Cincinnati roof ventilation is a complex topic. You don’t need a roofer’s expertise to understand w
hat roof vents are, and why roof ventilation is important. Most importantly, proper ventilation allows air to circulate instead of becoming stagnant. Today, our roof ventilation 101 brakes down into three main points: preventing moisture buildup, what vents do in the summer versus the winter, and why they’re going to save you money.
1) Roof vents prevent moisture buildup inside
The main purpose of roof vents is to keep the air circulating in your home. The top floor of a home, whether that’s an attic or a crawl space, is a perfect place for stagnant air to gather and moisture to collect. Moisture in the air allows mold and mildew to flourish. Think about the classic “musty” smell that you often associate with attics. That smell occurs because the air in your attic never moves, it just gets heavy with moisture.
Roof ventilation helps vent the majority of moisture found in the air in your home. Drawing air in and out benefits your roof, ceilings, and the general level of health in your home. This is the key benefit of roof ventilation. However, other benefits exist as well.
2) Roof vents help ease the summer heat
Roof ventilation isn’t the only factor in how poorly or efficiently your house handles the heat. There are many pieces to this puzzle. A well designed, thoughtfully constructed roof can vent a lot of warm air in the summer. It’s important to remember this so you don’t think that roof ventilation is only for warmer climates. Cincinnati roof ventilation is just as important, even though it can be hot in the summer and then freeze every winter.
Heat rises. When a poorly ventilated roof gathers heat from the sun, it warms the top of your house and prevents the lower heat from rising and leaving the building. You’ll have to jack up the AC to make your home comfortable. That really adds up over time, until you’re dealing with a huge bill. Proper roof ventilation, along with good roof design and a light shingle color that will reflect light, will expel the air and allow your home to cool more efficiently.
3) Roof ventilation doesn’t affect your winter energy bill
So, if heat is expelled in summer, what happens in winter? Many people fear that roof vents actually expel the heat that their heating system puts out. On the contrary, roof vents only release the most residual of heat during the winter. Because your heating system doesn’t connect to your attic and/or crawl space, it’s likely that the light from the sun, on a cold winter’s day, heats up the attic. The heat piped into your home dissipates before ever reaching the attic. When it comes down to it, a wet, cold winter is when you need to vent the moisture in the air, most.
Roof ventilation helps keep your home cool in the summer, but that’s not the biggest benefit. Proper ventilation also removes moisture from the air inside your home. Stop stagnant air and the problems that moisture brings with it by ensuring that your Cincinnati roof ventilation is up to par.
