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You Need a Properly Ventilated Roof

At Hamblet's, we encounter an unfortunate number of customers who don't quite understand the importance of proper roof ventilation. This means that they aren't educated about the importance of roof ventilation until there's been some sort of damage to their roof.

If you think you might be one of these customers, a little know-how can mean the difference between preventive roof maintenance and repairing the damage wrought by improper ventilation.

Luckily, at Hamblet's, we're prepared to handle your roof in whatever condition it might be in. But we prefer to save you money and time by safeguarding you against the destruction of an improperly ventilated roof upfront.

So, why is improper roof ventilation so bad? 

First, we should talk a little about what roof ventilation is. In its most basic form, ventilation allows for the "circulation of air". Roof ventilation allows air to escape from beneath your roof, typically from an attic or upper floor. Heat and moisture are able to escape from these areas when your roof is properly ventilated.

This is important for a number of reasons, and it's also worth noting that proper roof ventilation helps lengthen the lifespan of your roof.

1. Ice Damming

Ice damming occurs when impacted snow inhibits melting snow/water from draining from your roof. This can cause a lot of damage to your roof, as the melted snow can creates pooled water that can damage your shingles, roof and the underlying room or attic.

Improperly ventilated roofs can create or exacerbate this problem. This is because of the heat buildup that occurs when your roof isn't properly ventilated.

Ice begins to melt within the bottom layer of your roof before becoming re-frozen as it makes its way further down the roof. This causes the "ice dam" that builds up over time and prevents more snow from melting. Resulting shingle damage can occur when homeowners attempt to remove ice dams themselves.

2. Maximize the Comfort of Your Home

Properly ventilated roofs work with fluctuations in temperature by keeping your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the wintertime. You may notice the negative effects of such fluctuations when upper and bottom floors have wildly varying temperatures. This is generally due to a lack of roof ventilation.

Properly ventilated roofs will also produce savings in energy costs as they will not trap the type of warm air that makes your air conditioning system work harder. This means that properly ventilating your home can mean better energy efficiency for you.

3. Minimize the Amount of Heat and Moisture in Your Attic

Attics rife with heat can create problems for the flashing of your roof. Blisters within your shingles can be caused when the nails holding them in place pop up. This happens when your shingles shrink, which can be caused by excess heat in your attic.

Moisture brings its own host of problems. Excess moisture damages wood, of which many roof materials are made of.

Excess condensation creates mould damage and even rot when it gets bad enough. This can damage your roof or even your belongings if they are stored within the attic. 

When you better understand the damage wrought by excess heat and condensation to your roof, it becomes easy to see how properly ventilated roofs can help better protect you and your family.

If you’d like to learn more about our roofing ventilation process, please contact us today.

Hamblet's Roofing has over 30 years’ experience serving St. Catharines and Niagara.