The Importance of Ventilation

There are several reasons why roof ventilation is essential for our daily lives as homeowners. First, the correct ventilation process occurs in the attic, where the air flows through the attic and will prevent any home from creating moisture and condensation.  

Importance of Ventilation

In a poorly ventilated or unventilated roof, warm air can become trapped, leading to excess moisture and condensation. The effects of poor ventilation will eventually lead to dampness, mould, and mildew and ultimately ruin the property structure. As warm air rises and carries moisture, the only way for the air to go is in the roof space. Condensation will occur when warmer, moist air meets a colder surface, inevitably decreasing the life expectancy of the roof materials. Even simple activities, including cooking, showering, and drying clothes, create extra moisture in the air. Eventually, when this air has nowhere to go, it ultimately leads to condensation. Therefore, adequate roof ventilation is crucial to your property's overall maintenance and protection.

Process of ventilation 

The insulation thickness would need to increase to minimise the heat loss from buildings. Although this can be a way to achieve good energy performance, there is a higher chance of condensation build-up and potential damage to the property. This is because water vapour in the air causes vapour pressure; the warmer the air, the greater the capacity to contain moisture. The greater the humidity, the higher the vapour pressure becomes. 

Significant effects of condensation from inadequate roof ventilation are: 

The dampness from inadequate roof ventilation can be damaging both long-term and short-term, impacting the structure and living quality. Some of the problems dampness can cause are:

· Moisture will lead to the growth of mould and rot– leading to respiratory illness for homeowners/tenants 
· Damage to the interior of the property
· Structural damage to the property
· Rot in woodwork and other surfaces

Problems with modern-day housing 

While ventilating the roof space may seem counter-intuitive, we try to keep heat in and make our homes more energy-efficient. So why would we deliberately let outside air in the house? This is because modern homes are built to be energy efficient, meaning good roof ventilation has become crucial. 

Types of ventilation Britmet Lightweight Roofing offers 

An effective way to ensure proper roof ventilation is by installing vents at the roof ridges and eaves. Whether your roof is pitched or flat, the type of ventilation will depend on how complex the roof structure is. 

Ridge Vent Strip: Our ridge vents provide continuous high-level roof ventilation along the ridge length. The Ridge vent strip offers coverage of 1000mm on roof pitches as low as 10 degrees. Easy to install, this purpose-designed vent strip helps to ensure there is adequate airflow 

Eave Vent Strip: Our eave vent strip is made of durable plastic, which is quick and easy to install. The eave vent strip provides low-level roof ventilation along the length of the eaves. 

Tile Vent: The Britmet tile vent is a discreet efficient choice offering ventilation for pitched roofs that are 15–45° and with a 12,500mm ² ventilation area. Our high-quality vent tile can be manufactured for any profile from our granulated metal roof tile range.

Britmet will provide a durable, high-performance, and reliable roof with a 40-year guarantee offering peace of mind to installers and clients. If you have any questions regarding Britmet's roofing ventilation accessories, we are more than happy to provide answers to your questions. Please contact our client support team, who can help you with any technical information and assist your requirements to provide adequate ventilation for your property or project.  

Sources 

https://www.empireupvcandroofing.co.uk/news/why-roof-ventilation-important 
https://www.britmet.co.uk/downloads/tile-vent-technical-data-sheet.pdf 
https://domodroof.com/importance-of-roof-ventilation/
https://jjroofingsupplies.co.uk/blog/why-roof-ventilation-is-so-important/
https://www.eco-home-essentials.co.uk/loft-ventilation.html