The insulation of the roof of the attic allows you to maintain a comfortable temperature in the room in the cold season. In the process of carrying out work, it is worth considering some of the nuances associated with the design features. The roof and walls of the room are a single unit or fit snugly together. Because of this, the space heats up very much in the summer, and cools in the winter months, while maintaining a suitable temperature is quite difficult.
Design
The thermal insulation scheme is a “pie” consisting of several layers: a roof, a moisture barrier, ventilation gaps, thermal insulation, vapor barrier materials. Each of them is an integral element and has certain functions. Of particular importance are ventilation gaps and materials used for thermal insulation. They form a comfortable microclimate in the room. Insulating the roof of the attic from the inside with your own hands is necessary not only to maintain heat in frosty weather, but also to reduce the degree of space heating in summer. Materials having a low level of thermal conductivity can cope with this task. With a decrease in this parameter, less heat is expelled through the insulating layer, so that it becomes possible to use thin materials to achieve optimal conditions.
What is warming for?
The role of thermal insulation in building a house is invaluable. Attic walls, as noted earlier, in some cases are part of the roof. When heating the room in the winter months, the heat rises to the ceiling and goes to the material used to finish the roof. The snow layer on it forms an air pocket and acts as a natural insulation. But this only applies to the situation when a material with low thermal conductivity was used in the arrangement of the roof. Otherwise, the snow cover begins to melt under the influence of heat coming from inside, turns into an ice crust and leads to cooling of the space. In addition, there is a likelihood of damage and violation of the integrity of the roof due to the large mass of ice. The prevention of such problems is possible only if the insulation of the roof of the attic from the inside with your own hands was done competently and using suitable materials.
No less important is the insulation in the summer heat. The use of materials with high thermal conductivity or their complete absence leads to excessive heating of the room, which makes the temperature in it uncomfortable for staying. A suitable temperature regime is formed using special materials and compliance with all the rules of the work. First of all, it is necessary to build on the roof structure and take into account its effect on the selected type of thermal insulation.
Features
The main feature of the attic roof is the parameters of the ventilation space located between the room and the external structure. Its dimensions are in the range of 15-20 cm, while the standard roof has an attic with dormers. For the formation of a suitable temperature regime is important not only the insulation of the roof of the attic, but also the creation of high-quality ventilation. It prevents the formation of excess moisture under the roof, thereby increasing the period of operation and the reliability of wooden structures. During the heating period, ventilation reduces the level of heating of the roof, respectively, reduces the likelihood of the formation of an ice crust. Part of the heat in the summer heat with the help of ventilation is removed from the space under the roof, due to which the temperature in the room is reduced and there is no excessive heating of the internal structural elements.
Material selection
Before warming the attic with a sloping roof inside, you need to choose the right material. It determines not only the thickness of the layer to be laid, but also the overall design of the heat-insulating cake.
In the modern construction market you can find various materials for insulation, they are presented in a wide range, so that the buyer can choose the desired option for any design and budget. The most widespread are foam, polystyrene foam, foamed glass, mineral wool and glass wool. Natural materials are also quite popular: paper, wood chips and straw. To make the right choice, several key parameters must be considered:
- The level of thermal conductivity is of utmost importance. It is best to stay on a heater, the indicator of which is in the range of 0.05 watts per square meter. m
- Moisture resistant. With the increase of this parameter, the characteristics of the material improve.
- Safety for human health.
- Fire resistance.
As noted earlier, special attention should be paid to the first two indicators.
Vata
Glass wool and mineral wool have become widespread due to their low cost and ease of installation. It is worth noting that their thermal insulation characteristics decrease over time. This occurs for several reasons: use at a high level of humidity and caking of the material. Cotton wool absorbs moisture, is characterized by low strength characteristics and the absence of resistance to mechanical stress, which leads to a gradual spillage. The technology of insulation of the roof of the attic using this material involves the formation of a thick pie, which includes several layers of cotton wool. To obtain the required thermal insulation characteristics, a vapor barrier and moisture barrier are also required.
Styrofoam
Polyfoam has a high level of heat storage and resistance to moisture. There are several varieties of material, each of which is suitable for a variety of purposes.
Extruded polystyrene foam has similar characteristics. It has a low level of thermal conductivity, but its cost is quite high, which is why many buyers opt for other options.
