External roof insulation?

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serenity

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I live in a tropical area and have an older house with a low pitch layover corrugated steel roof. There is no insulation in my ceiling cavity and not enough room to fit any. Does anyone know of a thermal insulator that I can stick to the exterior of my roof sheets to help keep my house cool? It would be a bonus if it sealed the roof as well to help with waterproofing.

Cheers!
 
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Check your local hardware/home improvement store. Ask for elastomer coating, normally used on mobile home roofs. Rolls on with a thick paint roller, seals and insulates. Cheaper than an insulation contractor. Five gallon bucket runs about $65 here in the US.
 
Is the existing structure capable of supporting more weight?

Retrofit metal roofing might be a way to achieve both increasing R value and water issues, be it maintaining a similar low slope ($$) or increasing pitch ($$$$$).
 
The house was built back when quality was valued, it's very heavily hardwood framed on top of concrete stumps.
I got a quote to have the whole roof re-sheeted with insulated steel but at $10000 it's more than I can afford right now.

I have tried removing the roof sheets to lay insulation underneath the roof but every screw I tried to remove sheared.
If there is an easy way to remove seized screws from hardwood frames this would be the cheapest option.

From my research insulating paint is snake oil so I'll skip that, the roof is already white.
 
Blown cellulose or FG might be an option? If you don't have enough cavity space to get up into the cavity to install it you can often get sufficient access from popping off facia boards or cutting access holes through the ceiling in closets etc where patching and repair is easier to hide. DIY blown cellulose or FG runs about 35 cents a square foot for R19 in my region, not sure if that's an option for you. And to answer your Q, I can't think of a suitable external thermal overlay for your corrugated roof.
 
What type of screwgun are you using to remove screws?

Doubt it matters, if they're snapping they've probably corroded under the washer and, combined with hardwood that can expand/contract, prolly little hope to consistently remove all and reuse sheets.

I'd look for a way to cover what's there.

What is the existing panel corrugation pattern?

There are structural components available that are notched for the highs or ribs, of existing sheets. Tallest I've used was 4", filling the cavity with 4" back fiberglass itch, sheeting over, but these purpose of those projects was to ensure water tightness, not increase R-value. (4" - R13)

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Offered in dimensional increments that afford the option to pitch, if the overall run is short enough.

What's important is a solid structural connection to the existing (assumed) solid framing and there's other means to achieve......but need to know what the existing pattern is.

Could "retro" a frame out of light gauge structural, which is similar to stick building, but with "studs" that are inches to a few feet tall.

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Or a more conventional built up roof which, I'd imagine, common in your area, based on uninsulated, flat roof you have.

Built up roofs are common in all types of construction, but essentially, consist of a thick, heavy board insulation that's attached to (commonly) steel decking, then overlaid with elastomeric polymer, tar, or other rolled/sprayed waterproofer.

Cheapest method I can think of to waterproof the surface is elastomeric polymer and is about the easiest to apply, if DIYing.
There's a process to clean and prep the substrate that is critical to adhere to, but it can be sprayed (special HVLP gun), rolled, mopped on.....again, as stop gap measure.

I've seen a fair share of similar, low pitch, reroofs but weather-tightness has always been the problem to resolve and, due to the commercial construction sector serviced, there's typically consistency in the existing structural/panel type.

That, coupled with the varying degrees of finished product quality (kind of like the differences between restorations here on Mud. There's lesser expensive, but they show and depends upon the individual's needs, budget, goals) can say the cheaper end of the spectrum should be around $2.25-2.50 PSF ( elastomeric polymer), with the upper end nearing $8-10PSF, depending on specifics to existing.

DIYing a resheet would put materials around $2PSF, including r-13 itch.

If you have pics and are interested in specific methods and pricing, post them up and will offer more precise opinion and costs.
 
As far as an easier way to remove screws without shearing, in the event you want to try a different tool, a Dewalt DW268, or similarly spec'd is what you need.

They're clutched, so less likely to shear, strip, or spin a typical metal panel fastener.
 
how about a roof fan to remove excess heat
 
Emer-clad is pretty much the only product I have heard of being used in Mt Isa, and a lot of people use it. Have only heard good things about it.

The other option is to cover your roof in solar panels, it acts as a really expensive tropical roof :flipoff2:
 
Cheers mudbludger. I'll have a look for it, if it works in mt isa it will work here!
 

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