Every House Needs Winter Venting

Beautiful Alberta

Alberta is known for its beauty of the Rocky Mountains, home of the Edmonton Oilers 

and Calgary Flames and of course the boom and bust Oil industry. Another thing that Albertans know all to well is the winter season can be harsh like the Arctic at times.

Our winters can see temperatures of -35 degrees to +10, and snow up to your knees over night.

Ice Dams

Our home’s envelope must take the sometimes harsh winter climate into consideration. Many people have experienced the damaging effects of “Ice Damming” on the roof in the winter.  This can cause leaks into the attic and structure of the home, often showing as dripping water out of the ceiling or light fixtures. These types of leaks can lead to mold growth, damage drywall and in some cases damage your home’s structure.

Cause of Ice Damming

Ice damming on a roof is caused by one of, or a combination of the following: 

• ·         Heat loss from the home’s interior into the attic via inadequate or improperly installed insulation
• ·         Lack of soffit ventilation, or the soffit air flow pathway being blocked by improperly installed insulation or insulation stops
• ·         Insufficient roof ventilation, or roof vents that are covered by snow which diminishes air flow

In this article we will specifically discuss Roof Ventilation during winter conditions.

Building Code Requirements

 Building code requires 1 vent for every 300 square feet of ceiling area. A typical passive air vent is approximately 4 inches tall. If you have 1 foot of snow on the roof, you could have 20 vents installed, but if they are covered by or plugged by snow the vents will be ineffective.

The Solution

We believe it is imperative to have at least one tall vent installed per large attic cavity of your home. These vents are typically in the range 16 inches tall and installed near the peak or ridge of the roof. This premium style of vent will allow for proper attic air flow even under harsh winter conditions, greatly reducing the risks of the dreaded ice dam formations. 

 The average home in Alberta should have minimum 1 of these vents. If your home has asphalt shingles on the roof, you can expect the supply and installation of one of these vents for approximately $300.00 (depending on the height and slope of the roof).

   
      Your roof is not equipped to protect your home if your ventilation isn't ready to handle what Alberta winters dish out!

    Contact Us Today 

     
     Contact us today to schedule a premium vent installation. We will also inspect your entire roof for free with every vent installation.