Does your attic have the proper ventilation system in place?
Are you sure?
Your attic ventilation plays a significant role in the life expectancy of your roof. So if you don’t have an attic ventilation system, if it’s not the right ventilation system for your attic, or if it is no longer functioning properly, it could cost you. That’s why it’s important to understand attic ventilation.
So today we’re going to talk about the most common attic ventilation myths. This will help you better understand what you do and don’t need to do when it comes to dealing with your home’s attic ventilation system.
Myth 1: Attic Vents Are Only Needed in Hot Climates
Not true. Attic ventilation is needed in all climates for proper attic ventilation, energy efficiency, and preventing the build-up of moisture and condensation in the attic. While true that homes in hot climates like Florida see substantial benefits from properly ventilated attics, homes in all climates benefit from attic vents.
Myth 2: Attic Vents Remove Warm Air During the Winter
We could see why people would think this, but it’s not true. Heat rises into your attic then escapes through the vents. This happens when a home has insufficient or degraded insulation that allows the warm, moist air from your home to seep into your attic. However, this action isn’t because the vents are removing the warm air, it’s because the insulation isn’t doing its job.
Myth 3: The More Attic Ventilation You Have the Better
Nope! This isn’t true either. Size actually does matter when it comes to attic ventilation; however, more doesn’t always mean better. Attic ventilation is all about having the proper balance. It’s not about size. Your attic ventilation balance must equal the size of your home. That means your attic insulation must have the right amount of air intake to match the space for the exhaust. These things will depend on the size and slope of your attic.
Myth 4: All Attic Ventilation Is Created Equally
Not true. As sad as it is, some roof vents don’t do anything at all for venting your attic. Most roofing experts agree that ridge vents are the most effective for venting attic air. However, if the roof ventilation system doesn’t have any baffles, which are the blinders that keep the outside air from crossing over the vent, that ridge vent isn’t going to be venting much, if anything at all. The same goes for other types of attic ventilation. Ridge vents and baffles, both, must be present and functioning properly for the attic ventilation system to work.
What’s Next?
If you want to learn more about attic ventilation, or would like to schedule a free inspection, please Contact Us today. Perry Roofing is a leading roofing contractor in the North Central Florida area and has been since 1976. We would love to be your go-to contractor for all your roofing needs.