The Importance of Proper Ventilation for Residential Metal and Steel Roofing in Alaska

Residential metal and steel roofing in Alaska serves as a line of defense against inclement weather, so making sure that your roof is in good condition year-round is imperative. Having proper ventilation and airflow is one form of protection that could extend not only the life of your roof, but the insulation and wood structure of your home as well.

The potential damage

If you have an attic, creating airflow is a necessity for several reasons. The conditioned air that you use to heat your home rises, and typically settles in your attic area. Your attic will also be exposed to the cold temperatures from outside, which means that your attic is in the middle serving as a buffer for both temperature fronts. When the moist heat from below meets with the cooler temperatures on the roof’s inner surfaces, condensation begins to set in.

All of the moisture and dampness that is caused when this condensation sets in can wreak havoc on both your roof and your insulation. This condensation and excess moisture could also freeze and turn to frost when the temperatures drop. When the sun begins to thaw out the massive amounts of snow and ice on your roof, that water can work its way down through your roof, depreciating your insulation on the way and creating gaps and other areas of weakness. Additionally, any wood structures that are affected by this excess moisture could begin to swell or even rot and fall apart, and it will only be a matter of time before mold and mildew take over. It could get so bad that you might be forced to replace your roof altogether.

Venting options

How can you make sure that your attic is getting enough airflow to help you avoid these major issues? One of the best ways to create constant airflow is to have a system that incorporates both infiltration and exfiltration. As warm air rises from your home, it causes the pressure in the upper part of the attic to increase, while the pressure in the lower part near the attic’s floor decreases. To stimulate this rising air to flow consistently, an area for the intake of cooler air needs to be created. This is usually done at the eaves of the roof, because this is a location that is low enough to prevent rain and snow from coming directly in, while still being able to take in enough air to promote airflow.

Once this air starts to come in, a location must be determined to expel the moisture that is gathering in the attic, which is generally somewhere near the roof’s highest point, on the gable or ridge. This mixing of high and low pressure is one of the most effective ways to create the airflow necessary to rid your attic of excess moisture so that all of the components of your insulation and roof remain protected.

To learn more about some of the other ventilation options and find which one will work best for your home, contact the team at Superior Products Inc. Providing quality residential metal and steel roofing in Alaska since 1984, we have experience you can trust to make sure that your family remains protected from the threats outside.

Categorised in: Steel Roofing

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