Pitched roofs

Abstract

Buildings that do not need to satisfy any particular thermal performance requirements (e.g. warehouses) can be built with uninsulated pitched roofs. Another application for an uninsulated pitched roof is on a building in which the uppermost layer of thermal insulation is placed in the topmost suspended floor — which results in a cold, unheated roof space (Fig. c101). Such a ventilated roof space acts as a buffer zone in both summer and winter. During the winter, the even temperature in the roof space and on the roof surface means that snow and ice melts evenly, which prevents a build-up of ice or backed-up water along the edges of the roof. Today, however, the majority of roof spaces are used as habitable spaces, and so the following information is limited to insulated pitched roofs.