Roof ventilation is incredibly important – without proper ventilation, your roof can trap moisture and degrade from the inside out. In addition to the serious health hazards a damp roof poses, a poorly ventilated roof can cause your energy bills to skyrocket, cause ice dams and lead to a whole host of other problems.
Roof Ventilation Basics
Ventilating your roof keeps it dry and temperature-stable, but it does more than that – it protects your home. When you do normal household activities, like showering or doing laundry, you create damp air in the house. That warm air rises, and when it hits the cooler air in the attic, it condenses. Proper ventilation lets that air leave the attic, but poor ventilation traps it there. Trapped, wet air leads to mold growth on the rafters and in the insulation, and eventually, it can cause your roof’s wood to rot. Eventually, you’ll need a complete roof replacement to get rid of the damage.
Poor ventilation in the roof can also cause tremendous amounts of heat. Heat from the inside isn’t good for your roof – in fact, it can cause premature aging and degrade your roof. During winter, warm air inside the attic causes uneven snow melt that encourages ice dams to develop.
The solution is a properly vented roof.
What New View Roofing Clients Enjoy
Our clients benefit from our associations with major manufacturers like GAF and Owens Corning.
Because it’s your roof – and because we believe you deserve to get as much as possible from your investment, we’ll discuss the benefits of various roof venting systems and how they’ll help you. You can choose between a variety of high-quality, performance-guaranteed options made by GAF, Owens Corning and other manufacturers.
Key Terms About Roof Vents
Before you explore your options in roof vents, know these key terms:
- Air sealing. Air sealing is a technique that roofers use to prevent airflow, heat and moisture from traveling between the attic and the outdoors.
- Baffles are fitted between rafters and allow fresh air to flow into the attic through soffit vents.
- Insulation is a continuous barrier that helps keep temperatures from fluctuating to extremes.
- Ridge vents. Ridge vents are installed along a roof’s ridges to provide ventilation, and they come in several widths and lengths.
- Soffit vents. Soffit vents are perforated and fitted between rafter tails. They provide good air flow and protect your roof against moisture and ice buildup.
How Do You Know if Your Roof is Improperly Vented?
It’s not always easy to tell if your roof is vented properly, but you may see some signs that can tip you off. Here are a few things to watch for:
- Ice dams
- Frost in your attic
- Blistered shingles
- Different temperatures in your attic and outside the home
- Mold or moisture in the attic
What to Do if You Suspect Poor Ventilation in Your Roof
If you think your roof isn’t properly vented, or if you think something’s aging or degrading your roof before its time, get a free roof inspection from a Dallas roofing company. It’s always best to catch possible problems before they do expensive damage, and we can help.
