Insulating Your Roof: Why Should You Do It?

Insulation tends to be quite popular in the world of construction. Building codes require a certain amount of insulation, plus, it can help to save the owner a significant amount of money over the course of time. On low-slope or flat roofs, it has to be considered closely in any new construction, as well as roof replacement instances.

Building codes are going to dictate the amount of insulation you will need when something new is built. It can also determine what you need to use when it comes time to redo the roof on your home. One of the main things to know when putting a new roof on your home is whether you need additional insulation or not. Looking into whether your home, church or office needs insulation can help save you money down the line.

When deciding what you want to install, make sure and speak to a qualified roofer. Roof insulation is meant to keep any cold or heat on the outside of the building. Insulation is measured using an R value. Essentially, this is a measurement of how resistant the material is going to be to the flow of heat. The more resistant the material is, the higher the R value is going to be.

Often times, rigid board insulation is used in roofs due to how great the product actually works. It comes in an array of thicknesses and R values. A piece of one-inch thick iso board will have an R rating of 5.5, while 1.5-inch thick board will have an R rating of nine. Even though the R value goes quite high, ratings of higher than 30 aren’t normally installed on roofs. It can also be installed in layers.

A roofer will attach the insulation to sheathing and then install single-ply membrane roofs, or even build a roof system atop the insulation. If you find that your building is too hot during the summer months or too chilly in the winter, adding in additional R values for the roof can help correct the problem. Older buildings will often have zero insulation in them to begin with.