Gable Repair - should we insulate it?

Hi.

In the storms back in september, we sustained a bit of damage to the leeward gable of our house. Basically, the gable is finished with cement sheet weatherboards and the fixings must have come loose under the pressure and a small section was blown off the building.

Insurance/builder claims/quotes etc, under way. The cement sheet has been looked at, and confirmed to contain asbestos. It's also in an unobtainium size so it will all have to come off and get replaced. We will probably opt to replace the other end at the same time, especially since the damaged area has the hardest access.

So the question is, should we insulate the gable or leave it unimsulated as it is currently?

The gable faces north. The cement tile roof was installed about 1970, and there is no sarking underneath it. At some stage we will replace the roof with terra cotta tiles to match it to the renovated roof areas of the house. There are some screened vents into the roofspace in the stonework at each end of the building. The ceiling was insulated with blow-in cellulose (recycled paper) about 1994 when we moved in.

What is the current best practice regarding insulation in roof spaces? I see in the US they tend to foam (and seal) everything they can.

Al advise gratefully accepted. I can take and post photos if it would help.

woodbe.


More...