How to Diagnose, & Repair Roof Noise Problems in buildings
InspectAPedia^® -

Roof Noises - Building roof noise transmission: causes, cures, and detection methods for indoor noise pollution coming from outside through the building roof
Roof noise transmission: comparing metal roof noise levels to other roofing materials
Roof noise insulation and roof noise isolation techniques
How to build a quiet building under an airplane flight path, near airports or near highways
Roof booming noises, roof creaking or groaning noises
Questions & answers about building roofs & noise or sound transmission or noises coming from roofs themselves

Roof noise transmission &control, causes & cures: how does exterior noise (rain, hail, highways, aircraft noise) transmit through a roof to the building interior and how can we soundproof building roofs for a quiet building interior?

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers nor with topics or services discussed at this website.

These articles discuss building noise control: how to inspect, diagnose & cure noise or sound problems in homes or commercial buildings. Information is provided about auditory (hearing), visual, historic, medical, or other clues of building condition that explain various sounds heard in buildings. We also discuss methods of sound or noise control in buildings during construction or as a building retrofit.

Also see NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE where we describe how to locate the source of, identify and correct various building sounds and noises indoors or on occasion, noises from outside that penetrate indoors at annoying levels. Separately at SOUND CONTROL in buildings we provide a series of detailed articles on reducing unwanted building noise levels through building design, insulation, sound isolation, and noise barriers.

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

Roof Noise Transmission & Structural Noises in buildings: Sources, Causes, Remedies

Are metal roofs more noisy than other roof covering types?

Metal-covered roofs in modern building installations are not necessarily noticeably noisier than other roof covering types - depending on the choice of type of metal roofing, underlayment, roof decking, fastener method, and roof insulation method.

The metal roof home shown in our photo (left, courtesy Galow Homes), was installed on a New York home and used solid metal plywood roof decking. The roof framing support is comprised of I-joists, and the roof cavity is insulated with blown-in foam. During heavy rain, from inside the space below the roof, we could hear only a very muted sound of rainfall on the roof surface and in our opinion the sound level was not different than under an asphalt-shingle roof of similar design and use.

Nevertheless, reader questions & comments (see our roof noise FAQs below) as well as our own field experience make clear that some metal roofs and some roofs covered with other materials can be very noisy and at some buildings there are serious occupant complaints about roof noise levels observed at roofs of various designs and materials.

How is Roof Noise Transmitted into a Building?

Regardless of their source, roof noises are transmitted into buildings by two methods.

Airborne Sound: Sound waves traveling through air move between building areas - such as through open windows, doors, or stairwells.
Mechanically transmitted sound: When sounds move through solid building components such as floors, ceilings, walls, framing, carrying sound from one area to another the sound transmission is referred to more technically as impact insulation class transmission or IIC sound transmission.

Certain building configurations, such as occupied attics or under-roof areas with cathedral ceilings, low slope or flat roofs, and metal roofed buildings may transmit noises to the building interior through the roof sheathing and building framing.

Where roof-transmitted sound reduction is most sought is in buildings located close to high noise areas such as under the flight path to airports.

Our photo of metal roofed homes (left) shows two older houses in Key West, Florida.

A Catalog of Types of Roof Noises & Sounds

Roof noises may be described as those attributed to an obvious source: the patter or even the roar of falling rain or hail, popping and cracking noises (perhaps due to thermal expansion and contraction of roof coverings, metal roofing, or roof structure), and transmitted noises from other external sources such as low-flying aircraft or nearby trains or auto & truck traffic from a nearby highway.

Very loud roof "booming" noises may be heard in cold climates when water freezing on a flat or low slope roof becomes cold enough to fracture.

Other noises sometimes attributed to building roofs are actually traced to other building components on or near the roof, such as antennas, wires, cables, signs, and roof-mounted equipment.

Role of Roof Covering Material in Noise Transmission

Choice of roof covering affects roof noise: Choices of roofing materials can reduce roof transmission of sound to the interior, including use of bituminous or asphalt shingles, or more effective, higher-mass roofing materials such as roofing tiles of clay or concrete. Metal roofing can be sound-transmission reduced by installing the metal roof over plywood and solid foam insulation. Keep in mind that roof skylights are likely to increase sound transmission through roofs.

