Q:In a house, it looks like an addition, that now is the kitchen , it feels HOT, it doesn't seem to have a very good insulation on the roof at all, the ceiling is already low, so, what can be done on the outside to give it more insulation?, i don't care what it is i just want to give it a GOOD insulation, the roof is flat and to shingles. Any IDEAS? , thanks!

Sorry but there isn't enough info to give a good answer...is there space between the ceiling and the roof to add insulation...there may be enough insulation but no ventilation in the area directly under the roof (atic area) If there is not enough air flow in this area the temperature will skyrocket thus heat the kitchen AND the shingles will deteriorate very quickly.If you still need to add insulation the best way is to put sloped roof (if possible)and add insulation in the space created or you can use foam insulation and re roof ..make sure you seal between the wall system and new insulation and whatever method make sure to allow air to flow under the roof (both inflow and outflow)

Q:Foam and the new building technolodgy's are coming to New Orleans. The rebuilding is causing New Orleans to be the "Greenest City in America". Energy Efficiency and the proper buiilding techniques tak hold.

foam is great but ugly as hell

Q:I am building a porch roof over an existing patio. The rafters are fabricated I-beams. I plan on putting aluminum soffit under the I-beams. On top of the roof I would like to put down a metal roof. I already put down 3/4" OSB and a rain/ice barrier. Do I need insulation and/or ventilation on top of the rain and ice barrier, or can I get away without it?

Its a outside patio, are you going to enclose it for living space? If not don't bother to insulate and for ventilation there is soffit that comes with vent holes in it. Add; no it will not cause a moisture problem, i had a patio with a open bottom metal roof and had no problems and i live in Florida.

Q:Hi, my building is hot in temperature in summers, so I am finding ways to tackle the problem by placing some heat insulating materials against the sunlight on the roof of my building. I have found several possible solutions, but none of them close to perfect. 1. grass layer: hard to maintain2. heat-insulating brick: might be too heavy to carry them to the roof3. heat-insulating coating: would it be damaged if we step on them? Are there things like heat-insulating carpets that would be convenient to instal?

Closed cell spray foam applied to the inside of your roof sheathing will work just fine. It needs to be installed by a specialty contractor. Good Luck

Q:is it safe to put insulation in the corners where the roof meets the wall in attics?fiberglass in corners?

If you have vented soffits, you have to stay away from the corners where the outside wall meets the roof. It is best to install insulation baffles to the roof sheathing to keep the fiberglass from stopping the natural ventilation through the soffit vents into the attic. They can be purchased at home improvement store.

Q:what effect does changing the pitch of a roof have on the insulation properties and durability of a roof?

I'd have to agree with mj, your insulation in your ceiling is the major factor for heating and cooling , spec R-38 but if your going for gov. kick backs I think it's R-41 (17" of blown in fiberglass insulation). Roof pitch standard is 1' raise to 4' run, (really easy to re-roof & inexpencive). Advantages of a steep roof (less apt to have leakage problems with a worn roof, you get a few more yrs). When you have to replace that roof, price goes up for steepage.

Q:does insulation, with a high R value, in the attic prolong the life of the shingles on the roof.

I don't get the connection between R-Value (insulation) and shingles that are exposed to the outside!

Q:the name of the company is SIG plc.I need help asap, cos I am struggling to figure it out. If it is not, what kind of competition is it???

Sure can..........if it's the only store in town...........

Q:do i leave air gap in attic roof for insulation?

The best way to set up an attic is to put a vapor barrier under the rafters (before nailing on the gyproc), then put the insulation (fibreglas batts) between the rafters to full depth (10 or 12 inches). Soffit vents are installed under the eaves at the sides of the roof, and gable vents are placed near the peak of the roof at the ends. This allows for airflow resulting from convection, particularly important in the summer months to remove heat buildup in the attic. If the insulation is adequate, it will not only isolate this heat buildup from the inside of the house in summer, but will prevent heat loss to the attic in winter. (The airflow in winter will be minimal, but will remove any moisture/condensation that might collect otherwise.)

Q:Why would you not insulate between the rafters in an attic? I see a lot of houses with no insulation on the inside of the roof.

Why would you want to waste money heating the attic? There are several reasons to put the insulation directly above the living space. Increases the life of your roof, prevents ice damming, saves money, helps avoid moisture issues in the attic and roof sheathing. Is that enough?