Warm Flat Roof Construction Vapour Barrier

Condensation is generated when warm moist air rises and condenses into a liquid on contact with the cooler areas above the insulation.

Warm flat roof construction vapour barrier.

A vapour control layer helps you shield your building from the consequences of condensation. If it is not a habitable space or as per the old design for flat cold roofs then you would use foil backed plasterboard which acts as a vb. To use epdm for a warm deck flat roof construction solid closed cell roof insulation such as kingspan or celotex should be placed on top of the roof deck rather than in between the rafters. I m in the process of building a warm flat roof for a garden room and need to put down a vapour barrier between the sub deck and insulation.

Grp insulated decking board ecotherm insulation 120mm with 6mm ply attached firrings joists plasterboard i have read that i need a vapour barrier. A vapour barrier will then need to be installed to reduce condensation in the roof structure. Because of this the vcl always sits at the warm side of the insulation. If this is a habitable room beneath the roof then you should be constructing a warm roof as per building regulations c l.

For all warm flat roofs a fully intact vapour barrier would be required on the room side under the insulation. I am having an extension built and my builder is constructing the flat warm deck roof in the following way. It s the first line of defence against high vapour pressure air entering the roof structure and causing interstitial condensation. A vapour control layer or vcl on a warm flat roof sits between the roof decking and the insulation.

Condensation within a flat roof mainly occurs during cold weather when moisture vapour in the air which has been generated within the heated building rises from the room below into the cold roof void above the ceiling. The notion behind a vapour control layer is to install it on the room side of the insulation so it stops the passage of warm moist air entering the structure. The buildup of a warm flat roof starts with a good vapour barrier followed by insulation then more decking or just the roofing materials depends on if you want the roof soft or solid. Ideally you need to ventilate the roof and have a 50mm air gap above your insulation.

There is no requirement for any air gaps. Provided your vapour control layer is intact then there should not be any risk of condensation. Where in the roof construction should this be installed.