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The Importance of Roof Ventilation

3 Signs of Inadequate Roof and Attic Ventilation

Not many homeowners stop to think about roof ventilation, but it affects your home in many ways. Your roof ventilation can affect the overall comfort level of your home, the lifespan of your roof, and whether you’ll need roof repairs. Inadequate roof ventilation can also cause your heating and cooling costs to surge. Read on to learn more about the importance of roof ventilation and top three signs of improper ventilation. 

The top three signs of improper roof ventilation

  1. Rise in cooling costs: A properly ventilated roof will help maintain balance between the exterior and interior temperatures of your home. During the hot days of summer, a properly ventilated roof will allow heat to escape. If your roof lacks adequate ventilation, heat will continue to build in your attic before traveling into the interior living areas of your home. This can significantly impact your home’s comfort level and cause your cooling costs to rise as your air conditioner works overtime.
  2. Visible signs of moisture water damage: One of the most important jobs of roof ventilation is to prevent moisture from building up in your attic and home. Severe moisture buildup causes interior ceiling damage and can lead to mildew growth.  Additionally, moisture buildup due to poor roof ventilation can significantly reduce the lifespan of your roof. It’s a good idea to take a look at your attic to watch out for signs of condensation and moisture buildup. You can also look for signs of moisture buildup by looking at the exterior of your home. Water damage will often present itself in the form of soft or sagging roof decking, possible missing shingles, or deteriorating soffits and fascia. 
  3. Ice dams during winter: The leading cause of ice damming is improper roof ventilation. Ice dams form when certain parts of an attic become too warm, creating an imbalance of temperatures that causes the snow on your roof to melt and freeze again at the eaves. This is how ice dams, or large shelves of ice are allowed to form during winter. Ice dams can damage your shingles and gutter systems just by their weight alone. To learn more about ice dams, check out our blog post here.

It’s important to maintain a properly ventilated roof to keep your home comfortable with an ideal balance of air intake and exhaust in the attic and to keep your heating and cooling costs down. Give us a call today at (719) 487-7663 or contact us online for a free ventilation analysis with an assessment.