Porch Roof Ventilation Options

About Roof Ventilation

• Roofs not only keep rain and snow off of homes and buildings, they serve to protect the structural materials that they cover. An important part of this process is the flow of air through the roof area that helps to reduce the amount of moisture that becomes trapped under roofs. The moisture can lead to condensation and the deterioration of roofing materials, as well as other structures under the roof. To prevent this problem, venting equipment is installed in roof areas. These devices range from passive vent systems to fans powered by electricity or solar power.

Roof Ventilation

• Poor ventilation can cause a wide variety of problems, including wood rot of structures, mildew growth, rusting of nails, peeling paint, energy loss, degradation of roofing materials and insect infestation, according to the AbbeyHomeInspection website. Some of these problems can lead to leaking from roof structures.

Porch Roofs

• Though porches are often exposed on several sides, they can develop ventilation problems much like other roof structures. These problems can be caused by the location of the porch, connection to the attic area of the home or construction issues. When porch roofs have insufficient ventilation, you may find mildewed areas on the ceiling, condensation that may be confused with leaks from the roof or failure of construction materials.

Ventilation Options for Porch Roofs

• Simple and inexpensive measures can be used to remedy ventilation problems in porch roofs. Drilling holes in the rafters can help to release the moisture that builds up inside the roof structure. Installing soffit vents to the roof is another standard method of providing additional ventilation to roofing materials. Continuous soffit vent strips offer an easy way to add air flow to large areas of the roof. Proper ventilation can also prevent ice dams on porch roofs. Ice dams are a buildup of snow and ice on the edge of the roof that can cause water to back up under roofing materials and can lead to leaking into the home interior. Louvers installed at side walls can increase air flow that helps to melt ice and snow from roof areas, according to the RoofingContractorReview website.