Q:Our end unit 1940"s row house has an old leaking bitumen roof . The water entry point can not be found so a replacement seems the way to go. A roofer suggested a replacement using Firestone 180, 1/2 inch fiberboard insulation covered with fiberglass base sheet, bitumen for flashing and fibered aluminum coating on wall coping . It's all Greek to be but fiberboard insulation and flashing material ? Should I be concerned?

We use kingspan insulation, marine grade plyboard , 3/4 inch, and yes you can use bitumen as flashing. I hope i am not being condescending, but the flashing is the bit that goes from the roof and a little way up the wall and is then "pointed" into the bricks, thus forming a water-proof barrier.

Q:what's the best insulation for ceilling for house with semi flat roof?

The pitch of your roof has nothing to do with the kind of insulation you should use. I recommend a fiberglass insulation that is at least 6 inches thick, the more you put in the better.

Q:Our roof tile is installed on top of galvanized iron sheets. We do not have any toher form of insulation. The roof tile or tegula is quite thick.

Oh yeah. You need insulation. Think of it this way. If you turned a stove top burner on medium-low and placed one of those roof tiles on it, it would be too hot to pick up. If you put down a small piece of insulation first, you'd be able to pick up the tile with no problem.

Q:I'd like to put a train set in my loft / attic, so to avoid it being cold in there during the winter I'm considering having no insulation in the floor of it where one usually would, thus allowing the heat to rise into the loft. Then, insulate the roof between the rafters instead. Is this just as good at keeping the heating costs down?

Insulate the floor and Install a 240V electric heater in the attic so you can turn it on when using that space. Since your not using this space for sleeping I see no reason to insulate the rafters and risk the problems mentioned above. Unless you like paying taxes don't finish off this room, leave the rafters exposed.

Q:Does snow on the roof help or hurt my heating bill?

It shouldn't matter. Here's why: If your attic is already well insulated and ventilated, there is insulation sitting on top of your drywall or plaster ceiling. Above that insulation is moving cold air. That air keeps your roof from rotting. The insulation creates a barrier between your living space and the moving air in the attic. You can differentiate homes with good insualtion from those without it--well insulated homes will have snow on their rooftops for a longer time. Additionally, well insulated homes are less likely to develop ice dams. So, I don't believe the snow on your roof should make any difference at all in your energy bill.

Q:Without loft insulation ,the roof space is full of air.Why does this not keep the heat in?

Because air can circulate, (it's called convection) and transfer a lot of heat. In other words, air alone is a very poor insulator. .

Q:I know you're not supposed to directly insulate the roof due to the roof getting super heated in the summer, but my walk-in (actually, more like "crawl in") attic is very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Is there anything I can do to improve efficiency? I can't help but think I'm wasting a lot of energy just to keep my roof lasting a little longer.

You can avoid the condensation problem by simply leaving a minimum 2'' gap between the roof and the insulation. You need to fix battens on to the rafters ( at least 2'' from the tiles ) and then fix blanket or rigid insulation tight between them. The battens will maintain the air space. You then need to fix a vapour barrier over the whole thing and finish with plasterboard. No small job to do it properly ! ps you need to check the condition of the roof before you start and fix any loose tiles etc Alternatively, turn the heating up and wear a thicker sweater.

Q:I am thinking about getting cavity wall and roof insulation at the moment.But since summer is approaching, I fear that getting the insulation will mean that the house will be very hot at night. (During day time the house will accumulate heat from the sun, and the heat cannot escape).I also fear that the ventilation will be bad and the air in the house will not be as fresh.Any advice please?

Insulation helps both in heating in the winter and with cooling in the summer!

Q:We bought a house and put new metal roof on over the shingles. (first please don't say, this or that should have been done, just what I can do now) Any how, we have put a lot of money into the house, roof, all new electrical, all new plumbing, etc., I had to make the house in a "living in condition" with a low budget. ............ the house does not have insulation in ceilings, this has to be done next summer. (budget) Any how, the metal roof has condensation under it, only in the ridge vent area. This drips a little and I need to fix it. Now, I know that insulation wouldprobablyy fix this, but we don't have the money right now, so I need help on what to do? Is there anything that with a $100 to $200 budget can be done? I have searched a little, and maybe use a "spray-on"insulation help? The area is where the gap is at the peak and where themetall overlaps the ridge vent. (I thinkthat'ss what it's called)Thank you! :)

hope this helps. With more air movement there will not be so much condensation. it is a matter of having an inlet for air or a fan and then an outlet for air. There are small extractor fans i have one for my bathroom, but unsure of the cost.

Q:I have a split house with an attic where I have insulation on attic floor, but the house seems to be cold still, Can I add insulation to the roof of the attic? If so, any options? Thank you.

No, you want the air to circulate from the soffit vent to the ridge vent or gable vents, whichever you may have. This will prevent mold and condensation.