Insulated flat roof. Insulation of pitched and flat roofs: selection of materials and different technologies for installing insulation. Insulation of pitched and flat roofs

How and with what materials can the attic and roof be insulated? Is it possible to insulate the roof from the outside? We will try to answer these and many other questions within the framework of the article.

Ceiling or roofing

Let's start with the main thing: first we need to decide what exactly needs to be insulated. Should I build a pie of waterproofing and insulation on the roof or should I insulate the ceiling?

The answer is ridiculously simple. If the attic room is planned to be used as a residential attic, the roof is insulated. If the attic is used only for storing rarely used items, the obvious choice is to insulate the floor between the living part of the house and the attic.

Causes?

  • The insulation area in this case will be much smaller. If so, our costs will also decrease.
  • It is immeasurably easier to insulate a floor than a roof. The thermal insulation material can simply be laid on a horizontal surface: there will be no problems with its fixation.

Useful: the attic can be summer, used only in the warm season. And in this case, it makes more sense to insulate the ceiling.

Insulation stands apart flat roof. In this case, there is no particular choice: we not only have to insulate the roof, but also ensure reliable waterproofing with rainwater drainage.

Insulation schemes and materials used

Flat roof

This is where we will begin our review of possible schemes.

Polyurethane foam

Roof insulation with foam involves the use of an industrial installation for spraying components. The excellent adhesion of polyurethane foam allows you to insulate the roof with minimal preparation: you just need to thoroughly clean the surface of debris.

Thanks to the ability to apply a layer of variable thickness, an experienced operator can combine insulation flat roof with leveling the depressions and creating the slope necessary for water drainage.

High-density foam is used for roofing - 60-80 kg/m3. This material is non-flammable and, as a pleasant addition, has excellent waterproofing qualities; however, additional protection from water will be required. As a rule, a reinforced screed is poured over the insulation, on which additional waterproofing is laid - liquid rubber or, which is much cheaper, roofing felt on bitumen mastic.

The material is very practical and durable; its main drawback is its high price.

Expanded polystyrene, foam plastic

The material bears a significant load; however, it is distributed evenly over its entire surface thanks to the screed lying on top. It is recommended to use extruded polystyrene foam or C-35 foam.

The material allows you to easily insulate the roof yourself. Insulation sheets are laid out on a surface cleared of debris with minimal gaps; To avoid the appearance of cold bridges, the seams are foamed. The screed laid on top ensures the slope of the roof (creating a slope for water drainage).

Using extruded polystyrene foam, it is possible to create a so-called inversion roof: the insulation is laid not under the waterproofing, but on top of it. There may be a layer of drainage or even soil on top. The inversion scheme is typical for a roof in use (see also article).

Mineral wool

The method of application is completely identical to the previous material (Read also the article).

There are several nuances associated specifically with mineral wool:

  1. Exclusively glued insulation in the form of plates is used.
  2. The side of the slab with higher density should face up.
  3. The material is hygroscopic. Proper insulation using it includes a layer of waterproofing between the mineral wool and the screed. In addition, a layer of vapor barrier is laid under the slabs on a concrete base or corrugated sheet.

Floor insulation

Now let's look at ways to thermally insulate the floor between the residential part of the house and the unused attic.

Expanded clay, slag, sawdust

Insulation with expanded clay concrete floor- one of the cheapest. However, it will be quite labor-intensive: dragging several cubic meters of material into the attic is not easy.

Actually, in the case of monolithic or slab reinforced concrete floor no additional measures for vapor barrier or insulation protection are required: expanded clay or slag is covered in a continuous layer. Thickness – at least 25 centimeters.

If the floor is wooden, a slightly more complex scheme is used.

  1. A board panel is hemmed underneath the beams.
  2. A vapor barrier film is laid on it.
  3. The insulation is poured over the entire thickness of the beams.

Mineral wool

In this case, the instructions are a little more complicated: mineral wool slabs fill the space between the beams and are separated from the surrounding air by two layers of vapor barrier - bottom and top.

Expanded polystyrene

Its use makes the most sense if you want to turn the attic into a summer attic.

One of simple solutions looks like that:

  1. Plates of extruded polystyrene foam 2-3 centimeters thick are laid out on a flat floor surface. Concrete does not require any gasket between it and the insulation; on wooden surface It is best to lay penofol with the reflective layer down. The seams are taped.
  2. The flooring is laid on top - slabs of plywood, OSB or chipboard in two layers with overlapping seams. In this case, the floor will not play under your feet. The layers are fastened with short screws in increments of no more than 25 centimeters.
  3. Linoleum is spread over the flooring or laminate is laid on a backing.

Useful: the same method can be used to insulate a loggia or a cold floor on the first floor.

Pitched roof

Well, what does the insulation of the second floor under the roof look like? Obviously, in the case of an attic, we will have to use the space between the rafters for insulation.

In all cases, waterproofing must be present under the roof. The film is fastened with a stapler at the stage of roof installation: it is laid in horizontal stripes, starting from the bottom. It is necessary to ensure that the condensation that is inevitable on a roof made of metal tiles or corrugated sheets does not get into the insulation.

