Roof Insulation How It Works

The space between the roof and the ceiling is called the loft.

Roof insulation how it works.

How does loft insulation work. Heat insulation in buildings. Reflective insulation is particularly useful in hotter climates in the north of australia. Conduction is the way heat moves through materials such as when a spoon placed in a hot cup of coffee conducts heat through its handle to your hand.

Glass fibre works as an insulator by traping air. Loft insulation hot water tanks and hot water pipes. They are placed under the roof sheathing between rafters. Your essential guide to insulating lofts and attic rooms.

Roof insulation is made of fluffy fibrous materials that are good at trapping air in it or at least slows down the air a lot. So back to how insulation works. Using different materials and insulation helps to control how much heat is allowed through. A radiant barrier reduces the radiant heat transfer from the underside of the roof to the other surfaces in the attic.

The ideal time to install insulation is when re roofing although above rafter insulation raises the height of the roof which. Heat can pass through walls roofing windows and doors the floor and even through your framework. To properly ventilate an attic when it s insulated you will need to install rafter vents. Moisture build up can cause leaks and mold and mildew to grow.

This air is a rally bad conductor and so reduces the amount of conduction going on. Before any work begins the condition of the roof itself should be assessed and any leaks damp problems or structural issues addressed. Glass fibre or other loft insulation materials are laid across the loft to reduce the rate of heat transfer out of the roof see the picture below. To understand how insulation works it helps to understand heat flow which involves three basic mechanisms conduction convection and radiation.

A radiant barrier works best when it is perpendicular to the radiant energy striking it.