A roof ventilation system is essential to ensure the longevity of a buildings physical structure. Without such a system in place, trapped moisture and heat can cause spiralling energy costs, damage roof components, and cause harm to personal belongings that are stored in the attic. It may even occur that condensation builds up to such a degree that is it mistaken for a leaky roof.

If the problem of poor roof ventilation is not addressed it may lead to deck deflection and warping with the result that the whole attic area would then be dangerous to enter. Understand that your attic and roof trusses need to be exposed adequately to circulating air for it to remain in the best condition. Problems like dry rot can develop which would be extremely costly to fix.

If there is an excess of water vapor in the attic this will condense on metal surfaces leading over time to rust. This in turn can create plumbing problems as metal pipes and straps can deteriorate rapidly and then break away and damage the roofing joists. In colder parts of the world there can be a build up of ice in the attic which will crack and damage important physical components of the structure. It may also cause water pipes to burst with a resulting nightmarish scenario.

You should never overlook the problem of a build up of mold and mildew in a poorly ventilated roofing space. This may impact severely on the health of the inhabitants of the building as respiratory illnesses would occur more frequently.

Today there are a wide range of attic vents that you could consider installing. You should have both an intake and exhaust vent to ensure proper circulation of air. The intake vent would need to be placed on the roof eaves whereas the exhaust vent should be positioned on the roof’s ridge line or nearest to.