Then the actual roofing material is laid over the sheathing. For slate and metal tiles, it is recommended to use a lath with a cross-section of at least 25 mm; for all types soft roof(bitumen shingles, roofing felt, etc.) requires the assembly of a continuous panel.

Any insulation made of hygroscopic material is protected from the inside vapor barrier film with obligatory taping of seams.

How can roof insulation be done?

  • Polyurethane foam is also used for roof insulation. The space between the rafters is foamed; In this case, there is no need for a vapor barrier.
  • Cellulose-based coatings can also be sprayed in a similar way. When laid wet, it also forms a continuous layer of thermal insulation between the rafters.
  • The technology of roof insulation using mineral wool slabs is simple and unpretentious: the slabs are inserted spaced between the rafters. For additional fixation, you can use a cord stretched between nails driven into the side surfaces of the rafters.

Attention: in this case, the vapor barrier should be insulated with special attention. Mineral wool is hygroscopic, and its thermal insulation qualities strongly depend on the moisture content of the material.

  • Foam boards are also inserted as spacers between the rafters; the seams are foaming. Calculation of the required thickness of this insulation for each climate zone can be found in SNiP II-3-79 “Construction Heat Engineering”.

  • Finally, extruded polystyrene foam can also be used to insulate the roof from the outside. It is glued to a solid board - board or plywood; then protected with waterproofing - roofing felt with seam taping bitumen mastic. Of course, using a burner in this case is unacceptable: the material is not heat-resistant.

Conclusion

As you can see, roof insulation with your own hands and using industrial equipment is possible at any stage of construction. In the video presented in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

Thanks to the use of new heat and waterproofing materials, the once discredited flat roof has now gained new life. The fact is that despite the apparent simplicity of the design, its installation and subsequent operation have a lot of subtleties and nuances. Therefore, in order not to end up with a bunch of problems along with a roof over your head, you should get to know them better and try to avoid them.

The main difficulties include the difficulty of draining rain and melt water, the accumulation of snow in winter and falling leaves in autumn. In addition, bituminous materials, which are often used as waterproofing on such roofs, have a number of disadvantages. Their main flaw is that when negative temperatures bitumen tends to compress, this leads to cracking of the waterproofing layer in winter period. Water leaks through the cracks that form and the coating begins to corrode. Therefore, the owners had to spend money on repairs every two to three years, which you will agree is not very pleasant and practical.

In general, there are several options for installing flat roofs:

    Traditional

    Inversion

    Heated

Insulation of flat roofs using the classic method

The disadvantages that were listed above are mainly characteristic of the first type of roof - traditional. Insulation of a classic flat roof from the outside includes the following list of works. First of all, the insulated surface (1 - Fig. 1) is cleaned of debris and dust, and, if necessary, leveled (we’ll talk about the role of tilting a little later). At the next stage, thermal insulation is laid (2 - Fig. 1), it can be in the form of slabs, mats or rolled material. The insulation is usually attached to concrete base overlapping, using cold mastic or special glue. Depending on the region and the thermal conductivity coefficient of the material, the insulation is laid in one or several layers. In the latter case, to ensure thermal uniformity of the coating, the seams are positioned “in a staggered manner.” It is recommended to use rigid materials such as extruded polystyrene foam, foam glass or polyurethane foam as thermal insulation. Unlike fiber insulation, it provides stable thermal properties and dimensional geometry, high rigidity of the base under the roofing carpet, low weight of the coating and a long service life without roof repairs, no less than the service life of the waterproofing.

The joints between laid slabs or mats are glued construction tape, it prevents cement laitance from getting into them, which, when hardened, can serve as unnecessary cold bridges. At thermal method gluing the waterproofing sheet onto the thermal insulation, a cement-sand screed is first applied (3 - Fig. 1), its height varies from 3 to 5 cm. To proceed to the next stage of roof insulation work, the concrete surface must gain strength.

The technology for laying a waterproofing layer (4 - Fig. 1) is most often carried out using short-term exposure to high temperatures on materials made on the basis of bitumen.

You can do this yourself, having at hand the installation instructions, a gas burner and minimal skills in carrying out such work. To ensure the reliability of the coating, waterproofing strips are glued to each other with an overlap of 10 cm, this is enough to ensure that the joints of the roofing carpet are strong and airtight. Finishing layer applied similarly to waterproofing. For this purpose, materials are used, sprinkled with stone chips on top, which protect the previous layers from mechanical damage and climatic influences.

It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that when using polystyrene foam, mineral wool or, for example, polystyrene foam as insulation, we will not be able to completely prevent moisture from entering the thermal insulation layer. Therefore, in such cases it is necessary to provide so-called vents (item 6, Fig. 2), builders call them fungi.

1 – vapor barrier; 2 – roofing; 3 – internal drain; 4 – insulation; 5 – floor slab; 6 – vents;

They provide ventilation and help remove moisture from the roofing pie.

Inversion insulation of flat roofs

Another type of roofing that is currently becoming widespread is inversion roofs. Its structure and principle of operation follow from the name, translated from English “inversion” means reverse order anything. The simplest design of such a roof is the following system: waterproofing, insulation and insulation are alternately laid on the floor slab. concrete screed. Due to the fact that in this embodiment the waterproofing layer is located in a warm zone, it is not subject to the harmful effects of temperature changes, so the period

operation of such a roof is much higher. In addition, with a more complex structure of the roofing pie, this coating can serve as the basis for laying out lawns and flower beds.

