WAREHOUSE ROOF INSULATION

Warehouse insulation is a thermal protective layer used to insulate metal roofs or walls in commercial buildings. It can also be used to insulate other commercial properties such as storage units, factories, barns or office blocks. Insulating a warehouse or any other similar commercial building can save you money. Insulation provides more than just a barrier to heat transfer. It is a perfect remedy to reduce external noise. Insulating the warehouse is important for attaining stable and desirable conditions. The cost that you pay for the utility bills is much more than that of the investment you put in insulation itself. The benefits of insulating your industrial building soon add up. You can enjoy greater temperature control and its associated energy savings. Moreover, insulation gives a comfortable and cosy workplace for the employees. It is also necessary to maintain the quality of the products that you store in the warehouse for a long duration. With the proper insulation solution, you can keep your warehouse cooler and more hospitable for guests. This results in more sales from customers, as they’re able to shop comfortably and not rush to leave for fear of heat stroke.

TYPES OF WAREHOUSE INSULATION

The most common method used to insulate a warehouse is spray foam. Spray foam insulation has become increasingly popular in the UK as it fills any gaps, eliminating droughts and leaks. Using spray foam insulation, the warehouse can provide an outstanding service to every client. However, according to people’s reviews, spray foam is more expensive than other types of insulation such as PIR, fibreglass or rock wool. It can also be difficult to remove once it's been installed. The average cost of spray foam as of 2022 is £82.30/m² (including installation). This qualifies this insulation material as the most expensive method to insulate a commercial building. Its installation, however, is very quick. The entire installation of the building can take only 8-12 hours.
Second best insulation that can be used to insulate a warehouse is PIR rigid board costing £38.78/m² (including installation). Rigid panels are designed to cover all general needs for thermal insulation, fire resistance and sound reduction and because of their versatility, PIR boards are often used in commercial buildings. On the other hand, EPS expanded polystyrene board may be used as a warehouse under roof insulation, however it is not used so often due to the fact that its auto-ignition temperature is 80°C.

Another type of insulation is rock wool. Boards will boost thermal performance and improve acoustics. This may be handy especially with a noisy businesses such as sawmill. When it comes to best soundproof warehouse insulation boards, Rockwool and Knauf are main players in the UK market. As of 2022 most popular insulation slab 150mm Rocksilk RS45 Knauf cost £36.36 per m2.
The most expensive method to insulate warehouse roof would be the phenolic board. Costs are quite high, reaching £41.16/m². However its price goes hand in hand with thermal performance. They are considered to be one of the best rigid, closed-cell structure materials for thermal insulation at present being up to 50% more effective than other common insulation materials such as PIR. 

INDUSTRIAL BUILDING REGULATIONS

Special considerations are made for low energy demand buildings, industrial sites, workshops, and non-residential agricultural buildings. According to current Building Regulations, the warehouse calls for insulation to have a U-value of 0.18 W/m2K. Such levels of insulation are quite high, but are potentially achievable with a spray foam or phenolic foam insulation such as Kingspan. U-values measure how quickly energy will pass through one square metre of a barrier when the air temperatures on either side differ by one degree. U-values are expressed in units of Watts per square metre per degree of temperature difference (W/m2K). When it comes to PIR boards it is recommended to use 130mm thickness. This equates to a 175mm of rock wool slab insulation and 100mm of spray foam.