Insulating A Shed Style Roof

In this energy smart homes article senior editor martin holladay explains how to insulate a vented low slope shed roof using a combination of intake vents and cupolas.

Insulating a shed style roof.

Care is needed to ensure that there is sufficient ventilation space between the underside of the roof deck and the top of the insulation. However creating a vented roof gives a thermal separation between the roof and the conditioned heated and cooled spaces of the house so the sun baking on your metal roof won t over stress your air conditioning in the summer and snow will melt off your roof slower in the. Each roof style has some different insulating challenges. This includes gaps in the panels the quality of the windows and door the quality of the wood leaks in the roof damp from the floor.

This style was once used mainly on sheds but it s becoming more popular on residential homes. Sometimes the entire roof is a shed style roof. The minimum rating of r38 in a roof requires some creative planning in the roof design of a new shed with 2 x6 minimum roof construction. In areas with a cold climate part of the year r38 is the minimum and r50 is recommended.

Such roofs lack maintenance as well. You can insulate your shed roof to enhance more energy savings but make sure that you insulate the roof properly. This will help to prevent the effects of ice dams but insulating and sealing the existing attic can help to prevent the actual ice dams. On other homes only a section of the structure uses a shed roof.

Keep in mind also that the longest lasting shed roofs are usually made of such metals as aluminum steel or copper. A roof is like a hat. It keeps everything under it warm. First you do not have to create a vented shed roof.

Before insulating your shed make sure it s sealed replace any broken windows and patch any holes in the roof if necessary. Fully insulate your shed the more costly option but of course the most effective one is to fully insulate your shed and to do this you will first need to identify all areas that will need some work. For a heated shed warmer air inside rises and can have a relatively high moisture. Of shingles above where the roofs meet and install peel and stick rubberized roofing membrane on both the new and old roofs.

When shingling the new roof strip off 3 ft. Then measure the space between the studs and the size of your shed so you know what width of insulation to buy. Most building codes allow for unvented roof construction.