As one of the most important parts of a home, insulating your pitched roof can reduce heat loss and save you money on energy bills. But if you’re building your own house or making major renovations, it can be hard to know how and where to fit the insulation.
In this article, we’ll look at technical guidance on pitched roof insulation to help you make the right choice. We’ll take a look at joist and rafter insulation as well as discuss which materials are best suited to different types of pitched roof.
Essentially, pitched roofs are built up of rafters and purlins with a covering such as shingles or tiles to create the exterior surface. There are also features such as gable ends, ridges and hips that join the two slopes of the roof to form the peak of the structure.
There are several options for insulating pitched roofs, depending on whether the loft space will be used as a living area or simply as storage. If the loft is to be converted into a habitable room, then it is recommended to install a warm roof construction using either Kingspan K7 pitched roof board or Celotex XR4000 PIR insulation boards at joist and/or rafter level, with a breathable membrane such as nilvent fitted above.
This method of insulating the sloping sides of the roof will create a thermal barrier that prevents heat from escaping during the colder months and helps to keep the loft space cooler in the summer. This will provide you with a much more comfortable living environment and save you money on heating and cooling costs.