Figure 3 shows one of the options.

1 – floor slab;

2 – waterproofing;

3 – insulation;

4 – drainage layer;

5 – weight (fine crushed stone)

6 – high-strength anti-root layer;

7 – lawn grass;

Leaning

Proper execution of the base allows you to significantly extend the life of the roofing carpet, as well as simplify its operation and repair. To ensure complete drainage of water, slopes are formed on the roof. The maximum service life is achieved with base slopes of at least 1.5% and a slope in the valley between the funnels. When these requirements are met, there are no areas for stagnant water on the base, and the roofing material functions optimally.

To eliminate the possibility of the roofing carpet breaking when transitioning to a vertical surface, install a transition side, a fillet at an angle of 450, measuring 100 x 100 mm (Fig. 4), from a sand-cement mixture.

Internal insulation of a flat roof

Insulation of flat roofs from the inside of the room, as a rule, is carried out with an already existing and operating structure, since this is a less effective method

heat preservation. But the most significant

The disadvantage of this option is that the installation of the thermal insulation layer is carried out by reducing the height of the rooms, and this, as you understand, is not always aesthetically pleasing.

Installation from the inside of the building is quite simple and does not require special skills and knowledge; the only unpleasant thing can be called the inconvenience of carrying out the work. Before starting work, you will need to think through the room's lighting system and provide output points for connecting lighting fixtures. Then, to already existing ceiling Retaining strips are nailed in such a way that cells measuring 350 - 500 mm are formed. The height of the planks is selected depending on the thickness of the heat-insulating layer, which in turn is determined by the thermophysical properties of the material used and the calculated value of the required heat transfer resistance.

First, the bars are nailed along the perimeter of the room, then with the help of planks the rest of the space is divided into squares. Pre-cut thermal insulation material is inserted into the formed cells. Do not forget that when cutting soft insulation, it is necessary to provide mounting allowances of 10 - 15 mm, which will ensure installation of the workpiece by surprise. When using rigid materials, you will have to use temporary fastening to hold the insulation in the cells. This can be done 1 – roof covering; using short wooden planks or 2 holding strips; use the cord by pulling it “cross 3 – power structure; cross" along the top of the insulation in the cell. Also 4 – usable ceiling; you can resort to the gluing method, 5 – insulation; but not advisable. Temporary fastening 6 – vapor barrier layer; removed after filling the gaps 7 – finishing coating; between the thermal insulation material and the cell frame polyurethane foam. When expanded, it will fix the insulation in the desired position. After this, you will need to deal with the electrical wiring system; to install it, use steel pipes, square or round section and brought to the required points. This work is performed after installing the thermal insulation layer. Don’t forget about the vapor barrier membrane, which will prevent moisture from getting inside the insulation. Otherwise, dampness will significantly reduce the service life of the insulation system. At the end, finishing work is carried out, installation of lighting fixtures and the design of a new ceiling.

Insulation of a flat roof is a necessity caused by the desire to create comfortable atmosphere in room. In winter, insulation does not let heat out of the house; in summer, it does not allow hot air to penetrate. In addition, thermal insulation perfectly suppresses external noise.

Types of insulation

Exist different types thermal insulation.

For thermal insulation of flat roofs use:

  • Expanded clay. Loose, cheap material, very easy to install. But due to its thermal insulation characteristics, it is rarely used as an independent insulation material. More often, the roof is insulated with basalt wool or expanded polystyrene, and a slope-forming layer is made from expanded clay, thus increasing the thermal insulation of the room.
  • Mineral wool. Not the most expensive material. Has excellent thermal insulation characteristics. But mineral wool is susceptible to moisture. Also, it does not have a rigid base, which is unacceptable for a flat roof, so a concrete screed is placed on top of it.
  • Mineral basalt wool . The main difference from ordinary mineral wool is the rigidity of the slabs. Capable of withstanding heavy loads. Impregnated with a special water-repellent composition to increase resistance to moisture.
  • Foam glass. The advantages include durability, strength, resistance to ultraviolet rays and high temperatures. The main disadvantage is the high price.
  • Extruded polystyrene foam. It has excellent thermal insulation characteristics, is resistant to chemicals, has great strength, and is waterproof. The only negative is the high price.
  • Styrofoam. Not the foam itself pure form, and its pieces mixed with cement-sand mixture and poured in as a screed. The main advantage is that it is very cheap.


How to choose insulation

The choice of insulation for a flat roof depends on the characteristics of the roof. So, it can be traditional or inversion.

Traditional roofing involves installing thermal insulation before waterproofing. Thus, the insulation will be protected from moisture, which expands the possibilities for choosing a material.

The inversion roofing pie is designed in reverse. Thermal insulation is placed above the waterproofing. More often this type of roofing is used for a roof that is in use. When choosing insulation, it is necessary to take into account that it should be as resistant to moisture as possible and at the same time have high compressive strength.

In addition, it is possible that the slope-forming layer is created from insulation. To do this, you will need special wedge-shaped thermal insulation. It is, of course, expensive, but it is convenient to work with.

