One of the most important components of any roofing system is proper ventilation. It’s the key to a healthy roof that will provide years of reliable service. Colonial Remodeling LLC’s northern Virginia roofing experts can design a ventilation plan for your new roof that will give you maximum value and performance, while also helping to avoid dangerous ice dams.
Everybody can see the outside of a roof – the shingles, gutters and flashing that protect your home from the weather. But don’t forget that every roof has two sides! The underside of your roof play an important role as well, and must be cared for as carefully as the outside surface area.
An attic that is hot, humid and musty can cause the underside of the roof decking, which is usually construction grade plywood, to rot, soften, or grow mold and mildew. That’s why it is so important that your attic be properly ventilated to keep the air fresh and flowing.
Because of our damp mid-Atlantic climate, we generally recommend a full-length ridge vent, soffits, gable vents, and circulating fans when roofing Maryland and Virginia homes. Properly sized and installed, this combination can serve to preserve the structural integrity of your roof deck and extend its useful service life by many years.
Another problem caused by an improperly ventilated attic is ice dams. When snow or ice builds up on your roof, an attic that is too warm due to limited insulation and ventilation can heat the roof deck and melt the bottom layer of snow, turning it into water. This melted snow then flows down the roof to the gutters, where it once again encounters frigid air and refreezes. This causes a buildup of ice – and “ice dam” – in your gutters, which can backup additional melting snow so that it works its way under your shingles and into your home.
Good ventilation, along with proper insulation, can keep the attic temperature in better balance with the outdoor conditions, helping to prevent the melting and refreezing of the snow on your roof and eliminating the threat of ice dams.
Complete our convenient online quote request to get a FREE analysis and in-home consultation on roofing in Maryland or Virginia. Colonial Remodeling LLC is “Today’s Remodeling Company” for northern Virginia roofing services, new windows and doors, porches and porticos, vinyl siding, or James Hardie fiber cement siding.