Green roofs reduce roof noise transmission: One of the benefits claimed for "green roofs" is that by virtue of their stiffness and high mass, green roofs provide very good resistance to sound transmission from outside the building. Quoting:

Green roofs can provide a higher [noise] transmission loss than the additional ceiling element and improve [sound] transmission loss throughout the full architectural frequency range, specifically desirable in residential occupancies below aircraft flight paths. the field testing conducted on two 33 m2 low profile extensive green roofs indicated an increase of 5 to 13 db in [sound] transmission loss over the low and mid frequency range (50 Hz to 2000Hz) and 2 dB to 8dB increase in [noise] transmission loss in the higher frequency range relative to the transmission loss [sound transmission resistance] of a reference roof. - Connelly & Hodgson, [1]

Connelly & Hodgson reference Dr. Ben H. Sharp, an expert in sound transmission through structures who developed sound transmission theory and who proposed (Sharp 1973) improvements to roof sound transmission resistance thorough roof/ceiling assemblies that combined increased mass with low stiffness.

Accurate diagnosis of the source of roof noise transmission is important in deciding what remedy may work best. For example, check during rainfall to accurately determine the loudest sound source - you might find that more noise is transmitted to the building interior through skylights than through the roof surface itself.

Below at our roof noise FAQs we suggest investigative steps useful in diagnosing and thus curing annoying roof noises & sounds.

Metal roof noises & Roof Underlayments

Depending on installation details, metal roofing can transmit rain noise into buildings at levels exceeding 70 dB (equivalent to street traffic noise).[2]

Noise generated by the roof covering material itself may be a factor where metal roofing is installed, particularly if the metal roofing is not properly insulated and if its connections to the roof deck fail to secure the material properly, including providing an allowance for movement. Quoting:

Enkamat underlayment and composites made with Enkamat reduce sound levels from 9.5 to 13.5 decibels compared to a metal roof directly over a weather barrier fabric.

When the entangled filament underlayments were combined with a gypsum ceiling and thermal insulation the sound reduction further increased to 21.5 decibels. When considering that a sound reduction of 10 decibels is perceived by the human ear as cutting noise levels in half, a reduction of over 20 decibels is significant. - Colbond [2]

As we explain at METAL ROOF EXPOSED FASTENER FLASHING

One frequently cited disadvantage of metal roofing is that it generates a noticeable noise when struck by rain, hail, or even dropping acorns. If installed directly to purlins with no roof sheathing, the noise might be heard in the building interior. However, when installed over a solid substrate, with normal levels of insulation, the noise should not be noticeably different than with other roofing types.

The Role of Metal Roof Profile Type in Roof Noise Levels

The metal roof profile type may also affect the level of noise transmitted by the roof to the building interior. Raised profile metal roofs may be noisier than a flatter profile roof on the same building. Metal roofing that is supported directly by the roof deck below will deflect less and should be more noise and sound resistant than metal roofing that has a raised profile. For example, some metal roof shingles employ a raised profile that includes an empty air space below the metal shingle surface.

Suggestions for Reducing Noise Transmission Through Metal-Covered Roofs

These metal roof installation options can reduce roof noise transmission from metal roofs, such as the sound from falling rain or hail:

Re-roofing with metal roofing over existing asphalt shingles, if permitted by local building codes, will afford some sound insulation.
Install metal roofing over sound-absorbing foam insulating panels to reduce noise transmission through the roof to the building interior.
Installing metal roofing over an insulated attic space will transmit less noise to the building interior than installing a metal roof over a flat or low slope roof that does not include an insulated attic space between the roof and the occupied space.
Install metal roofing over underlayment products designed to permit ventilation and whose properties also are sound-isolating. Colbond underlayments; Enkamat 7008/1010 reduce the sound transmission of the impact noise of rainfall or hail on metal roofing.
Selecting a heavily-formed, heavily profiled, or textured metal style roof product may reduce its noise transmission property.
Use the proper metal roof fasteners, in the right location, and at the right interval as specified by the roofing manufacturer. Too few fasteners, or loosely-fastened or improperly secured metal roofing is likely to be more noisy as temperatures vary.
Use multiple layers of building insulation, tight construction, and sealants in gaps or sound transmission pathways - NAIMA [4] quoted just below:

