Excess moisture is a real problem that can cause a lot of damage to your home ad if not addressed can be devastating, ending up costing you a lot of money as a consequence. Excess moisture not only increases the risk of needing to deal with mold and rot, but can seriously affect the structure of the house which can make it unstable if left untreated over a long period of time.
When you suspect there is problems with the ventilation of your home, it’s therefore important that you call roof vent installation contractors near you to come and help you deal with the situation and get a solution made.
Moisture affects the wooden parts of your home and excess moisture sure not be taken lightly. The deterioration of the wood will require you to get a carpenter to come out and fix the damage.
In case you are not aware, moisture is one of the problems homeowners around the world should manage to keep their house in good quality for many years. Moisture buildup can affect the quality of the structure or various parts of the house including the furniture or items inside it. Besides helping in ensuring there is no moisture buildup, it also helps in protecting the life of your existing roof that can also get damaged from too much moisture.
While you may not think that roof vents serve a purpose in the winter as you may be expecting that they’re pulling out heat, covering it up is not something you should do as it not only keeps excess moisture from staying in the attic, it also helps keep the insulation dry which is more important, thereby making it function more efficiently.
Even though you want to make sure you have the right amount of ventilation, you also don’t want to be in a situation where you have too much ventilation either and roof vent installers can help determine your ventilation needs, as well as getting them installed properly thereby ensuring that you won’t have water leaking into your attic when it rains.
Types of Roof Venets
There are different types of roof vents you may want to consider that we’ll be walking you through, making sure the adequate amount of ventilation in your home.
Whirlybirds or Wind Turbines
On a windy day you will see these moving because the wind is helping them do so. They’re not driven by electricity and on a windy day, you will see them spinning significantly. Some people also believe they look like a chef’s hat, and they come in different qualities that make the spinning mechanism either better or worse. If you get a cheaper model, you may also end up having to endure the sound they make and it can therefore be a worthy investment to make sure that you buy a good one.
These types of vents are especially effective at drawing up hot air from the attic on days when it’s windy.
Box or Low Profile Vents
They have different names but are called everything from box vents to turtle vents, flat vent or Louvers. As opposed to wind turbines, you won’t see these spinning on windy days. Rising hot air moisture will escape through the hole that was cut in the roof for the purpose. They’re made in different materials that include hard plastic and metal, as well as coming in different colors. Since they’re statically allowing hot air to escape through them, they’re more effective when installed where the hot air goes – to the top, or towards the roof ridge. As per their static design, you may be required to have numerous of these installed to make sure the moisture problem is dealt with.
Power Vents
These are also called PAVs, which stands for Power Attic Vents. Equipped with motors, these will get all the moisture out of your attic using fans. Besides having the option to get these in numerous different colors, you can also get them where they’re more or less advanced, since some of them come with thermostats or humidistat that power the fan. When it becomes either too humid or too warm, they will cause the power vents to start working.
Since they’re electrical, they obviously need the power to come from somewhere, which can either be your home’s electrical system or using solar panels. They don’t make too much noise when they’re working, but you’re also at risk of them not working without you knowing, which could obviously cause problems.
Ridge Vents
They’re static systems, preferably used on the whole roof’s ridge, thereby spreading out the ventilation, which ensures better and more consistent aging of your roof, which won’t the same way be the case with systems that draw out excess heat on one point of the roof.
Some roofers choose not to install them across the entire roof ridge, and visually this may cause the roof to not look its best. The advantage of this instead of a wind turbine is that it will keep consistently releasing hot air and moisture independently of the outside weather.
Cupolas
They look a lot like a dome, being a very noticeable addition to a home. They’re made for their decorative appeal and they also work statically. Being static as well as focused on a specific point of the roof, they aren’t very effective and will usually need to not be the only source of ventilation. You choose to get one of these because they visually look nice, not because they will be effective at getting rid of moisture.
Off Ridge Vents
They work a lot like box vents in that they are static and integrated with a hole that was cut in the roof close to the ridge to increase their efficiency. In function they’re like box vents, but rather than being a small square, they’re long and thin instead, thereby also spreading out the ventilation also. Except for the ridge vents, this type also requires several systems to be installed to ensure that moisture buildup is not an issue.
Soffit Vents
They’re typically made of PVC or aluminum and can help increase airflow, and thereby lowering the moisture buildup. To make them more effective, they’re often used in combination with a ridge vent because of where they’re installed.
Getting the Vent Installed Professionally
To get any of these installed requires creating a hole in the roof, which obviously can cause a lot of problems if done incorrectly, and if not done by a professional may cause roof leaks and all the problems that follow along with it. While you may be seeing it as a cost, see it as an investment in making your home function more efficiently, and getting local roof vent installation companies to help you out is simply to make your home more efficient.
It is a task that requires a lot of training and experience to get done properly, and without the necessary tools, there’s simply the risk that it’s either done inefficiently or straight out improperly which makes you vulnerable when it comes to other issues. Ensuring good ventilation is not just a matter of doing a good job with the installation but also making sure that there’s an adequate amount ventilation, meaning finding out just how many vents you need to have installed and where.
Reasons to Not Try and Do this DIY
There are several different reasons why you should not try and do this project yourself. We have already gone over some things throughout this article, but there are more options.
- Choosing good roof vent installation services ensures that you’re only using high quality materials, thereby ensuring that there are no problems, and only minimal requirement for maintenance or inspections to avoid leaks.
A pro will know which option works best with the type of roof that you have and how to best install it for maximum efficiency.
- The purpose of the roof is an important one and you will want to make sure that everything is done in a timely manner, but still done correctly and keeping in mind the limitations of the roofing material that your home uses.
- While it’s great to get a vent installed if you have an inadequate amount of ventilation, the pro may also help with spotting other problems that may be present with gutters or other aspects of the home and help fix those too. Some may even help ensure that there are no problems with the siding.
Most roofing contractors don’t simply do vents as they want to be able with helping you with different aspects too, and by getting a pro to help you, you may be able to simply use one pro instead of having to spend a lot of time yourself researching each different problem.
- While you may have to pay some money to help them get the work done, it’s an efficient solution since you’re paying for the overall protection of your home. Roof vents are like other parts of the home – if not properly installed, they don’t serve their proper function.
- Working on the roof is also an activity that carries a certain amount of risk which is why you will want it to be done by a pro. Not only is there the risk of falling from the roof, but also the risk of a poor installation.
Getting Free Estimates and Quotes From Pros
We hope that this article has not just given you a better understanding of your best options, but also why it’s so important to get it done correctly. To help you better protect your home, we have made it easy for you to get quotes from the most relevant roof vent installation specialists simply by filling out the form at the top of the page.
You won’t be paying anything for it, and there’s no obligation either if you choose not to use the services of one the companies.