Insulating Open Porch Roof

We are in the process of building a 4 season porch from the original open porch that came with our 1917 home in ne ohio.

Insulating open porch roof.

The airflow from the soffits to the ridge vent keeps the roof cool and prevents ice dams and the material will block that flow. Staple plastic or foam baffles to the roof sheathing near the eaves to keep the material away. Large foam insulation sheets can be nailed directly against the floor above or held in place by chicken wire or other metal elements with the facing against the underfloor. You may want to check with the roofing manufacturer on that.

Sometime in the 1940s the previous owners had crudely enclosed this second floor porch with nine simple casement windows that open inward but there is no insulation nor any hvac in the enclosed porch. They make the roof panels 3 to 6 inches thick not just at the edges where the fascia on a pan roof may be that tall but all across the panels. Cut styrofoam insulation to the correct size and layer it below the fiberglass already in place. An insulated aluminum patio roof uses aluminum clad foam panels.

If you can add insulation to help prevent cold transfer from the roof into the decking that would be helpsful. The insulation should fit snugly to prevent air from getting through. For the same reason insulation shouldn t touch the roof s underside. Not only will you be more comfortable if you have a vinyl ceiling in your porch you ll also protect it from extreme heat damage.

Insulating the roof can give a barrier to prevent extreme heat from pounding down through your roof. Nail or staple the furring strips between the joists to hold the styrofoam in place. Some metal roofs may allow you to install a rigid insulation board between the deck and the underlayment. This heat will simply move into the top of your porch if you don t have an insulated porch roof.

If your rooftop is black heat from the sun s rays will accumulate and raise the temperature to well above the outside temperature.