Thermal insulation can be laid in one or two layers. This depends on the floor slabs, which are often made from reinforced concrete slabs and profiled sheets.

In the first case, it is permissible to lay the insulation in one layer, and it must have a compressive strength of at least 40 kPa, after which a screed is poured on top of it. In the second case, two-layer thermal insulation is required. The first layer must have a strength of at least 30 kPa, the second - at least 60 kPa. If desired, it is also possible to install thermal insulation of the roof on a reinforced concrete base. This will improve its quality.

Installation of mineral wool

If we are talking about a traditional roofing pie (namely, it is used most often), then the preliminary stage of work will be as follows:

  • If corrugated sheeting is used, its lower wave must be filled with insulation. If the thickness of the insulation is twice the width of the wave, this step can be skipped.
  • Vapor barrier device. The film must be applied to the parapet to the height of the future thermal insulation layer. The longitudinal overlap is 10 centimeters, the transverse overlap is 15 centimeters. The joints must be taped with tape.
  • Inspection of thermal insulation boards. The rigidity should be uniform over the entire sheet area. There should be no moisture.

Insulation of a flat roof using mineral wool is carried out as follows:

  • Installation starts from the corner. It doesn't matter which one.
  • Mineral wool can be fastened using mastic or special dowels, with a minimum calculation of 2 dowels per slab. In corrugated sheeting, fasteners are screwed exclusively into the upper wave, so as not to pinch the insulation. It is permissible to glue mineral wool to a concrete base with mastic.
  • Next they lay upper layer thermal insulation. In this case, the joints should under no circumstances fall on top of each other - this will lead to the formation of cold bridges. It is better if the upper plate overlaps the lower one by 1/4.
  • The top layer is fastened in the same way as the bottom layer, using special dowels. To ensure that the fasteners get into the upper wave of the corrugated sheet, orient yourself along the parapet. There you can apply markings in advance. The minimum fastening calculation is 2 dowels per sheet. But it is better to perform additional fixation to ensure a tight fit of the layers one to one. It is important not to pinch the self-tapping screw inside the dowel - this will compromise the integrity of the insulation, which will lead to the formation of cold bridges.
  • Seams more than half a centimeter wide are filled with insulation.
  • The next step is the installation of waterproofing.

To insulate a residential building, they lay mineral wool, at least 20 centimeters thick. For outbuildings - at least 12 centimeters thick.

Installation of extruded polystyrene foam

Thermal insulation of a flat roof using extruded polystyrene foam is carried out as follows:

  • Cleaning the base from dirt and dust.
  • Installation starts from the corner.
  • It is not necessary to lay a vapor barrier under polystyrene foam; it is completely moisture-proof and is not afraid of condensation. Therefore, this insulation is often glued to the base using cold mastic or special glue. As a last resort, use polyurethane foam. There is no need to apply glue or mastic over the entire base of the slab, just coat a few points. It would be a good idea to coat the end with glue to ensure a tight fit of the insulation to the parapet on one side, and to securely connect the seams on the other.
  • Possible cavities are sealed with polyurethane foam. Do not overdo it so that the foam does not squeeze out the insulation.
  • The seams must be taped to prevent cement laitance from penetrating into them, which can cause cold bridges to form.
  • If the waterproofing is subsequently glued using gas burner, a concrete slab is placed on polystyrene foam, the minimum thickness of which is 3 centimeters.
  • Next, wait a few days for the screed to dry completely and install waterproofing.

The thickness of the expanded polystyrene layer is the same as the thickness of mineral wool.

Foam glass installation

Insulation of a flat roof with foam glass is carried out using the following technology:

  • Cleaning the base from dirt and dust.
  • Installation starts from the corner.
  • Foam glass also does not require a vapor barrier. The insulation is secured using cold mastic or hot bitumen. There is no difference in the process.

Foam glass can be used both on reinforced concrete slabs and on corrugated sheets. In the first case, mastic or bitumen is rolled out along the base of the roof using a notched trowel to ensure reliable fixation of the insulating layer. Sheets of insulation are coated along the edges to ensure a tight fit to each other and to the wall.

In the second case, the foam glass slabs are soaked in the adhesive on all sides except the top. This is necessary to avoid overconsumption of bitumen or mastic. In this case, your hands should be protected with rubber gloves, but even so you shouldn’t put them in the bitumen, and therefore it’s better to hold the sheet with any in a convenient way, even wooden sticks are suitable for this.

  • The top layer is mounted according to the same principle as the bottom layer on reinforced concrete slabs. First, glue is rolled out along the base, and then the insulation is laid, not forgetting to coat the edges. When the sheets are pressed tightly one to one, mastic or bitumen should protrude outward.
  • If there is a loose fit between the foam glass slabs and the formation of wide seams (more than 5 millimeters), they need to be sealed. To do this, the edge of one of the sheets is cut at an angle of 45 degrees and moved towards the unsealed seam, after soaking it in bitumen.

Insulation with expanded clay

Expanded clay is rarely used as independent thermal insulation for flat roofs. Rather, it is simply an addition to the main insulation.

