Exhaust fans are crucial to the life of your roof

What does a bathroom or kitchen exhaust fan have to do with your shingles? The answer: A lot!

Improperly ventilated bathrooms, kitchens or laundry rooms add heat and moisture to your attic. Hotter, wetter attics pose a health risk because they can cause mould, but these conditions also cause your shingles to deteriorate more quickly and contribute to ice dams.

When we conduct our initial inspection of your home, we may ask for access to the attic to see if any kitchen, bathroom or laundry room fans are leaking heat into the attic. Ideally these fans are vented through the walls, but on the top floor of your home, they may have to vent through the roof.

Prevent leaks and heat transfer

If the fans vent through the attic, we’ll minimize heat transfer by insulating the ducts. When we replace your roof, we’ll ensure that these exhaust fans have the proper flashing installed under the shingles, and we’ll seal any exposed nails or seams to prevent leaks. Properly installed exhaust fans will:

• Help improve indoor air quality
• Help extend the life of your roof
• Not add heat or moisture to the attic