Tip of the Month

Please use the navigation below to select an issue of 'Tip of the Month'.

August 2010

Vaulted ceilings can present problems

An important reason for providing attic ventilation is to remove water vapor, which tends to accumulate in attic spaces. Moisture laden air (a.k.a. water vapor) from a home's interior will find its way into the attic spaces above and unless adequate ventilation of the attic is provided, the water vapor will accumulate in the attic. Too much water vapor in the attic can not only cause insulation to be "wet" & therefore less effective, but can also result in water damage to the home. By providing adequate "intake" and "exhaust" ventilation, moisture is removed from the attic space sufficiently to prevent problems. However, most vaulted ceilings in our area have insulation completely filling up the space between the interior ceiling and the roof deck above, which prevents virtually any ventilation from occurring. Therefore, vaulted ceilings are typically more susceptible to problems of condensation. So, if you have a vaulted ceiling with problems of condensation or are simply concerned about the potential problems that could occur due to having an un-vented vaulted ceiling, please be sure to make us aware that you have a vaulted ceiling when we propose to reroof your home. If we are made aware of the situation, we can often propose a solution. Otherwise, the opportunity to address the problem could easily be missed since it is typically impossible to determine that a home has an un-vented vaulted ceiling by simply looking at the exterior of the home (which is what most roofing contractors do when they measure a roof for the purpose of preparing a reroof proposal). Some signs to look for that indicate you may have a problem of condensation at vaulted ceilings include water stains around can lights or discoloration (mold stains) at the peak of a vaulted ceiling. You will find our proposal presentation is a great time to go over issues of ventilation and other specific issues your reroof project may entail.