INSUATION IS KEY

Which type of insulation you are using and where it is installed makes a huge difference.

There are a lot of different Insulation materials and also a few places where you can put them .

On top of the rafters, in between the rafters, underneath the rafters or on the attic floor …

You can use Celotex,Kingspan (or PIR insualtion)

Styrofoam like boards (or EPS and XPS insualtion)

Rockwool Earthwool and Glasswool

Sprayfoam

Woodfibre

Cellulose

……

Often  builders and architects, when planning a project, look only at 1 aspect of the Insualtion – its heat conductivity or simpler said , how well does it insulate against cold,

 

The other part an insulation can be used  for are its sound  absorbing qualities.

Nowadays , many builders and architects tend to use a PIR insualtion on the outer walls of the house, because it is an easy to use and very effective heat insulator.

 

However- it is NOT the  greatest sound insualtion

This is the reason why internal walls and floor still are mostly insualted with Glasswool or Earthwool.

A very cheap, yet effective sound (and heat) Insulation.

When using a metal roof, it might be a good idea to go with an insulation that is both, great at blocking sound and  great at retaining  heat inside.

In our experience one of the best insualtions for this purpose is Blown-In Cellulos or Woodfibre.

 

It is cheap, effective and tiks both boxes.

Beaten like a drum

Vibration in the Panels or incorrect fixed flashings can be the reason why the metal roofs  get noisy. Screwing them down to a sturdy, well prepared, sub roof with fixings spaced correctly and a Metal Carpet (Metal roof membrane) underneath,is avoiding these issues.

We all know how it sounds standing in a garage or shed with a metal roof on while rain is pouring down.

It is almost impossible to hear ones own word.

This is not only down to missing insualtion between the roof sheets and the areas underneath but most of the time also due to the fact that classic corrugated or box profile roofs on commercial and utility buildings are often installed on purlins with a wide span leaving gaps of up to 1.2m between fixings.

This makes the metal roof behave almost like a drum, swinging/vibrating freely with every drop that hits them.

In domestic application not only is the roof insualted on the inside  but also the close-spaced battens or boarded out surface eliminates a lot of the vibrating of the panels.

Metal roofing can be sound-transmission reduced even more by installing the metal roof over a sound insualting metal carpets. These specialist membranes will dampen the sound of any vibration of the metal roof.

 

Another important part in the noise reduction is the widths of the chosen Panels.

All too often the installers trying to find a cheap and cheerfull option without taking into the account all the ins and outs of what is required for each individual situation. A wider Panel might look good and is most of the time a cheaper solution (both in material costs as well as fixing times) but will be more sensitive to movement from Rain and WInd. (specially important in exposed situations). So planning what is right for your situation early is a good idea to avoid later adjustments.