Living under a roof. How to properly equip the attic?

Building a house is not easy. The future owner will have to make many difficult decisions: to choose the material for finishing facades and roofs, competently plan the layout of the rooms, to think about heating and water supply, etc.d. But the most important thing – to make sure that everyone in the new house had enough space and was comfortable. Therefore, the space under the roof to use as effectively as possible. One of the ways to do this – the device of the attic floor. If it is designed correctly, the room will become a full-fledged space for comfortable living.

There is life under the roof, too!

There is a stereotype that the role of the attic – to be a guest bedroom or storage room. Sometimes the rooms under the roof make unheated, because they are used mainly in the summer time. This approach makes the existence of the attic makes no sense, because the additional floor in this case does not increase the living space of permanent residents of the house.

Architect Denis Trebukhin comments:

“These days, thanks to modern building technology and special accessories, the attic can be made as comfortable and functional as any other floor or room in the house. In fact, the fantasy of the homeowner is not limited by anything: under the roof you can place not only a bedroom, but also a nursery, winter garden, home theater, office or workshop, bar, billiard room, living room with a bathroom and even a sauna. There are many options, most importantly – the right choice of technical solutions and reliable roof, well-preserving heat and protecting against leaks.

For example, the installation of sanitary equipment in the attic requires the reinforcement of the floor, as well as the installation of serious waterproofing. All of this should be provided for at the design stage, since it would be problematic to rebuild the attic in a ready-made house. If the plans of the homeowner includes the device under the roof of a greenhouse or conservatory, you need to design the house to take into account not only the weight of the earth and the plants themselves, but also their expected height. This will directly affect the configuration and height of the roof.

Architect Sergei Lekai comments

“A common problem in many attics is insufficient air exchange. Warm and humid air from the lower floors of the house is always rises, why in the attic is often stuffy and humid. Therefore it is necessary to make a technical calculation of the ventilation system. In some cases it is even better to use forced ventilation, and to save the heat include heat exchangers-recuperators”.

In recent years, more and more popular is such a solution as a nursery in the attic: the little inhabitants of the house are always very fond of the idea of having their own floor. However, parents should remember about safety and take all necessary measures to protect children. For example, the children’s floor must be equipped with a marching staircase with a width of at least 0.8 m and with a railing at least one meter high, and their supports should be located often enough that between them could not crawl. Windows in the children’s attic also set is not simple, and be sure not winged and locked.

Roofing – special attention

The comfort level of the attic directly depends on how well designed and well installed the roof, as well as the type of materials used for its construction. One of the most reliable solutions in this case is a flexible shingle, the technology of which production over the past couple of decades has undergone significant changes.

Modern flexible shingles is now produced on the basis of modified bitumens, in particular, polymer bitumen APP¹. This material combines the elasticity of natural bitumen with the durability and resistance of polymer. It is also absolutely safe, as it contains no oxidized bitumen and is practically not subject to aging².

Commented expert Elena Seregina, TEGOLA one of the world’s leading manufacturers of roofing and waterproofing materials

“Due to its properties APP bitumen retains characteristics when heated to +140 º C and gives, in comparison with other types of bitumen, shingles exceptional resistance to one of the most aggressive effects on the roof – the sunlight

APP

– The polymer family of thermoplastics, atactic polypropylene. Characterized by high viscosity and adhesion, high melting point and antioxidant properties.

AGING

– the process of changing the composition of bitumen, accompanied by a deterioration of its properties increasing fragility and reducing water resistance . Accelerated by sunlight and oxygen due to decomposition of the structure increase in the amount of hard brittle components due to the weathering of resinous substances and oils . The rate of aging characterizes the durability of bituminous materials.

In addition, used for the formation of a decorative top layer of basalt crumb creates a solid armor, protecting the material from UV radiation and from mechanical damage. With regard to the basis for shingles, its role is performed by a durable glass fiber, which, like the bituminous layer, is absolutely impermeable to water.

Due to these features shingles does not lose its operational and aesthetic properties throughout the life cycle, which is measured in decades. For example, the warranty period for various modifications of flexible roofing TEGOLA can reach up to 55 years. This is the level of reliability required when choosing a roof covering for a house with a loft, because in this case, any leakage or damage to the roof fraught with a violation of the comfort of living in the upper house, and in some cases can even make it impossible.

requires special attention and the device roofing pie, in particular – how to protect it from excessive moisture. Studies show that a mere 5% moisture content in a roof insulation layer reduces its insulating properties by half.

This is all the more serious threat, given that the roof accounts for 25% of all heat loss in the house. If we talk about the attic, for which the roof serves as both walls, then through the roof can go up to 70% of the heat. In combination with poor ventilation can make the attic uninhabitable.

To avoid such problems will help protect the insulation:

* from water vapor from the inside 1 . For this purpose, it is best to use special vapor barrier membranes. Some of them are available with a reflective metal layer of aluminum, so they not only protect the roofing pie from moisture, but also help to keep heat in the attic and the house.

* from atmospheric moisture on the outside 2 . The system copes with this task underlay ventilation and waterproofing. For underlay waterproofing is better to use special vapor diffusion membranes with high vapor transmission capacity, which are laid directly on the insulation. And in order for the system to work effectively,

The number and height of inlets and outlets, as well as the height of the ventilation gap should never be done “by eye”. Calculation must necessarily perform a qualified specialist, who will take into account the peculiarities of the configuration of the roof, and its area, and location of the house with respect to the wind rose.

Advice of Expert Elena Seregina, TEGOLA

“When building a house, especially in regions with high precipitation or very snowy winters, as well as strong winds, you can further strengthen the reliability of the roof covering. For example, to provide over the entire surface of the waterproofing underlay carpet.

Special solutions

The attic – not a simple floor, so for a comfortable life in it you need many special accessories. First of all it concerns the dormer windows. They are located directly in the roof, so they experience increased loads: snow, wind, the impact of precipitation.

High reliability and thermal insulation properties of dormer windows are achieved due to the presence of thermal insulating block around the perimeter of the frame, as well as special seals. Sealed with special insulation mat that protects from rain and snow. In addition, the double-glazed windows in such windows are often filled with inert gas, which contributes to the preservation of heat in the attic.

To increase the load-bearing capacity, tempered glass or triplexes are used as translucent elements, resistant to extreme weather conditions, including.ch. and grada.

If the attic is arranged in a living room, nursery or bedroom better to use the most environmentally friendly wooden skylights, but for rooms with high humidity bathrooms, kitchens, etc . plastic windows are better suited.

To equip the attic floor of a full-fledged dwelling or a place for work and rest is not difficult at all, if high-quality modern materials and special technical solutions are used. First of all, you need to think thoroughly at the design stage of the house. Then provide reliable protection from above, using the

only durable and resistant modern roofing materials. Do not forget about the thermal insulation: it should not damp down in any case. Finally, the use of specialized solutions such as skylights will completely erase the distinction between the floor below the roof and all other.