Roofing systems need attic ventilation to allow the home to breathe properly. Adequate ventilation provides optimal conditions for hot air to move out and cool air to move into your attic. This air exchange keeps your roof healthy and safeguards it from premature deterioration.
Read on to gain valuable insight into how your roof benefits from suitable attic ventilation.
5 Benefits of Attic Ventilation
1. Keep Your Roof Warranty Intact in Case You Ever Need It
Too many homeowners don’t realize how important it is to have adequate attic ventilation. They may have gotten a roof replacement by an unqualified contractor who didn’t emphasize ventilation properly. The problem is—roof shingles have warranties that are rendered “void” if there is not adequate attic ventilation, so it’s a vital component to ensure it is in place when you have your roof replaced.
2. Avoid Unhealthy Mold Growth in Your Home
Condensation and moisture in your house can cause harmful mold growth, make people sick, and slowly damage your health. Your property will also suffer harm if mold grows inside your attic and walls due to improper ventilation.
3. Let Your Home Breathe
Up until 30-40 years ago, homes were built in a way that allowed air to flow through walls with little to no insulation. Windows and doors also weren’t built like they are today, and air would move in and out of homes as a result. Today with the popularity of ENERGY STAR® ratings and energy-efficient features in windows and doors, it’s tough for moisture to escape homes. Unless an attic is properly ventilated, this causes buildup to accumulate inside it. Without proper attic ventilation, your roof will deteriorate from the inside out due to all the moisture in your attic.
4. Lower Attic Temperature
Adequate attic ventilation supports a strong roofing system. A balanced and effective attic ventilation system helps exhaust super-hot air from your attic. This could save your air conditioning system from working so hard each summer—and lower your utilities.
5. Decreases the Risk of Ice Dams
When winter hits Pennsylvania, proper attic ventilation helps prevent ice dams from forming. If cold winter air passes through your attic, it keeps your roof’s temperature cooler and helps avoid the cycle of snow melting and refreezing that causes damaging ice dams.
Our Attic Ventilation Process
Assess Current Ventilation
While inspecting your roof, we use calculations to check for intake and exhaust to ensure they are properly balanced. Often, there is an intake in the soffit, but it is either blocked by insulation or the intake holes are accidentally covered on the outside (often simply because someone didn’t know what they were).
Add Adequate Air Intake Vents
In a lot of homes in our area, there are no soffits (air intakes), so we use a product called Smart Event, and cut a 1” wide strip into the roof decking that acts as an intake to allow air into the bottom of your attic space.
Install Ample Exhaust Vents
At the top (ridge) of your roof, we install a ridge (exhaust) vent. If a ridge vent is not practical for a particular roof, we use a GAF certified product like power exhaust fans, slant back roof vents, and smart exhaust vent strips. We ensure your roofing system has the proper intake and exhaust, so your home breathes well and your manufacturer’s warranty stays intact.
Get a Beautiful New Roof with Proper Attic Ventilation Installed
Condensation in your attic forms when poor ventilation creates high humidity in the home. The result? It can wreak havoc on your roof. Don’t settle for poor attic ventilation and premature roof aging, which leaves your home at risk of damage and deterioration. Get a gorgeous roof replacement and the right balance of air intake and output in your attic so your roof can breathe, extending its life and saving you money.
At Porter Family Exteriors, we inspect the ventilation in your attic to ensure it is adequate for your roofing’s needs. If it is not, we implement a custom solution to create the ideal intake and exhaust system for your roof.
We are a trained GAF certified roofing contractor, and we do ongoing training so we can properly ventilate your home. We provide industry-leading warranties on roofing systems, giving you peace of mind that your roof is well shielded. Learn more about how our roofing services can add beauty, protection, and value to your home.
