Warm Roof Deck Insulation

The main advantage of a warm deck construction versus a cold deck construction is that there is no need to include a ventilated cavity in the warm deck construction.

Warm roof deck insulation.

A warm deck roof is where the insulation is placed on top of the rafters joists and the roof covering is then placed over the insulation. Follow the links below to learn about our roof insulation boards for each application or alternatively if you know the product you want then enter it in the search box below. No ventilation is required for these types of roofs. In a warm roof construction the principal insulation layer is placed above the structural decking resulting in the structural deck and support structure being at a temperature similar to that of the building interior.

It also provides better thermal performance and makes it easier to eliminate thermal bridging. The insulation can be adhered mechanically fixed or loose laid. 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. A cold roof has the insulation placed below the structural deck which thus remains cold.

A warm flat roof or a built up roof bur is one where all the insulation is above the joists deck making them part of the warm fabric of the building. Effectively placing the deck inside making it completely free from the dangers of condensation and the associated rotting commonplace with cold roof insulation. Warm deck flat roofs can be constructed on most modern construction material types such as concrete timber and timber based sheets. The insulation is immediately below the waterproofing layer.

There are two basic categories of roof design. A range of premium and high performance roof insulation solutions for pitched roofs. This in turn means the deck is sealed off. The vapour control layer is above the decking but below the insulation.

The layer of insulation is essentially placed outside of the roof. A flat roof where the insulation sits below the waterproof membrane and above the structural deck is a warm roof deck. This system is called warm deck insulation and eradicates the condensation and venting issues associated with the cold deck system. Cold flat roofs are typically avoided as you d need to install ventilation which can prove problematic for many reasons relating to space labour costs etc.

Warm flat roofs do not need to be ventilated as the insulation is above the structure.