Roof Insulators

**ChalkyDee** · 01-03-2007, 12:48 AM

My upstairs bedrroms are roasting hot these days. I saw some silver and foam(I think) insulators in Big C - are they any good?

How exactly do they work? I would have thought they would keep the hot air in.

**dirtydog** · 01-03-2007, 12:51 AM

They probably would if your roof isn't vented and you don't use aircon

**ChalkyDee** · 01-03-2007, 08:31 AM

I don't use air con. So, it's a bad idea?

**peterpan** · 01-03-2007, 08:42 AM

Yes & No, The foil barrier will reduce heat transmission from the roof during the day, but will also do the same at night when the roof cools.

**blackgang** · 01-03-2007, 08:43 AM

I wouldn't say a bad idea, If you have a vented attic it would be fine to use the insulation on the ceiling, I do and I also had a new tile roof that has an air space between the tiles and some insulating foil sheeting that is installed a couple of inches below the tiles and the hot air go out the ridge cap instead of directly into the attic.
There are a few pics of it in the fotki link. Now it is finished and I will add some more later.

**Dougal** · 01-03-2007, 08:53 AM

Your roof is gaining heat through the action of the sun on the roof tiles. The tiles heat up and pass the heat through radiation and conduction to the top side of your ceiling tiles which in turn heat up the air in your room.

Foil placed directly under the roof tiles will reflect some of the heat back to the underside of the roof tiles and reduce the radiating effect.

If you haven't got foil under the roof tiles already though it is probably a bit late to try and fit it now.

Foil placed on the top of your ceiling tiles in the roof void will have a similar effect but unless your roof has adequate vents the reflected heat will have nowhere to go.

Putting insulating material such as rock wool on top of the ceiling would probably make little difference unless you had AC.

All the above is largely my opinion based on entirely unscientific limited personal experience and my knowledge of schoolboy physics.

I find the best solution to the problem is to sleep on the porch under a mosquito net.

**Anonymous Coward** · 01-03-2007, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by Dougal

Putting insulating material such as rock wool on top of the ceiling would probably make little difference unless you had AC.

This is my experience. If you use air con then insulating material on top of the ceiling tiles makes running the air con less expensive. However, it does keep the heat in the room when you are not using air con.

Since you don't use air con then I'd recommend not putting insulating material on top of the ceiling tiles.

**ChalkyDee** · 07-03-2007, 12:34 AM

I got 20 tiles from homepro in Khon Kaen - 300 baht on sale. they actually make a big difference. Bought a little air cooler - the one you put ice in(1500b) from Lotus. Cool as cucumbers now.

**Dougal** · 07-03-2007, 07:21 AM

How long does the ice in the cooler last?

**El Gibbon** · 07-03-2007, 10:08 AM

I have a good article on Passive cooling in Adobe format.

"Passive Cooling for Low-Income Houseing"

Bang-Pho Housing Project, Bangkok, Thailand

Sani Wiruchaphan
Lectuer
Kasetsart University, Bangkok Thailand

A 16 page abstract with some great info that is specific to Bangkok and environs. A very illuminating article in my mind.

Have no idea where I picked it up so can't give you an address.

However, if you PM me your email I will forward.

E. G.

**corvettelover** · 09-03-2007, 07:20 AM

best material that drops the temp is coolroom lining i dont know the correct name for it .but it is polystyrene with aluminium on both sides. we used in on a house in north queensland. it could be 38 outside and it was 23 inside. my mate got it cheap company closed that was making portable cool rooms.dont know what it cost in thailand

Thread: Roof Insulators

Thread Tools

Display

Roof Insulators

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

Posting Permissions