Problems Created By Poor Attic Ventilation
Most people know that poor attic ventilation interferes with their house's energy efficiency. That may be true, but it isn't the only problem you may face if you don't insulate your attic properly. Here are some of the damages poor attic ventilation may cause:
Accelerated Roof Deterioration
There is no doubt whatsoever that having a poorly ventilated roof will affect the lifespan of your roof. This occurs in several ways; for example:
- Poor ventilation will cause the roof to experience excessive heat that will accelerate its deterioration
- Poor ventilation can lead to excess moisture and condensation problems in the attic, which can corrode the metallic parts of the roof and rot the wooden parts of the roof
Ice Dam Formation
An ice dam forms on the roof if a section of the roof receives more heat than other sections. This causes the snow above the heated section to melt. The water from the melting snow will run off and refreeze on cooler parts of the roof, forming a dam to trap the water behind it. This is what will happen if your attic is poorly ventilated; the heat generated in your house will melt snow on the roof, which will run down the roof and refreeze on the edges of the roof that aren't getting heated form within the house. Ice dams can encourage roof leaks and even lead to formation of icicles, which may break off the roof and cause severe injuries to members of your household.
Roof Leaks
A poorly ventilated roof is a recipe for disaster as far as roof leaks are concerned. As has already been discussed, poor ventilation can easily lead to ice dam formation, rusting of roof materials, and rotting of roof materials. It's even worse if you have a skylight above the attic; the condensation from poor ventilation can accelerate the deterioration of the seal around the skylight, leading to leaks.
Mold Growth
As you may have noticed, one of the biggest problems with poor ventilation is that it leads to moisture and condensation problems. Unfortunately, moisture encourages mold growth. If your attic is poorly ventilated, you may end up with mold in different parts of the attic, mold that may find its way into the air you breathe (for example, via damaged air ducts) and cause your household respiratory health problems.
Hopefully, you will deal with poor ventilation before it creates a full-blown problem. Don't worry if poor ventilation has already caused damage in your house; consult a contractor from companies like Queston Construction Inc to increase the insulation and prevent further damage.
