CCHRC Research and Testing Facility (RTF)
Roof Insulation Monitoring
The
main office has a conventional roof with blown insulation in the
attic space. Two types of insulation are being compared for both
performance comparison and to help illustrate how the roof insulation
works over the wide range of temperature conditions common to
the Interior (+90F to -60F). Thermo-Kool
and Johns Manville both have
provided insulation products, which were installed to meet a R-60
thermal insulation rating. Temperature and relative humidity sensors
were installed to see the environmental conditions from just under
the outer 30 lb roofing felt to the inside of the 5/8” ceiling
sheet rock. The vapor barrier is installed just above the ceiling
sheet rock. The attic space is vented through a steel soffit.
Fiberglass Blown Insulation
The Johns Manville blown fiberglass was installed in the southwest corner of the roof to a depth of 20 inches, providing a R60 thermal insulation
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Cellulose Blown Insulation
The Thermo-Kool cellulose insulation fills up the rest of the attic space and is separated from the fiberglass through a fine-mesh screen material. It was installed to a depth of 16 inches providing an R60 thermal insulation.
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Photo Gallery : Roof Sensor Installation
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Temperature and Relative Humidity Sensors
in Fiberglass Insulation area.
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Multiple sensors used to measure profiles
through the insulation
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Wire screen mesh used to separate insulation
types
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Cellulose (left) insulation and fiberglass
(right) insulation after
partial installation |
Applications and Questions for Homeowners and Builders
When deciding on the type of insulation and style of attic roof construction to use, there are several questions to consider;- What do you expect your energy costs to be over the lifespan of your house?
- Will you use your attic space for storage?
- What is the long-term energy savings with different insulation types?
- Can insulation installation methods change your effective R value?