How Attic Ventilation Can Lower Your Energy Bills

There are many elements of your home that can affect its energy efficiency including your roof, windows, insulation, and more, but one thing most homeowners don’t think about is attic ventilation. Attic ventilation consists of an intake and an exhaust in order to keep air constantly flowing through. Here’s how proper ventilation can help:

The Cooling Effect

Heat rises, and your attic is at the very top of your home, so naturally, it’s going to be the hottest area during the summertime. If your attic doesn’t have proper ventilation, the heat will have nowhere to escape and instead, will stay trapped in the attic. This trapped heat will not only make the attic hotter, but it will also make the rest of your home hotter. This is where ventilation comes in.

When your attic is well-ventilated, the heat that rises up to it is allowed to escape through vents in order to cool down your attic. As a result, the rest of your home will stay cooler as well. Once winter hits, the vents allow cold outside air to infiltrate the attic and while you may not think a cold attic in the winter is a good thing, it actually is. The colder your attic stays, the slower the snow on your roof will melt. If your snow melts quickly, it could cause problems like ice dams in your gutters.

Lower Energy Bills

In a home that’s too hot during the summertime, you’ll likely turn up your air conditioning and therefore, use more energy. But when your home stays cool during the summer and warm during the winter, you won’t have to rely on your AC or your heat as much and you’ll be able to save money on your energy bills each month.

Moisture Prevention

Another benefit of proper attic ventilation is that it prevents mold and mildew from forming. Since it can reach up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit during peak summer temperatures, your attic is easily susceptible to moisture; and moisture leads to mold and mildew. Once mold and mildew penetrate the walls and structure of your attic, it’s tough to get rid of and can even cause health issues for you and your family.

If your attic isn’t properly ventilated, you could not only be wasting energy, you could be affected by other problems like moisture and water damage in the future. Give our roofing PA experts a call today and we’ll assess your ventilation situation.