Southeastern states like Georgia, Alabama and Florida are some of the muggiest areas in the United States. While high humidity is one of the most persistent problems in the U.S. at the peak of summer, the southeast has this kind of problem for most of the year, which means any porous substance like wood deteriorates far faster than any other non-porous building material.
The trouble with mugginess, apart from its discomfort, is that it also has a bad effect on your home, particularly your roof. One solution is to use a ventilation system to clear out stale, humid air from your roof, particularly your attic.
Ventilation is basically using airflow for a certain purpose, but in this context it’s to dry out an area. If you’ve air-dried laundry, air encourages the drying of wet clothing by letting water trapped in the fibers to evaporate faster. As your roofer would attest, the same principle applies to roofs and attics.
The problem, however, lies in a roof’s fundamental design: it needs to be watertight and sealed so it can protect you from the elements. This same watertightness may lead to trapped air in the attic, however, especially at that part of the home where warm, humid air is present (such as in the kitchen). Because warm air tends to rise, this air will be trapped in the attic with no way out, and, given enough time, it will pervade the wooden structure of your roof and cause a lot of problems, including dry rot and mold growth.
Vents are basically holes and/or slits cut into the parts of a roof that allow air exchange to happen. This is a system of strategically placing vents where they can pull fresh, dry air from the outside while expelling warm, moist air from the interior. These holes usually face downward, such as in soffits, or angled on the sides to prevent water from coming into the roof. As a result, your attic is free of moisture, and there is ample supply of fresh air that keeps the room from smelling like mildew and decay.
Superior Roofing is the area’s top roofing contractor, specializing in both roof replacement and roof repair. Call us today at (706) 862-8008, or fill out our form to learn more about how we can help care for your roof. We serve residents of Columbus, GA, and Auburn, AL.
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