Natural materials
The best solution for people who prefer natural environmentally friendly materials, will be the insulation of the roof of the attic using granular paper, foam glass, ladders from algae, reeds and straw. Despite the excellent heat storage properties, they have several disadvantages. Seaweed, reeds and straw are subject to fire, and foam glass is a very fragile material. In addition, natural heaters require compliance with certain conditions and the use of specialized tools, in particular, the last paragraph relates to granular paper.
What you need to know
Correct insulation of the attic roof consists of several stages - this is surface preparation, installation of the material and its fastening. The formation of thermal insulation must be taken care of in the process of creating a rafter system and remember the need for a step to fix the materials. It should be of sufficient size for the possibility of installing insulation boards and the formation of a reliable roof structure. The use of an additional vapor barrier is only required for materials subject to moisture.
Attic roof insulation instruction
To begin with, a crate and a counter-crate are formed, on top of which a membrane is mounted, which is a waterproof vapor-transparent film. As a ventilation gap, the space formed between the heater and the counter-grill acts as a ventilation gap.
Additionally, ventilation products are equipped. Insulation of the roof of the attic from the inside is done by laying the selected material between the rafters. Due to the fact that metal or wood is used for the manufacture of rafters, they are distinguished by a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, compared with a layer of insulation. For this reason, they become bridges of cold. To prevent cooling of the structure, it is necessary to form an additional layer on the already laid thermal insulation layer. In the process of work, difficulties may arise associated with the installation of the remaining elements of the attic structure, so it is worth noting in advance the location of the rafters.
Before the inner lining will be formed, the insulating layer is covered with a vapor-permeable membrane.
What you need to pay attention to
It is worth noting that warming the roof of the attic is a necessary measure, since only in this way it is possible to reduce the heating of the room in the summer heat and save on heating in the winter. The technique used does not practically differ from the thermal insulation of a standard roof. Of particular importance is the arrangement of ventilation and the formation of layers in accordance with the general design. The choice of materials depends on the preferences of the owner of the house, the main thing is to take into account their moisture resistance and degree of thermal conductivity.
The procedure for warming the attic under a gable roof
First you need to free the room from unnecessary items that may interfere with the work, this item is especially relevant for a living space filled with furniture and other elements. It is worth noting that the use of foam is characterized by the formation of a large amount of debris during cutting, which is quite difficult to remove from surfaces. Therefore, it is necessary to cover with a film all objects that cannot be removed. It is recommended to take care of the elimination of drafts, as they will lead to a more intensive distribution of granules.
Then the rafters are carefully inspected for damage. If wood was used for the manufacture, then they must be treated with special antiseptic agents.
If necessary, the lath for thermal insulation is formed not on the rafters, but on the ceiling itself. Of course, this greatly simplifies the work and reduces time costs, but the ceiling height in the room will be less by about 15-20 cm, and it will not be possible to check the condition of the rafter system.
Then a vapor barrier membrane is fixed . It should be stretched very tightly and fit to the roof lathing. The task can be simplified by using a construction stapler. Joints of the material are formed with an overlap of 15 cm and are fixed with adhesive tape. The best option would be reinforced tape, but in its absence, you can limit yourself to standard paper.
Foam insulation
Polyfoam is a tough, lightweight material that can be cut with a regular knife. It is recommended to have several knives in stock, as the blades quickly blunt during work. Careful dimensioning is of particular importance to prevent gaps. If the roof attic is insulated with polystyrene foam correctly, a minimum number of gaps is formed, and, as a result, high efficiency of thermal insulation is achieved. In some cases, the appearance of cracks becomes inevitable, especially often with a curved shape of the rafters. To seal them, foam is used. If you need to install an additional layer, you need to wait until the foam has completely dried and continue laying after removing excess that comes to the surface.
As a rule, the foam is securely fixed between the rafters without additional measures, but in some cases there is a need to use special glue. From above it is covered with a film intended for internal work. After obtaining the necessary membrane tension, a metal guide profile or wooden rail is fixed. This element will become not only the basis for future cladding, but also an additional fastener for the film.
Conclusion
It is quite possible to insulate the attic roof with the hands of one person, the main thing is to take into account the climatic conditions of the region and the purpose of the room, on average, the layer thickness is in the range of 15-20 cm. When laying material in one layer, a large number of joints can form, to prevent this, it is recommended to lay thinner foam overlap on the principle of masonry.