Icynene attic insulation and radiant barriers

[imported_John Smith]

Im always concerned about the ability to locate a roofing leak from within the attic in homes with Tech Shield or foil products stapled all over the place.


Listening to the radio yesterday, there was a show on about using Icynene insulation under the rafters to make the attic space air tight.

This too would seem like something that would make looking for roofing leaks within the attic impossible (even for the IR guys). I suspect that water penetrating the decking with an icynene product would allow the water to just continuously soak and rot the decking before it would have any hope of being noticed by anyone.

Thoughts????

[Scott Patterson]

Im always concerned about the ability to locate a roofing leak from within the attic in homes with Tech Shield or foil products stapled all over the place.


Listening to the radio yesterday, there was a show on about using Icynene insulation under the rafters to make the attic space air tight.

This too would seem like something that would make looking for roofing leaks within the attic impossible (even for the IR guys). I suspect that water penetrating the decking with an icynene product would allow the water to just continuously soak and rot the decking before it would have any hope of being noticed by anyone.

Thoughts????

Yep, that is one of the problems with it.

[Robert Hronek]

I think it would be a great way to build a house provided you did something with the roof. I would not put a standard shingle roof on a house like that. It would have to be a much more durable roof to last 50+ years. You could do some things with underlayments and battens to give give a drainage plane. Also with a layer or two of polystrene to combat thermal bridging and to create a multilayer roof thus providing layers of protection. Only the plumbing vent stack would need to penetrate the roof.

[Joe Billman]

Check put the provisions of the recent IRC. The changes incorporated specific requirements for roof deck insulation, similar to low slope shingle requirements.