You’re probably assuming that your upstairs rooms are hot during the summer due of the outside temperature, so you leave your air conditioner working overtime to cool it down while you go about your day. What you may not realize is that the high temperatures in your home may be due to poor ventilation in your attic.
Insufficient attic ventilation can also lead to expensive roof issues that you won’t notice until it’s too late. As a result, it’s critical that you understand how your ventilation system affects both your roof and your home.
Attic ventilation – what is it?
Your attic ventilation system assists in the ventilation of your home. It works by allowing fresh air to enter your attic and hot air to discharge through your vents.
Attic ventilation systems are divided into two categories: active and passive. Air is drawn in from the outside and pushed out from the interior through active ventilation. Natural sources, such as wind, move the air in the attic through passive ventilation.
Both ventilation systems are beneficial, and neither is superior to the other. However, if your attic isn’t adequately aired, it will cause problems.
Reasons why proper attic ventilation is important to your roof and home
1. Attic ventilation affects your roof’s lifespan
Your roof’s lifespan is determined by how many years the roofing materials will last, which can be anywhere from 25 years to 50 years. The life of your roof is impacted by a lot of different factors, with one of the most important being your attic’s ventilation.
If your attic has poor ventilation the build-up of heat in summer causes the adhesives in the decking to deteriorate making your roof’s shingles crack or curl.
Heat and moisture from the home’s interior travel into the cold attic during the winter, causing condensation. Condensation trapped in your roof decking causes it to swell and become wavy. It also loses its ability to hold nails as well as its load bearing capacity, and it can cause mold or mildew, which can lead to serious health problems.
2. Material warranties voided
If your roofing materials fail prematurely, you’ll have to rely on the manufacturer’s warranty to get it fixed. However, if they discover that your attic lacks proper ventilation, they will not cover it, and you will be required to pay for the repairs yourself.
3. Proper attic ventilation keeps your upstairs cool
Your vents should draw in fresh air during the summer, while allowing heated air from your attic to escape. If your attic isn’t properly ventilated, hot air is trapped, making the temperature in the rooms below unbearably hot.
It might even come to the point where being upstairs during the day is too hot. When this happens, your air conditioner will have to work harder to keep your home cool, resulting in higher energy expenses.
What to do if your attic ventilation isn’t up to par?
The last thing you want to do is spend money on a new roof only to have it ruined because your attic was not properly ventilated. But how do you keep this from happening to you?
Since 1996, the Four Seasons Roofing team has been assisting Seattle residents with attic ventilation issues. We always conduct an assessment to ensure that trapped hot or cold air in your attic does not shorten the lifespan of your roof. If you live in Seattle and believe you have a ventilation problem, please do not hesitate to contact us.