How Do You Insulate A Roof Deck?

How Do You Insulate A Roof Deck?

You can use stiff foam or mineral wool for the roof deck’s top layer. Insulating the top of the home safely involves using rigid insulation above the roof deck and air-permeable insulation below. This is to prevent the risk of condensation occurring in the home.

A vapor barrier, or vapor retarder, is important in insulating the roof deck. The vapor barrier is between rigid and air-permeable insulation to keep moisture inside your home from getting into your ceiling.

The materials used for a vapor barrier depend on how much water vapor diffuses through them. A 2-mil polyethylene sheeting has a permeability rating of 50 perms, while a 6-mil sheet has a permeability rating of 3 perms.

The larger the number, the more resistant it is to water diffusion and, therefore more protection it will provide against moisture issues in your attic.

How Do You Repair A Hole In A Roof Deck?

A hole in your roof isn’t necessarily serious, but it should be repaired as soon as possible after you notice it.

If you don’t fix the hole in the roofing material soon enough, water can penetrate the deck and cause damage to the structure below. Therefore, following the steps below;

Steps:

1. Locate the Hole in the Roof

Locate the hole in the roof and secure your ladder to the building with a rope. If you’ve noticed a leak but aren’t sure where it’s coming from, check out our earlier post on how to find a roof leak.

2. Remove Old Shingles

Remove the old shingles surrounding the hole using a prybar. Begin from the top and work your way down. If there is water damage, continue removing shingles until all of the water damage has been exposed. The entire damaged section will have to be taken out and rebuilt.

3. Remove Remaining Nails

Remove any leftover nails that did not come out with the shingles using the claw side of a hammer.

4. Cut out the Damaged Plywood

Cut off the damaged plywood using a circular saw. Take care not to damage or cut the rafter. You may need to work in portions to prevent the rafter, cutting two holes at a time.

5. Create Framing Using 2 x 4’s

Make a new frame out of 2 x 4s for the plywood you’ll be placing down. If the hole is tiny, you can use 8-penny nails to secure the 2 x 4s to the bottom of the existing excellent plywood.

Extend the braces on both sides at least the length of the hole so that the brace is three times the length of the hole.

If the hole is bigger, you must build a framework by nailing the 2 x 4s to the rafters using 10-penny nails. To nail 2 x 4s to the rafters, you may need to enter the attic and work from below.

6. Cut New Plywood to Fit the Hole

Cut the plywood to fit the existing hole exactly.

7. Attach Plywood to the Framing

Apply liquid nails to the new plywood repair and insert them into the hole while wearing gloves. Then, using 8-penny nails, secure the new plywood to the framework you just built.

8. Apply Tar Paper

Spread roofing cement over the seams where the new and old plywood meet. Next, cover the patch with tar paper, extending it 2 inches beneath the top shingles. Attach the tar paper to the decking using nails.

9. Attach New Shingles.

Spread roofing cement over the joints where the new plywood meets the previous plywood. Next, cover the area with tar paper, being careful to extend it 2 inches beneath the top shingles. Nail the tar paper to the decking.