Does your home have proper roof ventilation? The right ventilation can result in lower electric bills and longer-lasting shingles. Plus, it can save you money in other ways, too.

A Case Study: Our Neighbors

This summer, some of the homeowners in our neighborhood asked us to inspect their houses. No matter how low they set their thermostats, they couldn’t get their second-story rooms cool. Sure enough, we discovered that their roofs had inadequate ventilation. 

We added the proper ventilation, and we recently received this testimonial from Ashley Corbett:

”Just a shout out to Brian Land and Land Roofing. We had them out and they put turbines on the roof. It has made a huge difference in the cooling of the upstairs. It has always been so hot in the past up there we would have to use a portable AC unit. This year we haven’t even turned it on. HUGE difference. Thank you so much.”

The Many Benefits of Ventilation

Proper ventilation goes beyond helping your home stay cool. It can boost energy efficiency, lower electric bills, and increase the lifespan of shingles. In the winter, ventilation is important, too. It allows warm, moist air to escape, which reduces your chances of getting mold and prevents ice dams from forming in your gutters.

Not All Ventilation Is Created Equal

Some types of roof ventilation that seem like they might be a good idea really aren’t. We don’t recommend ridge vents or power vents for a couple of reasons.

Ridge vents: In areas like Oklahoma where we get wind-driven rain, a storm can blow rain sideways into the ridge vents and cause major leaks in the roof.

Power vents: The power vent, electric or solar, is marketed as being able to keep your attic up to 30 degrees cooler. Allison Bailes at Energy Vanguard outlines the problems with power vents: unless you have a perfectly airtight attic—and virtually no house does—the power vents pull air conditioned air from the house into the attic. This, of course, makes the roof cooler, but only because you’re paying to air condition your attic!

Check Your Roof Ventilation

Making sure your house is properly ventilated can help you be more energy efficient and extend the life of your shingles and roof. Like us, many roofers offer free inspections. Call your trusted roofer to see how well ventilated your roof is.