Although it represents an additional investment, insulating a metal roof is a great way to ensure that you are getting the maximum possible return from your investment.
Insulating a metal roof offers a wide range of benefits, including everything from enhanced comfort within the home, to higher energy efficiency standards, which will help to keep your energy bills down.
So, whether you are looking to insulate a metal roof that has already been installed, or want to learn more about how to insulate a metal roof during installation, we’ve provided a full breakdown of the process below.
HOW TO INSULATE YOUR CURRENT METAL ROOF
The process of insulating a metal roof that has already been installed depends on the type of insulation that you have chosen.
Although it can be a trickier task than insulating a new roof during installation, you can still insulate your current metal roof in an efficient and affordable way. Plus, adding roof insulation – even if it’s after the roof has already been installed – is one of the most effective ways to cut down your heating costs, and reduce your carbon footprint.
The most common types of metal roof insulation, and their installation methods, are:
- Spray foam insulation – a common type of insulation for all roofs, this is applied directly to the roof’s underside, where it sticks along the roof’s panels.
- Fibreglass insulation – also known as loose-fill insulation or blown-in insulation, for this method the attic eave is filled with a loose-fill insulation material, like cellulose or fibreglass.
- Reflective foil insulation – this insulation is made up of layers of foil, which direct heat away from the roof and the rest of the property. This insulation is installed under the sheets of the metal roofing, and it is a common choice for insulating existing metal roofs.
- Rigid foam board insulation – this sits between the roof and the ceiling. Although it offers great insulative properties, this type of insulation is usually too expensive and labour-intensive for existing roofs. This is because, to install rigid foam board insulation, the roof covering needs to be removed, the insulation installed, then the roof reattached.
- Batt insulation – this involves installing a roll of mineral wool along the underside of the roof.
By consulting with a metal roofing specialist, you will be able to find out more about each of these options, including their relative performance, ease of installation and price points.
HOW TO INSULATE A NEW METAL ROOF (DURING INSTALLATION)
When you add insulation to a metal roof during its installation, you will have a slightly wider range of insulation options available to you. Plus, this can be achieved in a far more efficient, affordable and seamless way.
The most common methods for insulating a new metal roof during installation include all of the options listed above.
What’s more, when you are incorporating insulation into a roof structure that you are building, you have more flexibility to add more high performance solutions, and even deploy multiple insulation types in combination.
For example, you can add air sealing and vapour barriers to the roof (to prevent drafts and limit moisture build-up), and use a combination of the methods listed above in the roof. For example, you could combine fibreglass insulation boards, with reflective foil insulation added directly beneath the metal roofing.
Speak to a metal roofing specialist, and they will be able to recommend the most effective metal roofing insulation solution, which fulfils all of your specific requirements.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF INSULATING YOUR METAL ROOF?
Insulating a metal roof unlocks a wide range of key benefits:
- Improved energy efficiency
- Reducing the cost of your energy bills, including both heating and cooling
- Reducing your carbon footprint
- Increasing the value of your property and adding resale value
- Greater regulation of the temperature of your property
- Improving comfort, by ensuring consistent temperatures and keeping drafts to the minimum
- Limit moisture and condensation build-up, thereby reducing the risk of damp-induced roof damage
- Extending the lifespan of the roof
- Improving sound insulation
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SPF INSULATION?
Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation is one of the most common types of insulation used for metal roofs.
It offers a wide range of impressive benefits, which are ideally suited to metal roofs. These advantages include:
- A high R-value, meaning it offers excellent insulation properties
- Can significantly reduce your property’s energy requirements and heating bills
- Extremely durable
- Can increase the strength of the roof structure
- Lightweight
- Quick and easy to install
- Covers the roof seamlessly, meaning there are no gaps or cracks in the insulation (which could compromise performance)
- Increased moisture control, thanks to its high level of moisture-resistance
- Minimises the risk of the roof incurring moisture-related damage
- Extremely flexible, and can be used for pitched metal roofs, as well as both flat and low-slope metal roofs
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF FIBREGLASS INSULATION?
Fibreglass insulation is the other most commonly used roof insulation method.
This method also offers an impressive range of key benefits, including:
- A high R-value, meaning it offers excellent insulation properties
- Can significantly reduce your property’s energy requirements and heating bills
- Affordable, and highly cost-effective
- Quick and easy to install
- Lightweight
- Fire-resistant
- Increased moisture control, thanks to its high level of moisture-resistance
- Minimises the risk of the roof incurring moisture-related damage
- Extremely durable, with a long predicted lifespan
- Extremely versatile, and can be used for all metal roof types
For both SPF insulation and fibreglass insulation, it is key that you enlist a professional insulation specialist to install it for you. This is the best way to ensure that the insulation is installed safely, that it achieves its full predicted lifespan, and that you can access all of these benefits, in full.