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Does My Roof Need a Roof Vent?

Does my roof need a roof vent?

As a homeowner, it’s likely that you receive a lot of conflicting advice about how to care for your property. Many companies try to fearmonger and trick you into paying for expensive repairs and replacements that you don’t need. When it comes to roofs, it is especially easy to create a false narrative that scares clients into committing to costly repairs. We at Mr. Roof refuse to operate this way, and give our clients only honest, straightforward information about their homes and roofs. This is why we are here to set the record straight about roof vents and whether they are indispensable in your home.

What is a roof vent?

Roof vents are small ventilation areas that allow air to flow freely through a home’s attic. Because there are often no windows, doors, or traffic in attics, roof vents provide circulation to the space and ensure that it doesn’t become too hot or cold.

The need for air flow

It’s difficult to understand why airflow is so necessary for an attic area. Without air movement, attics can reach incredibly high temperatures in the summer and very low temperatures in the winter. The heat encourages mold and bacteria growth underneath the shingles of your roof. Any trapped moisture can also create ice dams in the winter, which can crack and damage your home’s shingles and cause leaks. Keeping the attic temperature consistent and temperate can help your roof last longer and stay in good condition.

Energy costs

Roof vents are among the top ways to keep energy costs low. If your attic is extremely hot or extremely cold, your home’s heating and air conditioning units are forced to work doubly hard to keep the air in your living spaces at a desirable temperature. By allowing air to flow more freely through the attic, you can keep that space at a more reasonable temperature and eliminate the need for your forced air systems to do all the work.

Indoor moisture

Even if you happen to live in an area with few temperature extremes, it is still important to have proper attic ventilation. Many people forget that steam from showers, dishwashers, and even cooking can affect the moisture in the attic. Additionally, the home’s heat from the furnace, clothes drier, and oven naturally rises to the attic, raising the temperature. Without ventilation, the heat has nowhere to go and causes issues similar to what we mentioned above.

Too much is not a good thing

Though ventilation is, in fact, necessary, there is such a thing as too much. If an attic is over ventilated, leaks and damage can easily occur. A good rule of thumb is one square foot of venting for every 150 square feet of attic space. Any more than that creates unnecessary vulnerability, and any less can increase attic temperatures and cause damage to your roof.

Call Mr. Roof

You can always count on the experts here at Mr. Roof to give you clear and honest information about your home’s roof. Over our 50 years in business, we have served over 300,000 satisfied customers, and maintained an A+ rating with the BBB. Don’t hesitate, contact us today.