Can Attic Fans Extend the Lifespan of Your Roof?

Many people use attic fans in order to reduce attic temperatures during the summer. As attic temperatures climb high, the rest of the home can be affected and air conditioning has to work hard to fight against the high heat seeping in from above.

While attic fans are the most effective option to reduce heat in the attic and feel more comfortable in the home, their benefits don’t end there. Attic fans can save you on major repair costs by preventing damage and extending the lifespan of your roof.

What are the biggest threats to your roof?
Besides external threats that are largely out of homeowners' control, like major storms carrying high winds and felling trees, the biggest threats to your roof come from inside your attic.

An unventilated or poorly ventilated attic collects moisture from the home and traps it along with high heat. As humans, we perspire and create moisture in our bodies. Other sources of moisture include cooking, hot showers, and house plants. In other words, some level of moisture is unavoidable.

Also, in humid climates, moisture can easily seep into the house and rise with the hot air into your attic.

When moisture reaches your attic it can cause structural damage, like rot, along with mold and mildew that will slowly eat away at your roof and attic walls and floors. Furthermore, if you live in an area that gets cold winters and slow, you have to worry about ice dams.

Warm, trapped air in your attic can melt snow on your roof and refreeze at night, causing ice dams that wreak havoc on the roof.

How can attic fans prevent roof damage?
All of the problems mentioned above can be eliminated with proper attic ventilation. As we mentioned, the main causes of mold, mildew, rot, and ice dams are trapped air, namely warm, moist air.

Attic fans exhaust trapped air and replace it with fresh, outdoor air, preventing a buildup of warm, humid air and thereby preventing damage to your roof.

Are attic vents enough to prevent roof damage?
Attic vents provide passive ventilation, which allows air to naturally circulate into and out of the attic. While attic vents are better than nothing, attic fans are much more effective as they actively push trapped air out and pull in fresh air.

If you’re looking for an energy-efficient gable-mounted attic fan, check out the Smart Energy Saver Attic Gable Fan. We also offer roof-mounted attic fans and solar attic fans, so take a look at all of our products here to find the perfect one for you and your home.