How Ceiling Insulation Works in Different Climates
Launch library · evergreen read
Ceiling insulation slows heat moving through the roof space, which matters considerably since a roof exposed directly to sun or cold sky can become one of the largest sources of heat gain or loss in a home if left uninsulated or only poorly insulated to begin with, regardless of what climate the property actually sits within.
In hot climates, ceiling insulation primarily works to keep heat that builds up in the roof space from radiating down into living areas below, reducing the load on cooling systems considerably during the warmest parts of the year, particularly during the middle of a long, hot afternoon.
In cold climates, the same insulation instead works to keep warm indoor air from escaping upward through the ceiling, since heat naturally rises and will readily escape through any weak point in a building's envelope if not properly resisted by adequate insulation installed correctly throughout the entire roof space.