Attic ventilation can be very confusing for people to understand and deal with. In simple terms, ventilation is about circulating air to keep it fresh and to reduce moisture levels. About 90 percent of homes in the U.S. have unreasonably high levels of moisture. Proper attic ventilation could be not only a life-saver but a roof-saver as well.
What is Roof Ventilation?
Ventilation is the flow of air through a system of intake and exhaust. Ventilation only works when air flows.
There are two primary methods to create airflow within an attic:
- Requires a power source.
- Whenever possible, natural roof ventilation is used. The stack effect and the wind effect work together to circulate air naturally.
The stack effect occurs when hot air rises and creates a higher pressure at high points in the attic. Hot air that escapes is known as exhaust. However, this hot air cannot escape without an inlet for cooler, low-pressure air. Cool air that enters is referred to as intake. When the wind blows against the outside of a roof and increases the volume of intake and exhaust, it is known as the wind effect.
Roof Ventilation Systems
Roof ventilation systems are unique to every home. Roof and ceiling designs, code requirements, and regional climate all need to be considered when venting your roof.
There are two main types of roof ventilation systems are:
- Exhaust vents
- Intake vents
Exhaust vents:These vents allow exhaust to escape.
The most common type of exhaust vents are ridge vents. They are installed at the intersection of two roof planes (known as ridges). They are typically made of molded, high-impact copolymer and are installed underneath a final layer of shingles to give a seamless look to the roof. To the untrained eye, ridge vents can be almost invisible.
Roof louvers, gable louvers, wind turbines, and power attic ventilators are all visible exhaust vents that are mounted on the outside of your roof. Like ridge vents, roof louvers and gable louvers work without the use of electricity.
Four Beneficial Reasons for Roof Ventilation
Here are four reasons why it is beneficial to have proper roof ventilation for your home:
1. Allows Proper Attic Ventilation
Just like properly sizing your furnace and air conditioning unit, you want precisely the right amount of attic ventilation for your home. Improper or no ventilation can lead to severe moisture problems during the winter and decreased energy efficiency during the summer. Too much ventilation, on the other hand, can be just as bad, if not worse. Roof vents create additional roof penetration, and leaks can occur. Proper venting of the roof is necessary, but you don’t want to unnecessarily increase the number of roof penetrations. More than leaks, these seams can cause blowouts during a hurricane or allow sparks from a wildfire to enter your home and set it ablaze.
You need a Ratio of 1:300
Are you wondering how much ventilation your roof should have? Without exception, you should talk to a roof professional to determine what your home requires. An experiencing roofing expert will know how to calculate it in your home. For every 300 square feet of ceiling space, you need 1 square foot of attic ventilation, which is a ratio of 1:300.
2. Extends Roof Life
Ventilation benefits a roof when it’s hot outside. The temperature on your roof can be nearly double than inside the home when the temperature outside rises. As your roof gets extremely hot due to high outside temperatures, you can have a very hot attic due to a poorly vented attic.
Poorly ventilated or unventilated attics don’t have a place that the heat can escape to so it builds up. This buildup of heat can cause significant damage, especially to your shingles from the inside out.
3. Reduces Energy Costs
As the temperature rises outside, we all want to stay cool inside. A properly vented roof allows heat to escape as the temperature outside rises. The roof vents reduce the workload on your air conditioner by letting the heat to escape outside. This will reduce your air conditioning use, which will produce a lower electric bill.
4. Reduces Extreme Indoor Temperature
Have you ever walked upstairs and thought it was at least 10 degrees warmer than it was in your living room? Or, people who live in a one-story ranch home may notice different temperatures in the house.
The extremes of indoor temperature are often the result of poorly vented roofs. Once your roof is adequately vented to allow the hot air to escape and the cool air to enter the attic space, your home will be more comfortable year-round.
Contact a roofing specialist to identify where the leak is coming from and fix it. Check out your roof condition now to make sure you don’t have any possible problems like loose or missing shingles, etc.
No. 1 Home Roofing service company is proud to deliver quality service to its clientele in local communities, and therefore has years of experience in re-roofing and patching flat roofing systems.
No. 1 Home Roofing service company is a family-owned and operated roofing company conveniently located on U.S. Highway 19 in Palm Harbor, Florida. We are dedicated to providing top quality workmanship and materials to ensure that your new roof is done right. We specialize in shingle, tile, and flat roof installation, repairs, and maintenance. Contact us for an appointment and/or estimate at 727-781-7663.