Building Sustainable Homes: Roof Systems & Ventilation - North Twin Builders
March 14, 2022
As we work our way through the final weeks of winter, homeowners often look at more economical ways to reduce their heating bills. At North Twin Builders, we help homeowners identify energy efficient changes and sustainable solutions that deliver long-term cost-savings.
Monitor Heat Loss for Optimal Sustainability
We start the exploration of sustainable home building by looking at roofing systems and ventilation. The easiest way to check if your home is losing heat by checking your roof in the morning when the temperature is below freezing. The frost present on your roof in the morning should be an even thickness across the entire roof. If you notice some areas of frost have already melted off, you are seeing a key indicator that you are losing heat in those places. With heat loss come less sustainable heating bills. Every house loses energy, but sustainable homes lose far less than in traditional construction.
Why are Ice Dams a Problem?
Sometimes the heat escaping through the roof of your home causes other issues in the form of ice dams – or the presence of icicles hanging from the gutters or roofs. As heat from the interior of your home is pushed through your ceilings and attic, pressure is created at the peaks of the roof. Without proper insulation and ventilation, the heat moves too rapidly to the outer roof layers, melting the standing snow. As the snow melts, water runs down the roof and into the gutters, where the cold overhangs allow it to freeze. As the water and snow build up in the gutters, icicles are formed, introducing water backups and dams that can lead to larger problems.
The water backup from ice dams can leak through the roof, cause damage to your insulation and framing, and eventually drip through your ceiling. The ice can also loosen shingles and ultimately damage your roof structure.
Quick Fix or Long Term Solution
While ice dams cause long-term problems, homeowners often turn to short term solutions to get through the winter months, but these solutions fail to solve the problem long-term. Rather than climbing on a slippery roof to shovel the snow off, removing the ice by hand, throwing salt on the roof, steaming off the snow, or installing heating cables, a better solution is to correct underlying thermal management problem with the help of a sustainability professional.
When building a new home, trust in builders who understand the harsh winter climate of the Midwest and will use building science over and above normal building code. Reliable builders will ensure your home uses proper insulation and ventilation for ultimate comfort and minimal thermal loss.
Sustainable Thermal Comfort
If you’ve already built your home and need to fix an ice dam problem, bring in a contractor that is more qualified to solve your problem rather than simply hiring a licensed roofing contractor to resolve the issue. In many cases, this is solved by removing the roof sheathing and insulation and adding the proper insulation / air sealing to prevent air seepage and heat loss. Watch out for contractors that seek to solve the ice dams by adding even more ventilation, as this is often a ‘bandage’ solution instead of a cure. Controlling air leakage heat loss within the structure should be the primary focus.
Once the ice dams are resolved and your roofing system performs better, you will notice a more comfortable and consistent internal temperature and an immediate reduction in your energy consumption. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also use less energy in the form of natural gas, propane, or other fuel.
Snow Barrier
Looking to further reduce your winter heating bills? Use your resources! Snow is a sustainable insulation solution. Snow can be used to create a warm perimeter around your home, garage, or shed – moving snow from the yard to create at least a six inch natural layer will insulate and protect the foundation.
Look for our next post on affordable and sustainable housing design considerations, where we will highlight window design, condensation, and best practices for exhaust fans.