As practical Clinton Township MI homeowners, we want to avoid unnecessary expenses all the time. Unfortunately, maintaining a home isn’t meant to be frugal. However, making the right investment guarantees you won’t incur extremely problematic expenses in the future. Residential attic ventilation is one way you can save from financially-demanding roof repairs.
However, if you’ve already installed an attic fan and porous soffits allowing air into your attic, you might not have to ventilate it any further. On the other hand, any sign of water damage or drenched roof decks is a sign you might need to make your ventilation better. Roof Tech has an excellent post that helps you know whether you need better residential attic ventilation.
Signs Your Roof Needs Better Residential Attic Ventilation
Your roof looks fine from the outside, but just like your plumbing and your body, that doesn’t mean it’s structurally sound. Maybe your energy bill spiked, maybe your roof weathered a bitter winter, or maybe you’ve neglected inspection for too long. In any case, you worry that your roof stands in danger. Roof ventilation represents one of the most crucial methods of keeping a roof and home healthy. Unfortunately, ventilation problems can prove insidious, developing without a homeowner’s knowledge.
Luckily, inadequate ventilation often comes with distinct symptoms. If you suspect a ventilation issue, watch for these six signs.
1. Debris
Sometimes ventilation problems come not from a poor venting system, but from poor system maintenance. Think about the last time you cleared the space around your roof vents (or had a professional complete the task for you). If you can’t remember when it happened, you likely have a buildup of twigs, leaves, and dirt blocking your vents. You may even notice debris slipping into your attic space.
If you performed a recent cleaning, buildup can still occur after a severe storm. If you notice a change in your energy bill or temperature regulation after a storm with high winds, schedule a time to have a roofer clear your vents.
2. High Temperatures
Your ventilation system allows air to circulate through your attic. It may seem like this makes your heating and cooling system less efficient. However, this regulates the temperature in your home. If you suspect a ventilation issue, place a thermometer in your attic. If the temperatures climb in the summer, contact a roofer.
3. Insulation Issues (continued)
It’s important to know if you have adequate attic ventilation. You won’t need to spend so much to achieve proper insulation and attic ventilation to reduce moisture levels and ice dam developments. Some individuals and groups are promoting false information about attic ventilation. Home Advisor has compiled a list that talks about the common myths of residential attic ventilation — such as having more ventilation at home is a good thing. More on this below.
Myths That Most People Believe About Residential Attic Ventilation
Few things are more misunderstood about the home than attic ventilation. In essence, all ventilation is about circulating air to keep it fresh and to reduce moisture levels. About 90 percent of homes in the US have unreasonably high levels of moisture.
Understanding whether your home could benefit from some form of attic ventilation might just be, if not a life-saver, a roof-saver. Here are some of the myths and the facts you need to know about attic ventilation.
1. More Attic Ventilation is Good
Just like properly sizing your furnace and air conditioning unit, you want precisely the right amount of attic ventilation for your home. Insufficient ventilation can lead to moisture problems during the winter and decreased energy efficiency during the summer but too much ventilation can be just as bad, if not worse.
Roof vents create an additional roof penetration, essentially another place of vulnerability where leaks can occur. Some vents are necessary, but you don’t want to needlessly increase the number of roof penetrations. More than leaks, these seams can cause blowouts during a hurricane or allow sparks from a wildfire to enter your home and set it ablaze. (Continued)
Residential attic ventilation is costly in its own way. However, if it cost you beyond $1,000 to create a steady airflow into your attic to reduce moisture and ice dams, then your project is definitely over-estimated.
Roofing Calculator has a great breakdown on residential attic ventilation costs. In fact, they include the costs of different kinds of vents including ridge and soffit variants.
2018 Costs To Install A Roof Vent
The average cost of installing roof vents is $300-650, depending on the vent type, and job complexity. By choosing the right vent you resolve one of the biggest problems that plagues most roofs – poor ventilation.
Over time, lack of proper air flow results in rotting of the wood deck, shorter shingle life, mold growth, ruined insulation, and high energy costs. Depending on your roof structure, there may be various types of roofing vents you can install.
We will review the costs and features of soffit, dormer, solar and ridge air vents, to help you decide which ones would benefit your roof.
It is best to have a professional come and inspect your house and roof, to determine the best venting system for your particular needs.
As the name suggests, this air vent is installed along the ridge of the roof. It features a finishing ridge cap that matches your shingles. Because it is a continuous vent, it can exhaust the hot air rising from the inside with a vacuum-like effect. This makes it most effective out of all passive vents at achieving good air circulation. Another advantage is that it is very dependable and not as susceptible to leaks, compared to a singular soffit or dormer unit. (read more)
True enough, residential attic ventilation is truly important in prolonging the lifespan and performance of your roof. However, you will need an excellent Clinton Township MI roofer to make sure you have proper residential attic ventilation installation. If you have yet to find a dependable roofer, you can count on Miller’s Home Improvements. We have decades of experience in roofing and installing attic ventilation. Call us today to know more about what we can do for you.
