Insulating the roof?

[mintmoth]

I have a cedar hive with a deep roof so I intend putting a slab of celotex into the roof. The roof as it is has fillets so the inside top doesn't touch the crown board. So my question is - is that air gap necessary? Do I need to put fillets in so the celotex doesn't touch? Or are the fillets to make a gap if using CB's with a hole in? Or are they just part of the roof design to make it sturdier?

Or is it a gap so any bee sitting on the CB when you put the roof back on isn't squashed and can exit via the Porter escapes - which I don't have because I've switched to 5mm polycarb CB's without holes.

I've had a celotex hive cosy on all winter with no fillets because I didn't give it a thought till I looked at the inside of the (at the moment) spare roof this week.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I take everything out and fit the celotex flush in the roof which is where it stays summer and winter. No holes in crownboards unless there is a feeder over it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Those rims and the 'vents' in the roof are something which should be consigned to room 101 aong with holes in crown boards and porter escapes - the rest of the world don't have them - just fit the celotex snugly against the roof between the battens - block the vents.

 

[mintmoth]

Thanks erica and JBM, snug and flush it is then, and easier too

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I block the roof vents and use some insulation in the roof, then use the existing battens to hold the celotex in place. (The silver foil can rip off if not). I do use porters or a bit of plywood or glass over the crown board so the batten gives some space.

 

[Little John]

I don't understand why anyone places insulation underneath 'the roof', as it's not actually part of the hive - it just sits on top to keep the weather off the boxes below.

The top of the hive is actually the Crown Board - so it seems to me it would be a far more effective use of insulation if it were to be placed on top of that. So - I keep a feeder shell in place over the Crown Board permanently, and use it to house the insulation, as well as feeders as and when required. That configuration seems to work quite well.
LJ

 

[Swarm]

I don't understand why anyone places insulation underneath 'the roof', as it's not actually part of the hive - it just sits on top to keep the weather off the boxes below.

The top of the hive is actually the Crown Board - so it seems to me it would be a far more effective use of insulation if it were to be placed on top of that.

Doesn't the roof sit on top of the crown board? My roofs have insulation fitted and when the roof goes on, the insulation sits directly on the crown board. The benefit of this configuration is the insulation is less likely to get damaged.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Same here

 

[Little John]

Doesn't the roof sit on top of the crown board? My roofs have insulation fitted and when the roof goes on, the insulation sits directly on the crown board. The benefit of this configuration is the insulation is less likely to get damaged.

Ah - I see, now I understand ...

Not on mine - I have a 9" feeder shell sitting on top of each Crown Board, with the roof on top of that. The feeder shells stay in place permanently, so that saves storing them anywhere. And - no need to find a feeder shell when one's required. Such a shell enables a very thick layer of insulation to live there, and 9" is tall enough to house inverted jar feeders, with 'tea-cosies' on top of them.

Maybe a lot of you guys don't feed then ? I have to feed all mine from August onwards - so the kit for doing so may as well stay on top of the hive rather than in the shed.
LJ

 

[Little John]

On second thoughts, I don't understand ...

My telescopic covers are - what ? - 4 or 5 inches deep, something like that. If I were to fit 3" of insulation (which is what I use) into those covers, then there's only be 1 or 2" of 'telescope' left. I reckon such covers would then blow off in a strong wind.
LJ

 

[Swarm]

My roofs are 9 inches deep. With 50mm of insulation inside, they are still deep enough to cover any joins between boxes, excluder etc.
What are your AMM colonies like (if you still have them) do they require the same feeding regime? Last year was the first time I fed for years but this was mainly to get some thymol into them.
Others here use another sheet of insulation with a space cut out, big enough for a takeaway carton and the insulated roof goes over this.

 

[alfazer]

Ah - I see, now I understand ...

Not on mine - I have a 9" feeder shell sitting on top of each Crown Board, with the roof on top of that. The feeder shells stay in place permanently, so that saves storing them anywhere. And - no need to find a feeder shell when one's required. Such a shell enables a very thick layer of insulation to live there, and 9" is tall enough to house inverted jar feeders, with 'tea-cosies' on top of them.

Maybe a lot of you guys don't feed then ? I have to feed all mine from August onwards - so the kit for doing so may as well stay on top of the hive rather than in the shed.
LJ

What is a feeder shell? Is it like an eke or something different?

 

[drex]

I use 2" of insulation inside a 4" roof, all year round. Not had any wAter ingress or roofs blow off.

 

[Little John]

My roofs are 9 inches deep. With 50mm of insulation inside, they are still deep enough to cover any joins between boxes, excluder etc.
What are your AMM colonies like (if you still have them) do they require the same feeding regime? Last year was the first time I fed for years but this was mainly to get some thymol into them.
Others here use another sheet of insulation with a space cut out, big enough for a takeaway carton and the insulated roof goes over this.

9" - strewth, that's a helluva depth ...

Feeding ? Nothing to do with bee-type - more to do with living in an agri-industrial area, plus the number of colonies in one apiary of course. Ok for pollen, just very short of nectar from August onwards. "Needs must" etc.
LJ

 

[Little John]

What is a feeder shell? Is it like an eke or something different?

Just like an eke - used for housing feeders/insulation.
LJ