Why roof ventilation is important for your home

Written by tomlinte@m on February 17, 2020. Posted in Roofing Blog.

So why is ventilation important when it comes to your roof? Here are the basics:

It helps reduce damaging moisture. Excessive moisture can build up in the attic, potentially damaging the structure and degrading the roof system. It can also lead to mold.
It can help save energy. Heat build-up in that attic comes at a cost—a home’s air conditioning has to work harder to cool down the house, especially the living space below the attic.
It helps prevent damage to the roof shingles. High attic heat can bake the shingle and cause them to prematurely age. In fact, most major shingle manufacturers strongly recommend proper attic ventilation on asphalt shingle installations.

For a more in-depth look take a look at this: https://youtu.be/zz41uMCZxyg

Contractors should explain to homeowners why proper attic ventilation is so important with the benefits below.

Why Ventilation Matters

Proper ventilation necessitates that fresh air is able to find its way in the attic space, while allowing stale air to get out. This is accomplished through the placement of ventilation near the bottom of the attic space at the soffits or eaves (intake), and at the top peaks, or ridges, of your attic space (exhaust). This will permit the circulation of air, which will keep the attic space at a uniform temperature and humidity level, regardless of the season. In order for attic ventilation to work effectively, however, the ventilation system must have balanced intake and exhaust.

Balanced ventilation is achieved when intake and exhaust allow for same amount of airflow, because the natural forces of air pressure create a push-pull effect around your roof. Without proper exhaust, hot air cannot escape. Without proper intake, air will only circulate across the top of the attic space, leaving stagnant air at the bottom of the attic. Circulation is also restricted when there are vents on only one side of the attic, similar to the effect one would get if only opening windows on one side of a house on a breezy day.

Attic Ventilation Helps Keep Cooling Costs Low

Since hot air rises, warm air naturally makes its way into an attic, and it will remain there if the space is poorly ventilated. On a 90°-day, attic temperatures can reach 140° or higher, and this unventilated air can work its way back into lower level living spaces and cause AC units, fans, and other energy consuming appliances to work harder. This is no small thing when you consider that cooling accounts for 6% of total utility costs in the average home (http://energy.gov/articles/energy-saver-101-infographic-home-cooling).

Winter weather can also present challenges for attics. As temperatures plummet, the warm, moist air that rises from living spaces into an improperly ventilated attic will condense on cold surfaces. Over time this moisture can build and cause the roof decking to buckle, swell, and rot, making it unable to hold nails securely and reduce its load capacity. growth, which affects allergy sufferers

Proper ventilation is a simple but effective way to protect your investment and your wallet, and there are ventilation options for all roofs that will prevent your home from encountering any of the above-mentioned issues. To discover which venting solution is best for your home reach out to Tomlin Roofing Professionals and request an inspection. We will inspect your roof system at no charge.