Adding faced metal building insulation alone to the metal building construction can reduce noise levels in a metal building by 5-6 dB. However, construction techniques do impact the way sound travels. To maximize a metal building’s acoustical performance, the wall and/or roof panels should include at least one layer of faced metal building insulation, and one layer of unfaced metal building insulation. Additionally, the construction should be tight, with attention to detail such as filling gaps with flexible sealants to assure that sound does not transit via air leaks from one space to another. - NAIMA [4]

See METAL ROOFING and METAL ROOF EXPOSED FASTENER FLASHING for details.

Metal roofing references and other detailed articles about metal roof selection, installation, diagnosis & repair begin at METAL ROOFING

Sound Transmission Class - STC & OITC: Sound Transmission Loss Properties for Building Walls & Roofs

STC or sound transmission class is defined as the level of reduction of sound transmission from outside noise sources to the building interior. Higher STC numbers mean higher resistance to sound transmission to the building interior, or as acousticians would describe it, higher STC means greater sound transmission loss between outdoors and the building interior. Typical STC values for metal buildings are STC=20 to STC=55.

OITC or Outdoor-Indoor Transmission Class describes the sound transmission loss properties of building exterior components like windows and walls against noise from traffic, trains, or low flying aircraft.

- General Steel Corporation [3]

See SOUND CONTROL for a series of articles on sound control in buildings.

Also see These Articles on Sound Control Measures to Reduce Noise Transmission in buildings

SOUND CONTROL in buildings - provides principles of sound transmission, soundproofing designs, materials, details and links to detailed articles about various sources of building noise problems as well as articles on how to find and cure problem noises and how to control noise & sound transmission in buildings.
Also see INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT: Insulation in buildings: Identification, R-values, Heat loss, Insulation Types, Insulation Characteristics
Fiberglass Building insulation: are fiberglass particles a problem in indoor air? Is fiberglass insulation a mold harbor

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about how to diagnose & cure roof noises & sounds

Question: What causes roof noise in our flat roof during cold nighttime weather? How can we fix it?

Roof noise - during the winter our torched-on membrane (180g. polyester base sheet & 280g. polyester SBS Cap Sheet) covered flat roof (installed 2002 on the apartment building) makes noises typically at night which disturbs the tenants and has caused some to move out. There are no leaks and the roof looks properly installed. What causes the noise and what can be done about it? Regards, Steve Rickard

Reply: suggestions for diagnosing cold weather flat roof noise - the diagnosis will define the steps to cure roof noise

Steve: re: how to diagnose & cure annoying night time noise from a flat roof.

With no information and no building inspection, we can't say with confidence exactly what is causing the annoying roof noise you report. An onsite expert should be able to help however. Here are some of the roof noise diagnosis observations that we would expect a roof noise consultant to consider:

What are all of the materials in the roof structure: support, roof deck, layers and coatings - thermal expansion rate differences during night time cooling might explain movement between materials and thus the noise.
How are the various roof layers fastened to the roof deck itself? What is the roof decking material? For example movement of materials over a metal roof deck may indeed telegraph noises to the interior
What is the leak history of the roof; even a roof that is not leaking now may contain moisture from prior leaks or from condensation due to moisture penetration from the building interior (again material and installation dependent) that could in cold weather be forming ice or contributing to thermal movement and noises
What is the roof insulation scheme - where has insulation been placed and using what materials. It may be possible to correct the noise problem by a review and improvement of the roof insulation. For example, adding insulation at the building interior may reduce the differences in temperatures experienced by the two sides of the roof structure - the interior side vs the exterior side. If thermal changes are a key in movement that is the source of the roof noise problem.
What else is on or near the roof and the rest of the building structure that might be moving or otherwise serving as a noise
source: loose building components, antennae etc. ?
What HVAC or mechanical systems are mounted on the roof or penetrate the roof?
Where is the building located? To what extremes of temperature is the roof exposed?
Is there standing water on the roof - are the roof drains working? See our photo [above left] of a tar and gravel flat roof located in northern Minnesota.[5]
Is there ice formation on the roof surface? In some climates such as northern Minnesota, as standing water on a flat roof freezes during temperature drops, very large booming sounds can be produced by the roof. These roof booming noises are familiar to Minnesotans who live along the shores of Lake Superior, as ice freezing and fracturing on the lake itself produce the same sounds. [5]
Are there other nearby external sources of noises that may be transmitted through the roof (falling acorns, airports, road traffic)?

