Roofing
In our previous video we talked about the importance of sealing & insulating our exterior framed walls.
Now let's direct our attention to the top of our hypothetical box ( the lid ) which is our ceiling and roof structure.
First consider your roofing:
The most important thing you can do for your home is to protect it from the harsh outside environment.
By that we mean the Sun, the Wind, the Snow, and the Rain. When you use a professional roofing installer most of the essential needs are covered.
It's always important, regardless of the type roofing material used, that you select a high quality material that will last a long time.
The proper installation will help with wind pressure. Ice dam underlayment will protect your roof during the freeze and thaw of winter.
And finally properly installed drip edge and guttering will make sure the rain water is channeled safely away from your home.
Next, we need to address the framing structure of your roof system. Regardless of the type rafters you use you need to raise the heels at the point where the rafter/truss meets the plate at the edge of building envelope
By doing this it allows for the full height of insulation evenly across the ceiling area.
Ventilation of the unconditioned attic space can be accomplished in a variety of ways. One of the best systems is to use vent ridge together with vented soffit. This system creates a chimney effect to circulate air though the attic to remove heat in the summer.
Finally, in future in depth videos we will discuss various type of insulation but
with whatever we use we'll want to achieve an effective rate of R-50. For now, keep looking for more information in this basic High Performance series.
High Performance Interview
The Building Envelope: Part 4
