If you own a home, chances are you have some type of ventilation for your attic. So why exactly is it important to have ventilation?
Well, let’s take a step back and refresh our memory for just a minute. At one point in our lives, we all learned the fact that heat rises. This same fact applies to our homes as well. You may be surprised that the attic is not just for storing Christmas decorations or other random things. The attic itself has two essential jobs. The first job is to support the roof and the second is to allow heat in or out of the house depending on the seasons. Heat is full of moisture and to dry out the condensation proper air flow must be present. This is why our attics have a ventilation system. If your ventilation system is failing or one is not present, the build-up of moisture over time can cause some severe damage to your home.
There are two common types of ventilation systems available in the construction industry. It is essential to learn about the kind of roof you have before deciding on the proper ventilation system to have installed in your home.
1. A continuous soffit vent– If you discover that your roof has narrow eaves and the soffit joist is less than 16 inches across, this is the correct vent for you. This style of ventilation allows more airflow into the area. If you were to apply too large of a vent in this area, it could cause damage to not only eaves but the roof as well.
2. Soffit Panel– If you notice that you have a smaller attic space but a wider eave, this is the best choice for you. Since the attic area is smaller, you do not need near as much ventilation.
If you are in the market for a new roof or curious on whether your soffits are correct for your house, call the team at Hatch Homes. Be sure to ask a member of our team about the soffit materials that we carry here at Hatch Homes.