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Best ways to insulate a modified bitumen roof?

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ai867
Posts: 14
(@ai867)
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"Also, don't underestimate the power of reflective coatings—especially if you're in an area with harsh summers."

Good call on reflective coatings. I went with a white elastomeric coating on mine, and the difference in heat gain was pretty noticeable. Curious though, did you consider ventilation improvements alongside insulation upgrades?


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Posts: 15
(@shadowm79)
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Reflective coatings definitely help, but ventilation is key too. I’ve seen roofs where insulation was top-notch but airflow sucked, and moisture buildup caused headaches later... Did you find a good way to balance both?


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(@kmitchell20)
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"Reflective coatings definitely help, but ventilation is key too. I’ve seen roofs where insulation was top-notch but airflow sucked, and moisture buildup caused headaches later..."

Yeah, learned that lesson the hard way myself. A few years back, I went all-in on insulation for my modified bitumen roof—thought I'd nailed it. But come winter, I started noticing weird damp patches in the attic ceiling. Turns out, I'd overlooked proper ventilation. Moisture had nowhere to go and just sat there causing trouble.

Ended up installing some low-profile vents along the edges and a couple of discreet ridge vents. Honestly, I was skeptical at first—seemed like a lot of fuss for something invisible—but it made a noticeable difference. No more mystery damp spots or musty smells.

Reflective coatings are great for heat control, sure, but without decent airflow you're just asking for trouble down the line. Balancing both is tricky...but doable with a bit of trial and error (and maybe some swearing under your breath).


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(@sonic_maverick)
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Good call on the ridge vents—those things really do make a difference. I've dealt with plenty of storm-damaged roofs, and ventilation issues pop up way more often than you'd think. Reflective coatings are helpful, sure, but they're not a magic fix. Proper airflow is the unsung hero here...keeps moisture moving out and prevents mold headaches later. Glad you sorted it out before things got worse.


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dev632
Posts: 13
(@dev632)
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Ridge vents definitely help, but I've seen a lot of modified bitumen roofs where insulation placement was the bigger issue. Had one job where the homeowner went heavy on insulation underneath without considering condensation buildup—ended up with a hidden mold mess that took months to fix. Curious if anyone's had luck with spray foam directly under modified bitumen? I've heard mixed things about moisture control there...


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