How to insulate the roof of the house from the inside with your own hands?

According to statistics, heat losses through poorly insulated roof, pitched or flat, account for almost a third of the total number. Having carried out a set of measures to install a thermal barrier, it is possible not only to reduce the cost of heating, but also to obtain additional living space, into which the attic turns after completion of work.

Properly implemented measures increase the service life of the entire roof structure and create the necessary microclimate for life. The correct structure of the roof necessarily includes the following elements:

• Roofing covered;
• Rafters;
• Lathing;
• Rebound;
• Vapor barrier;
• Waterproofing;
• Heater;
• Space for ventilation.

To understand how to insulate the roof of the house from the inside, it is first desirable to deal with the basic physical processes that occur inside the roofing structure, as well as to realize the influence of the basic natural forces that it has to face every day.

Atmospheric impact

Any roof throughout the year is affected by a variety of climatic factors that require the use of protective measures. These include:

• Ambient temperature, fluctuating throughout the year and leading to the heating or cooling of the coating;
• Precipitation in the form of rain, which is particularly susceptible to roofing almost the whole year;
• Snow precipitations, which create an additional load on the roof;
• The effect of wind, suggesting a reliable fixation of the coating to the structure.

Thus, the main task of the roof of the house is to create a reliable protection against these impacts and maintain a comfortable living environment that is characterized by a stable temperature and humidity level.

Physical processes inside the roof

The constant difference in temperature inside and outside the room leads to continuous physical processes, which are of fundamental importance for understanding how to insulate the roof of the house from the inside. These include:

• The heat exchange caused by the difference in temperature outside and inside the house and leading to loss of heat through the roof, which prevents the insulated heater;
• The exchange of moisture resulting from the life of a person (from breathing to cooking), as a result of which warm air saturated with vapors of liquid rises and is prevented by located insulation and a special gap for ventilation.

The importance of physical processes in house warming

Correctly located insulation in all temperature changes has a temperature on the outer surface only a few degrees higher than on the street.

The use of a steamer and a gap for ventilation prevents the accumulation of condensate formed after the cooling of the steam in the heater, and prevents not only its spoilage, but also the safety of the entire roof structure.

A good example of how to properly insulate the roof of the house from the inside, you can see if you look at the roof in homes after falling snow. If it is missing completely or partially, icicles hang around the perimeter, which means that the work was carried out in violation of the rules. This is due to increased heat exchange, as a result of which the roof of the house is heated by hot air. Coming from the room, and as a result, the snow melts.

Priority of work

Before you insulate the roof of the house from the inside, as in any work, you need to prepare a plan, make estimates and prepare the inner surface of the roof.

The plan includes the main stages, a list of the necessary tools and measurements of the roof area. In addition to work on the laying of insulation, it is necessary to provide for the finishing lining, communications (for example, electricity), the installation of windows or doors. This will turn the attic into a full-fledged residential building.

After the conducted measurements, estimates are prepared and material is purchased, usually with a margin of about 15%. The choice of material and its thickness occupy a key place in the whole process, so it can be identified in a separate stage.

Nothing is difficult to do the whole amount of work independently, no. But to reduce the risk of errors, it is recommended that you carefully read the steps and tips below, before you insulate the roof of the house from within with your own hands.

Works are carried out in this order:

• Surface preparation and choice of insulation;
• Installation of ventilation clearance and waterproofing;
• Installation of insulation;
• Installation of vapor barrier;
• Installation of the finish coat.

Surface preparation and selection of insulator

Prior to the beginning of the work, the roof structure should be checked for damage, damage or other defects. Infringements should be corrected, the damaged elements are replaced, wooden surfaces are processed by impregnations or varnishes. These actions will protect the structure and eliminate the need to dismantle future layers of heat protection for repairs.

The most common materials used for insulation, today are:

• Mineral wool, in rolls or mats;
• Styrofoam;
• Expanded polystyrene.

They meet the basic requirements for insulation: safety, lightness, poor thermal conductivity and long service life. The use of glass wool indoors is not recommended. It is inconvenient to stack, and microparticles have a negative effect on health.

