Which insulation for the roof is better to choose - photos

During construction, future homeowners pay close attention to every detail, taking care of the comfort and coziness of the home. One of the criteria for the readiness of the house for the settlement - an acceptable temperature. In order not to freeze in the winter, it is not enough to install powerful heating, it is necessary to take care of the thermal insulation of the places through which heat leaves the heated room. Because of the large area of ​​the slopes, roofing is considered by builders to be the weakest point through which the most heat losses go. So that you do not scare the monthly bills for heating, this article will tell you what insulation to choose for the roof!

Determination of heat loss

The reason for encouraging homeowners to engage in roof insulation and finding effective insulation is the cold of the house. In such conditions it is impossible to live, since even a heating device switched on at full capacity does not save it. To take the first step towards optimizing home heating, you should determine where and in what volume heat loss occurs. This can be done in two ways:

• Using the tv. This device, analyzing the temperature distribution of the investigated room. To see which parts of the roof the heat leaves, you need to make a television shooting of the house outside. According to this picture, it is easy to identify the weak points of the roof, they are depicted in red, yellow or white, while the rest of the space is painted in dark blue. If you do not have a TV, you can rent an appliance or call a professional who will do the work himself and give recommendations on which roof insulation is better to choose.
• Visually. In winter, when it is cold outside, the heat loss from under the roof can be determined with the naked eye, though not as precisely as the device does. First of all, pay attention, if at a negative temperature the snow does not lie, but melts, the roof insulation does not perform its function. Bare roofing material, when everything is in the snow around - a signal that heat penetrates the ramps into the street. With the help of monitoring frost in frosty weather also determine the heat loss of the roof. Where the frost forms more actively, warm air leaves the house outside.

Please note that they analyze how well the roof insulation is performed in winter, when the difference between the internal and external temperatures is at least 30 degrees. Therefore, it is better to purchase a finished house or take work from hired builders in winter.

Insulation Requirements

High-quality insulation for the roof does not release heat from the heated rooms to the outside, does not let the cold air from the street, performs the function of noise reduction, but it does not obstruct the air circulation inside the roof structure. Due to such multitasking materials for thermal insulation impose strict requirements:

1. Low thermal conductivity. The main criterion for the effectiveness of insulation. The lower this value, the better the material retains heat.
2. Low weight A layer of insulation - an additional load on the roof system of the roof, and ultimately, on the foundation of the house, the strengthening of which is quite expensive.
3. Ease of installation. Installation of insulation for the roof is done manually or using special equipment. For self-use it is more convenient to use materials that do not require equipment.
4. Versatility. To save on thermal insulation, use universal insulation, suitable for the roof and walls of the house.
5. Dimensions of the material. Experienced roofers choose insulation, with the installation of which remains less residue. If the width of the material does not match the step between the rafters, saving on thermal insulation will not work.
6. Density. A smaller density indicator indicates that there is a lot of air in the structure of the material, which retains heat well.
7. Incombustible. Since the roof construction consists of a wooden frame, chimney pipes pass through it, non-combustible types of insulation are used for thermal insulation. If the thermal insulation material does not sustain combustion, the inhabitants of the house have time to leave the danger zone and call firefighters when a fire breaks out.

Important! To determine which layer of insulation eliminates heat loss, calculate the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures. As a rule, the temperature of a heated house is 22-23 degrees, and outside the window it can be from -10 to -50 in different regions. When the difference is 40 degrees, corresponding to the central zone of Russia, a 15 cm thick insulation is used.

Mineral insulation

Fibrous insulation in the form of mineral-based wool is actively used for roof insulation. Roll and tile mineral insulation materials are on sale. The following qualities make them popular:

• Low thermal conductivity. The heat conductivity index of 0.036 W / m makes basalt and glass wool record holders among heaters.
• Low density The density of mineral wool slabs is 50-75 kg / cubic meter, so it retains heat better and does not impede air circulation.
• Easy to use. For the installation of mineral wool does not require special tools, cut it with a knife or scissors.
• Разнообразная форма выпуска. Mineral insulation выпускают в виде рулонов, плит и матов разных размером. Даже если не удается подобрать образец с размерами, подходящими для расстояния между стропилами, обрезки используют для теплоизоляции других мест.
• Fireproof qualities. Mineral wool does not burn and does not sustain combustion, due to which it is considered a fire resistant material that is safe for roof insulation.

Обратите внимание! Mineral insulation в процессе эксплуатации оседают, соскальзывая к основанию ската, и оставляют конек незащищенным. Опытные мастера утверждают, что материалы, выпускающиеся в виде плит, обладают меньшей усадкой, поэтому теплоизоляция крыш производится ими.

Styrofoam

To insulate the slopes of the roof using a simple and extruded foam, which is made from polystyrene foam. Its main characteristics are:

• A light weight. Polyfoam - the lightest of the insulation used for roof insulation. Its weight is so small that it practically does not increase the load on the rafters.
• Low density and thermal conductivity. Thermal conductivity is 0.05 W / m, and density - 15-45 kg per cubic m.
• Низкое водопоглащение. Styrofoam – вещество, обладающие низким значением водопоглащения, благодаря чему не теряет своих свойств при намокании.
• Does not shrink even after decades of operation.
• Easy installation. Polyfoam is easily cut, mounted without frame. Thanks to the light weight, the foam can be fixed alone.
• Does not burn, but melts with the formation of toxic smoke, hazardous to health.

Important! The lack of polystyrene is fragility, due to which the sheets are deformed during installation and operation. In addition, in order to adjust the size of the sheet to the step between the rafters, you have to leave a lot of trimming, which is unsuitable for further use.

Ecowool

Ecowool is called insulation based on natural fiber, for example, flax or hemp. This is a modern material, created in response to the desire of people to protect their health from harmful chemicals. Valuable qualities of ecowool are:

• Low thermal conductivity and density. The thermal conductivity of ecowool is lower than that of mineral insulation, and the density is on the same level.
• Fire Resistance. Ecowool flame retardants reliably protect against fire.
• Health safety. The use of ecowool does not harm human health and does not cause allergies.
• Versatility. This material is used for internal or external wall insulation, so the remains will be useful in construction.
• Excellent occupancy. Ecowool covers all gaps and gaps, preventing possible heat loss through the roof.
• The complexity of work with ecowool is that it is blown under the film, fixed on the slopes of the roof, with the help of a special installation. Therefore, this method is not suitable for independent use.

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