Your home’s roof is one of the single most important pieces of the exterior of your home. It functions as an umbrella, helping to keep your home protected from the elements and improving the curb appeal & resale value of your home. With so much to gain from having a well-maintained roof, it is important to ensure that your home’s roof is kept in good repair! One of the most important factors to consider when trying to maintain your home’s roof is proper ventilation. Let’s explore why ventilation is important below!
Roof Ventilation
First of all, let’s discuss what proper ventilation actually entails. Having proper ventilation in your attic is important, because if it is not ventilated, it can end up causing significant moisture problems. Particulary during the summer months when your roof absorbs a lot of heat from the sun, your attic can run into a lot of moisture issues if it isn’t properly ventilated.
You’ll want to be sure that you have vents installed on the sides of your home’s roof, as well as soffit ventilation. You want there to be enough airflow to have a constant stream of fresh air into the attic. This is also very important for home’s in New England, particularly during the winter months. Let’s explore why below:
Ventilation & Ice Dams
As any long-time New England resident knows, ice dams can be one of the most damaging roofing issues that homeowners need to deal with. Ice dams form when the heat from your home rises into your attic, and heats the roof. The snow on your roof then gradually melts, and runs down to the eaves of your roof and into your gutter system. Eventually, as that process continues to occur, the ice builds up along your gutter system, and begins to back up onto your roof. The ice dam begins to do damage when it is so large that the melting snow is held over your attic and continuously heated, which stops it from refreezing and allows it to permeate its way into your roof deck.
That being said, with proper attic ventilation, you can avoid this issue. The main reason ice dams occur is that your attic is significantly warmer than your roof, and the warm air rising out of the attic causes the snow to melt and later refreeze when it reaches the eaves. With proper attic ventilation, you can ensure that your home’s attic is no warmer than the outside air, which will stop the snow from melting in the first place. If you’re trying to save your home from expensive repairs, proper ventilation can go a long way!
Contact Us Today
Interested in replacing your home’s roof this spring? Our team at Rhode Island Slate Roofing is ready to assist! Reach out to our team today by calling us at 401-255-2003 or by filling out our team’s online contact form! We look forward to hearing from you and assisting with your roof replacement & ventilation needs!