The minimum thickness of the insulator, used almost everywhere, is 150 mm. In most cases, this meets the requirements of building codes.

The choice of material affects the shape of the roof. For small rooms with a limited plane, stacking of rolls or mats can be difficult. In this situation, there is only one way out: how to insulate the roof of the house from the inside with foam or with polyurethane foam. They are sprayed with a special pump, usually in several layers. But in this case, the help of specialists with professional equipment is necessary.

Installation of ventilation gap and waterproofing

The space for ventilation of the heater can prevent it from getting wet and spoiling, which inevitably leads to loss of protective properties. The minimum distance, which should separate it from the roof surface, is 20 mm. This allows surplus moist air, which still pass from the room through the insulator, unhindered to leave the surface of the heater.

The simplest waterproofing, which is still widely used in construction, is an ordinary roofing felt. But to create a more effective protection it is advisable to use a special web that has a vapor permeability. Optimum variant - diffusion, instead of usual membranes. In this case, only one ventilated gap is sufficient. For the usual version, they need two:

• Between a heater and a waterproofing sheet;
• Between insulation and roofing.

These measures are a consequence of continuous physical processes occurring under the roof. But, for example, before insulating the roof of the house from the inside with expanded polystyrene, these actions are not carried out, as this material does not absorb moisture, which allows neglecting the hydroprotection and gaps for ventilation.

The insulation is laid with a smooth side to the roof on specially fixed bars with overlap of at least 100 mm, perpendicular to the rafters, then fixed with clamps or nails. During laying, an easy overhang is made to reduce the risk of damage during the installation of the heater. The joints are sealed with adhesive tape. The waterproofing must completely cover the rafters.

Mounting of a heater

The most crucial stage in the workflow is "how to insulate the roof of the house from within." Depending on the material selected, there are some subtleties of working with it. But the principles apply to all types without exception.

Width of insulation must be 10 or 20 mm more than the opening where it fits. The standard step of the rafters is 600 mm, which corresponds to or is a multiple of the size of most heaters.

Fastening is made due to the dense structure of the heater and the clearance in size. But in addition, it can be fastened with thin rails or cord, laid between nails or self-tapping screws, screwed into rafters.

The sheets of polystyrene and cotton wool should completely fill all the free space. One of the options for laying is the installation of a heater in two layers. In this case, the second is set so as to completely overlap the joints of the previous one.

Installation of vapor barrier

After the installation of the insulating material is completed, it is necessary to fix the vapor barrier. Rough side is installed inside the room, as it absorbs steam, smooth - to the heater. As with the installation of waterproofing, two things are important here:

• Installation by the necessary party to a heater, differently effect will be completely opposite;
• Fixation of all joints with double-sided adhesive tape.

The fastening is made with the help of braces to the rafters. On top of the insulation there is a sheath to fix the future finish. For this you can use any finishing material: plastic, wood or drywall.

To understand the individual stage of the process, how to insulate the roof of the house from the inside, the photos located at the beginning of the article and below will help in this.

Features of insulation of different buildings

Despite the fact that the main technological process is typical for the insulation of different types of roofing structures, the use of each material has its own characteristics. For example, up to the present time there is no unequivocal majority of adherents in the question of how to insulate the roof of the house from the inside with foam or cotton wool. Each material has its pros and cons.

In houses with an attic, warming allows you to get a full living room where you can live. The lack of a need for a warm attic, perhaps, will generally reduce the process of roof warming to a minimum, if this is done first with the floor.

For most flat roof structures, the best option is to start the insulation work first from the outside. And only in the absence of effect, begin work inside.

If we consider the process of how to insulate the roof of a wooden house from the inside, its main feature is the careful surface treatment with protective impregnations or varnishes, and the minimum weight of the heater.

Tips for all occasions

If the work is carried out independently, it is desirable to always follow the main rules:

• To remove the defects of the roof, and not to mask them;
• Carefully handle wooden surfaces, especially rafters;
• Work only together.

Despite the simplicity, it is possible that these rules will become the determining factors for the durability of the roof of a residential building.