In addition, expanded clay is often used to create a slope-forming layer. Therefore, the order of work is as follows:

  • Installation of basic thermal insulation made of mineral wool or expanded polystyrene.
  • Marking the angle of the roof, tightening the laces.
  • Delivering expanded clay to the roof and stretching it along a cord, a rule is used for this.
  • Excess material is pulled away along the edges to ensure good moisture removal from the parapet.
  • A concrete screed is placed on top of the expanded clay.

The thickness of the thermal insulation layer of expanded clay depends on the angle of inclination of the roof. Expanded clay should not affect the thickness of the main insulation layer.

Foam insulation

Before you insulate a flat roof with polystyrene foam, you will have to work hard and break the insulation into small pieces. Foam plastic of any density, any type and any shape is suitable. The average size of the pieces is 3*3 centimeters. To insulate the roof, polystyrene foam is mixed with regular concrete mixture and poured onto the roof as a screed. The screed must be reinforced so that the concrete does not disintegrate later.

The main problem is that for a flat roof you will need a lot of pieces of foam. Also, this type of insulation will not have great efficiency. Rather, it can be used as additional thermal insulation.

After construction reliable roof you need to make sure that it does an excellent job of protecting your home from precipitation, and think about its thermal insulation, since heat leaks in most cases occur through the roof. By the way, the process of thermal insulation of the roof is in second place in importance after creating the tightness of the coating. With all the variety of roof designs, the process of insulating it is carried out according to similar principles. And how exactly - now you will find out!

The essence of roof insulation

The roof is the weakest element in the design of a residential building in terms of heat loss. The upward direction of heat flows causes much higher heat leaks compared to the walls and basement. Heat loss through an uninsulated roof often reaches 30% of all losses in low-rise buildings. Due to rising heating and energy costs, minimizing such losses brings tangible benefits.

Lack of thermal insulation or incorrect installation insulation provokes the formation of condensation on the inner surface, which entails disruption of the microclimate in the house, the formation of fungus and mold. In this case, the roof will be heated by heat flows that come from the attic of the building, so in winter the snow settled on the roof quickly melts, flowing down the slope and turning into ice and icicles, as well as deforming the roof and compromising the waterproofing.

One of the important factors that influence such indicators is humidity and temperature regime, the maintenance of which is ensured by specific thermal insulation materials. To insulate the roof, materials and thermal insulation techniques are used that ensure the highest quality preservation of heat in the house in accordance with established standards. building codes. The insulation must have low water permeability and a certain vapor permeability - the ability to allow steam to pass through, giving the roof the ability to “breathe”.

In the construction of private houses, the design of cold attics was traditionally used, when the main insulation was carried out along the surface of the floors, i.e. along the attic floor. This approach was associated with a lack of thermal insulation material that could be laid on the rafter structures. The modern approach makes it possible to insulate the under-roof space using the rafter structures themselves, while creating a full-fledged attic and increasing the living space at minimal cost.

Materials for roof insulation

Special attention you need to pay attention to the choice of insulation. To insulate the roof, materials are used that differ in thermal conductivity, vapor permeability, level of moisture repellence and mechanical characteristics, durability, fire resistance, ease of use and cost. When purchasing thermal insulation material for roof insulation, you need to pay attention to the following criteria:

  • Compliance of the material with building regulations and environmental standards.
  • Scope of use of the material - choose the material exclusively for roofing work.
  • Speed ​​and ease of installation - insulation should not require large labor costs and cause difficulties in operation.
  • The useful life of the selected coating.
  • Water-repellent properties - insulation material should not absorb moisture, as its thermal conductivity will decrease significantly.
  • Vapor barrier characteristics - it is better to choose a thermal insulation material with one side covered with foil.

The insulation material must be selected so that its thickness ensures the energy loss of the building, in accordance with the requirements of SNiP, therefore it should be determined based on the thermal conductivity coefficient of a certain material. If the thickness is not enough truss structures in order to organize appropriate insulation, then to solve this issue it is necessary to use a more efficient insulation with low level thermal conductivity.

The main characteristic of insulation is average density. Thermal insulation materials are divided by density into dense, medium, light and very light. High-density materials will not always provide high levels of thermal insulation, but they can withstand more significant mechanical loads and create increased loads on the load-bearing structures of the insulated house. The density of the insulation is 20 - 200 kilograms per cubic meter. Let's look at the main types of insulation:

  1. Fiberglass and glass wool. The material has high level sound absorption and light weight. The price of roof insulation with fiberglass is relatively low. However, in terms of its thermal insulation characteristics, glass wool is not inferior to other insulation materials.
  2. Mineral and basalt wool. The insulation is produced on the basis of rock fibers; it comes in the form of ready-made rolls or slabs of various sizes. Depending on the desired result, it is customary to lay out the insulation in one or a couple of layers. The material has low hygroscopicity, provides a high level of sound insulation and does not burn. During manufacturing, mineral wool insulation undergoes toxicological and radiological testing.
  3. Extruded polystyrene foam and polystyrene. These materials are easy to process, light in weight, have minimal thermal conductivity, and are not subject to the harmful effects of moisture. Such thermal insulation methods differ from each other only in their thermophysical characteristics: expanded polystyrene (penoplex) is airtight, and polystyrene foam has high air permeability. They are both flammable, but this problem can be easily solved with the help of a fire retardant layer and fire retardant impregnation.
  4. Penofol. This material is polyethylene foam covered with aluminum foil. Its main features are low thermal conductivity and moisture absorption, as well as small thickness, which saves space.

