Few people understand the investment of literally putting a roof over their heads. While most people tend to put their home improvement money in the aesthetic department, they often fail to understand the integrity and longevity of their home, even more so their roof. The damage that most often leads to crucial roof repairs come from within the attic can can end up costing up to tens of thousands of dollars. To get the most bang for your buck and help your roof last as long as possible, here are four myths explained to help you understand the importance of attic ventilation.
More Ventilation Is The Best Ventilation
Like too much of a good thing, there can definitely be too much ventilation. Your attic ventilation needs to be measured exactly due to the pitfalls of extensive ventilation, which include more leaks increasing moisture, storm blowouts, along with openings that can increase the fire hazard. Your average home needs about 1 square foot of ventilation for every 300 square feet of ceiling space, but we recommend to have a certified professional analyze just how much ventilation is needed. The short is that there can easily be too much or too little and it is definitely more than a do-it-yourself project.
Roof Vents Are Useless In Cold Climates
It is widely misunderstood that roof ventilation is used primarily for energy efficiency in the warmer locations. The problem with that theory is that insulation, shingle color, and sun exposure are all far more effective than roof ventilation at energy efficiency. The main purpose of roof ventilation is for eliminating moisture on the inside, and the fact of the matter is that you see more moisture in your attic in colder climates. Freezing can cause different areas of your roof to crack, increasing leaks and allowing for packed snow to do even more damage. Ventilation helps eliminate that risk, but again must be done to perfection. A sloppy job can increase condensation on roof sheathings, so you will need some heavy duty insulation as well.
Roof Vents Let My Warm Air Out During The Winter, And Cold Air During The Summer
The technology in roof vents are designed only to release moisture from your attic, not hot or cold air. That would be insulations job, which people often fail to invest in. Insulation is one of the most energy efficient home systems that’s designed to keep the warm or cool air in your home while letting the vents do their job. If the energy bills start going up because you have to turn the air conditioning or heater on higher, it’s time to check the insulation.
Your Air Vents Mean You Have Ventilation
Just like changing the oil in a car or the filter for your air conditioning, air vents require some upkeep to work properly. Ridge vents can malfunction without baffles (blinds that prevent the air from the outside getting inside), gable vents can only reach a small portion of your attic, and static vents are easily susceptible to leaks. The point is that just because you have a ventilation system, it’s not a sure way to insure your roof. We strongly recommend again getting a certified roof contractor to analyze the best way to ventilate your attic ensuring maximum longevity.