Commercial service in Toronto and the GTA
Commercial Roof Insulation
Rigid-board and tapered insulation systems for flat and low-slope commercial roofs.
What the building is telling you
Signs you may need this
These show up in operation long before they show up in a report. The cause is usually in the assembly, not in how the space is being used.
- A top floor that runs hot in summer and cold in winter
- Ponding water on a flat roof after rain
- Wet or crushed insulation found during a roof inspection
- Rising energy costs concentrated on the top floor
- A roof assembly at the end of its service life
- Ice and meltwater problems at roof edges and drains
Specified for the assembly in front of us
Materials and options
Rigid board
Flat panels installed in courses to build a continuous thermal layer across the deck.
Tapered systems
Board cut to a slope so water is directed toward drains instead of collecting.
Cover board
A layer that protects the insulation and gives the membrane a stable substrate.
Insulation and drainage are the same decision
On a flat or low-slope roof, the insulation layer is also what establishes the slope. Water that sits on a roof finds its way in eventually and soaks the insulation below, and wet insulation loses most of its value while adding weight. That is why board layout and drainage are planned together: staggered joints to limit thermal bridging through the seams, and a taper that moves water to the drains.
Is this the right scope for your building?
When it applies
- The roof is being replaced or re-covered anyway
- Existing insulation has been wet or crushed
- Drainage needs to be corrected as part of the work
When something else comes first
- The membrane is sound and the loss is happening at the walls or the deck perimeter
- The problem is a localized leak, which is a repair rather than a system
This is coordinated work. If a roofing contractor is handling the membrane, the insulation layout has to match what goes above it, and that is settled before either trade starts rather than discovered on site.
How the work runs
Our process
Roof survey
Existing assembly, moisture in the current insulation, drain locations and deck condition.
Layout and slope plan
Board thickness and taper set so water reaches the drains.
Coordination with the membrane trade
Sequence and details agreed so neither scope waits on the other.
Installation in staggered courses
Joints offset so the seams do not line up into a continuous path.
Inspection and documentation
Coverage and layout recorded for the building file.
About this service
Questions we get on this one.
Specific to commercial roof insulation. Tap a question.
Eco-Therma
Usually replies the same day
Can it be done from inside the building?
Often yes, from the underside of the deck. Which side is right depends on the roof assembly, the deck type and where the vapour control has to sit.
Does this work on a flat roof?
Flat and low-slope decks are the common case in commercial work. They are also where trapped moisture does the most damage, so the assembly is assessed first.
What happens where the roof meets the wall?
The roof-to-wall junction is where most of the heat loss and most of the condensation problems show up. It is treated as part of the work, not left as a gap between two trades.
A practical next step
Request a review on commercial roof insulation.
Send the project details, the scope and any drawings or specifications you already have. We review them before quoting and come back with what still needs to be confirmed.
