Do you Really Need Roof Ventilation?
attic exhaust fans
Author: Steven Briesemeister
Good quality roofing is a vital aspect to any house. Not only does it protect the house itself but if it is well constructed and well put up then it will protect everything within the house too. When you consider the elements that most buildings have to face it shouldn’t be difficult to understand why you need to make sure that you have the best roofing you can. Roof ventilation is an equally important part of the house too. It will not only ensure the safety and long life of the roof and the home but it will also ensure the safety of the residents.
The advantages of roof ventilation.
When roofs blow down or become substantially damaged many people put this down to poor materials or poor workmanship and while either might be true it is more often the case that there was inadequate roof ventilation fitted. Not having the correct roof ventilation or the right level of roof ventilation frequently leads to a shortening of the roof’s lifespan. An average home produces four to five pounds of water vapor per day and if the home has poor roof ventilation this means that the vapor has nowhere to go. Instead it forms condensation on the wooden boards of the roof causing them to buckle, twist and contort. In turn, poor ventilation leads to a greater chance of wind damage and increased occurrences of inexplicable falling shingles or tiles.
There are two parts to effective roof ventilation.
It is essential that good quality roof ventilation consists of an exhaust as well as an intake. The temperature difference between the inside of the roof and the outside of the roof can be massive and only through using an intake and an outlet can these temperatures be brought to a consistent level. Only have one type of roof ventilation is the equivalent of having no roof ventilation whatsoever and in some cases it can actually cause more damage to have only one than to have neither.
Different types of roof ventilation.
There are a large number of different methods of providing adequate roof ventilation and more is definitely better. Each type of roof ventilation has it’s positives and it’s negatives so consult with your roofing contractor and decide between you which is likely to be the better decision for your home in terms of both effectiveness and aesthetics. Having adequate roof ventilation can be the difference between a long lasting roof and having to replace it every ten years or so.
Two effective types of roof ventilation.
Dormer vents are one of the more commonly used forms of roof ventilation because they are relatively easy to fit and they can be installed at the back of the house where it is easy to keep them hidden. They give the perfect combination of adequate roof ventilation without being an eye soar. Possibly the most effective method is through the use of turbine ventilators however they can look ugly when placed on your roof and become very difficult to look after once they’ve been installed for any length of time.
About the Author:
Steven Briesemeister who specializes at roof installations and roofing repair work has been serving as a Long Island Roofing Contractor for 33 years and is the author of over one hundred DIY articles that pertain to roofing . We are a professional Long Island roofing contractor company that believes in the saying, “Quality Doesn’t Cost…It Pays!
Great article. Intake is such a huge component in making sure these fans work properly. The Home Ventilation Institute (HVI) recommends one square foot of air intake ventilation
for every 300 CFM of powered attic fan capacity. Be sure to checkout all the manufacturers, Attic Breeze has the most powerful and most durable solar attic fan on the market and we are the only ones with a Florida Product Approval, meaning it can withstand wind speeds of 170mph!!!Wow. Checkout http://www.atticbreeze.net or contact me at derek.odette@atticbreeze.net for more info.
All the best,
Derek Odette