Has your home been a little on the chilly side lately, despite a perfectly healthy thermostat? Or perhaps it’s a sauna upstairs, but descending to the basement feels like making a trip to the arctic! So what gives? Why on Earth are your home’s temperatures so, well, temperamental?
While it very well could have something to do with your HVAC system, it also very well could have something to do with your roof. Yes, your roof! Below, Perfect Exteriors, your Monticello exterior contractors, has all the details on how your roof affects your home’s ability to regulate its temperature.
Roof Ventilation Basics
It may shock you to learn, but most roofs actually aren’t solid! They’re made with strategically placed vents that allow for ventilation. This ventilation isn’t the same as, say, an air leak in your windows; it’s beneficial! It lets moisture that’s generated in your home below rise up and leave through your attic, instead of condensing there and causing mold issues.
To counteract the potential energy-draining effects such ventilation will have, many homes also are made with smartly placed insulation. Together, these two aspects form your roof’s air regulation systems, keeping the home below warm while also allowing air to escape.
When Ventilation Goes Awry
So back to our original inquiry: why is my home uncomfortable? Knowing what we know now, if the problem is roof-related, it probably falls into one of two categories:
Too Much Ventilation or Too Little Insulation
If your previous provider of residential roofing services went a little ham with the vents, chances are you’re going to have problems adequately heating or cooling your home. Because air has too many places to escape from your attic or is easily allowed to flow up there, your A/C or heating will struggle to compensate, leaving your home short of a perfectly comfortable temperature.
Too little insulation can also be responsible for uneven heating in multi-level homes, as it can allow the heat of the sun to penetrate your upper floor.
Too Little Ventilation or Too Much Insulation
Insulation is great—until it covers your roof vents and stops your attic from breathing! When an attic that needs to ventilate itself can’t, room-temperature air gets trapped in your roof, which can create ice dams and mold, if moisture is also trapped.
For Balanced Residential Roofing Services, Contact Perfect Exteriors Today
Our Monticello team of roofers and home exterior contractors is here to get your roofing insulation and ventilation singing in harmony. Give us a call today at 763-271-8700.
