Proper attic ventilation is one of the most important parts of installing a roofing system. While top-quality shingles and other roofing components last longer than cheaper options, their life expectancy would be shorter if the attic ventilation is poor.
What Does Attic Ventilation Do?
The soffit and eave vents allow cool and fresh air to enter the underside of the roof. The ridge vents, on the other hand, allow hot and moist air inside the attic to escape.
This might not sound that important, but millions of dollars are spent every year in the U.S. just to fix the damage brought about by poor ventilation. Hot air trapped in your attic can lead to a host of problems that are often expensive to rectify. Such problems are not always limited to the roofing system, either.
What Are the Benefits of Good Attic Ventilation?
Proper attic ventilation allows moisture to escape. Moisture is an enemy of your home. Without ventilation, moist air becomes trapped, allowing moisture to accumulate in your attic, leading to water damage. It’s not uncommon for roofing systems to develop rot and fall victim to termite damage, cockroach infestation and other such issues just because of abundant moisture.
When your home’s attic lacks proper ventilation, heat is trapped long enough to affect the space below. To compensate, your air conditioners have to work extra hard so your living spaces become comfortable. Due to your air conditioners working overtime, you spend more money on energy use. Not only do you have to pay more, but your home’s carbon footprint expands.
Your roofing system is in danger when your attic lacks ventilation. It doesn’t matter what type of shingles you use; the heat will bake them from the underside while the sun pummels them with heat from above. Their lifespan will be considerably shorter.
If there is snow, a super-heated attic can lead to ice dam formation. The top part of your roof is the hottest due to a lack of ventilation so snow will melt and flow to the edges, where the shingles are cooler. This leads to the snowmelt refreezing at the edge of your roof and in the gutters. Melting snow will be trapped by the ice dam and back up against your shingles, possibly penetrating them and causing water damage.
You can avoid these problems if your roof has adequate ventilation. Goodrich Roofing can ensure your attic ventilation is adequate when we install your roof. You can also call us for repairs. Get in touch with us at (505) 219-4450, or use our contact form to get your free quote. We’re always happy to help homeowners in Albuquerque.