Many people say that we should be grateful for the roof over our heads, but whenever it comes down to it we often don’t treat our roofs with a lot of care unless they are damaged or broken. Many people don’t even know what roof ventilation is and what makes it so important, so this article is going to focus on why the ventilation of a roof is something that every single homeowner needs to consider.
Ventilation is the system where air flows through an area through intake and exhaust and it allows air to come out and in. The air conditioning and HVAC systems inside of your home use ventilation, as do plenty of other systems. They extend the life of your roof and also reduce energy costs and temperature extremes, and they can be extremely important if you find yourself on the top floor of a building or crawling around a large and musty attic!
Roof Ventilation Removes The Risk Of Moisture
Whenever hot air gets to be too much inside of your home, the room becomes overheated and moisture starts to develop. If the air isn’t flowing, then the mass of hot air will cause moisture to accumulate and that can lead to the growth of mold and it can also attract pests. All of this can cause some serious damage to your roof and the damage can get into your home as well.
If you want to make sure that your home is protected from the potential damage that overheating can cause, then you need to make sure that you have proper ventilation.
Roof ventilation is done through one of two means, the first being mechanical and that method requires a power source. Your AC unit and even fans are mechanical, pushing air out and pulling it in, and they create that airflow. Additionally, you can have the air flow naturally through two effects: The stack effect and the wind effect.
The stack effect occurs when hot air rises and then that air escapes the room as exhaust. Whenever the wind blows and hits the outside of the roof, that increases the exhaust and the intake of the colder air.
Good Roof Ventilation Saves Money On Energy Costs And Makes Your Home More Comfortable
One of the biggest issues that people have with their homes comes with their energy bills, which can often be pretty high even whenever homeowners do their best to make sure that they are taking care of their homes. However, the home itself can be an issue with this, because if your roof is not ventilated then when you want to cool down a hot home, you are fighting the heat outside as well as the heat inside your home.
But if your home is properly vented, then all the hot air you want to escape is going to escape and the workload on your air conditioner is reduced. Then if your air conditioner is running less, then your electric bill is going to be much much lower.
Additionally, if you find yourself walking upstairs and noticing that the temperature upstairs is warmer than the temperature downstairs, then that can be the result of a poorly ventilated roof as well. If you have found that you are dealing with a lot of indoor temperature extremes, then you might need to check your roof.
Also Read: Roofing Resilience: 6 Shortcuts to Weather Any Storm with Confidence
Roof Ventilation Is Very Useful Whenever It Comes To The Snow
If you live somewhere with a lot of snow, then you might find that a very ventilated roof can be helpful as you deal with the snow running off the roof. For example, have you ever seen icicles dangling off the edge of a roof during the winter? This is because the hot air inside of your attic is melting the snow and causing some serious runoff, and then that runoff is refreezing on the very cold eaves of the house.
Additionally, these patches of frozen ice can cause puddles behind the dam and the water can even get itself under the shingles, which can cause all sorts of structural damage. If you are dealing with the various effects of snowstorms in your area, you need to make sure you have a properly ventilated roof to deal with it.
Figure Out What Your Options Are
There are plenty of roof ventilation options that you can take advantage of as a homeowner, and you need to make sure you know what your options are. Most building codes are going to require 1 square foot of vent area for every 300 square feet of floor in your attic, but these are minimum requirements and there’s no such thing as too much ventilation. The amount of ventilation that your roof needs is going to depend on plenty of factors, so make sure to get some help from contractors.
Additionally, make sure that you are understanding the various ways that your roof can be vented. There are plenty of roof ventilation options that all have different exhaust vents, and it pays to know a few of them. For example, ridge vents are installed across the peak of a roof and they are commonly installed for many homes. Box vents are also used for exhaust ventilation and they can be used in areas where their smaller size is an advantage and allows for some versatility that a traditional ridge vent just doesn’t cover.
You can even get some solar powered attic vents that remove the electricity costs and also allow for natural ventilation to occur. After all, if the sun is the thing that is causing the hot air, you might as well put the power of the sun to good use when it comes to getting your home nice and cool!
But don’t allow your roof ventilation to be overlooked, because it is extremely important for your home to be properly cooled! Whether you look into it yourself or hire a professional, get it checked!