One of the most primary functions of roofing ventilation is to protect your roof from the intense rays of the sun. Not only can direct sunlight damage your roof by creating extreme temperatures on the surface, the intense heat combined with the damage caused by ultra violet rays can shorten the lifespan of your roof leading to premature roof replacement.

Attic & Roof Ventilation Inspection

In order to ensure that your roof is receiving the ventilation that it needs you should start by taking a look at your attic. You may not even be aware that if your attic is not properly ventilated it can directly affect the outside temperature of the roof. An efficient roof ventilation system works by allowing air flow into the attic to push the overheated air back out into the atmosphere and in effect lower the temperature of your roof.

Poor & Improper Attic & Roof Ventilation Problems

• Mildew: If your roof does not have adequate ventilation, moisture can build in the attic and become water vapor which can settle into attic insulation allowing the growth of mildew. Mildew can reduce the effectiveness of the insulation and cause damage to the surrounding areas.
• Stress to the cooling unit: The increased temperature in the attic caused by inefficient roofing ventilation will cause the temperatures inside the house to increase placing additional and unnecessary stress on your air-conditioning unit.
• Roof failure: The intense temperatures that your roof may be experiencing can place a great deal of stress on all types of roofing materials increasing the chance that your roof will need to replaced much sooner than it should be.

Roof Intake & Exhaust Vents

1. The intake vent: In most cases a vent will be installed in the soffits or eaves of your roof. During the summer months, fresh air will enter though these intake vents. Even if the air outside is hot it is still much cooler than the temperature of your attic. For example on a day with 90 degree outside temperatures, the temperature in your attic can reach over 150 degrees!
2. The Exhaust Vent: The heated air is circulated and expelled from the attic and away from your roof by a series of exhaust vents that are installed on top of your roof. To make sure that your roofing ventilation system is working efficiently consideration is given to the number of intake and exhaust vents that will be needed for the size of your home to adequately keep the temperature inside your attic consistent with the outside airflow.

Types of Exhaust Vents; Ridge, Shingle-Over Ridge, Static, Gable-End, Turbine & Powered Vents

There are a wide variety of exhaust vents available including ridge vents, shingle-over ridge vents, static vents, gable-end vents, turbine vents and powered vents. Your Nickerson Roofing professional will advise you on the best exhaust vent for your Truckee California home.
Ridge Vents: A ridge vent, just like the name implies is installed along the length of a ridge. They are available in shingle-over or non-shingle over varieties. Shingle-over varieties are covered with shingles to prevent rain and moisture from entering your home.
Static Vents: A static exhaust vent is an individual vent system that is typically installed near the ridge of a roof.
Gable-End Vents: Gable-end vents are installed in the wall at the gable end of a home and work best with intake vents that are installed in soffits or eaves. The overall design works to allow for air intake at the soffits and exhaust at the gable-end vents.
Turbine Vents: A turbine vent relies on the wind to rotate the fans within the vent. The vent allows air to be drawn out from the ventilated space much faster than a static vent however the amount of air relies on wind movement and turbine size.
Powered Vents: A powered roof vent is a roof mounted exhaust fan that is designed to remove air from a ventilated space. A powered vent can improve air movement and ideally it should be mounted near the ridge with intake vents that are located at the soffits or eaves.

Ventilation & Roofing Services in Truckee, Mystic, Floriston, Olympic Valley, Alpine Meadows, Tahoe City, Dollar Point, Ridgewood, Carnelian Bay, Kings Beach, Eder, Norden, Soda Springs & The North Lake Tahoe Basin of California

For information about roof ventilation and roofing repairs, maintenance, replacement and installation in the North Lake Tahoe Basin of California, contact the knowledgeable professionals at Nickerson Roofing today.