Preparation for installation of thermal insulation

At the second stage preparatory work Before attaching the thermal insulation material, it is necessary to check the electrical wiring for serviceability. Repair its damaged parts, replace worn wires, ring switches, carefully check all connectors, connections, fastenings and joints. If the electrical wiring is completely unusable, it should be redone.

Options for roof insulation

In construction practice, there are many methods for installing roof thermal insulation. Which method to use in each specific case will depend on the complexity of the roof structure and the material used for its insulation. Let's take a closer look at them.

Laying thermal insulation material

There are several methods for laying thermal insulation material:

  1. Roll method. When creating thermal insulation, it is customary to use rolls with a backing that protrudes from the sides. Among the rolled thermal insulation materials, foil insulation with a polymer filler and a backing stands out. A high level of thermal insulation is achievable due to the low density - 15 - 20 kg / cubic meter. meter.
  2. Printed method. To do this they pull metal mesh with cells that measure 15 by 15 millimeters, and are secured with studs that are staggered. Then the material is backfilled layer by layer.
  3. Backfill method. Such thermal insulation of the roof is used when there is a difference in the intervals between the rafter beams. The backfill material is fibrous or granular vermiculite, foam glass or perlite sand. The heating process provokes an increase in the volume of vermiculite by approximately 6-8 times. Backfill is an ideal way to insulate non-standard roofs. But this method should not be used in a ventilated attic to avoid weathering.
  4. Sheet insulation. The materials are mineral fiber mats, polystyrene or polyurethane boards. Sheet insulation is attached directly to the roof rafters. The costs of its transportation and installation, due to its low weight, are significantly lower when compared with other methods of thermal insulation.
  5. Blowing method. Within the framework of this technique, a mass of fibrous polymer is used as a material, which is supplied by blowing through an elastic pipeline. This method is not suitable for attics under roofs. complex shape. For blown insulation, it is customary to use a material made from environmentally friendly cellulose fibers.
  6. Sprayed thermal insulation. Spraying can be carried out on any surface. Polyurethane foam is applied to all elements from the inside of the roof, it expands and qualitatively fills all cracks and cavities. There is no need for additional fastening, because there will not be a single seam. The material is considered resistant to decay and the effects of harmful microorganisms, and has a long service life.

Internal and external insulation

Internal insulation- This is the most popular thermal insulation option, which is suitable for pitched and flat roofs. Internal roof insulation is carried out using the following technology: first lay interior lining premises, on top of it - a vapor barrier, then - heat-insulating material, after that - wind and waterproofing.

The final thermal insulation layer is the roofing material you have chosen. Remember that the insulation must have the required width and be adapted to certain climatic conditions. But the main thing is to ensure that the material does not weigh down the roof, and to provide the gaps that are required to remove moisture from the structure.

External roof insulation is carried out on the basis of flat roofs using rigid plates, which are therefore pressed concrete slabs or pebbles. When organizing external thermal insulation, it is very important to calculate the strength of the roof in order to protect against roof collapse.

Insulation of pitched and flat roofs

The choice of thermal insulation method for a pitched roof depends on the characteristics of the building. If the house is in operation and you do not plan to dismantle the roofing material, the main or additional insulation of the roof should be carried out along the inside of the roof - directly along the rafter systems.

If the building is only in the process of construction, and you have not yet installed the roofing material, then it is worth insulating outside pitched roofing structures, and the support for the heat-insulating material will be internal lathing. To insulate the roof, you can choose one- or two-layer thermal insulation. But at the same time, it is worth using only insulation that has the same density.

It is customary to insulate pitched roofs on rafters with heat-insulating materials, which are characterized by low density (25 - 50 kilograms per cubic meter), designed exclusively for atmospheric influences and temperature. Remember that the materials should not create a large load on the structure.

When building a new house, it is recommended to use a two-layer insulation method to insulate a flat roof. The bottom layer is required for thermal protection, and the top layer is needed to distribute loads over the entire structure. The single-layer method is usually used exclusively for the repair and reconstruction of old roofs.

To insulate flat roofs, it is necessary to use dense insulation materials, which must withstand significant loads from snow and water, since precipitation often accumulates on such roofs. Flat roofs made of corrugated sheets must be insulated with mineral wool, basalt and polystyrene foam boards, which have a density of about 220 kilograms per cubic meter. The roof on a reinforced concrete slab is insulated with denser materials, for example, PPZh-200 slabs.

Do-it-yourself roof insulation device

Roof thermal insulation is a multi-layer system consisting of an internal vapor-proof layer, insulation and an upper membrane material, which is characterized by one-sided moisture permeability. This type of construction is called a “roofing pie”.

Manufacturers of modern building materials consumers are offered a ready-made “pie,” but you can create it yourself at the proper level of quality. The first layer is a moisture-proof material that protects the insulation layer from excess moisture that comes from the room. Typically, foil, polyethylene and other materials are used.

The material is laid on the inside of the load-bearing elements without gaps in a single layer, the joints are glued with sealant and secured with strips to wooden structures using galvanized nails or a construction stapler. If it is impossible to lay the material in one layer, you need to create overlaps, which should be more than 100 millimeters.

