When you get a new roof, your roof contractor will consider how to provide adequate ventilation. The same system you used with your old roof may be repeated if it worked out well. Here's why roof ventilation matters as well as some methods your roofer can use to make sure there is the right amount of ventilation through your attic and around your roof.
Why Ventilation Is Important
The purpose of roof ventilation is to let hot air escape the attic. It doesn't matter if it's winter or summer — attic air that's too warm can lead to problems like ice dams and roofing deterioration. Poor ventilation affects the inside of your home, too. The buildup of heat causes your AC to work harder, and it can increase humidity and mold in the attic.
Attic ventilation is not something you have to leave to chance or guess at. A roofing contractor can calculate the square footage of vents you need based on the square footage of your attic and if your roof has a vapor barrier.
How Intake Vents Are Installed
Intake vents are often installed in the soffit of your roof. This is the part that hangs over the edge of your house. Since the vents are on the underside, they are out of sight. Plus, being on the underside, they don't get clogged with leaves. However, soffit vents can be clogged with insulation on the inside, but you can have baffles installed that keep insulation away from the vents so airflow isn't obstructed.
How Exhaust Vents Are Installed
Your attic needs both intake and exhaust vents to create circulation. These vents work on the principle that the hottest air rises. As hot air rises and exits the vents on top of the roof, cooler air is drawn in through the soffit vents. Common exhaust vents are ridge vents that are placed on the top of the roof. They're often covered with shingles so they blend in better. Using soffit vents and ridge vents makes the ventilation system nearly invisible and automatic, but sometimes these vents are not enough. Your roofer may need to install a turbine vent on the roof that protrudes through the roof and acts as a fan to pull hot air out of the attic.
Adequate ventilation prolongs the life of your roof, so it's a step you don't want to overlook when having a new roof put on. Talk to your roofing contractor about how they'll install vents to ensure your attic has the right amount of ventilation during every season of the year.
Contact a company like Henry Roofing, Inc. to learn more.
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