The interior comfort of the house begins with its roof, the area of ​​the most exposed house. Discover how to keep it in good condition. 30% of the thermal losses of a house take place through the roof. In summer, this area can reach temperatures of up to 60º C. On the other hand, if it is not maintained in good conditions, leaks will deteriorate walls and interior spaces. Learn the best practical tips to rehabilitate the roof of your house.

Intervene in the structure. The first thing is to check the status of the main structure; in case there should be replacements of joists or incorporate reinforcements. If you can lift the roof, it is time to correct heights and improve the liveability levels of the interior space. If there are no limitations with the height allowed, another option is to consider a change in the design of the roof. With a roof to a water, for example, you will get height in the highest part, which in the interior can be translated in winning a mezzanine.

Remember that this works is quite risky and you need top protection to keep workers safe. Here at Gold Coast Edge we take safety as a priority and make sure your house is safe for you and your family by hiring experts in the area such as Gold Coast Edge Protection.

By the way, when dealing with a work in which the structure of the building is involved, you will need a larger building license with a rehabilitation project. Make decisions that shorten the execution time. Before a cover formed by a light system of wood or steel structure, it is convenient to think about rehabilitating the support with dry solutions: they can be executed without waiting times and without dampening the old structure.

Top materials for roof renovation

In this sense, sandwich panels, with built-in insulation, provide in a single product thermal and acoustic insulation, waterproofing, support for covering materials and interior lining.

More options. Other combinations based mainly on a layer system can also be used to close the cover. This is the case of ceramic or Bardo boards. They are installed on steel profiles or concrete joists. Its positioning system allows them to be placed dry as if they were a board, although it is better to seal them with a compression layer. It is completed above with the thermal insulation, the sheet or waterproofing plate and, finally, the tiles on battens. Inside they can be seen.

Another option is to assemble the support with Celenit, which is a board of oriented wood chips bonded with Portland cement. It is breathable, lightweight, resistant to water, ice and fire, as well as providing thermoacoustic insulation. There are also integral insulation systems, of the Gutex line, formed by wood fibre boards of porous structure that, by allowing the boards to breathe, avoid the cold wall effect and regulate humidity. They stand out for an excellent protection against summer heat and its thermal inertia, that is, the capacity for heat accumulation.

Why is thermal insulation needed?

Thermal insulation immediately affects the interior comfort. In the space next to the roof, more heat will be extracted and less heat will be spent in summer. The insulation should be installed above the support panels, ensuring that they form a continuous surface to avoid thermal bridges. They must also be non-hydrophilic, that is, they must not be affected by humidity, which together with waterproofing will guarantee the useful life of the materials and the cover itself. Choose also options that remain unalterable against the attacks of microorganisms, such as extruded polystyrene and the rock wool panel.

If you prefer a natural insulator, you can opt for the black agglomerated cork, practically unalterable and breathable.

Covers of work. Heavy decks built with concrete have fewer renovation options than light ones. In any case, it is possible to improve its thermal and acoustic insulation, in addition to incorporating, for example, waterproofing or creating a ventilated chamber to accumulate less heat … an objective that you will achieve, also, by installing an ecological vegetal cover.

Characteristics, installation and drawbacks of green roofs

Take care of the finishing details. When you renew the cover, it is the ideal time to fine-tune all the finishing details. The problems derived from the leaks not only come from broken tiles and the lack of waterproofing, but also from deficiencies in the encounters with lateral and upper walls, or from obstructions in the free runoff of the waters.

In the ridge area, for example, the joint between the roof and the vertical wall must be protected with a slab or other flexible material. If the meeting is with a wall, but in the lower part of the skirt, it should always be done by means of a water collection channel. Next to the flues or ventilation ducts, there must be bibs that seal the joints, for example, self-adhesive butyl or aluminium bands. The same precautions must be taken when installing a roof window or a solar tube dome. Certain companies, such as Velux, have different placement options, such as sealing frames that also serve to form combined modules of windows with solar panels.

And do not forget to replace the gutter and its downspouts, which will help protect the facade.

The waterproofing layer. Fundamental to make sure there will be no leaks. This is the case of plates made of recycled material. One of its major advantages is that the wavy format of the plates creates a double ventilation circuit between them and the tiles, and between the support and the corrugated sheets. This avoids moisture condensation, besides saving labour: the plates serve as a template on which to adapt any type of roof.

Covering elements. The most used are ceramic tile and slate. Within the first group, the mixed ceramic tile is the lightest and most economical, since it uses fewer units per square meter than the curve. It is also important to look for brands that offer integrated accessories in the same material, such as ventilation tiles, ridge tiles, lateral finials or supports for chimneys.

Here at Gold Coast Edge Protection  we take care of protecting the edges of the roof to avoid any kind of falling accidents.