Securing the roof for summer includes thermal insulation, which – wrongly perceived as protection against frost – protects the roof from excessive heat and keeps residents comfortable all year round. There are, of course, many more methods of insulating the roof against heat, ranging from the popular glass wool, through advanced coatings based on acrylic dispersions with aluminum additives, to cooling the roof sheathing with roof fog. How to cool the attic in summer? Check out UV protection?
Roof vs. heat – cooling down through insulation
Paradoxically, insulating the attic keeps the building cool even during the hottest weather. Insulating the roof slope not only protects against heat loss, but also prevents the air inside the house from heating up during the summer months.
An overheated roof causes problems with high temperatures not only in the attic itself, but also on the other floors. The heated air circulates, resulting in temperatures throughout the house that are far from optimal. A properly insulated roof allows you to enjoy thermal comfort throughout the building, regardless of the season, and the amount saved on bills can be used for other, much more pleasant purposes.
Roofing materials and technologies
Insulating a roof against heat is an investment to increase the thermal comfort of building occupants, as well as to bring specific benefits in the form of savings on heating bills in winter and air conditioning in summer. How to protect the roof in summer is determined first by budget possibilities, followed by the technologies used during construction or renovation work.
One of the most widely used insulation materials is mineral wool. Investors value wool for its good thermal properties, its flexibility, availability, relatively low price and ease of installation.
Another equally popular material is polystyrene foam. It performs the same functions, with a more favorable price/quality ratio compared to mineral wool, and is also slightly more versatile due to the possibility of installation both inside and outside the building.
A practical way to insulate the roof is to use cellulose, blown under pressure, and polyurethane (PUR) foam, applied with a special gun. In both of these cases, the materials can be used not only to insulate the roof, but also to repair poorly made insulation. This is because both cellulose and foam can be applied through special small holes, without the need for costly demolition of the roof slope.
Protecting the roof from the sun
Another solution used on existing roofs is a waterproofing coating, the placement of which does not require mechanical intervention in the roof slope. The waterproofing membrane not only protects the roof from rainwater, it also reflects UV rays, reducing the temperature on the roof by up to 40%!
The solution works well on metal roofs, roofing felt, concrete soffits or, finally, on tiled roofs. The use of a liquid membrane saves money and time, and does not require the removal of the existing roof covering.
It is worthwhile to have the protective shield laid by professionals who will guarantee the creation of an effective waterproofing layer to protect against water, moisture and unbearable heat. For this purpose, the easiest way is to contact RS-MAL, the rest will be taken care of by specialists.
The importance of regular maintenance and inspection
A final point, equally important in terms of protecting the roof from the heat, is regular maintenance. Systematic monitoring of the condition of the roofing, ventilation system and insulation makes it possible to detect possible damage and repair it at an early stage.
In addition, the roof is a place where all kinds of dirt accumulates, which also leads to faster wear of the roof coating. Outsourcing this task to RS-MAL will not only assess the condition of the roof sheathing, exterior window shutters, shutters or the building wall under the gutters. The investor can also count on expert advice on the best solutions in case of any irregularities.
