7 best roof insulation

Roofing is one of the most difficult and critical stages in building a house. Today, a wide variety of roofing projects are being implemented, from simple pitched roofs to sophisticated hip structures. During design, more and more attention is paid to thermal insulation. It is from above that the cold most often penetrates into living quarters. And if earlier only insulation of the attic floor was carried out, nowadays great emphasis is placed on the thermal insulation of the rafter system. This is due to the desire of homeowners to make an attic or living room under the roof. But the best result is obtained by a set of measures, including insulation of both roofs and ceilings. Experts identify several qualities that roof insulation should have.

• In the process of installing thermal insulation for the roof, it is important not to overload the rafter system. Therefore, the material should be very lightweight.
• The main parameter for insulation will be the thermal conductivity indicator. It is selected taking into account the climatic characteristics of the region. The lower the thermal conductivity, the better the insulating properties.
• Effective ventilation is a necessary element in the roof structure. Steam must leave the house without hindrance, otherwise the properties of the insulation will deteriorate.
• Birds, rodents, insects and microorganisms can also break the insulation layer. Therefore, preference should be given to biostable materials.
• When arranging a residential attic, you need to take care of sound insulation. The best material will be the one that combines heat and sound insulation qualities. And the constant presence in the attic space will be safe only when using ecological heat insulators.

Our review includes the best roof insulation materials. When compiling the rating, the following criteria were taken into account:

• environmental friendliness of the material;
• thermal insulation properties;
• resistance to mechanical and biological destruction;
• price;
• expert opinion;
• consumer reviews.

TOP-7 best insulation for the roof

7 Styrofoam

Polyfoam is considered a universal insulation that is used at different stages of building a house. It should be noted that there are many brands that differ in density and grain size. So white polystyrene PSB-15 is not suitable for laying on floors due to its low strength. An exception is laying between lags. But filling the space in the roofing cake is very convenient. Foam plastic attracts attention primarily by its low price and low weight. The material is easily cut with an ordinary knife, there are also no problems with installation.

Many users consciously purchase the cheapest heat insulator, understanding all its disadvantages. The material crumbles, breaks, decomposes. It cannot be precisely adjusted to each other, so you have to foam the resulting cracks. To ensure the fire safety of a dwelling, it is necessary to arrange a fireproof fence.

6 Foam glass

Foam glass was invented a long time ago, but thanks to modern technologies, unique properties have been achieved. The innovation of the material lies in the honeycomb structure of foamed silicate glass. The scope of application of the insulation is wide enough. When constructing a roof, slabs are usually used. Experts note a number of positive properties of the insulation. This is safety for humans, since foam glass is made from environmentally friendly raw materials. The service life reaches 100 years, the material is not affected by microorganisms, is not destroyed by birds, rodents or insects. He is not afraid of climatic influences, the insulation does not deform under high loads. And you can cut the slabs with an ordinary hacksaw.

As for the shortcomings, the main one will be the high price.Thermal insulation does not conduct steam, the material itself is quite heavy, and damaged areas cannot be repaired.

5 Ecowool

Ecowool is of great interest to consumers today. First of all, the insulation attracts attention with its environmental friendliness. The main components of the heat insulator are paper and cardboard products. For the manufacture of ecowool, rejected paper, cardboard waste, newspaper-type waste paper are used. Antifungal and fireproof additives are also introduced into the composition, their volume reaches 20%. In addition to environmental friendliness, cellulose-based insulation has a high sound insulation rate. During the application process, it is possible to fill in all hard-to-reach places, forming a continuous thermal insulation.

Ecowool has its own characteristics, which are important to consider when installing a roof. Over time, the material decreases in volume, which causes an increase in thermal conductivity. Experts recommend using 20-25% more insulation. To prevent ecowool from absorbing moisture, you need to take care of effective ventilation.

4 Polyurethane foam

One of the most effective roof insulation materials is polyurethane foam. A feature of this material is the need for its spraying. The product is supplied in the form of two liquids, which are mixed before application. To work with PPU, special equipment and protective clothing are required. After hardening, a continuous seam is formed, and the degree of thermal insulation can be adjusted by the layer thickness. Since the PUF does not allow steam to pass through, it is first necessary to make a crate.

Polyurethane foam is a synthetic material, so it is not damaged by rodents and insects. Experts attribute the high cost of the coating to the disadvantages of insulation. In addition, the service life of polyurethane foam is less than that of other roofing materials. Not the best and soundproofing properties, therefore, when installing the roof, you will have to install an additional layer of noise absorber.

3 Expanded clay

For insulation of the attic floor, a loose expanded clay heat insulator is often used. It represents pebbles of a certain size with many pores inside. Expanded clay fill the space between the logs, forming a continuous sound and heat insulation layer. The high popularity of expanded clay is due to its affordable price and durability. This material is not afraid of moisture, it is not affected by mold or fungus, and mouse nests are not made in it. And frost resistance of expanded clay allows it to be used in extreme climates. Since the insulation is made of clay, experts call environmental friendliness one of the advantages.

The disadvantages include the fragility of the granules, even when falling asleep, you must be careful. If expanded clay is damaged, its thermal conductivity deteriorates. And the scope of this insulation is limited to the floors of the house.

2 Mineral wool

Mineral wool has good heat and sound insulation properties. Ease of installation is combined with a reasonable price, which makes the material one of the most popular when performing roofing work. The undoubted advantages of mineral wool include fire safety and biostability. The material has been used in construction for a long time, but if earlier it was a fiberglass base, now environmentally friendly materials (basalt) are used. When installing a pitched roof, the slabs are inserted between the rafters, and the material can also be laid between the logs. For a flat roof, a more rigid mineral wool is used, the density of which reaches 140-160 kg / cu. m.

The heat insulator also has some drawbacks that are important to consider when constructing a roof. When wet, the thermal conductivity doubles, so any leaks must be avoided. Over time, the insulation can crumble.

1 Foil polystyrene foam

The economic feasibility of using is often justified by the choice of such insulation as foamed polystyrene foam.With its help, you can not only keep warm in the attic, but also put a reliable barrier to moisture. The basis of the insulation is extruded polystyrene, which resembles foam rubber in structure. The foil layer reflects up to 97% of thermal radiation, which makes the heat insulator one of the most effective. In addition, the material provides 100% waterproofing when properly installed. It is not difficult to choose the most suitable panel, their thickness ranges from 10 to 100 mm. It is convenient to lay the insulation, it is lightweight, easy to cut, easy to install.

A thin layer does not always provide the necessary thermal insulation; it is often necessary to install another layer of insulation. Over time, the foil begins to oxidize, which leads to cloudiness and deterioration of reflective properties.