Summers in the southern US are no joke. Actual temperatures may only scratch the 100 degree mark but combined with humidity, the heat index could rise to 109 degrees or more!
Not only is this dangerous to your body, this kind of weather can wreak havoc on your roof. Fortunately there are ways to minimize the damage and help keep your home cool while saving money on your utility bills.
There are two ways to help your roof combat the heat. The first and most important is proper ventilation.
Ventilation
Proper ventilation is basically ensuring that air (and moisture) is effectively flowing through your home and directed back outside where it can’t do any damage. While this sounds like a relatively minor thing, proper ventilation is crucial to ensuring your roof and home are protected during times of extreme temperatures.
As temperatures rise outside, the heat seeps through your roof into your home. Without adequate ventilation, temperatures can reach 65% higher inside your attic than the outside!
When the attic gets that hot, your roof is getting hit on both sides. Most shingles aren’t designed to take that kind of punishment and can begin to rapidly deteriorate from the inside out causing serious, expensive roof damage.
While there isn’t much you can do about the outside temperature, proper ventilation will help prevent attic heat by keeping the air circulating. Excess heat buildup escapes through the ridge vents. Cooler air enters through the edge vents. Temperatures in the attic goes down and half the battle is won!
Even better, the moisture that would normally be trapped in the attic causing mold, mildew and leak-like stains inside is also whisked away with the hot air!
Proper ventilation solves a lot of problems.
Quality Shingles
You are able to control the temperature in your attic to reduce potential damage from heat using ventilation, but what about the outside? Of course, we have no control over the outside temperature but all is not lost.
Science has brought shingle technology a long way. Though the lower cost, 3-tab asphalt shingles are still available and better than before, there are much better shingle options out there, for maximum protection of your roof investment, choose the highest quality materials you can afford. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. That is especially true for roof materials.
Your roof is always going to be the first line of defense against the elements, the best thing you can do for it is give it a fighting chance. Do your homework and hire the right roof contractor, buy only quality materials and your roof can last for decades to come!
In Metro Atlanta, Atlanta Roofing Specialists has the roofing solution you need to fight the elements now and all year round! For a free estimate call (770) 419-2222 today!
