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The Importance of Roof Vents on Your Home

Most people don’t think about roof vents, but the fact is they’re a vital part of your home’s ventilation system, and they’re an essential part of keeping your roof (whether in commercial roofing or residential) healthy and in proper working order for many years.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at the function of roof vents, how to install them, and why they’re vital to your house.

 

The Purpose of Roof Vents

When you think of your home’s ventilation system, it helps to think of it in terms of air intake and exhaust. Intake and exhaust are what facilitates airflow throughout the house. But what does this have to do with your roof?

Well, everyone knows that hot air rises, and in the house, the hot air naturally rises to the attic. This is known as the stack effect, and it creates high pressure within the attic. To ventilate, you need cool air coming in. This ventilation ensures that the hot air doesn’t linger in the attic, which can cause damage to your roof.

 

Roof Vents Protect Against Damage

As previously mentioned, roof vents and proper house ventilation protects both your roof and your house against damage. But what kind of damage are we talking about?

For starters, have you ever seen houses with icicles stretching down from the gutters or the edges of the roof? This is called an ice dam, and the cause is the heat that’s built up in the attic combining with the heat from the sun to melt the snow that’s sitting on your roof.

When the snow melts, the water runs down and — depending on how cold it is — begins to freeze again, causing the icicles. This ice buildup can cause water damage that occurs underneath the shingles, which can lead to major leaks down the road. When you have a good ventilation system, the hot air in your home is pumped out before it melts the ice and snow. Roof vents are also beneficial in the summer months to dissipate heat that builds up in the attic — heat that can loosen joints and warp supports.

 

Roof Vents Save You Money

Your roof is a magnet for everything that Mother Nature throws at it, and that includes the sun’s hot rays. When the sun’s rays hit your roof — and depending on the materials used in your roof — it can act as a solar oven. The buildup of heat coming from your roof and into your attic causes your home’s air conditioning unit to work harder to cool the house, which costs you more money.

Having a proper roof ventilation system ensures that hot air doesn’t build up in your attic.

In addition to saving you money on your home’s electric bill, having a good ventilation system ensures that the temperature in your house stays even throughout the house. If you’ve ever been in the attic or upstairs and swore it was 10 degrees hotter than the downstairs, it’s a sign you may need adequate ventilation to even out the temperatures.

 

How Much Ventilation Is Enough?

The number of roof vents you’ll need depends on several factors including how big the house is. A good way to determine the number of vents required is to use a formula in which you provide for one sq. ft. of vent space for every 150 sq. ft. of attic space. Most experts also recommend placing half of your vents near the bottom of the roof and the other half near the top to provide a healthy airflow.

 

Types of Roof Vents

Once you’ve determined how many vents you’re going to need to cool your attic properly, you’ll have to decide what types of roof vents you’re going to purchase.

There are many different types to choose from including ridge vents, gable vents, and soffit vents. Also, some vents are motorized while the wind powers others. Of all the vents available, neither one is superior to the rest; you’ll have to choose the best vent for your particular situation.

If you’re unsure about which type of vent to buy, it may be beneficial to call in a roofing contractor who can recommend the best system based on your home’s airflow needs.

The most common type of roof vent is the basic low profile box vent. This vent is unobtrusive and can be matched to the color of your roof so they blend in better. This ventilation system is passive, which means it’s not motorized, making it relatively inexpensive and easy to install.

 

Installing Roof Vents

If you’ve determined you need roof vents you have two options: hire a professional roofing contractor or do it yourself.

Installing roof vents isn’t particularly expensive, and the national average dictates that the job can be done for just under $500. Still, if you’re handy with tools, and want to save some money, installing a basic, passive roof vent system is pretty easy.

The first thing you’ll want to do is figure out where on the roof you want to install the vent keeping in mind that you’ll wish to vents at both the bottom and the top of the roof. Next, mark out on your shingles the dimensions of the vent so you can accurately make your cut. Use a circular saw to cut through the shingles. Once you have your hole cut, place your vent and if you live in an area with high winds, secure it with a bit of roofing cement and nail it down.

While most newer homes have adequate ventilation systems, many older homes don’t. To see if you need better ventilation, check your attic for moisture and excessive heat, which suggests that you need more ventilation. Take note during winter for ice dams that build-up, which also suggests better ventilation is required. A ventilation system not only protects your roof, but it also keeps your energy bills lower, keeps your family more comfortable, and ensures a healthier environment when you’re indoors.

 

 

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What is Rubber Roofing?

