Saturday, November 21, 2015

About Roof Closure Vent Advantages

By Brenda Warner


It's surprising how things can be all around you and you may never know. Take a roof closure vent, for example. You may or may not have one, or know what one is, even. However, this nifty little gadget or system may be protecting you from all sorts of things - like a voided home warranty, or condensation problems where you can't see them, or birds getting into your attic.

Those of us who have no idea what this ventilation device does or why we would want one should understand a few basics. A roof is designed to withstand extremes of weather and temperature. People have traditionally used dark materials in cold regions (to attract and hold heat from the sun) and light-colored ones in hot ones, to send the sun's heat back up. This handles temperatures, but there are other considerations.

As air from inside the house rises, it carries moisture with it. The warmer the air, the more moisture it can hold. The air gets trapped beneath the cool roofing where the moisture can condense, causing rot, mold, and corrosion. By venting the space underneath the roof, this moist air can be drawn out and replaced by fresh, drier air from outside.

A vent is a device to let air in or out. Air can move into vents lower on the roof - like 'soffit' vents under the eaves - and out higher vents along the ridge. This air exchange is activated by wind flowing over the structure, which pulls the air out along with heat and moisture. Venting is a simple process in a ranch-type house but gets more complicated in homes with many gables and additions.

A well-designed venting system also keeps out things like bugs, birds, and animals. Bees, sparrows, squirrels, and bats can be a real nuisance is allowed to get into attic spaces. Screens or baffles keep them out, as well as damaging rain and snow.

Check out online sites that offer vents. There's a lot of information on the are importance and function of different types. Installation is easy, using adhesive strips on the units themselves. The vent may carry a warranty that last as long as the roof. There are one piece and two-piece units, or vents that are as long as the ridge itself.

Some people say that venting is not necessary or even counter-productive. Apparently many roofing manufacturers see value in the practice, though; not venting your roof can void the warranty. Venting is easiest during construction, although individual units can be installed at any time. Care must be taken that intake and outflow are balanced. If not enough air can be drawn in from outside, air will be pulled from the interior of the home. This increases energy costs.

So the main idea is simple. Get hot, wet air out and let cooler, dryer air in on a continuous basis. At the same time, keep creepy crawlies, flying things, and rain or snow out without interfering with the desired air flow. Fortunately for homeowners, there are products on the market designed to do both with maximum efficiency.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment