Sometimes, poor ventilation isn’t only a comfort problem. A lot of people inquiry about attic ventilation—and for good reason. If your home’s attic and roof ventilation aren’t taken care of, moisture can increase. Mold can thrive. Damages can occur. Often, homeowners find themselves needing emergency surfaces, due to fully preventable disasters.

The Mold Environment

Poor—or nonexistent—ventilation can make attic temperatures rise as much as 150 degrees during summer months. These high temperatures can create condensation—which, in turn, grows mold. While mold isn’t dangerous in the beginning, prolonged mold growth can degrade a home’s roof. Within a few years, unchecked mold growths can completely devastate a home’s integrity.

Damaged Shingles

An unventilated attic or roof area can result in broken shingles, too. If the area is hot, the shingles and roofing materials will degrade. Sometimes, heat alone can cause the damages. More often than not, however, warm humidity is the culprit. When remodeling your home, make sure your roofing company prioritizes heat release. Similarly, your roofing contractor should know about any “problem areas” where your shingles are becoming damaged.

Sheathing and Siding Damage

Poor attic ventilation can damage your home’s sheathing and siding. Poor ventilation often breaks down weaker materials, first. While your sheathing and siding may not be weak, they’re significantly more prone to degradation than shingles.

Ice Buildup

On the cold side of things, poor roof and attic ventilation can result in unwanted ice growth. During the winter, cool attic air delivered through different intake vents prevents ice dams, states Energy Star. Unfortunately, poor attic ventilation can reverse these effects. If snow melts—and if poor ventilation has made a humid, warm attic environment, you may find yourself experiencing significant ice buildup in your attic. This ice can then refreeze along your roof’s edges—making the problem difficult to handle.

When talking to a commercial roofing company, discuss your options for a hail damaged roof, a water damaged roof and a heat damaged roof. Sometimes, the damages caused by poor ventilation aren’t discovered until it’s too late. Your disaster restoration project will take time to complete, but a little prevention goes a long way. Talk to your roofing company for more details, and pinpoint any areas which may be lacking insulation.