Your roof is the umbrella which protects your entire home. Is yours protected?

Your roof is the umbrella which protects your entire home. Is yours protected?

Today we'll be talking to Tye Stephen Parent – owner of Mr. Inspect Detect Home Inspection Services about Roofs - Ventilation and R-values.

We asked him to list ways in which home owners can best protect their roofs and to talk about the various areas of the attic which may be overlooked.

According to Tye, "An unfinished attic space is what is known as your code zone, and this space should be well ventilated. Most commonly, the spaces are vented by way of roof vents and soffits. The soffits allow air in and the roof vents exhausts the air out creating a continuous flow of outside air."

We asked Tye to talk about some of the most common problems he sees on a regular basis:

"The most common problem we see in attic space is the insulation blocking the soffits therefore blocking the proper ventilation.  Simply pulling the insulation away from the soffits could greatly improve ventilation and greatly lengthen the lifespan of all your roofing materials."

Of course having sufficient roof vents and soffits is the first key, but by cold most homes are sufficient in those areas, so the greatest deficiency is insulation blocking the soffits.

Tye also explained to us the R-Value:

"The R-value is what the insulation in the attic space floor provides. This insulation has a purpose of keeping your conditioned air from escaping from the home into the attic space to the outside space."

For homeowners who may believe they have enough insulation in their attic Tye had this to say:

"In most cases when this insulation was installed it was adequate however over time this insulation will settle and could likely need to be topped up."

A final note from Tye – "Attention and improvement in these areas will not only prolong the lifespan of your roof and roofing materials but also could prevent ice damming and save a lot of money in lost heat and Hydro costs."

So there you have it.  Let your attic breathe and save your money!

Property Management Barrie would like to thank Tye Stephen Parent.  To visit his website please click HERE.