Your Attic & Your Roof

Decreasing the amount of heat entering the attic, by way of appropriate attic insulation, is another way to solve the problem of ice dams in the winter. Enough insulation in the attic also keeps your home cooler in the summer, keeping the sun’s heat on the roof from entering the house.

There are a number of ways for your attic to exhale. Pot vents are very common exhaust device. These are made to go near the peak, but we see many mounted down-roof, which creates problems.

Your attic needs a way to get fresh air in and the hot, moist air out. This is true in both summer and winter. Ideally, attic inhalation involves fresh air enters at the eaves, sweeps up the roof line, carrying the heat and moisture with it, and exits at the peak. Soffit vents are a solution.

Proper ventilation flushes excess heat and attic moisture once it’s in the attic. But another part of the picture is finding out how much heat and humidity are entering the attic in the first place.

Understanding of good attic ventilation has changed radically in the last 40 years. In our experience roofing in the Grand Rapids area, the majority of houses do not breathe as well as they should.

The best thing you can do when choosing a contractor is get informed. Finding a contractor you can trust means you get the job done right the first time and avoid costly repairs later.