There are many reasons you’ll consider having a metal roof installed in your home. They offer great longevity, are great at resisting leaks, and are very easy to maintain. If you are considering having a metal roof installed, then you’ll need to consider having it insulated, too. Here’s why it’s so important, especially for metal roofs.
What Metal Roof Insulation Does
While it’s especially important for metal roofs, you can have roof insulation installed on any roof that you get. The insulation is material that’s designed to prevent the transfer of heat. Rather than allowing heat from your home to travel up into the attic and out through the roof, it keeps it in your home instead.
As well as preventing heat loss, it also dampens sound. This will mostly help stop the sound of rain hitting your roof from being loud inside your home. That’s something that a lot of homeowners will worry about, especially when they have a metal roof installed.
The Importance Of Metal Roof Insulation
With all this in mind, why is it so important that you have your metal roof insulated? There are a lot of reasons why you’ll want to have this done when you have the roof installed. Here are just a few reasons that you should consider:
Reducing noise: When you think of a metal roof, you often think about the noise that rain makes on it inside a building. You most likely think of it being rather loud, and worry about what it would be like in your home.
While many will tell you that metal roofs are noisy by default, that isn’t actually the case. The key is to insulate the roof after it has been installed. If you’ve ever been under a noisy metal roof while it’s raining, the roof won’t have been insulated.
Insulation helps as it absorbs that noise when the rain starts to come down. That works, along with other components of your roof such as the underlayment and decking. As such, you don’t have to worry about the noise with a metal roof at all.
Saving on your energy bills: Money is always going to be a concern when it comes to your roof. Having a metal roof installed isn’t the cheapest option out there, so you’ll be looking for other ways to save cash. The good news is that if you have the roof properly insulated, you will save money on your bills in the long run.
That’s because insulation will help regulate the temperature of your home overall. As heated or cooled air can’t escape through the roof, you’re not spending longer trying to keep the temperature stable and so you will need to use your HVAC less. The less you use it, the less you’ll be spending on those utility bills.
Saving the environment: On a similar topic to saving money, today’s homeowners are more aware of the impact their homes have on the environment. Having a new roof installed is always going to impact the environment, but metal roofs are often a good choice. That’s because they’re often made from at least partly recycled materials, and once you do need to replace them, the materials can be recycled again.
As well as this, if you’re insulating the roof, you’ll see you can use much less energy overall in heating and cooling your home. When you do this, you’ll be able to not only reduce the bills but reduce the use of fossil fuels to do so.
Prevent ice dams on your roof: Ice dams are something that you really want to avoid on your roof, as they can lead to a lot of damage. They happen when snow on the roof starts to melt and then makes its way to the edge. As it’s colder at the edge, it refreezes and causes a blockage. That stops snow and water from getting off the roof, and eventually will lead to leaks over time. If not caught quickly enough, that will create a big repair bill for you.
Typically, ice dams happen because the heat from your home is rising through your roof, allowing the snow to melt. Since the edge of your roof won’t be as warm, that’s why it’s refreezing. That’s something that you can avoid with proper insulation. As the insulation stops heat from rising, it won’t allow the snow to melt as quickly and so will avoid ice dams forming.
Reduce humidity: Finally, one of the best ways to reduce the humidity in your attic is to have good insulation installed. This is something you’ll want to do, as moisture build up is the no. 1 enemy of your roof. If the humidity builds, its leads to rot, mold, mildew, and more. These all endanger the roof structure and will lead to significant repairs being needed if left long enough.
When you have proper insulation in that metal roof, that will stop the moisture levels from getting too high. As such, it’s going to drastically reduce the amount of maintenance you need to do, as well as reduce the chances of damage to the roof structure. Paired with proper roof ventilation, it’ll work well here.
Getting Your Roof Insulated
As you’re having a metal roof installed, you’ll want to talk to your roofer about insulation. Any good roofer will want to insulate the roof themselves or pass you on to a trusted insulation company to get the job done.
Make sure you do ask about this at the planning stages of your new roof. When you do so, you’ll be able to properly protect your investment and keep it going for the long haul.
You can see that there are so many reasons why you’ll want to have your new metal roof insulated. With the right insulation, you’ll prevent sound, reduce your energy bills, and keep the roof in better condition for longer. Have your new roof insulated at the same time, and you’ll start reaping the rewards right away.
If you live in Virginia areas such as Middleburg, Winchester, Leesburg, or Warrenton, we’ll be happy to help you with your metal roofing needs.
