Roof vents and attic ventilation terminology often sounds like a strange foreign language to most people. If you look around at homes in the Portland area on your next scenic drive through town or on your leisurely walk through your Portland neighborhood, take moment to notice all of the shiny metal parts of a home’s roof. Look at any average home in the Portland area you will likely see a wide array of venting sticking out and attached to nearly every roof. While the names of the vents are simple and commonplace to any qualified Portland roofer, you, the homeowner might be unfamiliar with terms such as soffit vents, gable vents, ridge vents, static vents, dormer vents, pop up vents, and whirlybird vents.
It is safe to say that a whirlybird vent does not harm animals in anyway, nor does it spin a cute little birdie in circles. What a whirlybird vent, as well as the roof and attic vents mentioned above will do is protect your Portland home from unwanted moisture. Correctly positioned and installed, roof and attic vents keep a home breathing properly. By way of comparison, a Portland resident requires fresh Oregon air that comes in through the nose, passes into the lungs, and then with a healthy exhalation, that air circulates by taking used air out through the mouth before the cycle repeats indefinitely. This cycle is very much what must occur in a healthy and properly functioning roof system in Portland. When a home’s attic and roof cannot properly breathe, condensation can be trapped within the attic’s insulation, walls, and ceiling, which can lead to a destructive pattern of mold growth, rotting wood, and allow mildew to form. Just as a person’s lungs would experience fatigue or failure if healthy breathing were restricted, a Portland roof and attic will quickly break down and become damaged if it does not have a proper ventilation system.
The Basics Of Roof Vents And Attic Ventilation:
Given the fact that during the summer months we want the hot air out of our homes, and then in the winter we want the cold air outside rather then in the living room or bedroom, there must be a system in place to achieve this balance of airflow. While most Portland residents may know a little about basic insulation, ventilation seems even more mysterious. Simply put, the ventilation system that makes up an attic space and part of a properly function Portland roof creates balance between the inside air and the air outside. This is vital because of unwanted condensation build-up inside of an attic. The inside of a home sheds moist air from interior lights, bathroom fans, and attic hatches into the attic space, where a Portland home’s insulation can be found. Even basic everyday tasks such as cooking, taking a shower, or running the washing machine sends moist air through the walls into the attic space. When insulation has a build-up of moist air, it quickly begins to lose its insulating properties, therefore costing more money to heat and cool a Portland home.
If moist air continues to be trapped within an attic space, mildew can begin to form and can then lead to destructive mold growth, followed by wood rot. By circulating the moist attic air and bringing in fresh air, a home can breathe and remain healthy and free of damaging mildew and mold. As long as a home’s attic has a good flow of intake air and outtake air, the venting system is working correctly. A qualified Portland roofer will be able to assess a home’s ventilation system and the effectiveness of its roof vents. The exact amount and spacing of vents, as well as the proper amount of attic ventilation must be determined by local Portland building codes. A reputable Portland roofing contractor will be well versed in these building codes and will be able to explain to a homeowner if their home is in compliance, as well as if the ventilation system is doing its job.
Common Types Of Roof Vents:
• Soffit Vents — Soffit vents are intake vents that are usually screened and located underneath the roof’s eaves. These vents bring fresh air in an attic from the lowest sections of an attic.
• Ridge Vents — The upper ridge of a roof may contain a cutout section along the peak where this screened vent will be installed to allow proper airflow. Ridge vents are a favorite of roofing contractors as they prove to work well and are a very cost-effective ventilation option.
• Dormer Vents — These low-profile vents will help to remove warm attic air and moisture. Dormer vents protect an attic from strong gusting winds, as well as keep snowfall from entering an attic.
• Pop-Up Vents — These are known as passive vents and will allow fresh air to flow into an attic. Pop-up vents will also protect from heavy winds and come in a large variety of widths and lengths.
• Turbine Vents — Also know as a whirlybird vent, this exhaust vent draws moist air out of an attic by using the wind or a slight breeze to rotate its upper fan-like section.
• Circular Vents — These are passive intake vents that are installed in a roof’s soffit. They can range from 1 inch to 8 inches.
• Gable Vents — This vent is the shape of a triangle and installed just under the peak of the roof in the gable wall. A gable vent is generally not a useful tool in venting a roof, as it does not draw very much air.
• Fan-Driven Vents — These are motorized vents, which require electricity to run and can be very effective in removing unwanted warm and moist air from an attic. It is important to note, however, that the cost to power fan-driven vents may not be worth the energy expended.
A qualified, licensed Portland roofing contractor can further explain each of these roof vents, as well as provide helpful information on the most effective ventilation system for your home or commercial building.