Everything Homeowners Need to Know About Roof Ventilation

Proper roof and attic ventilation can improve your home’s energy efficiency, protect your roof from damage and save you money on roof repair bills. Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about this topic. In today’s article, Quality Assurance Roofing, the leading roofer in our local area, explains what every homeowner needs to know about roofs and attic ventilation.

Roof Ventilation Myths

Some people believe that the more roof vents they use, the better. This isn’t true because a house needs precisely the right amount of attic ventilation. Too much or too little ventilation can both cause problems. Another myth is that roof vents remove warm air in winter. This isn’t true because the attic shouldn’t be warm in the first place during winter. Lastly, some people might think that roof ventilation is unimportant. Numerous studies have shown that roof vents are effective.

Roof Ventilation Benefits

Proper roofing ventilation can help moderate the temperatures in the attic and help prevent moisture buildup. This is particularly important during winter because moisture buildup can affect the insulation in your attic. Roofing ventilation can also improve your home’s energy efficiency because it prevents excess heat from being concentrated in your attic.

The Number of Roof Vents a Home Needs

The rule of thumb is that a roof needs one vent for every 300 square feet of attic area if the attic has a vapor barrier and one vent for every 150 square feet of attic area if the attic doesn’t have a vapor barrier. Roof vents are rated by their net free area or NFA. This rating is the amount of space the vent has for air to flow in and out the attic. The total NFA of the roof vents in your attic should be split 50/50 between air flowing in and air flowing out. These rule of thumbs can change depending on the roof.

Quality Assurance Roofing is the number one roof repair, replacement and maintenance company in our local area because of our excellent certifications, many years of experience and wide range of first-class products. We are proud of our workmanship and our attention to detail. We use only the best shingles from GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed and we hand-nail all of our roofs. We serve many areas including Rogers, AR. Call us at (479) 279-8500 if you are in Rogers, AR, or at (417) 799-7889 if you are at Branson West, MO, to learn more about our services and products. You can also get a free quote.