In the pre-engineered buildings, the structure mostly contains metals. This is the biggest benefit because of which many standard structures are made using this method. From warehouses to agricultural sheds, we find every industrial and storage shed is a Pre-Engineered Metal Building Manufacturers in India. Experts rely on primary and secondary frameworks to handle the various loads in the building, but the roofing systems serve as a first line of defense against external heat and rain. Insulation is an integral part of the roofing systems in metal buildings. The material of the insulation has the unique property that slows heat transfer. In this blog, we are going to understand how it works and its different types.
Why Metal Buildings Need Insulated Roofing
There are numerous benefits of pre engineered metal building. However, a drawback of using metals is that their thermal conductivity is quite high. Metals absorb and radiate heat faster than concrete. Simply installing roofing sheets is not enough. An insulation material is sandwiched between the metal sheets in the roofing and cladding. Thus, it improves the building’s thermal performance.
Types of Insulated Roofs
There are several types of insulation materials used in roofs. The most preferred choices are:
Fiberglass
Fiberglass is possibly the most typical insulation material in pre engineered metal building, mainly because of its affordability and reliability in terms of thermal insulation. The substance consists of many thin glass filaments that trap air, which helps to mitigate heat transfer through the roof. Insulating with fiberglass blankets is common in many manufacturing plants, warehouses, and factories that require simple thermal insulation.
Foam
Foam insulation, most often found in the form of Polyurethane Foam (PUF) or Polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation, can provide better thermal performance than conventional blanket insulation. Foam insulation can be used as one seamless layer of heat insulation, which is very efficient in terms of heat loss and air leakage. This insulation material is quite popular among cold storage facilities and logistics companies since such facilities need to keep the temperature inside at a constant level.
Rockwool
Rockwool, or mineral wool insulation, is made from natural basalt rock and has excellent fireproof characteristics. Since it is non-combustible, Rockwool is often used in manufacturing plants that must comply with fire regulations. In addition to thermal insulation properties, Rockwool has excellent acoustic properties, preventing sound from penetrating the roofing system. Thanks to its dense fibre structure, Rockwool is also moisture-resistant and prevents the emergence of mould.
Benefits of Insulated Roofing
An adequately organised insulated roofing system positively impacts the structure’s performance throughout its lifetime. Here are its key benefits:
- Insulation hinders heat exchange through the roof, thereby reducing reliance on heating and cooling equipment and saving significant costs.
- Insulated roofing is also beneficial in terms of environmental control in buildings. Maintaining stable temperatures in the areas of production allows preserving the machinery, raw materials, finished production, and products sensitive to heat.
- It eliminates the risks of moisture development. This means that the chances of condensation formation will be lower, thanks to which the steel structure and roofing elements will be in good condition longer.
- In case of fire safety requirements, it is possible to use fire-resistant insulation like mineral wool to achieve better fire performance of the roof.
- Acoustic insulation minimizes the noise of the rain, the equipment on the roof, and the plants in the neighborhood.
Conclusion
Roof insulation is one of the key elements of pre-engineered metal building and improves energy efficiency as well as fire safety and comfort during operation. While fiberglass insulation is very well maintained in regular buildings, foam insulation is used in construction when fire resistance is a key aspect of the operation, and Rockwool is perfect for cases when fireproofing and sound insulation are needed. Metalliic Pre Fab is the top manufacturer that provides all the insulation types.