Ventilation is Key To Your Home's Health

I’m not shy about educating my readers on the importance of proper insulation in a house. But even if you’re one of only 20 percent of homeowners I meet with the right amount of insulation, chances are you’re still missing a key piece of the puzzle. The critical component is ventilation and not enough of it can be harming both your home and your personal health in more ways than you think. 

In the winter, we crank up the thermostat, sending more heat into our homes than any other time of year. We all know that heat rises, which means a lot of what we’re pumping into the house will quickly find its way through the ceiling and into the attic. Think about when you’re in a car and the windows fog up. What do you do? Usually, you’ll increase the airflow either by using the vents or just cracking a window. A house works much the same way, except that if you don’t have air flowing inside the attic, the heat and moisture just gets stuck there. If the attic is very warm, that moisture will develop into mold and mildew which can feed on your insulation and rot the wood. If the attic is cold enough, the moisture will freeze into little domes or even icicles until the temperature rises enough for the water to thaw and then be absorbed into all the places that it shouldn’t. Neither is a good scenario.

So what’s the best way to protect your home? Start by investing in a humidity gauge that measures water vapor in the air. A comfortable humidity reading is 30%-60%, but 45%-55% is an ideal level to maintain. If you’re seeing higher than 60% humidity in any area of your home, it’s going to be susceptible to mold, mildew, and bacteria growth.

Remember, attic ventilation allows your house to “breathe” so you want to balance your intake and exhaust to ensure that what is coming in is going out equally. The best ventilation system will include soffit vents that are installed underneath the overhang of the roof and take in the air and ridge vents that are installed at the top of the roof for the hot air to escape. For this method to work efficiently, all louvered vents must be sealed off and you have to ensure that your insulation isn’t blocking the airflow. Believe it or not, most roof manufacturers will void the warranty if a proper ventilation system is not installed. Luckily, new roofing technology enables contractors to add intake ventilation directly into the roof as opposed to using soffit vents, so if you’re in the market for a new roof, be sure to ask for that option. 

It’s important to note that homes have different characteristics and what works well for one may not work well for another. With the right balance of air, homeowners can optimize their roof and maintain the overall health of their home and their families. Remember, it’s always a good idea to get advice from a professional before taking on a big remodeling project.

Bob O'Donnell is the owner of O'Donnell Bros, Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro”. All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O'Donnell Bros, Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Airflow in the Attic, What Insurers Don't Want You To Know

If you’re a regular reader, you know that roof insulation, ventilation, and airflow are my favorite topics to talk about. The reason I tend to focus on these areas is that, in nearly 50 years of business, I still cannot tell you how many homes in our area suffer from mold, mildew, and moisture problems. A house that can’t breathe is one that harbors bacteria, so not only are people living less comfortably than they should, they are also subjecting themselves to long term health problems like asthma, allergies, and lung function. 

No homeowner actually wants to believe their home is allowing moisture to thrive and many are intimidating by taking the proper steps to fix the problem. What’s worse is that many insurance companies won’t cover the cost for attic ventilation, which means that homeowners are skipping a crucial step in the re-roofing process. So let’s make this simple to understand. Here are five reasons why attic ventilation is absolutely necessary:

1. It’s the only way a roof will meet its life expectancy.

2. A shingle warranty will be void without it. 

3. It keeps a building up to code.

4. It ensures that the vents themselves are sufficient. 

5. It helps to guarantee that a replacement roof will be worth the thousands you’ll spend on it. 

In addition to the financial and structural benefits, there are also health and comfort reasons too. Proper attic ventilation fights summer heat build-up and reduces the risk of ice dams and moisture in the winter. It keeps a house warmer in cold months and cooler in hot months so energy bills are lower and heating and air conditioning systems don’t have to work as hard. Plus, as I mentioned before, you’re lowering your risk of mold and mildew taking a stronghold in your attic, which can then spread into your living space and affect the air that you breathe every single day. 

According to a poll conducted by Roofing Contractor Magazine last spring, 77% of North American homes today have improper attic ventilation, including not enough or incorrect ventilation. So why are insurance companies shying away from covering ventilation? Good question!

As a professional, I can tell you that if insurers do cover proper attic ventilation, it will actually save insurance companies a ton of money in future claims. Proper ventilation keeps a roof healthy and stable which means it’s much less likely to be damaged during a storm. This week’s wind was a perfect example of what can happen. Of the 20 calls that I received about roof damage, at least 15 homeowners will be eligible to make an insurance claim. If just a few shingles come off because of the weather, it’s probable that insurance will cover it. 

Dealing with insurance can often be prickly so my word of advice for homeowners is to make sure you deal with a roofing company that’s reputable and knows what they are doing. If there is no mention of insulation and ventilation in an initial conversation about replacing your roof, you’re better off looking elsewhere. How you replace your roof is your choice, but you deserve to know and understand all the options available. 

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Ventilation is Key to a Safe, Healthy Home

I’m not shy about educating my customers about the importance of insulation in the home, especially during this time of year and with our recent, frigid temperatures. But even if you’re the one in every four people I talk to who has the right amount of insulation in their house, chances are that your ventilation is inadequate, which can be harming both your home and your personal health in more ways than you think.

In the winter, we crank up the thermostat, sending more heat and moisture into the living quarters of our homes than any other time of year. We all know that heat rises to the top, which means a lot of what we’re pumping into the house will quickly find its way through the ceiling and into the attic. Now, think about when you’re in a car and the windows fog up. What do you do? Usually, you’ll increase the airflow either by using the vents or just cracking a window. A house works much the same way, except that if you don’t have air flowing inside the attic, the heat and moisture just gets stuck there. If the attic is very warm, that moisture will develop into mold and mildew which can fester in your insulation and rot the wood. If the attic is cold enough, the moisture will freeze into little domes or even icicles until the temperature rises enough for the water to thaw and then be absorbed into all the places that it shouldn’t be going. Neither is a good scenario.

So what’s the best way to protect your home? Start by investing in a hygrometer which measures water vapor in the air. A comfortable humidity reading is 30%-60%, but 45%-55% is an ideal level to maintain. If you’re seeing higher than 60% humidity in any area of your home, it’s going to be susceptible to mold, mildew and bacteria growth.

Remember, attic ventilation allows your house to “breathe” so you want to balance your intake and exhaust to ensure that what is coming in is going out equally. The best ventilation system will include soffit vents which are installed underneath the overhang of the roof and take in the air and ridge vents which are installed at the top of the roof for the hot air to escape. For this method to work efficiently, all louvered vents must be sealed off and you have to ensure that your insulation isn’t blocking the airflow. Believe it or not, most roof manufacturers will void the warranty if a proper ventilation system is not installed. Luckily, new roofing technology enables contractors to add intake ventilation directly into the roof as opposed to using soffit vents, so if you’re in the market for a new roof, be sure to ask for that option.

It’s important to note that homes have different characteristics and what works well for one may not work well for another. With the right balance of air, homeowners can optimize their roof and maintain the overall health of their home and their families, but it’s always a good idea to get advice from a professional before taking on a big remodeling project. Stay warm friends.

Bob O'Donnell is the owner of O'Donnell Bros, Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro”. All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O'Donnell Bros, Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.