How Should Roof Waterproofing Be Done?

In this article we explain how roof waterproofing should be carried out.

As we described in our earlier articles, water leaks cause corrosion. Corrosion eats away at a building, and the building can be badly damaged in the first earthquake. That is why waterproofing, from the roof down to the foundations, matters so much.

A wide range of materials is used for roof insulation, and each type of roof calls for different ones. The relationship between the thickness of the material, its thermal conductivity and the outdoor temperature determines the level of insulation.

Cold roofs

Roofs with no covering such as tiles, metal sheeting or shingles are known as cold roofs. These roofs pass the effects of the outdoor environment straight through to the building, so the insulation material used on them must be more durable and of higher quality. Where mineral wool mats are used, remember that these materials do not withstand loads. If people need to walk on the roof, walkways should be left; on roofs in regular use, insulation boards should be chosen instead of mats. A screed is then laid on top to complete the insulation.

Pitched roofs

Pitched roofs use mats faced with aluminium foil. The foil-faced side is placed towards the warm side, and the mats are nailed or stapled through the 5 cm flanges along their edges. The job is finished by fixing plasterboard or timber panelling over them.

Insulation is also installed beneath the roof covering. A material laid under the tiles or cladding, on top of the rafters or roof structure, stops water from getting beneath the roof covering. This membrane can be laid in a single piece or in sections, as long as no gaps are left between them.

Eaves and chimney bases

The eaves and the bases of chimneys must also be properly waterproofed and insulated. If the eaves are not securely sealed, water gets into the roof deck and the roof insulation will not perform as it should. The same applies to the base of a chimney.

Corrosion rots, earthquakes destroy. Our lives are not that cheap.

The HBS Mimarlık family