Between the buildup of excess warmth in your attic from your heating unit, the sun’s beaming rays throughout the year, and dampness from any form of wet weather, your Kansas City roof can be exposed to hot, moist air all year long.
Unfortunately, too much heat and moisture can cause a lot of problems for your roofing. Here’s what you need to know to protect your property and get the longest life out of your roofing.
Can Heat and Humidity Damage My Roof?
YES! Unfortunately, one of the biggest challenges your roof can face is ongoing exposure to heat and humidity that can result in all sorts of problems that put your home at risk.
Here’s what can go wrong:
Shorter Roof Life
The constant wear and tear that comes from an overheated, moist attic and roof means that your roofing materials will age faster than normal. You won’t get as much longevity out of your roofing as you should.
Structural Damage
Roof joists, support beams, rafters, and other wood elements can warp and break as a result of excessive exposure to hot, humid conditions. Plywood can weaken and pull apart. Shingles can pop loose, curl or shrink.
If allowed to continue, the excess moisture can eventually lead to damage in lower parts of your home, creating leaks that appear as wet spots on your ceilings.
Poor Energy Efficiency
A roof’s function includes keeping your home from building up excess heat and humidity in the attic. When it fails to do so, you end up with a house that gets hotter faster and stays hotter longer. That means your AC has to work harder to cool your interior spaces, driving up energy bills.
Excess Dampness
Humidity inside your attic results not just from heat, but from moisture that can’t properly escape through the roof. The moisture remains stuck, wearing down wood, causing rot, dampening papers, and ruining cardboard boxes. You can also end up with serious structural damage.
Mold and Mildew Growth
Hot, humid, stagnant air trapped beneath your roof invites the growth of unhealthy mildew and mold indoors, which can lessen indoor air quality and lead to asthma and breathing problems for your family.
Atop the roof, you may get moss and algae growing too, adding an unattractive appearance to the other issues caused by the excess moisture you’re dealing with.
What Causes My Roof to Be Vulnerable to Heat and Humidity?
Moisture from hot, humid weather can cause damage to your roof due to a few common culprits you should be aware of as a homeowner:
- Wear and damage from storms that isn’t quickly addressed
- Faulty or inferior roofing materials
- Poor installation techniques that don’t properly protect your roofing
- Insufficient air ventilation to allow heat to escape
The bottom line is, when your roof traps hot, moist air instead of letting it escape, your roofing, your underlayment, and your attic all get exposed to excess heat and humidity. This issue continues to cascade if not dealt with, leading to roof damage that can make your home more vulnerable to leaks, structural rot, and costly repairs or replacement needs.
How Can I Prevent Roof Damage due to Heat and Humidity?
There are few tried and true means of limiting problems from too much hot, moist air being trapped under your roof:
Use dehumidifiers in the attic or crawl spaces
This can help decrease excess moisture and limit mold and mildew growth.
Make repairs as soon as you can
Don’t let storm damage wait. Failing to repair small roof issues inevitably leads to bigger ones, like leaks and wood rot.
And you could end up having to get a roof replacement much sooner than you planned—a big expense that swift repairs can help you avoid.
Add proper roofing ventilation
Poor installation and inferior workmanship can mean you didn’t receive sufficient venting when the roof was first installed.
Ventilation should be installed beneath your top layer of roofing to allow hot air, which rises, to safely dissipate into the outside air. This prevents condensation and humidity from causing damage.
Pro roofing companies take the time to do this part right. It may not be the most visible aspect of your roof, but proper and sufficient ventilation keeps your roof performing at its best for as long as possible.
At Christian Brothers Roofing, we don’t cut corners in this area—it’s too important to your roof to overlook it.
What’s the Best Way to Be Sure Your Roof Ventilation Is Right?
Setting up a system of air vents that meets your home’s needs is essential—but every house’s roof and architecture is unique. To get the right setup, consult a pro roofer with expertise in meeting the needs of Kansas City homes.
You’ll Get Personalized Guidance
Experienced roofing contractors (like our team!) know the ins and outs of KC weather, home structures, and roof materials. We’ll recommend the most fitting roofing ventilation system to keep your home free of unwanted moisture.
You’ll Be Assured of Expert Installation
Roofing is so vital to your home’s lasting protection that it doesn’t pay to cut corners. Yet poor installation and maintenance techniques are huge contributors to heat and humidity damage.
It doesn’t have to be that way! Whether you want repairs, upgrades, or a roof replacement, be sure you work with a roofer who is committed to craftsmanship and high standards. Great roofers provide precision installations, which help prevent moisture damage from occurring in the first place.
Protect Your Home with a Moisture-Resistant Roof
Today’s roofing options offer numerous choices that resist moisture, look great from the curb and add lasting value.
Imagine your Kansas City area home with a beautiful, new roof! As a top roofer in Kansas City, Christian Brothers Roofing makes getting a new roof or repairing roof damage simple and stress-free. Learn more, and reach out to us for a free consultation.
