Metal Roofs Need to Breathe, Too: Why Ventilation Matters

Skywalker Roofing Company
Metal Roofs Need to Breathe, Too: Why Ventilation Matters
July 13
By Luke Wilson | Metal Roofing

The Advantages of a Metal Roof

Metal roofing has been used to cover all sorts of buildings, barns, and homes across the U.S. since the 1700s. But today’s metal roof has come a long way from the old tin roofs of yesteryear, and metal roofing has resurged and become more popular than ever. Standing seam metal roofs are now available in a wide range of styles, designs, and colors. And the metal substrates themselves are much stronger and more resilient, providing better, more reliable long-term performance.

What are some of the benefits of today’s metal roof? For starters, metal roofs have a long lifespan and need less maintenance than shingles or many other common roofing materials. They’re also very effective at shedding rain, snow, & debris, and provide superior protection from wind, lightning & fire. Metal roofing is also more lightweight than most other roofing materials, so it produces less overall strain on your roof’s support structure. In addition, metal can be used on roofs of practically any pitch, from steep to nearly flat. Oh, and a metal roof looks great, too! When you stop to think about it, there’s really a lot to like about a metal roof.

Metal Roofing and Ventilation

Like most other types of roofing, metal roofing relies on what’s called static ventilation. What this means is that the roof is designed to promote natural airflow, rather than relying on fans or other forced methods to create air movement. Static ventilation takes advantage of the effects of rising hot air to help move heat and moisture through the attic and out of the structure through the upper vented portion of the roof.

metal roof Ventilation

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Why Good Ventilation Is Important to Any Roof

Proper attic ventilation is essential to help your roof maintain a cooler temperature. Regardless of the material used to cover your roof, it’s a good idea to let your roof breathe by taking advantage of a well-designed ventilation plan. This includes making sure there’s a proper balance of intake vents for fresh air to enter from below, along with exhaust vents so hot air can exit from the top.

• Energy efficiency strategy

Simply put, the hotter your roof gets on a sunny day, then the hotter your attic will get too. As your attic starts to heats up, your home or business living space can also become uncomfortably warm. The result is that your air conditioning system will have to work harder, ultimately driving up your energy usage and costs. One advantage to choosing a metal roof is the fact that metal’s reflectivity bounces away more of the sun’s radiation than other materials. Even so, a metal roof can still get pretty hot, as all roofs do. That’s why it’s very important to have a good roof ventilation system in place to help move excess heat out of your attic.

• Condensation issues

Home living spaces can generate a significant amount of moisture through human activities like bathing, showering, cooking, and doing laundry. Where does all that moisture go? Much of it tends to migrate upwards. Once this moisture reaches the attic, it can condense on cooler surfaces. This collected moisture can help breed unhealthy mold and mildew, and mold can eventually contribute to structural damage, too. A well-vented attic will help keep your insulation drier (and thus more effective), as it also helps to keep the threats of condensation at bay.

• Avoiding ice dams in the winter

If you live in a location that tends to get more in the way of winter weather, then ice dams are another potential roof concern. Ice dams happen when warm air from the interior reaches the roof deck, causing accumulated frozen precipitation to melt. This liquid runs down the roof until it refreezes on the roof overhangs, creating potentially dangerous and damaging ice dams to form. Having the right roof ventilation in place can help keep attic temperatures more even, thus helping to prevent the formation of ice dams in the first place.

Ridge Vents for Metal Roofs

Ridge vents are a very effective method for facilitating proper attic ventilation, and are commonly used on shingle roofs and other types of roofs. Ridge vents have become more popular for metal roofs, as well. These vents are installed across the entire length of the ridgeline. When coupled with soffit vents placed on the underside of the roof, this system offers a great means of introducing fresh air and conducting warm, moist air up and out of the attic.

Why Skywalker Is Your Best Choice for Metal Roofing and Proper Roof Ventilation

While some have argued in the past that metal roofs don’t have the same ventilation needs as roofs comprised of other materials, the fact of the matter is that having a metal roof neither increases nor decreases the need for ventilation. If there’s a roof over your head – regardless of the roofing materials you choose – then it’s really best to design it to be well-ventilated!

And this is where the pros at Skywalker Roofing can be an incredible resource for you. We provide high-quality metal roof installation, metal roof repair, and metal repair installation services across most of North Carolina and a large section of southern Virginia. We’d be glad to help you explore all the features and benefits of metal roofing, and we also happen to be experts at designing and installing optimal ventilation solutions for roof systems of all materials and types.

Choosing the right roofing material for your particular building needs and style tastes is an important first step, but it’s even MORE important to partner with the right local roofing contractor who can really take care of you the right way! Skywalker is proud to serve the NC Piedmont Triad, Piedmont Triangle, Lake Norman area, and southern VA region, and we provide the best custom-fabricated standing seam metal roofs in both North Carolina and Virginia! In addition, we regularly work with all other popular residential and commercial roofing materials, like shingles, shakes, slate, synthetics, and flat roofing materials.

Want to see what countless satisfied customers have to say about us? Head over and scroll through our comprehensive review page on Guild Quality! Then, once you’ve seen what Skywalker has done for so many others, give us a chance to do the same for you!

There’s no need to wait any longer – give us a call at +1 (336) 627-5596 today and experience the Skywalker difference for yourself!

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Luke Wilson

Luke Wilson

Owner - Skywalker Roofing

Luke Wilson started working on roofs with his dad when he was a teenager, and eventually launched Skywalker Roofing in 2003. Skywalker operates in 5 locations across NC & VA, and now includes windows, siding, and other exterior services. Luke also hosts the popular Roofing Mythbusters series on YouTube.

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