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Saturday, December 22, 2012

Attic Ventilation Isn't for Heat Anymore

We don't ventilate roofs to remove the heat in the summer. We did in past but not anymore. A lot of old-timers like me remember when Dallas Power and Light sent out notices informing people not to cover their turbines in the winter. Yet people did and still do. Here in the Dallas Fort Worth area of North Texas the temperatures have always soared. Global Warming started right here in Irving.
 
Before the advent of energy efficient windows and housewrap like Tyvek or Raindrop homes were leaky. Energy escaped but so did the humidity. When you tighten up the house the humidity stays too. When you wake up in the morning and are thirsty that pound or two you lost overnight is on a journey upward and into your attic.

Usually we determine the ventilation requirements by the size of your attic using the 300, or in some case the 150, Rule of Balanced Ventilation. If a lot of mammals like in your home then you might need to increase the ventilation, or open a window or two, because they might be breathing, bathing, cooking or who knows what (I do want to keep my PG-13 rating). Even washing and drying clothes releases a lot of water vapor into the climate controlled sealed air system you call home. If all those warm blooded beasts wear clothes them they'll need to be washed. I really can't figure out why my 14 year old some never has dirty clothes though.

In the attic there is a confluence of these various sources of moisture and the ambient air from outside. By the way, that premise is based on balanced ventilation from your builder, roofer or hole cutting designee.

I just want the rug rats to know that their asthma might be a result of using a roofer with 1970 technology: venting to remove heat. The spores from your Spelunker's Cave sitting on top of your child's bedroom, a place you call the attic, have been breeding, permeating your framing, siding, mildewing your soffits, and causing general mayhem.

The heat removal is just a plus, and a mighty one at that, but do you think lowering your attic from 160 F to 130 F is wonderful. It is unless you are in it, and you'll still cook, albeit just a little slower.

By the way, if you read the small print on your roof warranty, the warranty is void if you don't follow the rules. Duh? And I promise you your roof will fail in less than 15 years. The blistering, granular loss, cracking, curling or clawing might happen in as little as six or seven.

Tired of repainting your house, wondering why your insulation is packed, the kids are sick, the house smells like old people and puppies, your electric bills are higher that your neighbor's, and only you got ice dams in the last ice event? I bet you wished you paid your deductible now rather than listening to a liar.

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope Santa doesn't mess up your roof.




Jon Alan Wright
Jon Wright Roofing, Siding, and Windows
1915 Peters Rd., Suite 310
Irving, TX 75061
972.251.1818 Office
214.718.3748 Cell
972.554.8090 Fax
    Follow jwrightroofing on Twitter

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