#AskCentiMark: A peek inside your roof’s insulation with Anne Serzz.

Hi, I’m Anne Serzz and I’m ready to give you the scoop on a roof component that has a significant effect on heating and cooling costs for your commercial building, insulation! The insulation is typically below the membrane and influences energy efficiency, air quality, protection against water intrusion and impacts the overall stability of the roof assembly. Therefore, proper insulation is crucial to getting the full service life out of your roof, for example, when food processing facilities have inadequate insulation, they may encounter mold growth and product recalls.

Understanding insulation can help you select a material that meets your desired or required R-value which can significantly benefit your building in various ways. Pro tip: Stay proactive in maintaining the best R-value to keep up with any local code changes! The CentiMark team can help you with this by performing a comprehensive roof evaluation and utilizing our thermal imaging drones to locate areas with inadequate insulation or moisture issues.

Let’s dive right into the major types of roof insulation: 

Polyisocyanurate (ISO):

• This type of insulation is a closed cell product, making it an excellent option for energy efficiency and moisture control. It is a good choice for facilities that experience temperature fluctuations or increased humidity such as warehouses or manufacturing.

Wood Fiberboard:

• Fiberboard is often used in recovery applications which is the process of installing a new roof over an old roof without completely replacing it, making it an affordable option. 

Dens Deck (Gypsum Board):

It has good compressive strength. It is also fire resistant making it a safe and durable choice of insulation. A great choice of insulation for facilities that need to safeguard important equipment like manufacturing plants or data centers. 

Expanded/Extruded Polystyrene (EPS):

• It delivers efficient R-value and drainage performance, EPS is particularly effective in tapered roof systems. 

From heating and cooling costs to moisture mitigation, insulation is a critical component of your roof and selecting the right type tailored to your building needs, location and local codes is key. Our team can conduct a comprehensive commercial roof inspection to determine any weak points in your insulation and assess whether your current insulation meets your building's needs. Let’s work together to keep your building well-insulated and fully optimized: [link to contact page here]

Interested in a free inspection to determine your roofing needs? Click here.