible hose or sleeve, blow out the inter-beam fiber insulation, providing a uniform layer with a thickness of 270 mm.
Attic preparation
Before warming any roof, it is necessary to check all wooden structures, by inspection, to identify deficiencies, eliminate them, if necessary, treat with protective equipment. Check the condition of the electrical wiring, if necessary, lay longer wires in order to lay thick thermal insulation under them.
If the ceilings are not designed for the weight of a person, before performing work, it is necessary to put wide boards across the beams. If you plan to insulate the roof with your own hands, put on old clothes and a gauze protective mask, and gloves.
Vapor barrier
due to the thermal insulation of the roof, non-insulated parts of the house become colder, which leads to increased condensation, and subsequently leads to dry rot.
In order to avoid this, it is necessary to take care of the ventilation of the building, or to install a vapor barrier (thin sheet of plastic or foil) on the inside of the insulation, the vapor barrier must be solid and without damage.
Attic insulation
The easiest way to warm the attic, if it is not used as a living room, is to lay the roll insulation between the beams. This work does not require special skills, it is done quickly. Before insulation, it is necessary to seal, using mastic, all the gaps around the pipes, ventilation, electrical wiring.
Since the roll insulation, after being released from the packaging, takes the real volume, remove the packaging in the attic. Laying of one end of the roll begins on the eaves overhang of the roof, without closing the ventilation gap, for this, the end of the seal can be cut in the shape of a wedge.
Having deployed the roll, spread it out by pressing it between the beams, providing a snug fit on all sides, but do not compress the material. Put the second roll on the opposite side. Cut it to the butt with the end of the first rolls using a large knife. Thus, lay down all the heat-insulating material by trimming it in irregularly shaped areas until all the girders are filled.
Lay electrical wires over insulation without pulling them. The thickness of the roll material should be 270 mm., But most of the beams are below 270 mm. and therefore, in order to achieve the desired thickness of the insulation, it is necessary to lay a second layer of thermal insulation across the beams.
But closing the beams, you will not be able to walk in the attic, without risk of pushing the ceiling, therefore, before laying the second layer of insulation, beat the wooden beams on top of the beams, in places where access is required, lay and fasten the chipboard on these bars. When laying the second layer, cut it around these bars.
Insulated roof
If the attic is planned for a living room, then thermal insulation of the roof slopes is necessary, this can be done in several ways.
insulation between rafters
Before laying the insulation, it is necessary to repair the roof, since after laying the insulation, it will be difficult to find places for leaks. Lay the insulation in the inter-rafter space, leaving a gap of 50 mm. between insulation and roof tiles for ventilation.
To ensure a gap of 50 mm., The rails are attached to the sides of the rafters, then the rigid thermal insulation is cut as accurately as possible, to ensure a tight fit (between the rafters), after pressing the insulation between the rafters, a vapor barrier membrane is attached to the rafters at the joints Before folding, the polyethylene folds in half.
To further reduce heat loss, a thermally insulated drywall can be attached to the underside of the rafters.
aluminized thermal insulation
In the case of narrow rafters, warming occurs by fastening with a stapler to the underside of the rafters, aluminized thermal insulation. As it is laid, the insulation roll is unwound, cut with sharp scissors along the length. Having fixed with a stapler, the joints are sealed with aluminized adhesive tape with an acrylic adhesive layer.
Thermal insulation of flat roofs
laying on top
Such work is best done with the help of specialized firms, its experts will check the weather resistance of the roof and its ability to withstand additional loads.
The method of warming a flat roof consists of laying a rigid heat-insulating material on an existing flooring, this also includes vapor barrier, it is located under thermal insulation, and thermal insulation is protected by a new waterproof coating.
bottom laying
Sometimes the space inside the roof structure has very poor ventilation, which requires the installation of vapor barrier on the warm side of the ceiling. Thermally insulated drywall or fire-resistant polystyrene foam is attached to the beams, it is fixed between wooden slats, which in turn are screwed to the beams with a pitch of 40 cm.
The first rail is installed close to the wall at right angles to the beams, then, a rail is attached to each edge of the ceiling. The expanded polystyrene panel is glued end-to-end with the first rail, then, in turn, the rails and panels are attached, thus closing the entire ceiling.
Then, with the help of a stapler, the vapor barrier is attached, all this is sewn up with drywall, the drywall is attached to the rails with galvanized nails.
