Roof Tile Vents are an elegant solution to a somewhat tricky problem. The area between the ceiling and a roof in a house with a pitched roof is variously called an attic, loft, or roof void. However, regardless of what you call it that part of the house is particularly vulnerable to condensation. This can plant the seed for all sorts of expensive and complex issues, like mould and rot.
The Condensation Threat
There are different ways of reducing condensation. One is to raise the temperature of the house through insulation, for instance. However, by far the best way to stop this condensation is to ventilate this area. That’s easier said than done because the entire point of a roof is to keep out rain. Making apertures for ventilation is not simple. But roof tile vents make that job a lot less difficult.
Hot air can carry significantly more water vapour than cold air. When hot, wet air meets a cold surface or cold area it cools down, depositing its water as it does so. This is how condensation works. Roof voids are some of the coldest parts of the house and so are very vulnerable to having this occur. Roof vents allow air to pass out of the roof void and back again, preventing the hyper-concentrations of wet air that lead to condensation.
Roof Vent Types
There are several different types of roof vent that can be installed. Some roof vents can be installed in the fascia below the eaves of the house, for instance. Others can be installed at the abutment where a pitched roof meets a flat wall. Then there are felt-lap vents – these fit in the seams in your roofing felt and improve ventilation in the space between the felt and the tiles. However, none of these are as useful or as ubiquitous as roof tile vents.
Roof Tile Vent Attributes
Roof tile vents represent a massive progression from the cowl vents of yesteryear. Whereas Cowl vents perched uncomfortably on roofs, looking like big grey pustules, roof tile vents are built for a stealth approach. They are designed to look as much like a regular roof tile as possible. Vents brands like Klober’s Profile-Line® series blend into the roofline. While careful examination can pick them out, these vents are the furthest thing from obtrusive.
You can get all kinds of vents to represent different types of tiles. There are even slate tile vents that mimic one or two slate tiles. Regardless of what type of tiles you have, you can definitely find a roof tile vent that will suit you.
Roof tiles usually contain a single vent on top. However, some instead are mounted at the eaves and contain a vent there, pointing down. The top-facing vents use a shunting system to redirect water that enters the grille. This makes sure that the only thing that gets through the roof vent is air, not water.
If you’re looking for a no-muss, no-fuss solution to ventilating your roof, the roof tile vent stands out as both durable and efficient.