When we think of roof maintenance, we often think of replacing tiles or fixing a leak. But roofing ventilation is a key aspect of your roof structure which is often ignored. In Florida’s hot and humid climate, it is essential that a Venice homeowner’s roof is properly ventilated, or it could begin to cause real problem. In fact, one of the most important aspects of your roof design is correct ventilation system.
Ventilation is often overlooked is because people assume that the original home builder knew how to properly ventilate the home – and this is true in the case of more recently built homes. However, there have been many situations when the homeowner inadvertently blocks the proper ventilation process, either when dealing with pest control or when putting on a new roof. Here are some factors to consider.
Is Roofing Ventilation Really all that Critical?
Ventilation cools the attic space, makes your home more energy efficient, prevents rotting of part of the roofing structure, and reduces the risk of fire.
Improper ventilation:
- Lack of ventilation allows formation and accumulation of condensation and moisture. When the condensation forms on the roof deck, it begins to rot the wood.
- An airtight roof space keeps the area overheated, making your air conditioner work even harder to try to keep the home below cool
- Rotting wood can release mold spores into the air, which will circulate throughout your home potentially causing illness. As we live in more and more airtight homes (closed windows and air conditioning), it becomes even more important to keep the circulating air as clean as possible.
Why isn’t My Home Properly Ventilated?
You would be correct in assuming that a licensed and insured roofing contractor should build a roof to code – and that would include proper ventilation. However, there are certain instances which may have caused improper ventilation in your home.
- Legacy Roofing: Many of the Venice and Sarasota area homes were built between the 1050’s and the 1970’s – or even earlier – when building codes were not as stringent and central air conditioning not as prolific. If a homeowners replaces the underlayment and the roofing materials but doesn’t address the ventilation system, they may be operating with outdated roofing ventilation.
- New Roof Installation: This should not happen with a licensed roofing contractor, but those installing a new roof onto an older home by themselves may not be aware of the proper ventilation and venting requirements for their new roof. Read about proper ventilation basics here.
- DIY Pest Control: If you (or a previous owner) have had an infestation of critters or birds, you may have blocked the gaps in your roof to keep them out. Although those gaps do offer easy access for some animals, they are also allowing your attic to be properly ventilated. One solution is to cover all gaps in your roofing structure with chicken wire or mesh, allowing the air to flow through while keeping intruders out.
- Boxes and Storage: While very hot and humid conditions keep us from storing many things in our Southwest Florida attics, there are many things we can store up and out of sight. After all, given most home’s lack of basement, storage space is at a premium. But if too many things are stacked up against a vent, you may be blocking the sir flow necessary to keep your home healthy.
The easiest way to determine if your old roof is in need of new roofing ventilation is to call [company_name] for an inspection. Not only will you have peace of mind that your home is properly ventilated, more efficient and healthy – but you’ll be helping to prolong its life. Call us today, before storm season arrives!
