Ventilation and Attic Vents

An ice dam at the edge of a roof can create beautiful icicles—however, those icicles turn ugly quickly when they damage your roof or home. To keep these icy dangers at bay, here's your primer on what ice dams are, the steps that you can take to safely remove them, and how you can prevent new ones from forming in the first place.

You may not automatically consider attic and roof ventilation when replacing your home's roofing system. However, it's a key part of the process. Here's why roof ventilation matters and the role proper attic ventilation can play in your roofing system.

A balanced attic ventilation system is important to help prevent roofing system issues. This ventilation system consists of both ridge vents installed at the peak of the roof and intake vents installed at or near the soffits. Properly ventilating your attic helps reduce excess heat and moisture in the summer and also helps keep your roof system cold during the winter to reduce the freeze thaw cycle that creates ice dams.

When it comes time to talk to a contractor about doing a residential roof repair or replacement, it's good to know the different parts of a roof and the components of a roofing system.Important Structural Components Below the Roof