Give roofs room to breathe

By The Coffee Shops® 

Managing heat and moisture while protecting the roofing system. 

Roof ventilation can be easy to overlook, but it plays an important role in roof performance and longevity. Without balanced intake and exhaust ventilation, heat and moisture can become trapped in the attic, contributing to premature roof deterioration, damaged decking, mold and mildew growth, higher energy costs and ice dams in colder climates.  

Marco Industries makes attic ventilation solutions that facilitate airflow to prevent these issues. Proper airflow serves two primary functions: lowering attic temperatures and removing excess moisture. Reducing attic heat can help lower air-conditioning energy costs, decrease roof deck temperatures, optimize the service life of the roof covering and minimize ice damming. Removing moisture can reduce the possibility of mold, mildew and wood rot. 

For shingle roofs, inadequate ventilation can lead to granule loss, blistering, curling, brittleness, premature dry-out, cracking and fracturing. Excess moisture can cause the roof deck to swell, creating waviness or buckling in the deck and shingles. Over time, water can damage the deck’s ability to carry weight and hold nails. Condensation may also drip onto insulation, reducing its effectiveness and potentially reaching the ceiling below. 

Balanced ventilation is also part of preventing ice dams. In cold, snowy climates, these barriers can form when snow melts over warmer roof areas. Adequate attic ventilation, proper insulation and effective sealing between the attic and conditioned spaces below can help address the conditions that contribute to their formation. 

The important role played by attic ventilation makes it crucial that contractors are precise in their calculations for how much ventilation is necessary. Ventilation design depends on Net Free Area (NFA), the unobstructed area through which air enters or exits a non-powered vent and must be carefully calculated to ensure appropriate ventilation. Doing this by hand leaves significant room for error. To ensure that contractors get the most accurate data, Marco Industries offers a free ventilation calculator to help contractors determine the intake and exhaust NFA needed based on attic floor space. 

Learn more about proper attic ventilation, and try their free ventilation calculator today!