Proper Roof Venting

Proper attic ventilation can help reduce the load on your air conditioner.

Proper roof venting. Touch your ceiling on a warm sunny day. Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool air to enter the attic. Here are four signs of an unventilated or under ventilated attic. The option you choose will be contingent on factors such as the type of roof you re working with and the local climate.

Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents. Effective attic ventilation systems reduce damaging heat and moisture in your attic promote energy efficiency by helping to reduce the load on your air conditioner in the summer and also reduce the risk of ice dam formation on your roof. If it does you ll have to decide what type of vents will work best and how to properly install them. Don t avoid ventilating your attic for fear you re letting cold air into the house.

Your actual living space is sealed. It helps prevent moisture buildup in your attic which during colder months can help prevent condensation. A hot ceiling tells you that the attic is acting like a solar oven. A ridge vent is a ventilation strip that is placed along the ridgeline of the home.

Proper attic ventilation offers numerous advantages to the homeowner. As the ventilation helps moderate the temperatures in the attic this may also help moderate the temperature in the. Look at your eaves and roof. The intent of roof venting varies depending on climate but it is the same if you re venting the entire attic or if you re venting only the roof deck.

In cold climates snow can enter the soffit and ridge vents melt and potentially cause rot. You ll first need to consider whether or not your house s roof needs ventilation. Prior to installing the ridge vent a 1 inch wide strip of roof decking is cut out along both sides of the ridgeline to allow for air movement through the vent. It is important that air movement occurs and is not impeded by any framing members of the home.

Obviously more research is needed but here s what we do know. Theory behind venting ice dams form when a home s escaping heat warms the roof sheathing and melts the underside of the snow layer on the roof. Hot air exhaust vents located at the peak of the roof allow hot air to escape. To calculate the amount of ventilation you need for your home visit gaf s ventilation calculator now.

Beyond the decreased capacity for insulation when venting the roof deck venting the roof deck or the attic has some other drawbacks worth considering.