Replies

1. 
   Piffin | Oct 04, 2005 05:25am | #1

   I think you said it is a heated room.

   That means that you are losing heat to the exterior rapidly if the perimeter is not insulated. insulation generally pays for itself in three years, more or less, up to a point.

   Your logic seemsto be that since the windows are losing heat anyway, it matters little whether the roof looses heat too.
   Cpmpare your logic for aminute.

   As long as I am wasting one gallon of gas today, I might as well waste two.

   as long as I am ten pounds overweight, I might as well be twenty

   Since I have waited two weeks to cut the grass, I might as well hold off on mowing for a whole month now

   Since the wife is already mad at me, I might just as well spend the night out drinking with the guys

   I'd insulate it, yep

    

    

   Welcome to the
   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
    where ...
   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   marcwd | Oct 04, 2005 05:58am | #2

   Hi Piffin,

   I take your point. However, as is implied, there is a cost to insulate.

   If the heat loss mechanism in this particular room - with its disproportionate amount of window area - would likely be largely through the windows (I don't know this; that's why I asked.), then it seems reasonable to make a cost/benefit inquiry relating to insulating the roof.

   To a rational person, it should matter little to lose heat through the roof if that loss is overwhelmed by the heat lost through the windows.

    

1. 
   Piffin | Oct 05, 2005 05:23am | #5

   This ain't a space ship. If you are trying to heat it, you will benefit from insulation.period 

    

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

2. 
   piko | Oct 04, 2005 06:06am | #4

   My friend, that is one h*lluva great reply!

   ciao for niao

   To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.

    

   Edited 10/3/2005 11:07 pm ET by piko

2. 
   piko | Oct 04, 2005 06:05am | #3

   What for and when do you use it? If it is occasional summer use, forget the ins'n. If you like to read there in the winter, go ahead and make it 'comfy', and beggar the expense - it's worth it to you, and in the long run it's a selling feature. I'd like that on the back of my house, for sure.

   ciao for niao

   To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.

    

3. 
   BarryO | Oct 08, 2005 10:50am | #6

   I insulate the roof on mine.  I think it's worth it.

   I remember when I was first installing it.  The roof was partially insulated.  The mornings were frosty, and I'd noticed that the portions of the deck above the insulation would have frost on them, and the uninsulated portion didn't.  "Gee, that stuff really works".

   if you're heating the space, given that most heat loss is through the roof, it should be worth it.  That, and stopping all drafts. 

1. 
   averagejoe | Oct 08, 2005 05:19pm | #7

   First of all, if you are planning on replacing the existing windows with more efficient ones, your roof will easily be where you will lose the most heat. And if you use it during the cold season....Duh!!! Flat roofs can be difficult to vent properly, so with that rubber roof I would recommend Icynene spray foam insulation. I just had ours done after I rebuilt the room with new windows and a rubber roof. It's a small job for a spray foam contractor, but if you are flexible on the timing so they can fit it in when they have another small job to do, you shouldn't have to pay a minimum. Our room is 12 x 12 and the spray foam was about $320.00 Well worth the money for good insulation with no potential moisture problems.

1. 
   marcwd | Oct 09, 2005 06:20am | #8

   I could go through the numbers but I'd be surprised that a room full of windows, even the new double-glazed, low-E, Argon-filled kind, wouldn't still have the majority of heat loss through those windows.

   I hadn't considered foam for insulating the ceiling. How would it be applied? I thought that foam required that the space to be insulated be completely opened up like it sounds you did in your rebuilding.

   Humidity (needing venting) shouldn't be too high in the sunroom as it's off to the side of the house away from major water vapor sources.

   Edited 10/9/2005 1:15 pm ET by marcwd

4. 
   sunspacetexas | May 11, 2022 04:44am | #9

   Nice Blog