Vented Vs Unvented Roof

In coastal climates wind driven rain can be blown in through these openings with similar results.

Vented vs unvented roof.

Roof vents are for warmer climates. Because the drying capacity of unvented roof assemblies is inherently lower than vented ones it is especially critical to control built in moisture during construction. Let s dive a little deeper into what that means exactly. Inclined along the line of rafters warm roof or positioned within the roof structure to form an insulated void room in roof which can result in warm and cold roof areas.

In areas subject to wildfires burning embers can be blown in through these openings potentially starting roof fires. Control construction moisture content with tenting or temporary roofing when necessary. Unvented roofs which provides a detailed explanation of each. When insulating your attic the contractor can either spray the attic floor to keep a vented attic or spray the roof deck for an unvented system.

A vented attic system refers specifically to having working vents in the attic. Unvented roof assemblies are not prone to these problems because the ventilation openings have been eliminated. In pitched roof construction thermal insulation can be placed horizontally at ceiling level cold roof. Vented attic roof designs have the advantage of a long proven historical track record.

In a vented roof foam can seal the openings and serve as an air barrier and a vapor retarder in addition to its insulating function. In an un vented roof foam can serve as the air barrier and vapor retarder and prevent moisture from getting in to the roof cavities. Too many people believe the importance of roof ventilation is to increase energy efficiency during the summer. In other words vented roofs may well be the best design for one home while an unvented roof will be a better solution for another home.

Basically the term cold roof refers to a traditional roof or vented roof while hot roof refers to a roof that is not ventilated and which has foam insulation attached directly to the roof sheathing. The choice of the venting approach is up to the designer. In other words the entire vent opening doesn t count as vented space. Control of ice dams moisture accumulation and heat gain can be successfully addressed by both vented and unvented attic or roof design.