Most people add roof ventilation to their homes for two important reasons: It gets rid of heat and, perhaps just as importantly, it gets rid of moisture. Moisture build-up in your home is bad for a couple of reasons; like heat build-up, moisture build-up can have an impact on your home’s structural components, causing rot to set in and making your wall studs, floor joists, walls and even your ventilation system much more hospitable to moulds and mildews. Moreover, unlike heat build-up that occurs primarily in the summer, moisture build-up is a year-round problem.
Lack of Ventilation Breeds Stale Air
Of course, rotting wood is bad, but health problems are even worse. Moulds and mildews can be highly virulent – all you need is a very small amount to make you very sick. Moulds and mildews spread via spores in the air, meaning they’re easily breathed into the respiratory system. Once inside the body, moulds and mildews can replicate, wreaking havoc on respiration and digestion and causing chronic health issues like asthma, allergies and lung and bowel conditions that can take a major toll on your health.
Obviously, one of the best ways to prevent mould and mildew from growing in your home is to prevent the build-up of moisture and warmth they love so well. And one of the best ways to do that is with regular airflow, especially during the warmest hours of the day when the warmth of the sun heats your home’s attic and increases the amount of humidity contained in the space.
Solar Star – A Better Way to Ventilate
Static roof vents have become the built-in standard for improving cross ventilation in attics, but they’re largely ineffective, allowing only a small portion of air to escape throughout the day. Whirlybirds offer some improvement, but they work best when the wind is blowing, and in the heat of the day when the air tends to be still, they rely only on the convective currents to keep them in motion. Motor-driven fans are by far the best solution, actively drawing out air and moisture and keeping air circulating to prevent surfaces from becoming home to airborne spores of moulds and mildews. However, they have one major flaw – they can significantly increase your electric bill.
Fortunately, Solatube’s Solar Star roof ventilation system has the answer. This system combines the advantages of a motor-driven fan, but because it relies solely on solar energy for power, there’s no impact on your electricity bill. In addition, the low-profile design works on any roof shape and the system is designed to work best when it’s needed most – during the brightest, sunniest, hottest times of the day. Comparison studies have shown the Solar Star is far more effective than Whirlygigs, with one unit providing as much airflow as 10 to 15 Whirlygigs. In addition, as with every Solatube product, installation is simple and the units are essentially maintenance-free.
If you want to avoid the potential health risks associated with mould and mildew in your home, roof ventilation is an important step. Contact Solatube today and find a Skylight dealer in Sydney or your city who can help you learn more about the Solar Star ventilation system.