Snow Insulation Roof

It does help with ice dams though.

Snow insulation roof.

In fact having a reasonable depth layer of snow on a roof is a good thing as long as the roof is designed to handle the weight. It also provides an additional level of insulation and protects the roofing material from sun exposure which is your roof s worst enemy. Snow accumulating in decent amounts on your roof without melting in certain unusual spots is a testimony that your attic is doing its job meaning there s no heat loss through the roof due to poor insulation. It is a sign that the roof is adequately insulated and vented.

But on average snow has an r value of 1 per inch about the same as wood. Install roofing underlayment flashing and cladding as per best practices. Nailbase must be vented in high snow load areas. A layer of snow insulates your house from above preventing the heat from escaping and thus significantly lowering your electricity bill.

A properly insulated home doesn t show bare patches of melted snow on the roof. Twelve inches of snow have roughly the same insulating value as a 2x4 wall filled with fiberglass insulation. In essence creating a vented unvented hybrid roof assembly. Its r value varies depending on moisture content and density of the snow granules.

Where you really see the amazing insulation properties of snow in action is in the igloo. Of course that amount of snow on a flat roof that s not built for it is going to cause all kinds of other headaches. According to one anecdotal source a snowfall that measures about 0 07 inches in density or seven percent water volume has about the same insulation value as a standard batt of fiberglass insulation with an r value of 18. Insulating in and around your roof attic space also prevents long term damage from moisture build up or ice damming which results from the warm air trying to escape through the apex of the roof but instead heating up the snow.

You have insulation layer snow cold air space vent then the insulated roof deck. If you re shoveling a tad too much you can damage the roofing tiles. Snow is an insulator. Rigid insulation layers exterior to existing roof sheathing must provide sufficient thermal insulation r value to control condensation risk see climate specific guidance.

Many homeowners report that their homes feel warmer after a good snow as long as there s enough insulation in the attic floor to keep that heat inside and the snow on the roof. That cold air vent space disallows help from the snow it would seem. Additionally insulation serves as a way to enhance sound proofing on the uppermost envelop of your house. And more importantly where should you store all of it.

In extreme snow regions it is typical to add a vented air space between the roof cladding shingles and the rigid insulation in figure 7 to flush heat away trapped due to the insulating value of the snow the snow becomes an insulating blanket. Without the insulation properties of snow the inuit could never have survived in the harsh arctic wilderness.