The roof is obviously one of the most important parts of a home since it protects the interior from rain, snow, heat and cold. No matter what type of roof you have, ensuring that it is properly ventilated is essential. Ventilation allows air to flow out of the roof so that it performs better and lasts longer. Here we will explain why ventilation is so important and what issues it helps to prevent.
1. Preventing Attic Condensation and Mold
The primary purpose of roof vents is to allow air to escape and prevent heat and moisture from building up in the attic. For proper ventilation, there should be lower vents on the soffit panels underneath the eaves and also vents on the peak or near the top of the gable ends. The higher vents serve as exhaust vents and allow air to escape while the lower vents are intakes where air flows back in from outside. This constant movement of air is essential for preventing condensation from forming inside the attic.
Any time you do laundry, bathe or cook, lots of warm, moist air gets released into your home. Since heat rises, the warm, moist air moves upwards to the ceilings and eventually ends up in the attic. Without adequate ventilation, all of this moisture would get trapped and lead to the humidity level in the attic drastically increasing.
If a roof isn’t properly vented, the air in the attic will hold lots of latent heat. However, the underside of the roof and the walls of the attic will start cooling down after the sun sets. When the hot, moist air meets these cooler surfaces, condensation will naturally form and lead to an extreme risk of mold growth.
2. Protecting Your Roof
Ventilation also helps protect the underlying parts of the roof from damage. When a roof isn’t properly ventilated and condensation forms, it can quickly lead to the wooden roof trusses, rafters and roof sheets starting to rot. Wood rot is obviously a serious concern since it can eventually make a roof structurally unsound and potentially lead to part of it caving in.
Condensation will also typically shorten the lifespan of the roof and force you to replace it sooner. When replacing a roof, you normally only need to replace the underlayment and the overlying roofing materials, i.e. shingles, tiles, etc. However, if any of the underlying parts of the roof have started to rot, they will also need to be replaced leading to your roof replacement project being far more expensive.
3. Improving Energy Efficiency and Keeping Your Home Cooler
Having proper roof ventilation also makes a major difference in terms of your home’s energy efficiency. If a roof isn’t ventilated correctly, the temperature in the attic can easily reach well above 120 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. As the air in the attic gets much hotter, lots of the heat will start getting pushed down into the living spaces and make them much hotter. All of this extra heat then leads to the home’s cooling costs greatly increasing since it forces the air conditioning system to run much more and work harder. This extra workload can also shorten the lifespan of an AC system or lead to it breaking down and needing to be repaired more often.
4. Avoiding Issues With Ice Dams in Winter
Another reason why proper ventilation is so important is that it helps to prevent ice dams from forming during the winter. Attic floors should always be well insulated since this helps to trap heat inside the home during winter and prevent it from flowing up and into the attic. However, even if the attic floor is properly insulated, the air inside the attic will be much warmer than the air outside during winter if the roof isn’t well ventilated.
When the air in the attic is warmer than the roof itself, it can lead to major issues any time it snows. As the warmer air comes into contact with the colder roof deck, snow on the roof will start to melt. The snowmelt then drains down toward the edge of the roof where it can then easily refreeze on top of the eaves and form a large ice dam. Ice dams can do major damage to a roof as they block the gutters and prevent water from draining away. All of the water can then start to seep underneath the shingles and cause them to warp or lift. This in turn increases the chances of the roof leaking and needing more frequent repairs or having a shorter lifespan.
As long as the roof is properly ventilated, the temperature in the attic will always be about the same as the temperature outside. This means that any snow on the roof will start melting at the top instead of the bottom layer melting first and allowing ice dams to form.
Trust the Professionals
If you need any roofing services in Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Coeur d’Alene or the surrounding areas, Jimmy's Roofing is ready to help. We offer professional roof inspections, repairs, maintenance and replacement services, and our team works on most types of residential and commercial roofs. For more information on the importance of roof ventilation or to schedule an appointment for any roofing service, contact us today.
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