Green Roofing – Making Your North Carolina Home Eco Friendly
When it comes time to call a North Carolina roofing company for your next repair or replacement, you might want to think about going green. Yes, going green has gotten a lot of press in recent years, to the point where many are tired of hearing about it. But if you think of it not only in terms of helping the environment, but also in terms of saving you money in the long run, you might be willing to head down that path. Here are just a few of the benefits of taking your house’s covering to the next, environmentally friendly level.
One of the best benefits of clean, North Carolina green roofing is the savings. These types of house coverings come with a degree of built-in insulation that keeps energy efficiency at its maximum level. This means that your electric bill should see a huge savings each month. The house will stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter months, while giving the air conditioner and heater a break. It will certainly not be enough to eliminate the use of central heat and air altogether, but it can allow it to work more efficiently, thus savings money (as well as cutting down on the use of natural resources).
If you have an interest in growing your own garden, green roofing can provide a new spot. Many types can be used to plant things directly on top of the house. This includes many types of vegetables like lettuce and herbs. This is not only something that private homeowners are getting into, but some resorts are getting into the action in order to keep fresh vegetables and produce in the kitchen. Plus it makes a nice novelty for guests to talk about. One of the biggest drawbacks to eating healthy foods is their cost. It always seems so much cheaper to eat foods that are bad for us. By keeping your very own sun garden, you’ll no longer have this excuse to fall back on.
Besides all of the benefits North Carolina green roofing provides directly to the consumer, it also has a big impact on the environment. The plants on the top of the house cleanse the air of carbons and provide cleaner oxygen for the surrounding area. Studies have also shown that they cut back on the amount of air pollution, which should be a concern for anyone living near an urban setting.
What Happens When a Roof Doesn’t Have Proper Ventilation?
One of the most important aspects of the way your North Carolina roof is designed and built is proper ventilation. You simply cannot over-estimate its importance. What happens when a roof doesn’t have proper ventilation? Improper ventilation allows formation of condensation, moisture accumulation, and damage to the roof deck and, eventually, to the stability of the roof. Improper roof ventilation can also affect the health of your family.
The industry standard for roof ventilation to provide 1 square foot of intake ventilation and 1 square foot of exhaust or outflow ventilation for every 300 square feet of attic space, provided the area is insulated with a vapor barrier. If the area is insulated without a vapor barrier, the requirement doubles.
Proper ventilation of the roof and attic of a home achieves several important functions:
It makes the attic space cooler
It makes the home more energy efficient
It prevents condensation and accumulation of moisture on the inside of the roof deck, and prevents rotting of the roof deck
It reduces the risk of fire
Several types of vents can be used to properly ventilate the roof of your home. Roof ridge vents are placed along the ridge line of the roof. Ridge vents are used for exhaust or outflow of moisture, heat, and stale air. Soffit vents and Eaves are placed at the lower extremes of the roof and provide the intake ventilation. If you live in an older home, your roof might not be constructed for roof ridge or soffit vents. Older homes were not built with the tight seals of today’s houses. There were cracks and openings around windows and doors, chimneys and other openings. These cracks and openings allowed fresh air to flow into the house. On the principle that hot air rises, the accumulated heat and moisture would rise to the attic and out the roof vents.
Without adequate ventilation, moisture rises with the hot air and forms condensation on the inside of the roof deck. This moisture is released into the air inside the house from bathing, cooking, plants, laundry and other causes. When the condensation forms on the roof deck, it begins to rot the wood. This introduces mold spores into the air, as well as damaging the wood. The result, if the problem is not noticed and repaired, can be destruction of all or part of the roof deck and creation of unhealthy air inside the house.
In our increasingly airtight homes, the importance of proper ventilation in roof construction cannot be over-emphasized. It is important to take the time and do the research to understand the ventilation needs for your North Carolina and how best to meet those needs.