The roof-to-wall connection defines how the roof framing and walls are attached. This connection can be made using a variety of materials such as metal connectors, wood blocks and plywood panels, as well as a mix of both. The connection has a significant effect on how sound travels through the house.
If these connections fail, the floors or walls can become disconnected from the roof, which in turn would result in poor insulation and weatherproofing. The installer should be able to tell you what type of connection is the best one for your budget, the amount of noise insulation you require, and how long the material will last before requiring replacement.
A roof that is integrally bonded to a wall maintains an airtight seal and can reduce noise transfer. Whenever a joint occurs at the roof-wall connection it creates a weak spot that greatly increases sound transfer as compared to simply having a solid wall. Installing metal connectors, wood blocks, or plywood panels in this spot greatly reduces sound transmission through these joints.
Commonly used methods of roof-to-wall connections include:
Using Clips
Clips are used if the connection needs to be re-sealable. They are inserted into the gap created between the ceiling and the upper ridge of the wall. The shape of these clips can be cylindrical or triangular, but they must have ample room for an air gap with a 1″ × 1″ square cut out of them.
Using Clamps
Clamps are used in cases where an installer needs to attach two materials together while maintaining a leak-free air gap. The clamp is clamped around a fastener driven all into one piece of material then another fastener is driven all in through one side of it and attached to the other piece permanently.
Overlap Connections
The roof-to-wall connection can be made by overlapping sheets of material together, or the sheets can be fastened together with a screw driver. The screws will pass through both materials and only the fastener at one side of the roof will have weights on it to prevent them from coming out and pulling out the other piece.
Tension Connections
With tension connections, two sheets of material are fastened together with screws passing through both sheets. A screw is driven into the upper sheet past the lower sheet, and then a washer and a nut is put on to hold them together. The weights at the bottom will prevent the screw from coming out while still allowing the nut to be loosened if there is fault in these sheets causing them to become unconnected from each other. This connection will give you more sound insulation than overlap connections, but it will require more work on your part when you need to repair or replace parts of your house walls. It has great potential for being connected wrong by inexperienced workers as well.
Key Takeaway
In conclusion, the roof-to-wall connection is one of the most crucial parts of a structure that must be taken care of. When these connections are made correctly, they can greatly help with soundproofing and insulation, which in return will make your home more comfortable and economical. The most common reasons these connections fail or perform poorly are age and poor installation—that being said, it’s still a good idea to have yours checked during your next roof inspection. Contact us to have a professional assess your roof-to-wall connections and any other roof structures you’re concerned about.
