Are you planning to get a new roof installed or are you scrambling to figure out why your current roof is falling apart so quickly? You came across the term “roof ventilation” and realize that the holes under your eaves actually have a purpose and the wings at the peak of your home aren’t just for decoration, they’re ridge vents!
If you want to know the best roof ventilation methods for your residential or commercial property, you have come to the right place. Here at Roofing Recovery, we work hard to offer our customers a balanced ventilation system that’s right for them.
What is Roof Ventilation?
Before we go into roof ventilation methods, it’s important to understand what it is and why it’s crucial for a healthy roofing system. When you properly ventilate your attic space, a balance of air intake and exhaust occurs, causing perfect circulation. The airflow created keeps the attic space cool, lengthens the life of your roofing materials, and saves you on your energy bill.
When roof ventilation is poor, the temperature under your roof can become so hot that it cooks your roofing materials from the inside out. It also traps moisture, leading to water damage and potentially mold, and makes your AC work harder to cool your home or business.
If that wasn’t bad enough, any warranty you have from manufacturers becomes void. Why? Because proper roof installation should always include a great ventilation method professionally executed. Doing so maximizes the benefits of airflow within the attic space.
Now that you understand what roof ventilation is, we can cover the four methods available for residential and commercial properties in Florida.
The 4 Vent Methods
1. Static Vents
These vents are nothing more than openings that allow natural convection to navigate the hot air and moisture out of your attic space. This is called passive ventilation. There is no electricity required and as the name suggests, they remain still; There are no mechanical parts to move or spin.
2. Moving Vents
This type of vent uses the power of the wind to turn moving parts that pull and push the air through. If you have ever heard a squeaking sound come from your neighbor’s home on a windy day, they likely have an old wind turbine to manage roof ventilation. When selecting a moving vent for your property, choose the highest quality if you want to avoid annoying squeaks or rattling noises.
3. Electrical Vents
These vents have moving parts and require electricity to run. When you live in a hot climate like Florida, these can be a fantastic option to move the hot air forcefully out of your attic space, but they can be costly. Obviously, with an electric vent, you probably won’t save on your energy bill, but your roofing materials will last longer, so that’s a bonus.
4. Solar Vents
An energy-efficient “cousin” to the electrical vent, solar vents move the air whether it wants to or not without costing you extra money in utilities year after year. This is an amazing option to consider in Florida due to the amount of sun we get. However, if you have trees shading your property, it might not be viable.
What are the best Roof Ventilation Methods, and which one is best for you?
The characteristics that make a roof ventilation option better than others really depend on multiple factors. What weather you receive, your tree coverage and the style of your home will affect the ventilation options you have to choose from.
If you are often hit with strong storms or hurricanes, static ventilation could leave your roof more vulnerable to leaks. If you don’t have trees around your home, you might want to opt for energy-efficient solar vents. That way, you can get the most out of a smaller number of vents.
No matter which vent method you choose, what matters most is the balance and effectiveness of the ventilation system installed. A professional roofing inspector will determine what vent types are best to use for both intake and exhaust, as well as how many vents of each type will be needed. His or her main goal is to facilitate an even flow of air leaving and entering your attic space.
Roof Inspection and Ventilation Installation in Broward, Dade, and West Palm Beach
If you feel that your ventilation (or non-existence thereof) is causing your roof to prematurely age and deteriorate, get in touch with Roofing Recovery. We will send one of our highly trained experts to inspect your roof and determine the cause. A few adjustments to your current system may be necessary, or a full replacement with a better one.