Attic Vents During Winter

If the attic is too warm during the winter the precipitation frozen on your roof will melt drip down to your gutters and then refreeze.

Attic vents during winter.

This is important in colder climates with heavy winter precipitation. Too many people believe that because heat rises ventilating an attic space during the winter means you re releasing warm air and creating a drag on your heating efficiency. Air flows in through the soffit vents and out through the roof vents. During the winter roof ventilation works to keep temperatures even.

If this is true you ve got bigger problems to worry about than letting warm air escape from your home. Because heat rises people believe that ventilating your attic during the winter must mean you are letting hot air out. Roof vents remove warm air during the winter. Doesn t warm air release through attic vents in the winter.

Keeping your roof vents open keeps the roof at an even temperature to prevent damaging ice dams where water backs up underneath your shingles freezing and causing. Closing your vents makes the attic space too warm and dry dangerous conditions for mold as well as pests. Your attic vents perform another job than just releasing excess heat during the summer. And the extra heat is not just a summer concern come winter hot attic air can melt snow on the roof during the day only to refreeze when temperatures drop overnight creating ice dams that lead.

If your roof vents have been damaged replace them as well as crushed ridge vents to aid in proper ventilation. Vents come in various styles. It s well worth it to keep those vents open and keep moisture out during the winter. This accumulation of ice can end up breaking your gutters.

Doing so in attempts to keep cold air out disrupts attic ventilation leading to moisture issues. Grab a flashlight and inspect your attic during the winter. They also release excess moisture from your attic during the winter. Open vents also ensure that cold air can enter into the attic during winter.

Believe it or not the cold temperatures outside combined with the warm air down below mean that there can be an excessive amount of moisture building up in your attic during the cold. Do not cover your attic vents for the winter. Make sure the space between the top of insulation and the roof deck s underside is clear. During cold winter months the attic vent fan is not necessary.

This is a common misconception.