The Importance of Roof Ventilation in Colorado’s Climate
You may never have thought about it, but all the different parts of your home work together to keep you safe and protected. When one of them is strained or not functioning properly, the other parts of your home can become damaged.
Proper ventilation of your attic space extends the life of shingles, insulation, and other roof components. In order to fight heat and moisture, ventilation regulates the exchange of inside and outdoor air, helping keep your home energy-efficient, safe and healthy.
There’s a lot of incorrect information out there about roof ventilation, but this article should help clear things up.
The Importance of Roof Ventilation in Colorado
You might think that Colorado is dry enough that roof ventilation is not much of a concern. But that’s unfortunately not true.
Colorado weather can reach extremes with high heat in the summer and sub-zero lows in the winter. Even in a single day, we’ve seen Colorado temperatures swing more than 60 degrees in either direction. For proper ventilation in your attic, you want to maintain a sense of balance between warm and cold air.
Ventilation is simply the process of providing a continuous supply of outdoor air to the attic space of a home or building. Simply having ventilation in an attic space, however, won’t properly ventilate a home. In order to have proper ventilation, ventilation needs must be specifically calculated based on attic space square footage and correctly installed. There are other factors including the heights and types of exhaust ventilation, and making sure that there is a balanced system of intake and exhaust ventilation.
Consequences of Improper Ventilation
If your home has poor roof ventilation, you risk incurring roofing material damage, energy efficiency issues, health hazards from poor air quality, and more.
Moisture Buildup
Even in a dry climate like Colorado, moisture buildup in the attic can occur during cold winter months and become a serious problem. If not taken care of, moisture can lead to mold and mildew growth, roof insulation damage, roofing system deterioration, and more.
Heat Buildup
During the summer, air build up in your attic can have a temperature of over 150 degrees. Heat buildup in the attic can increase the temperature of your home by transferring heat through the attic floor and to your ceiling.
Increased Cooling and Heating Costs
When you have poor roofing ventilation, your energy costs are bound to increase. That’s because your heating and cooling systems will have to work harder to keep your home at a reasonable temperature. If poor ventilation is causing hot air to build up in your attic, it can flow into your living space making your home warmer than expected.
Health Risks
Poor air quality can lead to health issues like difficulty breathing, coughing, asthma, and more. A well-ventilated attic can help maintain healthy air flow throughout your house, reducing the risk of developing any related health concerns.
Structural Damage to the Roof
Poor ventilation, excessive heat, moisture buildup — these can all lead to structural damage to your roof. For example, a significant difference in temperature between air inside your attic and the external air can lead to moisture and ice dams, which can create additional roofing problems like leaking, damaged shingles, and broken gutters. The damage caused by ice dams can be extensive.
Peeling Paint
When too much moisture is trapped in your home, it can cause your paint to peel or blister. Both indoor and outdoor paint can be affected.
Get Professional Roofing Ventilation Help
Improper ventilation is one of the top issues with roofing that is not well planned and installed incorrectly. These issues can lead to a shortened roof lifespan and impact your quality of life, which is why it’s so important to maintain adequate ventilation in your attic.
Get in touch with an experienced roofing company to perform a professional inspection of your entire roofing system, including your attic ventilation.
Our team at J&K Roofing has the experience and knowledge needed for your roof ventilation project. If you’re in the Denver Metro, Front Range, Colorado Springs, or Northern Colorado areas, get in touch with us today for a free inspection. 303-425-7531