The vapor barrier top layer is necessary to ensure the passage of moisture outward and prevent it from entering the layer of thermal insulation material. Thermal insulation material is laid directly on vapor barrier material. At the same time, it must be precisely cut to size, since it is not allowed to crumple.

You can achieve the planned and calculated efficiency of thermal insulation of a soft roof only if you prevent the formation of cold bridges when laying the insulation. To do this, the roofing material must be laid without interruption by other structural elements. There should be no planes or depressions in the heat-insulating layer for air passage.

Thus, only high-quality installation of thermal insulation can save energy resources and recreate the most comfortable microclimate in the house. Therefore, it is not recommended to save on it; you need to strictly follow the technology in order to avoid such fatal mistakes as using material of the wrong width or installing insulation of small thickness. Also remember that the maximum possible effect from the roof insulation procedure can only be achieved with integrated approach for thermal insulation of the house.

September 5, 2016
Specialization: Capital construction works(laying a foundation, erecting walls, constructing a roof, etc.). Internal construction work (laying internal communications, rough and fine finishing). Hobbies: mobile communications, high technology, computer equipment, programming.

Recently, for one of my clients, I insulated the roof with mineral wool. He decided to convert his attic country house to the bedroom for his daughter and son-in-law, and without high-quality thermal insulation arrange upstairs comfortable room it won't work.

The technology for installing thermal insulation material is quite simple for independent implementation. And I decided, without delay, to tell you about how to insulate pitched roof using basalt fiber.

The need for roof insulation

Thermal insulation of the roof is necessary regardless of whether you are going to install it under the roof or whether you are going to install it under the roof living room or not. To be fair, I note that in the latter case it will be possible to insulate only attic floor, leaving the under-roof space cold (this has a positive effect on the operating efficiency of the roof as a whole).

But when are you going to make the attic cozy bedroom for newlyweds, you will have to install the insulation not on the ceiling, but close to roofing material.

Regardless of the technology chosen, I personally see several advantages that you get when insulating your roof:

  1. IN winter time you will be spared huge heat losses through the roof. As is known, warm air rises upward and if there it does not meet an obstacle in the form of mineral wool, it will cool, significantly reducing the efficiency of the devices.
  2. IN summer time the thermal insulation layer will prevent excessive heating of the attic space sun rays. As a result, a microclimate that is comfortable for living will be formed in the room without significant efforts for air conditioning.
  3. Having a layer of thermal insulation under the roof prevents ice from forming on the roof. Thanks to this, the snow layer acts as an additional heat insulator and the roof covering lasts longer.

However, to achieve all these advantages, it is necessary to strictly follow the insulation technology. In particular, the thickness of the thermal insulation layer. For central Russia, I recommend installing 100 mm insulation in two layers. You will get a thermal insulation layer 20 cm thick.

Selection of thermal insulation material

As you already understood from all of the above, I prefer to insulate the roof with mineral wool. To justify my choice, I will list several advantages of this insulation in terms of its use for thermal insulation of pitched roofs:

  1. Availability of specialized insulation materials for installation in the under-roof space in the range of most manufacturers. For example, Russian company TechnoNIKOL produces the product Technolight Extra, which, due to its low density, has a low thermal conductivity coefficient and is ideal for installation between rafters.

  1. Mineral wool does not absorb water and does not change its performance characteristics depending on humidity level. Therefore, even if a small amount of liquid gets into the insulation layer through the roof, negative influence it will not have any effect on the insulating layer.

  1. Insulation based on basalt fiber has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, so for effective insulation it is enough to equip a thermal insulation layer of small thickness (so that there is space left for the arrangement of the attic).
  2. Basalt wool has high temperature melting, therefore it does not burn in case of fire and prevents the spread of flame. When exposed to open fire, it does not emit combustion products hazardous to humans, which makes it possible to evacuate or take measures to extinguish the fire.

  1. Dense basalt mats retain their geometric parameters throughout the entire service life. They do not fall into lumps, forming gaps between the rafters through which most of the heat loss occurs.
  2. Mineral wool insulation has antiseptic properties. Mold and mildew do not appear in the thermal insulation layer, insects do not appear and rodents do not make holes.
  3. The material is a good sound insulator. The noise made by a roof made of metal tiles or profiled sheets will be absolutely inaudible and will not disturb your rest.

  1. Basalt wool has a zero level of formaldehyde emissions, so the insulation does not cause harm to human health during installation and subsequent operation.

The only negative is the fairly high price. Especially when compared with regular foam. But believe me, this cost is entirely justified by the excellent technical characteristics and performance properties.

Roof insulation process

Well, now instructions on how to insulate the roof from the inside with mineral wool.

Materials and tools

To begin with, let's decide on necessary materials and tools. For work, I will use insulation from the TechnoNIKOL brand TechnoLight Extra with a density of 35 kg per cubic meter. It is supplied in 100 mm thick slabs measuring 1.2 meters by 60 cm.

In addition, you will need:

  1. Waterproofing membrane. This is a special polymer film that does not allow leaking moisture to reach the insulating layer, but does not prevent the release of water vapor that accumulates in the thermal insulation into the ventilation space.

