Keeping a roof over your head is no simple task. Especially when it comes to a commercial structure. Commercial roofs need annual maintenance and a keen eye tracking signs of leaks, buildup, and general deterioration.
One of the most important and often overlooked elements of roof care is ensuring proper ventilation.
So why is roof ventilation so important?
Nothing wreaks havoc on a shelter facing the elements like the elements themselves.
Even climates without intense humidity and skyrocketing summer temperatures put pressure on improperly ventilated roofs.
That’s because hot air rises, regardless. When hot air accumulates and there’s no system in place to pop the humidity buildup, just like human beings, roofs will overheat and consequently weaken. Sometimes catastrophically.
What Is Ventilation?
Strong commercial vents allow hot air and moisture to breathe out while keeping cold air in. When the seasons swap, that same ventilation system prevents harsh wintery air from overpowering the warm indoors.
What Does Ventilation Do?
Maintain Strength
When a roof overheats, the shingles and structure of the roof itself begin to deteriorate. The surface and shingles crack and rot, roof tiles shrink, blister, and loosen, and in extreme cases, the components used to construct your commercial roof begin to melt. Materials like asphalt are especially susceptible to high temperatures.
All of this deterioration, if severe enough and left untreated, can lead to a complete structural collapse.
Prevent Mold Growth
It’s important to remember that heat isn’t just heat, it’s the moisture droplets accompanying every gust of hot air. Without a ventilation system carrying these droplets outdoors, the moisture builds up in a building’s attic as it would in a damp bathroom without proper vent fans.
As moisture collects, mold and mildew begin taking root. Did you know that in just 24 hours, mold spores can colonize a rooftop?
Mold outbreaks eat away at a roof’s structure, and once materials begin to rot, that rot spreads farther and farther until the structure is all but unsalvageable.
Aside from the ick factor and obvious structural damage, mold has serious health implications for those roaming beneath it, causing sometimes severe allergic reactions.
…And Icy Winters
Ventilation doesn’t just beat the summer heat. It protects your roof against harsh climates year-round.
When temperatures drop and snow begins to fall, a sturdy commercial roof prevents snowfall from penetrating a building’s interior. Eventually, the snow is shoveled away or melts altogether. However, just because the snow begins to melt, that doesn’t mean you’re out of the wintery woods.
In fact, the hot air beneath a poorly ventilated roof can cause snow to thaw, and not in a way that alleviates structural pressure. When the snow melts in some areas of the roof but not others, melted snow merges with still in-tact snow creating dams of thick ice. When enough ice accumulates, the roof can collapse.
Keep Energy Efficient
Ventilation is also imperative from a fiscal and environmental perspective. When hot air steadily accumulates in a building’s attic, your central air conditioning unit has to work twice as hard to cool everything down. The harder your AC unit works, the higher your electric bill and the faster your unit will wear itself out.
Keeping The Temperature In Check
Beyond standard ventilation systems, there’s more you can do to proactively prevent mishaps from mother nature. Roofs like Duro-Last are water-resistant and specially designed to withstand intense UV rays. Plus, Duro-Last Two-Way Air Vents alleviate air pressure and remove condensation building up beneath the roof system itself.
Commercial Roof Maintenance is Important
Beyond keeping a hallway, lobby, or guest bedroom comfortable, ventilation systems keep your roof intact and the building’s occupants safe. While installing proper ventilation systems and building with top-notch materials are simple steps along the way, they’re far from minor solutions. Those simple structural to-dos are integral to the longevity of your commercial investment and everything you’ve built below it. Stay safe and happy roofing!
If you are looking for an experienced and reputable commercial roofing contractor in the Detroit Metro area, MacDermott Roofing have been a #1 choice in Michigan for over 45 years. Our established reputation is backed by our technical skill, knowledge, and commitment to customer service with continued success in our roofing projects.
We provide commercial roofing installation, replacement and commercial roof repair throughout the area and are an authorized Elite Master Contractor for the Duro-Last Roof System. Call for a Free Estimate today!