Other more general observations that can help track down roof noise sources

Weather & roof noises: At what times, weather conditions, temperatures, wind directions, operation of mechanical systems etc. map to when the noises are observed; where, spatially, are the noises loudest?
Building components & roof noises: Do those locations track possible noise sources to specific building components.

Comments, suggestions, or questions from readers are welcome in helping to diagnose this roof noise issue.

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Questions & answers about building roofs & noise or sound transmission or noises coming from roofs themselves

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

HTML Comment Box is loading comments...

Recommend / Share this Article

...

Technical Reviewers & References

InspectAPedia.com^® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE
  Air Leak Noises
  AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP NOISES
  Animal Noises
  Appliance Noises
  BANGING HEATING PIPES RADIATORS
  Chimney noises
  Door Options for Sound Reduction
  Duct Insulation for Soundproofing
  DUCT VIBRATION DAMPENERS
  Dripping Water Sounds
  Electric Motor Noises
  Electrical System Noises
  Fan Noise Control
  Flanking Pathways for Sound
  Floor Noises
  FLOOR NOISE CONTROL
  FUEL UNIT, HEATING OIL PUMPS
  GAS BURNER Flame & Noise Defects
  Hearing Disabilities & Building Noises
  HEALTH RELATED NOISE COMPLAINTS
  HEATING SYSTEM NOISES
  HISSING NOISES
  Insect Noises in buildings
  OIL BURNER NOISE SMOKE ODORS
  PLUMBING DRAIN NOISE DIAGNOSIS
  PLUMBING DRAIN NOISE REPAIR
  PLUMBING NOISE CHECKLIST
  PLUMBING NOISE CONTROL
  ROOF NOISE TRANSMISSION
  SIDING NOISES
  Sound Control Measures
  Stair & Step Noises
  Structure Noise Transmission
  Temperature-Change Noises
  Wall Noise Transmission
  WATER HEATER NOISES
  Wind Noises
  Window & Door Noises

Acoustical Society of America - http://asa.aip.org/ Elaine Moran, ASA Office Manager, Suite 1NO1, 2 Huntington Quadrangle, Melville, NY 11747-4502 516) 576-2360, FAX: (516) 576-2377 email: asa@aip.org.
ASA is an excellent source of noise and sound standards. Quoting from the associations history page:

