While many Canadians have attics in their homes, few ever visit that area unless they suspect rodents or water leaks.  Sufficient ventilation in the attic can help prevent a buildup of heat in warmer months and damaging moisture year ’round.  How can you know if there is a problem with your attic? 

When fall approaches and temperatures are getting colder, inspect your attic using a flashlight.  You will need to look for signs that water vapour is causing problems.  This could be evident by blackened or water-stained wood, frost on the underside of rafters or the actual roof, or nails that are rusted.  If you see ice dams at the eaves, it also signals a potential moisture problem.

Here are some tips for dealing with this potential problem:

• Position vents properly.  Homes with accessible attics or peaked roofs are simple to vent.  For the best airflow, place vents at the gable ends of the attic and at the peak, along with soffit vents that are placed under the eaves.
• Protect your attic from the elements. Ridge vents equipped with baffles work well to keep out wind, water and snow.
• Avoid electric exhaust fans.  More air from your home will be pulled into the attic due to the fact that soffit vents cannot supply a sufficient amount of air.  This leads to greater accumulation of moisture and heat loss.
• Use gable and eave vents. Homes with half stories can achieve good attic ventilation if there are gable vents in the spaces above and beside the top section of the home.  If you already have working eave vents, use eave vents in side areas along with gable vents in the area over the attic ceiling.

There are many benefits to having a well-ventilated attic.  Not only will proper ventilation help reduce the retention of heat that can cause roof ice dams, but it will keep your home cooler in summer months and prevent the formation of mildew.

Since 1994, Air Flex Heating and Cooling has taken great pride in providing customers with exceptional quality heating and cooling service.  Have questions about attic ventilation?  Give us a call. It’s our pleasure to help.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Air Flex Ltd services the Greater Toronto area. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.