Addressing Excess Roof Humidity Problems at Home

With a well-built roof replacement, you can be confident that your home and its inhabitants will stay safe and secure from the natural elements. It should also keep your indoors comfortable throughout the year, which means your HVAC doesn’t have to work harder than it should to keep your home comfortable. But there will be times when heat and humidity can accumulate under your roof, which can affect its performance and longevity over time.

How Humidity Works

Humidity is the concentration of water vapor that’s present in the air. Having too much of it can not only make indoor living conditions uncomfortable but can also affect your home and lead to costly repairs. It can even cause damage to your physical property from fixtures, furniture, and fittings to bigger components such as your attic and inner roofing structure.

While you can’t control the humidity levels outside, you can still control how much of it should be present indoors. Normally, there should be a small amount of humidity present in the air (at least 30 to 50 percent) circulating your home’s interiors. Humidity is important in improving your home’s comfort and, but having too much of it can both affect your air quality as well as cause deterioration to your roof and the rest of your home.

How Does Humidity Affect Your Roof?

Like many homeowners, you wouldn’t think much about your attic and the other layers underneath your roof replacement. But the amount of moisture and humidity it can build up can lead to costly repairs if not properly managed. You need to be aware that if there’s too much moisture, it can slowly deteriorate the wooden parts that hold up the roof’s entire structure. This includes the wood rafters, joists, support beams, and decking.

Add the excess condensation with the amount of heat it can build up due to poor ventilation, and it can cause your roof’s wooden components to stretch, expand, crack, and break. This makes it easier for the moisture and humidity to deteriorate and cause additional rot damage. Mold and mildew can also start forming on the rafters and floor joists, which can further weaken the plywood roof sheathing and compromise its structural integrity.

How to Detect Excess Humidity and Moisture

It isn’t difficult to detect excess humidity in your home, but as a professional roofing contractor, we recommend addressing it early on to prevent costly damage to your roof. Consider these tips when checking for excessive moisture and humidity in your home:

• Check Your Family’s Health – One good indication of excess humidity in your home’s air quality is by checking your family’s health. There may be a problem with your indoor air quality’s humidity levels if they’ve experienced shortness of breath, headaches, or common allergy symptoms recently.
• Look for Water Stains – Water stains can be found on ceilings and walls within your home. If you have stucco installed on your home’s exterior, water stains can also make it crumbly. It can become discolorations when dry, yet can sometimes be difficult to identify under certain lighting conditions.
• Check for Condensation – You can find condensation forming on cool surfaces such as mirrors, pipes, windows, and patio doors. Finding condensation can also indicate moisture spreading to nearby walls and surfaces. Make sure to check your floors, walls, and shelves if they feel moist.
• Check for Mold and Mildew – You won’t immediately notice the smell of mold and mildew especially if you’ve been at home for a long time as you’re likely used to it. As a trusted roofing contractor, we suggest leaving for a bit then coming back to know the difference. You should be able to tell the difference between your home’s odors and fresh air. Mold and mildew can even smell a bit smokey!
• Look for Peeling Wallpaper and Paintwork – This is also a big sign of having excess humidity If you think that painting over them solves the problem, it won’t deal with the dampness and you’ll only pay for more costly renovations.

What Causes Excess Humidity and Moisture Build-Up?

The reason why your home can feel so humid can be due to the local weather and climate, but it can also be due to other factors. Usually, it will have something to do with your home’s insulation, type of materials used, HVAC system, and even the quality of ventilation installed on your roof.

Excess humidity can also be caused by a few mundane activities that we often take for granted. This includes boiling a pot of water, drying laundry indoors, and even a hot shower or bath. It helps to have proper ventilation installed especially on your roof, so make sure to have your vents checked and maintained regularly by a professional roof repair contractor.

Preventive Home Tips to Follow

If you already notice moisture buildup within your roof, have it checked by a professional contractor as soon as possible. There may be underlying damage that’s caused by excessive humidity that needs to be addressed professionally. Also, you should never postpone a roof repair, as it will likely become more costly later on as the problem gets worse.

Depending on the amount of damage caused by rot and moisture, you may be forced to get a roof replacement, but you can still avoid this if you address the problem immediately. You should also take steps in ensuring that humidity won’t affect your roof such as having adequate roof ventilation installed. Your roof’s vents promote better air circulation which prevents moisture from building up and dripping inside your roof.

It’s also important to manage your home’s indoor humidity levels. While normally installed in crawl spaces, you can also install a dehumidifier in your attic. They work the same way in preventing condensation and mold growth. Just make sure that they’re placed away from walls and other objects to ensure proper airflow!

When it comes to quality roof repair and replacement services, you can count on the services offered by Deschutes Roofing!

Call us at (541) 241-5720 if you’re in Bend, (503) 967-9590 if you’re from Portland, (541) 246-6860 if you’re in Eugene, (503) 468-7663 if you’re in Lake Oswego, or (503) 928-8750 if you’re from Beaverton. You can also fill out our convenient online form.