Attic Ventilation Lake Oswego

Why is Proper Attic Ventilation So Important?

Written By: Team NW Home Exteriors

Attic remodels, repairs and renovations on Lake Oswego homes

Attics are not merely extra rooms in a house. They are key ingredients to how well your home performs when it comes to airflow, ventilation, heating and cooling. That's especially true on older homes, or homes where attics and/or crawl spaces may have been ignored or overlooked for some time.

One of the unique things about choosing NW Home Exteriors for attic projects is
our deep history in roofing. We understand how important your attic space is to overall comfort and livability of your home. No matter the scope of the project, we make sure to focus on things that affect ventilation and airflow. Ultimately, that's what's best for your home.

Around Lake Oswego, attic projects come in many shapes and sizes. You may need us to install new gable vents to improve air circulation. Perhaps you are considering an attic fan to help ventilate hot air out during the summer months.

Attic projects also come up when we're laying down new underlayment or painting the walls of your crawlspace to help prevent mold. When you need a crew anywhere near the top of your house, you can count on the seasoned carpenters at NW Home Exteriors.

By our estimation, 95% of homes in the Portland Metro Area aren’t ventilated up to code.

What does this mean?

  • Energy bills are higher, especially in summer, since more heat is trapped in the home.
  • Moisture is more likely to be trapped inside the home, reducing the lifespan of the roof and other components of the home.
  • Allergens and Radon gas may not be properly removed from the home.
  • Increased levels of back drafting, which can become dangerous (e.g., when gases such as carbon monoxide is pulled back into the home through a chimney.)

A properly functioning intake-outtake system is very important not only to reduce energy costs, but to extend the lifespan of a home’s roof as well. We find it unacceptable that other roofers ignore this integral component. So that’s why at NW Home Exteriors we are fully certified for ventilation work. Moreover, our employees undergo comprehensive ventilation training once a year. As a result, we’re always up to date on current industry standards.

Lake Oswego Rain makes proper Ventilation Crucial

As we all know, heat rises. Having an up to code ventilation system installed and working properly in your home will reduce your energy bills and extend the lifespan of your roof. Ventilation decreases the likelihood that moisture will be trapped in, around, or underneath your roofing components, no matter what time of year it is. In an area like Lake Oswego where it rains so often, this can often mean extending your roof’s lifespan by years.

The two main parts to understand about a properly working ventilation system are intake and outtake. In other words, the air that flows into your ventilation system, and the air that flows out of it. If either of these systems aren’t working right, your attic ventilation system is actively doing your home a disservice.

A room with many wooden beams and windows.

More About Attic Ventilation

During roofing replacement, the number one most frequently neglected area of a home is the attic ventilation system.

In our experience, we’ve noticed that most homes in the area have “80/20” intake/outtake ratios. This can cause many of the problems we discussed above. A properly functioning ventilation system should have an equilibrium as close to 50/50 as possible. To clarify, exactly half the air coming into the attic should also be going out.

Do you suspect that your Attic Ventilation isn't functioning properly?

The biggest telltale sign is negative pressurization. This means that air is being drawn into the home when it shouldn’t be. If air is consistently running through your attic or crawl space, you may have negative pressurization. Consequently, lower air quality may occur in the home, since attics and crawl spaces tend to be dirtier and dustier than living areas.

NW Home Exteriors sets itself from most roofing companies. Whenever we replace a roof, we make sure that the attic ventilation system is up to code and has the proper intake/outtake ventilation ratio. Would you like to learn more about attic ventilation and how NW Home Exteriors can help you save money on your energy bill and extend the lifespan of your roof? Please feel encouraged to contact us today by calling 503-300-HOME. Thank You!