5 Reasons Why Roof Ventilation is a Critical Part of Your Home
Your roof serves as a critical layer of protection for your home. To make certain your roof does its job correctly, it needs to have proper ventilation. Over 90% of houses in the U.S. have excess moisture levels, and many do not have an appropriate roofing ventilation system in place.
Read on to learn more about roof ventilation and why it is a critical aspect of your home.
What is Roof Ventilation?
A roof ventilation system helps create a continuous flow of air through your attic space, which removes overheated air and moisture from your roof system. This process also reduces the impact of changing temperatures and moisture conditions in your home. Ultimately, this air flow protects your roof and attic from excess moisture and hot air.
Roof ventilation uses a series of intake and exhaust vents installed strategically in the attic and roof. Various vent types can be used in different locations and roof styles to ensure air can circulate in the right amounts.
A skilled residential roofing company can determine the right kind of roofing ventilation system for your home. The roof’s design should provide sufficient open-air space for insulation and airflow. A properly designed system will balance intake and outtake vents to maintain the correct pressure in the attic.
Lafayette roofing companies know how important roof ventilation is in keeping your home comfortable and efficient.
The 5 Major Benefits of Roof Ventilation
You don’t have to be the foreman of a commercial roofing company to appreciate the benefits allotted to properly vented attics and roofs. Here are the top five perks of having the right roof ventilation system in your home:
1. Stops Mold, Rot, and Condensation
One of the most prominent benefits of roof ventilation is the prevention of condensation, which eventually leads to mold and rot. Your home produces more moisture than you might realize, and everything from laundry to showers to cooking can produce damp air that gravitates toward your attic.
When warm air reaches a cool surface, like the underside of your roof, it creates condensation. This condensation is the perfect place for mold and mildew to grow. Mold in your house can eventually damage your roof or cause health problems for those inside. Proper ventilation stops condensation from getting a foothold in your home.
2. Energy Efficiency
You may not think a residential roof repair company’s ventilation work impacts your utility bills, but that’s what roof ventilation does. Allowing heat to escape from your attic means your HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard to keep things cool.
You can further your utility savings through cold roof ventilation. A cool roof system creates higher solar reflectance and thermal emittance than standard systems. Talk to your local Lafayette roofing installation team to learn more about how these metal roofs absorb less heat to reduce your cooling costs.
3. Longer Roof Lifespan
Not only can poorly ventilated attics result in condensation, mold, and rot, but they can also reduce the lifespan of your roof. Improperly ventilated attics allow drastic changes in heat and cold to cause parts of your roof to expand and contract more.
Extra movement in your roof will only shorten its lifespan. Throw in the potential for rot and deformities caused by condensation, and you may have to fork over more money for Lafayette roof repairs than you expected.
4. Stop Indoor Temperature Extremes
If you’ve ever walked upstairs and felt like the temperature went up by at least 10 degrees, you’ve experienced an indoor temperature extreme. These kinds of differences are often the result of poorly ventilated attics and roofs.
Once your roof ventilation system works properly, you’ll notice more consistent temperatures throughout your home.
5. Prevent Ice Dams
Ice dams happen when warm air builds at your roof deck and melts snow and ice. This melted material flows down your roof and then freezes again. When this happens enough, you may experience large ice dams hanging over your home’s overhangs or gutters. With enough ice, the dam's weight can damage parts of your roof.
Proper ventilation allows you to keep a more consistent temperature across your roof and reduce uneven melting.
Having Vents Does Not Equal Having Ventilation
Just because your roof has a few vents does not necessarily mean it is adequately ventilated. Look at ridge vents, for example. These are conclusively the most effective and popular forms of venting. If they are not installed with baffles, pieces that help prevent outside air from coming into the vent, the ridge vents become practically useless. Flat roof ventilation may only circulate air through a portion of your house if not located in the right places.
Less experienced roofers think any ventilation is good and more ventilation is better. The reality is that there is a complex formula to determine what kind of roofing ventilation system is right for your home. In general, Lafayette roofing and general contractors stick to a 1:300 ratio, where you need a square foot of attic ventilation for every 300 square feet of ceiling space.
Of course, your roof's size, shape, and layout can impact how this ratio works. Getting the best roof ventilation system for your home requires the skilled work of a professional. If you’re uncertain if your roof has the correct ventilation, give Hibbard Roofing & Construction a call to learn more about your options. From roof repairs/installation to ventilation systems and more, let Hibbard Roofing & Construction get to work for you.