Proper Attic Ventilation – function and Importance

 A well ventilated attic moderates home temperatures and ensures longer life of your roofing products plus an overall energy efficiency rating for your home. All homeowners wish and would require these benefits for their homes and have proper attic ventilation.

A proper vented attic would actually mean that air can flow in and out of your home through the attic so that cooler air is drawn into your soffits or the underside of a roof overhang, pushing hot air to rise through the attic and pass through the roof vents on top. This airflow shall consistently moderate temperatures in your home.

Additionally, proper ventilation of air and moisture also increases the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems at home. It is faster and easier to cool a room when temperatures are not really that hot.

Certain standards to consider in proper attic venting

A one square foot of ventilation for every 300 square feet of ceiling is a properly ventilated attic. Using this standards, at least 50 percent of the outgoing air shall be through soffits or gable vents (mostly shape in triangles but some are round), and 50 percent of outgoing air pass will through roof edges or ridge vents. This will provide better ventilation efficiency. When using screens on your vents to prevent birds or bugs, the amount of venting required will be doubled. The screens can lower the efficiency of air flow in your vents.

Homeowners can easily check and determine their attic ventilation effectiveness by entering your attic on a cool day. If high temperature is observed, this would mean the air is not properly vented and you may not have enough soffit vents for hot air to flow.

Proper venting and energy consumption

To reduce energy consumption on your heaters and air conditioners, proper ventilation is important because it helps in the overall energy efficiency. A poorly-vented attic can cause temperatures to climb in the summer and drop in the winter, where heating and air conditioning units work harder to achieve and maintain your desired temperatures. Proper ventilation can help these and other appliances to work in minimal and not as hard to maintain temperatures in the interior of your house.

Poor ventilation and roof Quality

Poorly ventilated attics can develop extreme temperatures that can lead to your shingled roof into rapid deterioration. If the attic is well ventilated and temperatures are moderately cool, it will help ensure the life of your roof. Shingle manufacturers considerably require proper vented attics as pre-conditioned requirements on its warranty. Once shingles are damaged and the attic is not properly vented, manufacturers may deem the warranty void and invalid.

Improper venting and moisture build up

During winter in most cold regions, the proper attic ventilation consistently prevents moisture from forming on your joists, insulation, and other structural material, the shingles and your roof. Improper venting can result in the formation of moisture as air condenses, making things around them damp. Let us understand that dampness can always lead to mold and mildew growth. The mold and mildew can later minimize the durability and function of your attic and its structural components.

The moisture can also freeze on your roof edges which result in the formation of ice dams. These ice dams can also damage your roof. Proper attic ventilation lessen the chances of these dams forming in your attic and reduce roof damage.