How Attic Ventilation Affects Your Roof

Is your second floor unbearably hot in the summer?

Does your roof get ice dams in the winter?

Just as ventilation is important for comfort and air quality in the main living spaces of your home, it’s important for your attic, too.
Here’s how attic ventilation affects your roof and how you can improve it:

Problems Caused by Poor Attic Ventilation

Poor Air Flow

Heat rises, and with a lack of ventilation, that heat gets trapped in your attic. In the summer, trapped heat can create unsuitable temperatures in your upstairs rooms, making it difficult to sleep. On a 90° day, the temperature in your attic can reach 140° or more! This excessive heat puts your shingles at risk, leading to expensive repairs or replacement.

Trapped Moisture

If air fails to circulate in your attic, it can lead to a buildup of moisture. Because your roof structure is susceptible to water damage, this can be a big problem. The damage usually happens in cooler months when warm moist air from the house rises into the attic. With no place for the moisture to escape, it condenses on cooler surfaces, like wood beams. Over time, the moisture leads to smelly mildew, warping, and rotting.

Ice Dams

Without proper ventilation, your attic won’t be evenly heated. In the winter, you’ll have warm air near the roof peak which can melt snow. As the melted snow travels downward to the eaves of the roof, it can refreeze against the cooler surface, this leads to ice damns. As water thaws, freezes, and expands it can damage your shingles and cause leaks.

How to Improve Attic Ventilation

The key is balanced airflow. The attic needs both intake and exhaust vents that allow about the same amount of air through. Too much of one type of vent will prevent airflow and leave you with the same problems as no ventilation. Intake vents are typically placed in the soffits of your roof structure. Exhaust vents need to be at the peak of the roof. Natural airflow through these vents is all your roof and attic need for proper ventilation.

Roofing Companies in Ann Arbor Improve Attic Ventilation

If you’ve noticed any of these issues in your home, it’s time to assess your attic ventilation. Professional roofing companies in Ann Arbor, like Roofman, are your best bet for checking out and improving your attic ventilation.