The ridge vent is an important part of your roofing system but is also an easy one to overlook. You may need roofing repairs for the vent system if you are having any of the following problems with your roof.
1. Water Incursion
Water leaks through or around the ridge vent are one of the more common issues. In some cases, the problem is with the seal between the vent and the shingles. Installation errors, age, and weathering can cause the seal to fail but this is an easy fix for your roofer. Damage to the vent as a result of aging or weather events can also cause a vent to leak. Replacing the vent may be necessary.
2. Trapped Moisture
A ridge vent should let moisture and trapped stagnant air out of the attic, so there is definitely a problem if condensation begins to collect on the attic ceiling. Trapped moisture results from a lack of ventilation. A ridge vent alone is not enough. Your roofer will need to assess the soffit and gable vents to make sure there is enough for the size of your roof. You may need additional vents installed midway between the soffits and the ridge.
3. Winter Heat Loss
Heat loss into the attic during the winter months is not necessarily due to poor installation. There may also be a problem with the roof ventilation system. Ideally, cool air comes from the soffit vents and flows through the ridge vent, so no hot air is pulled up into the attic from the house below. If your ridge vent isn't sized appropriately to the soffit vents, you will either need a smaller ridge vent or more soffit vents.
4. Debris Blockages
Blown-in leaves, animal nesting materials, and other detritus that ends up on the roof can sometimes clog up the ridge vent. Modern ridge vents are designed and screened in to prevent blockages, but older vents may have lost their screens or suffered other damages that allowed debris in. The vent may only require cleaning or it may be time to replace it.
5. Bowing Ridge Line
There may be a major structural problem with your roof if the ridge seems to be bowing. If the ridge vent is remaining straight but you can sing the actual roof peak sagging beneath the vent, then the problem may be with the underlying support beam underneath the vent. A roofer needs to assess the damage immediately as it could be hazardous. Sometimes old plastic vents simply warp or break, giving the impression that the ridge line is bowing. In this case, you only need a replacement vent.
Contact a roofing company such as Hancock Construction & Roofing if you suspect problems with your ridge vent.
Roof problems can go from minor to really scary in no time at all. One day you have a little leak, and the next you're left with major water damage in your attic. But it does not have to be this way. Well-informed homeowners know how to recognize roof leaks, and they know the importance of regular maintenance for roof longevity.
How do you become one of those well-informed homeowners? By visiting our website, of course! Here, we have articles about common roofing problems, hiring a roofer, choosing a good roof, and even DIY repairs. Every home has a roof, and every homeowner should know the basics about roofing.