So as the worlds climate changes
So as the world's climate changes, what can we do about one of the most important parts of our buildings we live and work in. The "ROOF" it keeps us dry, and yet we pay little if any attention to it. Most people do not have, adequate insulation, or ventilation, and don't maintain them. It is the the place where the most heat is lost, and gained. Wasting money, and not to mention all that extra GHG [Green House Gas].
Radiant Heat.
Heat is attracted to darker color's, the lighter the roof surface, the less heat is gained in to the roof space. The hotter the roof space is, the more radiant heat will emulate, down into your building, if you do not have good insulation. Although in cooler months, heat is a good thing, as the roof space can be utilized for heat pumps, and other ways of obtaining free heat, [read other articles].
So lighter roofs, mean less cooling in the hotter months.
Insulation of the roof is so very important, it must be directly laid between the ceiling timbers. The thicker the better, but one must be very careful not to cover lights, fans ect, as they could cause a FIRE, and the insulation must not be compacted. You can bye covers for down lights, that sit over the top, to stop heat loss, and fire danger. You can also get extractor fans that have fins, that close when the fan is off.
Ventilation.
There can be issues with condensation, accumulating in the roof space, causing mold, and rotting of iron roofing sheets, and timbers. I have encountered water running down roof timbers, called out for a leak, only to find that it is condensation, causing the problem.
Ventilating the roof spaces, is also very important. The ideal of venting the roof might sound strange. What you need to do, is isolate the space, and treat it as part of the outside. Having good insulation, will keeps heat in, and cold out of the building.
Wind driven roof vents are good, cheap, easy to fit, and best of all, they don't use any energy. Please have it fitted by a qualified roofer. So many people are injured or killed, cleaning out gutters or fixing leaks, it's just not worth it.
Radiant Heat.
Heat is attracted to darker color's, the lighter the roof surface, the less heat is gained in to the roof space. The hotter the roof space is, the more radiant heat will emulate, down into your building, if you do not have good insulation. Although in cooler months, heat is a good thing, as the roof space can be utilized for heat pumps, and other ways of obtaining free heat, [read other articles].
So lighter roofs, mean less cooling in the hotter months.
Insulation of the roof is so very important, it must be directly laid between the ceiling timbers. The thicker the better, but one must be very careful not to cover lights, fans ect, as they could cause a FIRE, and the insulation must not be compacted. You can bye covers for down lights, that sit over the top, to stop heat loss, and fire danger. You can also get extractor fans that have fins, that close when the fan is off.
Ventilation.
There can be issues with condensation, accumulating in the roof space, causing mold, and rotting of iron roofing sheets, and timbers. I have encountered water running down roof timbers, called out for a leak, only to find that it is condensation, causing the problem.
Ventilating the roof spaces, is also very important. The ideal of venting the roof might sound strange. What you need to do, is isolate the space, and treat it as part of the outside. Having good insulation, will keeps heat in, and cold out of the building.
Wind driven roof vents are good, cheap, easy to fit, and best of all, they don't use any energy. Please have it fitted by a qualified roofer. So many people are injured or killed, cleaning out gutters or fixing leaks, it's just not worth it.