Did you know…?
Proper ventilation can help to extend the life of your roof!
Roofing Ventilation
Roofing Ventilation
VENTILATION SYSTEMS
Proper ventilation is a critical factor in determining the lifespan of a roof
Properly ventilating your attic is one of the most important steps you can take to increase the longevity of your roof. Inadequate ventilation will vastly shorten the life of the roofing materials. On the other hand just adding additional ventilation is not always a good thing. There is a proper balance and design needed of intake vents and exhaust vents that abides by all codes for proper function.
During the colder months, the purpose of ventilation is to maintain a cold roof temperature to prevent ice damming. A properly ventilated attic will also remove excess warm air and moisture that moves up from the living spaces to the attic, which will prevent condensation or “attic rain”. If not properly ventilated, the sheathing could rot, leaks could start and/or mold could grow.
During the warmer months, the primary purpose of ventilation is to expel solar heated (hot) air from the attic. When trapped in the attic, this combination acts like an oven, cooking the roof materials and leading to premature shingle deterioration, shingle curling and overheating of the interior living spaces.
In some cases, manufacturers may not honor warranties on shingles that have incurred damage because of inadequate attic ventilation. Highland Roofing & Exteriors will ensure your ventilation system is balanced to ensure proper function so no warranties are at risk of being voided.
Properly ventilating your attic is one of the most important steps you can take to increase the longevity of your roof. Inadequate ventilation will vastly shorten the life of the roofing materials. On the other hand just adding additional ventilation is not always a good thing. There is a proper balance and design needed of intake vents and exhaust vents that abides by all codes for proper function.
During the colder months, the purpose of ventilation is to maintain a cold roof temperature to prevent ice damming. A properly ventilated attic will also remove excess warm air and moisture that moves up from the living spaces to the attic, which will prevent condensation or “attic rain”. If not properly ventilated, the sheathing could rot, leaks could start and/or mold could grow.
During the warmer months, the primary purpose of ventilation is to expel solar heated (hot) air from the attic. When trapped in the attic, this combination acts like an oven, cooking the roof materials and leading to premature shingle deterioration, shingle curling and overheating of the interior living spaces.
In some cases, manufacturers may not honor warranties on shingles that have incurred damage because of inadequate attic ventilation. Highland Roofing & Exteriors will ensure your ventilation system is balanced to ensure proper function so no warranties are at risk of being voided.
INTAKE VENTILATION
Examples of the most common intake roof vents and their functions include:
SOFFIT VENTS
A free flow of air should easily travel into the soffit vents and through the attic, provided they are open and unobstructed. Adding baffles to prevent blockage will maximize ventilation.
EDGE VENTS
Installed on the bottom edge of the rooftop, edge vents provide proper intake ventilation for homes with little or no overhang. They can also be used to supplement existing soffit or under-eave vents.EXHAUST VENTILATION
Examples of the most common exhaust roof vents and their functions include:
SQUARE TOP or STATIC ROOF VENTS
These types of exhaust vents should all be installed at the same height or level on the roofline. If vents are on more than one level, the higher vents will draw air from the lower vents instead of the intake vents. Intake air must come from the lower parts of the attic space to properly ventilate the entire attic.
RIDGE VENTS
Installed at the peak of the roof and hardly noticeable, ridge vents allow warm moist air to escape the attic space at the peak, provided you have adequate intake vents. Ridge vents can be good alternative to the static roof vents.