"From the Society's inception, its members have been involved in the development of acoustical standards concerned with terminology, measurement procedures, and criteria for determining the effects of noise and vibration. In 1932, The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), then called the American Standards Association, appointed the Acoustical Society as sponsor of a committee, designated as Z-24, to standardize acoustical terminology and measurements. The work of this committee expanded to such an extent that it was replaced in 1957 by three committees, S1 on Acoustics, S2 on Mechanical Shock and Vibration, and S3 on Bioacoustics, with a fourth, S12 on Noise, added in 1981. These four committees are each responsible for producing, developing a consensus for, and adopting standards in accordance with procedures approved by ANSI. Although these committees are independent of the Acoustical Society, the Society provide s the financial support and an administrative Secretariat to facilitate their work. After a standard is adopted by one of these committees and approved by ANSI, the Secretariat arranges for its publication by ASA through the American Institute of Physics. The ASA also distributes ISO and IEC standards. Abstracts of standards and ordering information can be found online on the ASA Standards Page. More than 100 acoustical standards have been published in this way; a catalog is also available from the Standards Secretariat (631-390-0215; Fax: 631-390-0217). The Society also provides administrative support for several international standards committees and acts as the administrative Secretariat (on behalf of ANSI) for the International Technical Committee on Vibration and Shock (TC-108)." - http://asa.aip.org/history.html
ANSI/ASA S12.60, Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements, and Guidelines for Schools, 2002.
[1] Connelly, Maureen, Hodgson, Murray, "Thermal and Acoustical Performance of Green Roofs", Sound Transmission Loss of Green roofs, [presentation, Session 1.5], Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, conference, awards, trade show, Baltimore MD, 30 April-2 may 2008. Web search 4/3/2011 original source: http://commons.bcit.ca/greenroof/publications/
2008_grhc_connelly_hodgson.pdf. These authors provide an excellent bibliography of references for sound transmission in buildings, including some of the references cited just below:
- Sharp, BH 1973, Study of Techniques to Increase the Sound Insulation of Building Elements. U.S. Department of Commerce PB-222 829, Washington.
- Sharp, BH & Martin S 1996, "The Measurement of Aircraft Noise Reduction in Residences", Proceedings of Inter-Noise, Liverpool, 1996, pp. 2747-2752.
- Friberg, R 1973, "Transmission Loss and Absorption Factors for Corrugated Steel Roofs, Insulation on the Outside", Proceedings of Inter-Noise, Copenhagen, 1973, pp. 213-217.
[2] Colbond, EnkaTech Note, "Acoustical Benefits of Roof Underlayments", Colbond Inc., PO Box 1057, Enka NC 28728, gtel: 800-365-7391, website: www.colbond-usa.com web search 4/3/2011, original source: http://products.construction.com/
swts_content_files/1329/E835617.pdf
[3] General Steel Corporation, "The Facts About the Acoustical Performance of Metal Building Insulation 2", Sound Transmission Class, General Steel Corporation, 10639 W. Bradford Road, Littleton, CO 80127, web search 4/3/11, original source: http://www.gensteel.com/insulation_facts-5a.htm
[4] North American Insulation Manufacturers Association NAIMA, "Insulation Facts #58: The Facts About the Acoustical Performance of Metal Building Insulation", NAIMA, 44 Canal Plaza, Suite 310, Alexandria VA 22314, tel: 703-684-0084, website: http://www.naima.org/
[5] Booming roof noises in Northern Minnesota caused by freezing water and ice fracturing, personal communication, JC to DF, 12/8/2011
Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
Developments in Noise Control, NRCC, National Research Council, Canada, suggestions for noise control, sound transmission through block walls, plumbing noise control, noise leaks, and sound control advice. Web search 01/17/2011, original source: https://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/ibp/irc/bsi/90-noise-control.html
Eric Galow, Galow Homes, Lagrangeville, NY. Mr. Galow can be reached by email: ericgalow@gmail.com or by telephone: 914-474-6613. Mr. Galow specializes in residential construction including both new homes and repairs, renovations, and additions.
Thanks to audiologist Cheryl P. Harllee, licensed hearing specialist, for discussing noises and noise problems in preparation for this article. Ms. Harllee can be located at the Village Hearing Center, 249 U.S. Highway One, Tequesta FL 33469 561-744-0231
Thanks to reader Sue Hazeldine, from the U.K. for discussing how she tracked down a whistling chimney noise to an antique hanging sign on the building exterior - 01/19/2010.
Thanks to reader Michael Anderson, 8 May 2009, for discussing clicking sounds coming from air conditioning equipment.
Thanks to reader Erna Ross who described loss of sleep due to a hissing noise at her home 06/15/2008.
Marpac, produces white sound generators, a product that they identify as the Marpac sound conditioner. Marpac can be contacted at http://www.marpac.com/ or contact the Marpac Corporation, P.O. Box 560 Rocky Point, NC 28457 Phone: 800-999-6962 (USA and Canada) Fax: 910-602-1435 1-910-602-1421 (worldwide), 800-999- or email: info@marpac.com
Sound Oasis sound conditioners are produced by Sound Oasis: http://www.sound-oasis.com/ email: info@sound-oasis.com or 1-866-625-3218
Barrier Ultra-R super high-R building panels, produced by Glacier Bay, use Aerogel and are rated up to R-30 per inch, or in Barrier Ultra-r™ panels, R-50 per inch. The company also produces acoustic panels that are Ultra-db resistant and lightweight. Unlike the appliance insulation panels discussed in the original Q&A above on miracle insulation, these Areogel based panels will continue to retain some, though reduced insulating value if punctured, performing at perhaps R-9 per inch. The product is used in marine refrigerators, but in the future may be available as a residential construction product. The company is researching specialized products in medical, transportation, and aerospace applications. Contact: Glacier Bay, Inc., 2930 Faber Street, Union City, CA 94587 U.S.A., (510) 437-9100, Sales and Technical Information - sales@glacierbay.com
Tremco, Tremco Global Sealants Division, 10701 Shaker Blvd., Cleveland OH 44104 - see www.tremcosealants.com/
Ideal Tape, Inc., 1400 Middlesex St., Lowell MA 01853 - see www.abitape.com/tape/iframe_ideal.htm Tel: 1-800-284-3325
3-M Corporation, tape products, see solutions.3m.com/
US EPA Noise Regulations & References
- Noise Control act - http://www.nonoise.org/epa/act.htm
- Quiet Communities Act - 1978
- Federal Regulations from the EPA's Office of Noise Abatement & Control - http://www.nonoise.org/epa/reg.htm
- A Basis for Limiting Noise Exposure for Hearing Conservation - http://www.nonoise.org/epa/Roll1/roll1doc1.pdf
- Noise - a Health Problem - http://www.nonoise.org/library/epahlth/epahlth.htm - quoted below
  
