These days, a metal roof has become popular in the United States. It comes as a durable solution compared to shingles, but it also comes as a cost-effective roofing solution for many people. However, even if the roofing is so decent, it doesn’t mean that such a roof requires no insulation.
Some people consider installing rigid foam insulation under the metal roof as a roof insulation solution. Is it a nice choice? We’ll explore the answer in this article below, considering factors like thermal resistance and vapor barriers.
How to Install Insulation under Metal Roofing?
Since many people install the insulation themselves rather than hiring a pro, you also may consider installing rigid foam insulation under a metal roof all by yourself. Well, to do that is relatively easy, though.
Installing rigid foam insulation for a new roof
If your roof is new, then you can do these procedures below:
- Grab plywood and install it as the roof sheathing. Place it perpendicular to the joists and fasten the plywood with some roofing nails.
- Prepare your building paper, and place layer by layer over the sheathes. Make it overlap by around six inches. To fasten it, you can staple or use nails. The building paper will help you protect the sheathes from moisture and leaking.
- Over the roof surface, particularly if it’s a standing seam metal roof, install the foam board insulation you have already prepared. You can place them close together yet ensure they don’t overlap each other to maintain effective insulation.
- After you’ve done the placing, use duct tape to seal the seams. This will make sure no leaks or moisture will get through the foam.
- Finally, over the insulation, you can install the metal roof panels just as instructed.
Read also: Attaching the Rigid Foam Insulation Between Studs
Rigid Foam under Metal Roof
To install rigid foam insulation on an existing roof, you will need either to remove the current roof or place it underneath your plywood sheathing. If both of these methods feel too difficult for you, then you can consider using other insulation, such as fiberglass batts.
Installing Rigid Foam Board Insulation for a New Roof
Reach your attic and do these procedures as follows:
- From the attic, try to find the plywood sheathing supported by its frame system. There are two types of beams: the large and angled one is called joists, while the horizontal one is called a purlin.
- Find any gaps between the purlins and the sheathing. Then, place the fiberglass batts into the gaps.
- The insulation will be less effective when packed tightly, so you need to consider placing the fiber batts loosely into the spaces.
- Now, you can cover the wider span of the sheathing using rigid foam insulation. You’ll need to cut the panel into the right size required and make the panel attached to the place using adhesive or staples.
Why use rigid foam as insulation for your metal roof?
Just as when you use other kinds of insulation, you will encounter advantages and disadvantages when using rigid foam insulation. The details will be as follows:
Read also: How to Install Rigid Foam Insulation under Metal Roof?
Advantages of rigid foam :
- The R-value of the closed-cell foam is much higher compared to batt insulation, indicating superior thermal resistance. The R-value is a value in which a type of insulation can resist heat flow. The better the R-value, the better the material to keep the heat inside the room.
- Since the material is way denser compared to other insulation options, you can reduce the chance of air leakage.
The drawbacks of rigid foam :
- To achieve the best insulation feature, you need to fit the insulation tightly.
- With that in mind, you need to seal or tape the joints to stop the heat transfer from occurring.
- If exposed to the UV rays, the rigid foam can be damaged.
Using rigid foam board under a metal roof not only provides effective insulation but also acts as a vapor barrier, protecting against moisture. This makes it an ideal choice for those looking to enhance their building’s energy efficiency.
So, those are some information you need to know about rigid foam insulation under metal roof. Hopefully, this information will be beneficial for you.
