Insulation of the roof - an important event that is required when arranging a warm attic or attic. With your own hands, it is easy to carry out roof insulation with foam. The technology in this case is quite simple.
The principle of foam insulation
The best thermal insulation characteristics have air or inert gases. The use of special gases requires tightness, so it is easiest to use ordinary air.
Polyfoam consists of small styrene balls, inside of which air is located. Due to this, roof insulation with foam becomes very effective.
Application area
Polystyrene insulation is excellent for both flat and pitched roofs. When working with pitched surfaces, the technology consists in securing the material from the inside, between the rafters.
If it is planned to increase the heat-shielding characteristics of a flat coating, the material is mounted on top of the supporting structures and protected from above by surfaced roofing materials.
On a pitched roof, insulation is required when installing an attic or a warm attic. In this case, it is necessary to ensure a comfortable temperature in the room. In addition to roofing, polystyrene insulation is used for wall and floor structures.
Pros and Cons of Material
The attic insulation with polystyrene foam has the following advantages:
- low cost of material can significantly save on construction;
- Insulation with polystyrene from the inside does not require special skills, it is quite simple to install it from the inside of the building;
- a small mass of material does not create an excessive load on the roof structure;
- there is no need for additional protective equipment for workers;
- ease of transportation and installation due to its low weight;
- resistance to sunlight;
- heat-shielding characteristics are similar to mineral wool;
- high soundproof characteristics;
- long service life;
- insulating the roof with polystyrene from the inside is safe for humans.
Despite a fairly large list of positive qualities, the material has a number of features and disadvantages, which should be learned in advance:
- low strength of the material;
- instability to simultaneous exposure to moisture and low temperatures;
- attic insulation with polystyrene does not allow air to pass through and can disrupt the indoor climate;
- it is necessary to correctly select the adhesive composition, since some types of glue can destroy the material.
Alternative option
As a second option, you can use the protection of the room from the inside cold by extruded polystyrene foam. Warming is also carried out from the inside, the technology is similar to polystyrene. Compared to conventional polystyrene foam (expanded polystyrene), extruded material is more expensive, but devoid of some of its disadvantages, namely:
- thermal protection of the roof from the inside by extruded polystyrene foam allows for resistance to moisture;
- Compared to polystyrene, extruded material has greater strength.
Insulation of the roof with penoplex is not always justified, since the material in any case will be protected from mechanical influences by the roof covering. As a protection against moisture, vapor barrier and waterproofing are used.
Calculation of insulation thickness
Before insulating the attic with foam, it is necessary to calculate its thickness. For most regions, it is in the range of 150-200 mm. The height of the main roof structures must be selected based on the thickness of the insulation. When insulating from the inside, it is recommended to assign the height of the rafters a little more than the thickness of the foam.
Roof insulation with foam in a private house can be carried out “by eye”, and you can perform your own heat engineering calculation. Using the special program “Teremok”, even a person far from construction can calculate the required thickness of insulation.
The program is freely available and is presented as a PC application and online version. To use the application, you need to know the thermal conductivity of the insulation, which must be specified by the manufacturer.
They usually take into account: the skin of the ceiling, the lower crate, a layer of insulation. Layers located after the ventilated layer are not taken into account. Waterproofing and vapor barrier affect the values insignificantly.
Polyfoam Installation
To insulate the attic with polystyrene foam, it is necessary to prepare the following tools and materials:
- Styrofoam;
- polyurethane foam or sealant for filling joints;
- knife;
- scissors;
- construction stapler;
- nails
- adhesive composition (if necessary);
- special adhesive tape for sealing joints.
Polyfoam is held in the design position due to the lower crate and fastening to the rafters. This mount can be glue or nail. It is important to choose the right adhesive composition, it should not contain alcohol, acetone or other solvents that can lead to damage to the material.
Warming is carried out in the following order:
- installation of supporting elements of the rafter system;
- fixing the waterproofing layer;
- insulation laying;
- fixing vapor barrier;
- installation of the bottom crate;
- installation of counter battens and upper battens;
- roofing;
- interior decoration of the ceiling.
It is important to observe the following order of the layers of the roofing cake from top to bottom:
- ceiling lining;
- crate;
- vapor barrier;
- rafters;
- insulation between the rafters;
- waterproofing and wind protection;
- counter lath;
- crate;
- roofing.
As a waterproofing windbreaker, you can use modern diffusion moisture and windproof membranes. They will provide reliable insulation protection. The following installation errors may lead to undesirable consequences during operation:
- careless handling of the material, as a result of which cavities and cavities form on the surface;
- the wrong choice of the width of the plate, the size does not match the step of the rafters;
- wrong layer order;
- neglect of vapor barrier and waterproofing;
- wrong choice of adhesive;
- violation of the integrity and formation of cracks, violation of the joining of plates.
Visual instruction for warming with ordinary foam:
And extruded polystyrene foam:
Also, foam can be used to warm the walls and floor of the attic. When used in the construction of the floor, it is necessary to provide protection against high loads (floors on logs, reinforced cement-sand screed).
Polyfoam will provide reliable protection against the cold and will not hit the budget. Subject to the installation technology and the proper selection of related materials, insulation will not cause problems during operation and will last for many years.