Does your attic often feel really hot and humid? In the winter, do you get ice dams forming on the edge of your roof? These are both key signs of poor attic ventilation. If unaddressed, poor roof ventilation can lead to shingle damage and leaks. Luckily, roofers can address this problem quite easily. Here are three ways a roofer can improve your attic ventilation.

Ridge Vents

A ridge vent is a long vent that stretches along the length of your roof's ridge. If your roof has more than one ridge, there is a potential to have more than one ridge vent. Since heat rises, ridge vents are good at allowing hot air to escape from the attic. If your roofer determines that hot air doesn't have a good path out of the attic, they may add another ridge vent to your setup. 

Soffit Vents

Soffit vents are small vents that are placed under the eaves or soffits of your roof. You may see them if you stand right under the edge of the roof and look up. They look a bit like small heating vent grates. Soffit vents are really good at allowing new, fresh, cool air flow into your attic. This is because they're placed at the coolest part of your roof—along the edge. 

If your roofer thinks your attic is not getting enough cool airflow, then they may add a few more soffit vents to your setup. These are easy to add; your roofer does not have to disrupt the roof structure to install them.

Attic Fans

If your roof already has ample ridge vents and soffit vents, but the attic is still hot and humid, then your roofer may recommend an attic fan. Sometimes, a fan is necessary for a roof that's designed with a lot of corners and areas where warm air can get trapped.

An attic fan is usually placed near the peak of the roof. It pulls air out of the attic and pushes it out. The presence of the attic fan will draw more cool air in through the soffit vents. Most attic fans run slowly and quietly; you won't know the fan is there.

If you think your attic may not be properly ventilated, contact a roofing company in your area. They can come look over your current ventilation setup and recommend the changes or additions that will improve your situation the most. 

For more info, contact local roofers.