Types of thermal insulation for inclined roofs
During the winter, hot air is a precious element and we try to keep it inside our homes. In order to achieve this, we use heating, which means that our energy bill increases with what your waste can cost us a lot of money.
If your house has an attic you will know that it is an extra space that we often use as a storage room where we store parts of our history. In the best of cases and if it is large enough, it is habitable and a place of rest or recreation for the family. In both cases it is important to properly condition that space. When dealing with the upper part of the house, it is where the heat escapes to the outside and the entrance of cold air to the interior.
The solution to avoid this loss of energy through the attic is the installation of a thermal insulation on the roof which will allow us to reduce our energy bill and we will increase the energy efficiency of our home.
Another element that we must take care of inside this space to conserve the heat inside is the windows that this room has. A good thermal insulation of windows together with insulating windows will help to reduce the percentage of energy that escapes through the roof of the building.
With the action on frames and glass of the windows is achieved to increase the thermal comfort of the interior of the house and gains in energy efficiency since;
- Unwanted air intake is reduced
- It reduces the appearance of humidity and the problems that entail
Regarding the thermal insulation of the roof, it is necessary to take into account whether the thermal insulating material is to be installed on the outside of the building or, on the contrary, to act directly on the inside of the attic.
If the choice of installation of thermal insulation for roofs is on the outside we will have the following advantages;
- The height of the attic is not reduced
- The life of the individuals that inhabit the building is not interfered
- Normally it affects the whole building , with the consequent benefit for all owners
- The thermal inertia of the roof is used
- It avoids possible leaks of water that lead to long leaks and humidity.
On the other hand, if the thermal insulation of roofs is executed from inside the home, the benefits that we will obtain are the following;
- When done from the inside, it avoids having to make modifications in the cover.
- It allows a remodeling, in some cases, aesthetics of that part of the building with the improvement of lighting or cooling systems.
- If we opt for an insulating material in laminated plates, the installation does not need the room to lose its habitability, with which the inconvenience for people is minimal.
- If the building is not permanently occupied, this type of thermal insulation is advisable, because if the thermal insulation material is not presented in laminated plates, the room will have to be emptied during the time the installation lasts.
What thermal insulation materials for roofing do I need?
On the subject of the class of thermal insulating materials that we will use when installing thermal insulation on the roof, as there is the possibility of doing it from the outside or the interior of the house, depending on our choice it will be advisable other insulating materials.
In the case that our choice is to undertake the thermal insulation of the house from the outside the most used materials are the following;
- Mineral wool, as long as you do not need to do a waterproofing job on the roof is a very advisable material. Plates will be placed under the tiles allowing a gap that will later be filled with mineral wool. This assembly is clean and dry.
- Expanded polystyrene (EPS), this thermal insulating material allows waterproofing and protects from changes in temperature. In addition to this feature, this thermal insulation allows stability under temperature and humidity conditions.
- Expanded polystyrene (XPS), this type of thermal insulating material is used by placing it under tile. Plates with mechanical fixings, adhesives compatible with XPS and waterproofing asphalt sheets are used.
On the contrary, in the case that the thermal insulation on the roof is made inside the house, the most commonly used and recommended thermal insulation materials are:
- Extruded polystyrene (XPS), this system is based on the application of this type of thermal insulation on the existing wall and then cover it with plaster. The main advantage of the use of this thermal insulation is that the consent of the community of owners is not needed for its installation. On the opposite side, the great disadvantage of the implementation of this thermal insulation is that the eviction of the house is necessary and the interior useful space can be reduced.
- Mineral wool, its installation is based on the construction of a double wall where the thermal insulating material will be introduced. In this way, the eviction of the house is not necessary, although useful space will be lost inside the house.
With a good insulation of the roof we will be able to gain in the interior comfort and a reduction of our energy bill.
If you think your home needs a thermal insulation solution, There are so many companies in market and they offers you a wide catalog of insulating materials and different ways to install them in homes so that this update of your home does not have a big inconvenience or a very large outlay.
