subject: Ventilating Your Attic [print this page] Attics can be fascinating places dark, dusty and full of family secrets. But there are two things they shouldnt be full of: heat and moisture. Excess heat and moisture are ventilation-related issues that need to be addressed immediately, or you could find yourself in serious trouble. If you have an improperly ventilated attic, you may be dealing not just with excess moisture in your attic but also with trapped heat and a whole host of temperature-related problems.
Improper attic ventilation can cause severe damage by raising or lowering the temperature of your attic and destroying stored items, as well as damaging roof system components and increasing your overall energy costs. (And you definitely didnt need that extra $100 on your utility bill.) If you have a poorly ventilated attic, you could be creating huge, expensive problems for yourself not just now, but down the road. Whats your ventilation system like? If you suspect you may have attic ventilation problems, youd probably be wise to call a team of licensed residential roofing, Rochester NY specialists who can examine your attic and provide the proper ventilation before its too late.
Some of the causes of condensation include appliances like washing machines, bathtubs and dishwashers that are not properly ventilated through the roof. Condensation from the appliances evaporates to your attic, stays there and causes a wide variety of health and safety problems. Here are a few of the most common issues caused by a poorly ventilated attic. Think carefully about your house are you experiencing any of these troubles? If so, you may want to consider some professional assistance.
Slumps between attic rafters. Rafter slumping (deck deflection) is usually caused by the condensation from poor ventilation. When one side of plywood roof decking is not exposed to circulating air, the plywood deteriorates, warps and becomes spongy and unsafe so that the next time you or your repairman need to walk on the roof for any reason, you might fall through. (Hardly a pleasant prospect.)Taking care of your ventilation problems now will save you a host of repair dollars (and possibly a few hospital bills) in the future.
Rusting. Trapped water vapor condenses on anything metal in your attic, eventually creating rust. While this can be annoying or expensive on stored items that include metal, it can be downright dangerous when vital metal parts of your houses infrastructure start to corrode. Nails may rust away, and metal plumbing or HVAC ducting straps may rot, causing plumbing pipes to crash through the ceiling. You definitely dont want this happening the next time you have houseguests.
Insulation deterioration. Moisture gets trapped in your insulation and reduces the insulations R-value, inviting mold, fungi and spores to take up residence in your home. Unless you thrive on breathing poisonous mold spores, your health may eventually depend on getting your ventilation problems fixed.
Save your house, your health and possibly your life get your attic properly ventilated today. When youre looking for quality residential roofing, Rochester, NY specialists like NHSI can come to your rescue and provide the ventilation help you need most.
