Roof-insulation Sloping roof
A house loses the most heat (30%) through the roof. Roof insulation is therefore important! Sloping and flat roofs can often be well insulated. Be careful of moisture problems. How do you approach it?
Sloping roof heated attic
Do you use the attic of your house as a living, working or sleeping space? Then insulating the roof is a good idea. This can be done from the inside (1) and from the outside (2). If there is already old insulation present, it may be worthwhile to install new and better insulation.
1- Insulate from the inside
A sloping roof with wooden boarding and roof tiles on the outside is easy to insulate by creating a wooden or metal framework on the inside between which the insulation material is placed. A vapor barrier (usually a foil) is always necessary. This is applied to the warm side, i.e. on the frame. Pay attention to seams and cracks; the vapor barrier must also be tight! Finishing with plasterboard is the most common. Some insulation materials already have a finishing layer and a vapor barrier. A separate vapor barrier is then not necessary.
2- Insulate from the outside
Insulating a sloping roof from the outside is more drastic. The roof is getting higher, which means that sometimes the gutters have to be adjusted or the connection with the roof of any neighbors. Insulating on the outside should be considered during major maintenance, for example when the roof tiles are replaced. If you are also going to renovate the roof boarding during the renovation, ready-made insulated roof panels can be placed on the existing roof beams. The battens and roof tiles are then placed on top.
Sloping roof unheated attic
Do you only use the attic as storage space and can you close it with a hatch or door? Then you can choose to insulate the attic floor instead of the roof. That is often easier and cheaper. Use insulation boards that can be walked on, or apply insulation material (e.g. glass wool or rock wool) between the floor beams and place planks or floor slabs on top. Here too, provide a vapor barrier on the warm side, in this case under the insulation material.
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About 20% of all homes do not yet have roof insulation. The other 80% does have insulation, but that is often a thin layer.
There is also insulation material that is sprayed under roof tiles. This is work for specialists. {< /tip »
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