  Racket, din, clamor, noise. Whatever you want to call it, unwanted sound is America's most widespread nuisance. But noise is more than just a nuisance. It constitutes a real and present danger to people's health. Day and night, at home, at work, and at play, noise can produce serious physical and psychological stress. No one is immune to this stress. Though we seem to adjust to noise by ignoring it, the ear, in fact, never closes and the body still responds - sometimes with extreme tension, as to a strange sound in the night.
  
  The annoyance we feel when faced with noise is the most common outward symptom of the stress building up inside us. Indeed, because irritability is so apparent, legislators have made public annoyance the basis of many noise abatement programs. The more subtle and more serious health hazards associated with stress caused by noise traditionally have been given much less attention. Nonetheless, when we are annoyed or made irritable by noise, we should consider these symptoms fair warning that other things may be happening to us, some of which may be damaging to our health.
- Protective Noise Levels - 1979, basis for many local noise ordinances and codes - http://www.nonoise.org/library/levels/levels.htm
  This publication is intended to complement the EPA's "Levels Document,"* the 1974 report examining levels of environmental noise necessary to protect public health and welfare. It interprets the contents of the Levels Document in less technical terms for people who wish to better understand the concepts presented there, and how the protective levels were identified. In that sense, this publication may serve as an introduction, or a supplement, to the Levels Document.
"Measurement of Highway-Related Noise", US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/measure/chap8.htm

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop, and from the InspectAPedia bookstore. The 2010 edition of the Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ^® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.

