The insulation of a house is not complete if consideration is not given to the roof insulation as well as to the cavity wall insulation. One of the most important things to consider when thinking about roof insulation is the moisture resistant quality of the substance you are going to use for roof insulation. Usually the roof you are insulating will form the topmost part of your home and it is the first area that water will strike when the weather turns nasty. If there is a temporary defect in your roof covering, a slipped or cracked tile or slate for instance, you don't want your roof insulation to be absorbing the moisture that finds it's way in until you can get the defect repaired. For this reason it is very important to ensure that your roof insulation has excellent non-absorbent properties and, if possible, is totally waterproof.
There are three primary forms of roof insulation, polymer, cellulose and fiberglass. Fiberglass is comprised of mineral fibers and comes in the form of batts or blankets. Paper is recycled to make up cellulose insulation and the polymer form of roof insulation has a chemical composition based on different forms of polymer, polyurethane, polyisocyanurate and polystyrene.
Blown in roof insulation pellets are literally 'blown into the roof cavities using special industrial equipments. The blown in insulation has the added advantage that it fills up the space requiring insulation completely and this prevents draughts.
Reflective roof insulation systems are comprised of aluminium foil sheets. These are either applied directly to the underside of the roof outer or are incorporated in the solid roof insulation as an extra layer. However they are installed reflective foil roof insulation simply reflects the radiant heat back into the space it is designed to be heating up. In summer it reflects external heat back into the atmosphere thus helping to keep the building cool and reducing air conditioning costs.
An excellent form of roof insulation is spray foam roof insulation. This is applied directly to the interior of the roof and it expands to fill the gaps between tiles and trusses to prevent the ingress of snow, water, insects and the like. It does not absorb moisture and so it's thermal properties are not deteriorated by the absorption of moisture.
Styrofoam house roof insulation products are amongst the best on the market they can be used in both pitched and flat roof situations and offer excellent handling and insulation properties. They are easy to install and come with excellent installation instructions and advice. One of the most effective roof insulation products that you can use is polyisocyanurate roof insulation. It has an R-value between 6 and 8 and makes it the most efficient form of polymer for roof insulation.
Obviously the roof is the top most part of the house, and heat rises. It is extremely important to take great care when choosing roof insulation as most of the heat generated within your home will try to escape through the roof and the inclement weather will try to get into the roof first.
It is very important to ensure that your roof insulation has excellent non-absorbent properties