  1. Vapor barrier membrane. I will use penofol. This is flexible foamed polyethylene, to which a reinforcing layer of metallized foil is glued on one side. The latter increases the strength of the material and creates an additional screen that reflects thermal energy inside the room.

As for the rest of the tools, fittings and other little things, I will tell you about them in the process of presenting the technology of roof insulation.

Preparing the roof for insulation

Any work begins with preparing the insulated area. In my case - rafter system roofs. The sequence of actions is as follows:

  1. First of all, I empty the attic space of trash, garbage and various unnecessary things that usually accumulate in the attic during the operation of the house. If this is not the case for you, then you can skip this step.
  2. I clean the rafters, cross members, sheathing and other elements that hold the roofing material from dust and debris. I recommend paying special attention to the mounting hardware.

Very often, when assembling a roof, the ends of nails, screws, wire, and so on remain sticking out of it. These parts can tear the water barrier, so you need to get rid of them or bend the sharp ends. By the way, by doing this you will at the same time insure yourself from injuries during insulation.

  1. I am inspecting and repairing utility lines that are located (possibly) between the rafters. If you are going to build an attic, you will definitely need electrical wires and ventilation. Ventilation ducts need to be insulated and the wiring laid in special casings that prevent fire in the event of a short circuit.

  1. I always process timber rafter supports and other wooden parts. antiseptic composition, preventing the appearance of mold, mildew and rot. Thanks to this, the service life of the roofing support system is significantly extended.

Considering the possibility of fire (especially since the room in the attic will be residential), you can additionally impregnate the rafters with fire retardants, which will prevent the spread of fire during a possible fire.

  1. I'm installing a water barrier. An ordinary roofing material or plastic film can play its role, but I strongly recommend investing in a vapor-permeable membrane, through which excess moisture in the form of water vapor will be removed from the mineral wool.

It is better when the membrane is installed before installing the roofing. Then the film is simply fixed on top of the rafters using a stapler, then a ventilation gap is made, after which metal tiles or OSB boards for flexible roofing are laid.

But in my case, the insulation had to be carried out after the construction of the residential building was completed. Therefore, I installed the film from inside the room on the rafters.

I secured the water barrier closer to the roofing material (profiled sheet), wrapping it around the rafters. The result is a ribbed surface with intervals into which mineral mats will be laid in the future.

At this stage, the stage of preparing the under-roof space for laying insulation is completed. You can proceed to the installation of the thermal insulation layer.

Installation of insulation

Now in detail about laying the insulation:

  1. The first step is to bring the material into the attic, unpack the plastic film (in which the slabs are wrapped) and let the insulation rest for at least a day. During this time, its humidity and temperature will be equal to similar parameters environment, and the slabs themselves will straighten out, taking their original shape (they may be slightly deformed during transportation).

  1. Then I measure the distance between the rafters and cut the insulation. The width of the slabs should be 2-3 cm larger than the gap between the supporting elements. Thanks to this, the thermal insulation will be securely fixed in its intended place without additional tricks. You can cut a slab of mineral wool insulation with a sharp mechanic's knife with replaceable blades.
  2. I'm installing insulation. As I already said, I will have 2 layers 10 cm thick. This is done in order to reduce the number of seams in the insulating material and prevent the appearance of cold bridges, which reduce the effectiveness of the heat-insulating layer.

  1. Before installing the second row, I fill the seams between the rafters and the insulation (as well as between adjacent insulation boards) with foam. This composition glues mineral wool fibers together, forming a homogeneous coating. I process the second layer of insulation in the same way.
  2. If you use mineral wool in rolls, you will have to take care of securing it, since the material will not fit between the rafters. To hold the insulator in place, I recommend using thin, perforated galvanized strips that are attached to the top of the rafters or to their side surface.

You can also replace them with wooden blocks, secured to the sides of the rafters using self-tapping screws and metal corners.

  1. I'm installing a vapor barrier. In my case, polyethylene foam with aluminum foil. I secure it to the top edge of the rafters using a construction stapler and staples.

It is very important to create a sealed layer here. Therefore, the joints of penofol need to be placed overlapping each other and taped with metallized adhesive tape. You can also use double-sided tape, which is placed inside the overlap between the foam layers.

  1. I install the bars of the top sheathing. They have a size of 5 by 5 cm. They are needed in order to create a ventilation gap between the cladding and the insulating layer, through which the moisture accumulating inside will be removed.

Wooden parts should also be pre-treated with an antiseptic composition. The strips are secured using black or galvanized self-tapping screws. I do not recommend using nails, as such fastening weakens over time.

  1. I stuff OSB boards onto the wooden sheathing bars. Although it all depends on what you are going to use later interior walls rooms in the attic. In my case, wooden eurolining will be used, so I took OSB boards. However, they can be replaced with plywood, gypsum plasterboard, and so on.

The photo shows a room lined with OSB boards.

If using wood, remember to place sheet material should not be placed close to each other; gaps of 2-3 mm thick should be left to compensate for a possible increase in the size of the cladding.

Summary

This is how you insulate the roof from the inside with mineral wool using your own hands. If you are interested in how decorative finishing of an attic room is done, you can watch the video in this article.

September 5, 2016

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