American Plywood Association, APA, "Portland Manufacturing Company, No. 1, a series of monographs on the history of plywood manufacturing",Plywood Pioneers Association, 31 March, 1967, www.apawood.org
Animal Allergens: Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Cleanup & Prevention Information for Asthmatics and regarding Indoor Air Quality.
ASHRAE resource on dew point and wall condensation - see the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook, available in many libraries. The following three ASHRAE Handbooks are also available at the InspectAPedia bookstore in the third page of our Insulate-Ventilate section:
- 2005 ASHRAE Handbook : Fundamentals : Inch-Pound Edition (2005 ASHRAE HANDBOOK : Fundamentals : I-P Edition) (Hardcover), Thomas H. Kuehn (Contributor), R. J. Couvillion (Contributor), John W. Coleman (Contributor), Narasipur Suryanarayana (Contributor), Zahid Ayub (Contributor), Robert Parsons (Author), ISBN-10: 1931862702 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862707
- 2004 ASHRAE Handbook : Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning: Systems and Equipment : Inch-Pound Edition (2004 ASHRAE Handbook : HVAC Systems and Equipment : I-P Edition) (Hardcover)
  by American Society of Heating, ISBN-10: 1931862478 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862479
  "2004 ASHRAE Handbook - HVAC Systems and Equipment The 2004 ASHRAE HandbookHVAC Systems and Equipment discusses various common systems and the equipment (components or assemblies) that comprise them, and describes features and differences. This information helps system designers and operators in selecting and using equipment. Major sections include Air-Conditioning and Heating Systems (chapters on system analysis and selection, air distribution, in-room terminal systems, centralized and decentralized systems, heat pumps, panel heating and cooling, cogeneration and engine-driven systems, heat recovery, steam and hydronic systems, district systems, small forced-air systems, infrared radiant heating, and water heating); Air-Handling Equipment (chapters on duct construction, air distribution, fans, coils, evaporative air-coolers, humidifiers, mechanical and desiccant dehumidification, air cleaners, industrial gas cleaning and air pollution control); Heating Equipment (chapters on automatic fuel-burning equipment, boilers, furnaces, in-space heaters, chimneys and flue vent systems, unit heaters, makeup air units, radiators, and solar equipment); General Components (chapters on compressors, condensers, cooling towers, liquid coolers, liquid-chilling systems, centrifugal pumps, motors and drives, pipes and fittings, valves, heat exchangers, and energy recovery equipment); and Unitary Equipment (chapters on air conditioners and heat pumps, room air conditioners and packaged terminal equipment, and a new chapter on mechanical dehumidifiers and heat pipes)."
- 1996 Ashrae Handbook Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning Systems and Equipment: Inch-Pound Edition (Hardcover), ISBN-10: 1883413346 or ISBN-13: 978-1883413347 ,
  "The 1996 HVAC Systems and Equipment Handbook is the result of ASHRAE's continuing effort to update, expand and reorganize the Handbook Series. Over a third of the book has been revised and augmented with new chapters on hydronic heating and cooling systems design; fans; unit ventilator; unit heaters; and makeup air units. Extensive changes have been added to chapters on panel heating and cooling; cogeneration systems and engine and turbine drives; applied heat pump and heat recovery systems; humidifiers; desiccant dehumidification and pressure drying equipment, air-heating coils; chimney, gas vent, fireplace systems; cooling towers; centrifugal pumps; and air-to-air energy recovery. Separate I-P and SI editions."
- Principles of Heating, Ventilating, And Air Conditioning: A textbook with Design Data Based on 2005 AShrae Handbook - Fundamentals (Hardcover), Harry J., Jr. Sauer (Author), Ronald H. Howell, ISBN-10: 1931862923 or ISBN-13: 978-1931862929
- 1993 ASHRAE Handbook Fundamentals (Hardcover), ISBN-10: 0910110964 or ISBN-13: 978-091011096
Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
"Insulation: Adding Insulation to an Existing Home," U.S. Department of Energy - tips on how to do your own check for the presence of absence of insulation in a home
Insulation: Selecting Insulation for New Home Construction, U.S. Department of Energy - "Your state and local building codes probably include minimum insulation requirements, but to build an energy-efficient home, you may need or want to exceed them. For maximum energy efficiency, you should also consider the interaction between the insulation and other building components. This is called the whole-house systems design approach."
Insulation Types, table of common building insulation properties from U.S. DOE. Readers should see INSULATION R-Values & Properties our own table of insulation properties that includes links to articles describing each insulation material in more detail.
...

Free Encyclopedia of Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

Roof Noise Transmission & Structural Noises in buildings: Sources, Causes, Remedies

Are metal roofs more noisy than other roof covering types?

How is Roof Noise Transmitted into a Building?

A Catalog of Types of Roof Noises & Sounds

Role of Roof Covering Material in Noise Transmission

Metal roof noises & Roof Underlayments

The Role of Metal Roof Profile Type in Roof Noise Levels

Suggestions for Reducing Noise Transmission Through Metal-Covered Roofs

Sound Transmission Class - STC & OITC: Sound Transmission Loss Properties for Building Walls & Roofs

Also see These Articles on Sound Control Measures to Reduce Noise Transmission in buildings

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about how to diagnose & cure roof noises & sounds

Question: What causes roof noise in our flat roof during cold nighttime weather? How can we fix it?

Reply: suggestions for diagnosing cold weather flat roof noise - the diagnosis will define the steps to cure roof noise

Other more general observations that can help track down roof noise sources

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

Technical Reviewers & References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair