ROOF MAINTENANCE: ATTIC VENT
Roof Maintenance: Attic Vent
It is always a good idea as a homeowner to perform regular maintenance on your home and to inspect potential problem areas on your home’s exterior. Checking the attic vents on your roof goes along with regular maintenance such as checking for clogs in your gutter system, but luckily the work involved and how often you need to check is drastically lower. It is a great idea to have them inspected when you move into the home and as you experience heavy seasonal weather (build up of leaves or freezing, etc.) The short list below will touch on some things that will make checking out your attic vents simple and quick chore. You essentially will no work besides visually inspecting the vents – unless there is debris that needs to be removed from its outtake path.
- Vent size – having the correctly sized vent holes is a crucial component in allowing your home to have proper airflow. Too big gets you leaks and too small gives you airflow issues.
- Number of vents – even if your vent sizes are correct you still might run into issues if you don’t have enough vents for the airflow. You might consider installing one or several new vents if this is the issue.
- Moisture problems/buildup – you can visually inspect the area around your vents for any sign of moisture (which can come from a buildup of excess humidity). Looks for warped or rotted wood, or any mold or mildew present for easy to see signs of this issue.
- Clear from obstructions – similar to clearing out a clogged gutter, you want to make sure the outflow of the vent is clear from any obstructions. Most common during the fall with leaves – dirt, debris, sticks, or other objects can clog the system. It is good to check to make sure no vents are painted over when moving into a new home as well.
- Connected to one system – it is very important to have one system that is not connected to a system of a different ventilation system. The various systems can’t be mixed so make sure all vents being installed (or the ones that are currently installed) are connected to a like system.
- Type of ceiling – the majority of ceiling will be the same but for larger open area ceilings like a Cathedral style, will have a different approach to inspecting for issues. Look for penetrations of moisture such a cracking paint, stains on walls or like before any signs of mold and mildew.
Being able to identify issues when they start or before they snowball into something bigger is something you can do as a homeowner to save a lot of stress and more importantly money. If you are the DIY kind of homeowner you can check out a guide on how to install both Attic Vents and Soffit Vents, listing all the steps and tools required with accompanying photos.
But if you suspect that your roof or roof venting may have some issues that you are unable to be address on your own, call All Storm Solutions today to get Solution Specialist out to your home to provide a free estimate on repairing your home’s exterior.
