Roof insulation helps meet performance requirements of roofs as well as thermal needs and energy codes. There is a variety of insulation types you can choose from. They include wood fiber, perlite, polyisocyanurate, polysterene, cellular glass, gypsum board, and composites.

Wood fiber is an organic insulation board made of wood, cane, or vegetable fibers mixed with different types of fillers and binders. It is coated with asphalt to enhance its moisture resistance. On the other hand, perlite is an inorganic insulation board made of expanded silicaceous volcanic glass mixed with organic fibers and binders. Its air cells offer insulating efficiency.

Polyisocyanurate is a closed-cell foamed plastic insulating core that is wedged between organic or inorganic felt facers, glass fiber mat facers, or glass-fiber-reinforced aluminum foil facers. It is a closed-cell structure that enables insulation to have high thermal resistance. Polystyrene also has a closed-cell structure similar to polyisocyanurate. It comes in two forms: expanded and extruded. Expanded polystyrene is composed of polystyrene polymer impregnated with a foaming agent while extruded polystyrene is made of blended polystyrene polymer which is heated.

Cellular glass insulation is made of crushed glass combined with a foaming agent while gypsum board is a nonstructural and water-resistant panel. Composite insulation boards contain multiple layers of insulation that are laminated together. All these insulation boards also provide thermal resistance for roofing Chantilly VA.

Selecting an insulation product for roofing Fairfax involves the following criteria: membrane compatibility, energy code, insurance and code requirements regarding wind and fire, compressive strength for traffic and hail resistance. There are certain building codes that require certain thermal resistances. In other words, insulation is only compatible when it meets the code requirements. Therefore, not all insulation types can work with all kinds of roofing. For example, polystyrenes should not be installed with thermoplastic PVC single-ply membranes, otherwise the PVC will disintegrate. It is rather advisable to use cover board insulations as well as wood fiber, perlite, and gypsum board which are commonly used.

The thickness of an insulation material must also be considered, for it also affects roofing Herndon installation. For instance, wood fiber and perlite must have greater thickness in order to be compatible with a certain kind of roofing. Moreover, thickness must be increased when perimeter wood blocking, roof curbs, and rooftop-equipment elevations are lifted or raised.