Breathable underlayment allows water vapor or moisture to escape through the roof’s barrier. That’s important because as buildings have become more insulated, they also have cycles of warming and cooling, which for a cold roof can lead to condensation gathering and damaging your roof. If you’re getting a new roof, you may want to discuss a roofing underlayment that lets your roof “breath.”
Why It’s Necessary
Building regulation over the last 30 years has greatly altered the way we construct homes. One area that has changed dramatically are our requirements for insulation and airtightness of windows. That has led to repeated cooling and heating cycles, which has led to the creation, evaporation, and recreation of condensation. One of the benefits of having roof installation with a breathable underlayment is that the condensation cycle is minimized, thus eliminating the possibility of condensation causing roof damage.
Condensation
Condensation can lead to a number of roofing issues that eventually will result in a more frequent and higher roof repair cost. In cold climates, condensation can pool and hang on rafters and roofing timbers, leading to mold and rot. Mold can also grow on the external surface of the underlayment underneath the shingles of the roof. That can lead to a mold buildup and rot.
Decreased Ventilation Requirements
Traditional roofing underlayment doesn’t breathe well. That means that to address the condensation issues, roof installation has to utilize increased ventilation of eaves via ridge ventilation systems. The most significant benefit of breathable underlayment is that those ventilation requirements are largely eliminated. That lowers the cost of maintenance, installation, and roof replacement cost if mold or rot become a major issue.
More Product Confidence
By eliminating the condensation issue, the threats to a roofing system are altered significantly. Even something as basic as a warranty is improved.
Same Roofing Components
A breathable underlayment or membrane doesn’t negatively impact the quality of the roof or its capabilities of protecting the house. It’s still watertight in the sense of water entering the home and it still is a reliable layer of insulation in terms of heating and cooling a home.
Threat Elimination
Your roof has a finite number of threats. They include damage caused by storms, impacts (a tree falls on them,) fire, rot, and mold. The first three are caused by external variables that in most cases are not controllable. You can’t make a hurricane alter its direction or reduce its wind speeds, for example.
The last two, rot and mold, are largely controllable. Breathable underlayment is durable and less prone to rot, which increases both its value and its longevity. The absent of moisture via condensation means the potential for mold growth is greatly reduced. In both cases, the lifespan of the underlayment, rafters and roofing timbers are increased, and the overall health of the building is improved.
Roofing contractors in Alpharetta that use breathable underlayment greatly improve the lifespan potential of a roof. They also help reduce maintenance and repair costs. Check out a breathable underlayment if you are on the market for a new or updated roof.