Even though having a flat roof has some perks of its own, there are some real down sides that every home owner has to face.
One of the biggest downsides is the condensation, which in turn rots the deck, the tap paper and practically destroying most of the layers over a period of time, cutting its efficiency significantly. Another problem worth mentioning is that it doesn’t hold the warm air from the inside making the room underneath it cold.
Most of the problems mentioned here could easily be avoided by installing a good insulation. There are 2 types of insulation, cold and warm insulation. With cold insulation, a requirement of a 2 inch gap is needed for the air to flow thus getting rid of potential condensation. However, it isn’t as effective as warm insulation and doesn’t retain the heat as well, that’s why it has been banned in Scotland for that reason.
The warm insulation roof however doesn’t have those problems which is why it has been predominantly used for the last 5 years. The biggest difference is the application of solid insulation boards that prevents condensation and ultimately protects the entire deck from rotting. The insulation boards differ in materials depending on the needs and demands of your roof.
To insulate a flat roof, on your deck, place a vapour control layer which is used to protect the thermal insulation, thereby locking the heat inside. Then an insulation board with the right weight and material would be installed. Finally, in goes the roof covering paying close attention to the drainage system to prevent water pooling.
With the complexities involved, it makes more sense to hire a qualified contractor. This is definitely one DIY project you shouldn’t try to do yourself. Trying to do it yourself, could mean lots of wasted money on material and a lot of headaches that you would not want. Even the government wants you to avoid that mistake by reducing the VAT on your roofing insulation upgrade.
One of the leading insulation offered these days is called the EcoWarm Roofing system. It is all you need and more. Dealing with the leading insulation manufacturer, “Kingspan”, you can rest assured of having high quality insulation. More than that, you get to have a sound proof and condensation free and damage free roof, and savings of an average of £350 for a Building Certificate.
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