Your roof is one of the most important parts of your home. It protects you from the elements and keeps you secure. But as a homeowner, you should know all of your options when it comes to your humble abode. Some people don’t even know rubber roofing exists, much less the benefits that it has over traditional asphalt shingles. So, let’s take a look at the good, bad, and ugly of rubber roofing so you can decide if it’s the right choice for you and your home.

Why Should I Choose Rubber?

As you can obviously see from the name, rubber roofing is made from rubber. But, its specific materials are much more complex than that. The materials are more eco-friendly than their asphalt counterparts. Some popular materials are recycled tires, sawdust, and slate dust. However, these materials make rubber roofing more expensive than asphalt roofing. Asphalt shingles are usually around $100 a square, while rubber roofing often goes for at least $300 to $400 a square. But by paying that premium first, you’re going to save yourself a lot of stress, headaches, and cash in the future.

In the long run, the benefits of rubber roofing will be clear as day. Asphalt roofing usually lasts about 15 to 20 years. Rubber roofing, on the other hand, will last about 30 to 50 years. If you’re looking for optimum longevity, you can repaint your rubber roofing every ten years or so to help extend its livelihood. Throughout the lifespan of your asphalt roofing, you’re probably going to have to put a lot of effort into the maintenance. You’ll deal with a lot more cracks and leaking than you would have with rubber roofing. Rubber roofing is incredibly durable, waterproof, and weather-resistant. Even if you do have a problem with your rubber roofing, it’s an easy fix. All you’d need is some liquid rubber or a heavy-duty rubber repair tape to get your roof in check. It’s fast and simple which gives you more time in your lovely house and less dealing with a leaky roof.

How to Install Rubber Roofing

The process of installing rubber roofing is quite easy compared to other roofing options. Installing a huge rubber roll is the most cost-effective and beneficial method to installing your rubber roofing. After acquiring the roll, you have a couple of options. You can either strip your current roof down to the plywood base, on installing it on top of your current shingles. Most manufacturers won’t honor your warranty if you apply it on top of your current roof, but it’s up to you whether you want to go one way or the other.

We suggest hiring a professional and experienced roofing contractor, but if you’re roofing your home yourself, you’re going to have an easier time handling rubber than you would with other substances like slate or cedar. Rubber is a lot lighter, so it’ll take less effort to carry around. Make sure to cut the roofing for your specific roof and keep in mind the vents, chimneys, and antennas that are in your home. Sweep your roof to get rid of all that dirt and debris that’s lying around. You surely don’t want all of yesterday’s gunk to get on tomorrow’s fresh rubber roofing. After that, apply the adhesive all throughout your roof. If you see any air bubbles forming, get rid of them. Once you’ve finished all your hard work, wait about half an hour for the adhesive to set. Then, do a final look over and make any adjustments as needed.

Just as you put the roofing on your home, it’s already saving you money. Since you can put up your roofing with only a few layers, that means that there are going to be fewer seams. Fewer seams mean fewer cracks and fewer cracks mean fewer leaks. This all means more money saved! The rubber material reflects the sun and heats away from your home, so you’re definitely going to save some money on cooling costs. On the flip-side, it also traps heat inside during the cold winter months. The material is also fire-resistant. When you look at the benefits, having rubber roofing just makes sense. But, having a rubber roof is not all sunshine and rainbows.

Cons of Rubber Roofing

When the benefits are weighed against the cons of rubber roofing, the benefits definitely do reign supreme. However, that doesn’t mean cons don’t exist and that they aren’t worth talking about. Rubber roofing isn’t as popular as asphalt roofing, so you might have a hard time finding a roofer that is skilled in rubber roofing. Not having your rubber roofing installed correctly can lead to problems down the road. Since there aren’t many professionals that know about this recent phenomenon, they might try and make you pay a pretty penny for your rubber roof. As mentioned earlier, the price is one of the biggest cons when it comes to this type of roofing. It’s a big investment in the house in all aspects when it comes to labor and materials alike.

Piping throughout the house can be a major threat to the integrity of your roofing. You are definitely going to have to keep an eye on these areas because it’s likely that there may be cracks in the future. Due to the rubber material and its unlikeliness to crack, you may have a hard time seeking out the source if you end up having a slight problem in the future. It might be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Choosing your roofing shouldn’t have to be a hard decision. Using rubber in roofing is a recent discovery that has brought an easier homeowner experience to people all over the world. The extra couple hundred dollars that you pay at price certainly pays off as time goes by. The money that you save in maintenance fees is going to pay for the roofs themselves and then some. When you’re choosing your roofing, be sure to think about the long-term and not just the right now. Your future self will thank you, along with your wallet.

