Attic Performance
Recent years have seen many tragic stories of homes destroyed by mold and rot. And many other homes, though not destroyed, have unhealthy living conditions causing serious allergies and health issues for the occupants. The root cause of these problems usually stems back to an excessive collection of moisture in the home’s attic. We have made homes so airtight that the moisture we create from bathing, cooking, and doing laundry which used to go out through our walls, windows, and doors, now migrates into the attic. Once in the attic, it can collect in the insulation, dramatically decreasing its efficiency. But worse yet, it gathers on cool surfaces such as the underside of the roof deck where it condenses. That condensation leads to mildew, mold, and rot.
When you re-roof your home, make sure that the contractor inspects your attic and evaluates its health. A nice feature of most metal roofs is the ease with which they can be vented to increase attic health and even reduce summer energy costs by reducing attic temperatures.
Here’s a quick video on the importance of attic ventilation for most homes: