Roof Report

Attic and Roof Ventilation: Better Breathing for Your Home

For most homeowners, the first materials that come to mind when thinking about a roof are the shingles, hammers, and nails. Beneath the surface, materials like roof decking, flashing, underlayment, and drip edges complete the new roofing system. But not many homeowners think about attic and roof ventilation as a part of the roofing process. However, this critical part of building your new roof plays a bigger role than you probably ever thought.

Why ventilation matters.

Every day—as you cook, shower, and even breathe—your home generates moisture. That moisture can travel up into your attic and—when trapped with no place to go because of poor ventilation—damage your interior spaces, reduce the effectiveness of your attic insulation, and even deteriorate your roof system and structural supports over time.

Intake and exhaust: the perfect balance.

A proper attic ventilation system performs two key functions—allowing interior moisture and hot air to exhaust through the ridge vents, roof louvers, powered vents, and exhaust vents, and allowing fresh, cool air to enter the lowest portion of attic along the soffits and eaves. This combined system ensures a healthy environment for your attic, roof, and home.

At King Quality, we have ventilation down to a science with a process that removes the guesswork. As GAF-certified roofers, we use the industry standard ventilation calculator tool to measure the perfect balance of intake and exhaust. The magic number: at least one square foot of attic ventilation—evenly split between intake and exhaust—for every 300 square feet of attic floor space.

The top benefits for your home.

Why invest in an attic that can breathe? Consider the top benefits of proper attic ventilation.

Helps lower attic temperature. The unsung hero of a strong roofing system, a balanced and effective attic ventilation system helps exhaust superheated air from the attic, saving your air-conditioning system from working double-duty in the summer.
Reduces the risk of ice dams. A safety net against ice damming—the cycle of snow melting and then refreezing—proper attic ventilation allows cold winter air to pass through the attic, keeping your roof’s temperature cooler to prevent damage from this cold climate nuisance.
Helps protect your roof system. Heat and moisture buildup can stress and eventually deteriorate the shingles and roofing system. A balanced and effective attic ventilation system allows cooler, fresh air to enter the attic, forcing out superheated air, which gives your home an extra layer of protection against damage.

The difference is quality.

Some roofers install attic ventilation but not the proper amount. Others install only exhaust vents but not intake vents or install both but not enough to meet the right balance between the two. Smart roofers know there is no on-size-fits-all solution because every home is unique.

At King Quality, we consider all the factors that contribute to a healthy attic and roof ventilation system. From the size of your attic and condition of your insulation to your unique ridgeline, overhang, and soffit area, we put our GAF-certified roofers and complete roofing system behind every home to give you and your family protection, performance, and peace of mind for a lifetime.