 

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Does Your Home Need Roof Ventilation?

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Research shows that most homes do not have proper roof ventilation and this can lead to severe roof damage. If your attic is not properly ventilated your energy bills can go through the roof. Contact a roof specialist to help you examine the roof. You can also have an energy audit conducted to determine if you have enough attic vents.

The intent of venting roofs varies depending on the climate. If you live in a cold climate the purpose of ventilations is to maintain a cold roof temperature to avoid ice dams created by melting snow and to vent any moisture that moves into the attic space. If you live in a hot climate, ventilation is important to expel solar-heated hot air from the attic or roof to reduce the building cooling load and to relieve the strain on your air-conditioner. If you live in a mixed climate, ventilation services either role.

If your attic and roof does not have the proper ventilation there is a lot of damage that can occur to the inside of your home. If you pay attention to what is happening inside your home you can usually tell if your home does not have the proper ventilation. Check the temperature of your roof and attic. If the temperature of your attic is the same as the rest of your living space you have a problem. The best way to tell if the temperature is wrong is by measuring the thickness of the existing insulation. This will help determine if there is a possible problem with your ventilation. Check your attic’s ventilation during the winter by taking a flashlight and checking for condensation and damp spots. If you have ventilation and this is occurring this probably means that there is a leak in your ventilation that needs to be sealed.  During the summer touch your ceiling. If your ceiling is hot it means that there is little to no ventilation and the sun’s rays are cooking your roof’s shingles.

If you live in a climate that changes during the seasons chances are you will have some issues with your ventilation. The easiest way to tell occurs with the changing temperatures. Water dams during the winter come together to cause icicles to form. They appear beautiful but it can do a lot of damage to your gutters and roof by pulling down shingles. This damage can move on to leaks that can cause water damage to your roof, ceiling and walls.

Prevent water dams by first preventing the upward migration of warm air. Seal air leaks between the heated part of the house and the attic. Air leakage usually come from trap doors, plumbing stacks, chimneys, electrical wiring and unsealed pot lights. Install foam insulation or caulking will help block leaks. Add a thick insulation blanket of fiberglass or cellulose between the joists in the attic to keep the warmth in the lower part of the house where it belongs. Adding extra insulation to your attic is the best way to ensure that the attic temperature is distinct from the temperature in your living space.

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Elastomeric

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Elastomeric

Metacrylics uses the finest grade of acrylic resin available for roofing and decks, then adds the highest grade Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) available, along with other ingredients, mixing until perfect. The Acrylic White has a 98.9% luminous reflectance. No water or plasticizers* are added to the product, except to facilitate or re-emulsify some of the ingredients. Metacrylics reinforcing stitchbond polyester fabric (manufactured by Titex, Inc.) is simply the best fabric field-tested. Laboratory tests of 12 different fabrics revealed its superiority, when used with Metacrylics Acrylics, regardless of price. *Plasticizer: A product that artificially induces and increases the rubber-like characteristics in a product, conversely affecting the longevity and weathering characteristics (resistance to UV) of the elastomeric product. In short, by adding a plasticizer to the product, the life of the product is substantially shortened in a trade off for the increased flexibility of the product.

Economical And Renewable

Metacrylics costs more for the initial roof installation in comparison to more traditional roofing products, but when considering the long term life cost cycle, the pricing of Metacrylics is much less than other quality roofing products because the warranty has minimal costs to renew. When it’s time to renew, the re-application cost is minimal, only the Primer and Acrylic Color coats are applied. The acrylic BASE & POLYESTER are permanent and virtually unaffected by time, and are simply re-coated again, and again…

Many customers consider this to be the best value in the roofing industry due to reduced maintenance costs with the renewable lifetime warranty and energy savings. The owner of a 22,000 s.f. building had a savings of $697.32 during the summer months – the equivalent of 3 inches or more of insulation, or an R-20 rating.

Quality Assurance

All Metacrylics products are manufactured and installed by Accent Roofing contractors under strict quality control. Product Samples are gathered, sealed, and shipped to UL’s Laboratory by UL’s technicians, where they are examined by spectrograph to ascertain strict quality standards set by ICBO and Metacrylics. Rated at 1,914 psi and 105 PSF Wind Uplift by UL, the Metacrylics system is tough. High-foot traffic is no problem and is specified and recommended for non-skid Walking Decks and as a Deck Coating. This cool roof system exceeds traditional roofing products in many categories when tested by the State of California’s Transportation Department and the U.S. Navy. California’s Department of Housing and Community Development even recommends Metacrylics products for waterproofing and re-roofing.

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