Why Do You Need Roofing Insulation?

Roofing insulation is important for cold weather climates, right?

While insulation does help to keep homes warmer in cold weather, it is important for all home structures, regardless of where you live. Proper materials in your roofing structure help to regulate temperature, moisture, noise and more. While insulation is rarely on your mind, it is working hard for the health and safety of your family. Here is all you need to know about why maintaining the quality of your roofing insulation is so important.

Roofing Insulation Basics

No, we do not need to worry about freezing winters. But making sure that our homes retain cool air from the air conditioning is just as important during our sweltering summer months. And although we do not have severe winters, January and February can get rather cold by our standards. Both situations require adequate insulation to help to keep utility costs as low as possible, and to keep our homes energy efficient.

While many northern homes work to keep heat in, our insulation is generally used to keep cool air from escaping, keeping the heat out. Heat flow is comprised of three basic elements – conduction, convection, and radiation. Conduction describes the manner by which heat moves through materials. Most common insulation materials work by slowing conductive heat flow. To be effective, the reflective surface must face the air you are attempting to keep out.

In the South Florida region, proper roofing insulation will not only regulate temperature and cool air flow, but can help to reduce moisture and keep your home healthier.

Fact: If not contained, heat flows from warmer to cooler until there is no longer a temperature difference.

What is R-Value?

An insulating material’s resistance to conductive heat flow is rated in terms of its thermal resistance, known as R-value.

Higher R-values indicate greater effectiveness in terms of insulation. The R-value depends on the type of insulation, its thickness, and its density. The amount of insulation or R-value you’ll need depends on the climate, power of cooling system, and the part of the house you plan to insulate – generally everything under the attic space in Venice and Englewood homes.

Installing more insulation in your home increases the R-value and the resistance to heat flow. If you add an additional layer, you may be able to add the two R-values together in order to gauge how effective the two layers are together. Keep in mind that loose-fill insulation will settle and compress, so the R-value will not change proportionately with added thickness.

What R-Value is right for you? The Venice area is Zone 2 in regards to insulation. When applying to an uninsulated attic – whether new construction or old insulation ripped out nd replaced – R30 to R60 should be utilized. When adding insulation to existing material, R25 to R38 is usually sufficient. If you have questions, ask a local Venice roofing professionals.

Additional Roofing Insulation Considerations

We pay a lot of money to keep our homes cool and humidity-free throughout most of the year. Inadequate insulation can require our HVAC systems to work harder, and our energy costs to go up. During your annual roof inspection, be sure to ask the roofing contractor to assess the quality and quantity of your insulation. They can make recommendations regarding any replacement or augmentation which needs to take place. In addition to insulation simply compressing over time, it can also become damp due to small roof leaks, or become contaminated by pests and rodents. The health of your insulation is not only important to your home’s temperature and climate, but to your family’s health and safety.

If you live in the Sarasota or Venice area, call Kingdom Roofing today for an inspection and assessment. Whether you need a new roof installation or annual roof maintenance, we are here to provide exceptional service.