Thread: Roof Insulation - man cave

Can't help with batts to use but be warned that it will condense so condensation is I believe the main issue I personally have not noticed a great difference with a air gap between roof and batts.

Ignore this if someone with real experience posts, but I’ve read that an air gap is required if silvered foil is used. It’s also good if you can get a membrane that allows moisture to pass through but not return, so that it finds its way out. I’ve heard arguments that if the batts touch the steel no air will be present therefore no condensation will form. But if moisture does form it may rot the batts. I’ve also read that your location has an influence (ie. humid vs dry environments).

Then I’ve seen sheds that have been insulated using silver foil backed with a batt coating, with the batt side against the steel. You’d think the installers would know what they are doing. Maybe. Maybe not.

Possibly the best plan is steel sheets > air gap > foil > air gap > batts > ceiling.

Standard recommended building practice is for a foil backed insulation blanket ( pink batt) directly in contact with the roof sheeting

Look up any if the insulation or roof manufacturers installation manuals to see it.

Originally Posted by ErrolFlynn

You’d think the installers would know what they are doing.

A very brave assumption in my experience.

Yeah, I know. It doesn't help people work out what's right when you are surrounded by so much that's wrong. I've found insulation much more complex than simply whacking some foil or a batt somewhere. Lots of different theories. Hence, my opening sentence.

Originally Posted by Beardy

Standard recommended building practice is for a foil backed insulation blanket ( pink batt) directly in contact with the roof sheeting

Look up any if the insulation or roof manufacturers installation manuals to see it.

Originally Posted by ErrolFlynn

Ignore this if someone with real experience posts, but I’ve read that an air gap is required if silvered foil is used. It’s also good if you can get a membrane that allows moisture to pass through but not return, so that it finds its way out. I’ve heard arguments that if the batts touch the steel no air will be present therefore no condensation will form. But if moisture does form it may rot the batts. I’ve also read that your location has an influence (ie. humid vs dry environments).

Then I’ve seen sheds that have been insulated using silver foil backed with a batt coating, with the batt side against the steel. You’d think the installers would know what they are doing. Maybe. Maybe not.

I agree with most of the above and I must also mention it is impossible to have an air gap when laying wool and siso (foil) before the roof sheets go down because battens can be 40mm and wool siso is 50mm.

During winter I removed my almost flat garage roof (4.5m sheets x 10 m coverage )and laid wool and siso then replaced the sheets, and the garage is much cooler now even though one long wall is zincalume sheeting and gets the north east sun to about 2pm.

I did my own inspecting/testing during the work and found as mentioned, where the wool siso was already installed, there was no condensation early morning, but where I had not insulated there was condensation, lots of it.

As to fitting batts between the joists, like everything, bigger is always going to be better but, consideration must be given to heat transfer through walls as well.

Here it is direct from the manufacturer

How to prevent mould and mildew in your roof with Anticon roof insulation - YouTube

This is an image from the video and it looks good. The insulation has been squeezed a little. So, that's not too bad. But the cutaway in the video is at the high point in the roof iron. There'll be just as many spots where there is zero gap, where the insulation has been squashed into near nothing.

But there's not much that can be done about that. At least, not too easily. I doubt too many builds would have a double row of purlins (whatever) just to keep the insulation happy.

Bradford.JPG

Originally Posted by ErrolFlynn

This is an image from the video and it looks good. The insulation has been squeezed a little. So, that's not too bad. But the cutaway in the video is at the high point in the roof iron. There'll be just as many spots where there is zero gap, where the insulation has been squashed into near nothing.

But there's not much that can be done about that. At least, not too easily. I doubt too many builds would have a double row of purlins (whatever) just to keep the insulation happy.

Bradford.JPG

Extra row of battens sometimes used for safety/fall protection

Originally Posted by ErrolFlynn

This is an image from the video and it looks good. The insulation has been squeezed a little. So, that's not too bad. But the cutaway in the video is at the high point in the roof iron. There'll be just as many spots where there is zero gap, where the insulation has been squashed into near nothing.

But there's not much that can be done about that. At least, not too easily. I doubt too many builds would have a double row of purlins (whatever) just to keep the insulation happy.

Bradford.JPG

The insulation gets compressed flat at every battern when you put your fixing screws in. That image is to make it look pretty for advertising purposes, a bit like how a McDonald’s hamburger looks in the ads haha

Originally Posted by Beardy

The insulation gets compressed flat at every battern when you put your fixing screws in. That image is to make it look pretty for advertising purposes, a bit like how a McDonald’s hamburger looks in the ads haha

Thanks for all the feedback.

Like I said I do not have the room for a two layer insulation. Also, it is only a mancave (gasp, did I just say that). The purpose of placing a layer of batts and a ceiling is to control the room temp.

I'd like to know how many homes have been reported lately that have had that much rot as indicated in the bradford promotion. That is the reason for the roof ducts etc they are supposed to remove that moisture or at least dry it.

I think I might go with the 170mm thick (R3.0). There are enough gaps around the top of the shed for air circulation.