Attic Ventilation in Troy, MI

Michigan's extreme temperature swings put enormous stress on attic ventilation systems. In winter, warm moist air from inside the home rises into the attic. Without proper ventilation, that moisture condenses on cold surfaces like rafters and roof decking, leading to mold, rot, and premature shingle failure. In summer, a poorly ventilated attic can reach temperatures above 150 degrees, baking shingles from below and driving up cooling costs. Troy homeowners who invest in proper ventilation get more life from their roof, lower energy bills, and better protection against ice dams.

Troy gets hit with everything Michigan can throw at a roof. Winter brings heavy wet snow — sometimes a foot in a single storm — that loads up on the large roof systems common in Troy subdivisions. Between December and March, the constant freeze-thaw cycle is the real killer. Snow melts during a warm afternoon, then refreezes overnight at the eaves, building up ice dams that force water backward under your shingles. We get more roof repair calls for ice dam leaks from Troy homeowners than almost any other issue in winter.

The homes most vulnerable to ice dams are the ones with poor attic ventilation — and that includes a lot of Troy's older housing stock. When warm air leaks into the attic, it melts snow from the underside of the roof unevenly, and that is exactly how ice dams form. Most Troy homes built before 1990 have undersized soffit vents or no ridge vent at all.

Spring and summer bring a different problem. Oakland County averages 30 or more thunderstorm days per year, and Troy sees its share of straight-line winds, heavy downpours, and occasional hail. After a big storm, we often find shingles lifted or torn off entirely — especially three-tab shingles on older roofs where the adhesive strip has dried out. Storm damage is one of the most common reasons Troy homeowners file insurance claims on their roofs.

If you have not had a roof inspection in the last two years, spring is the time to do it — after the freeze-thaw season ends and before summer storms start. Our inspections are free, take about 30 minutes, and we check everything from the shingles down to the decking condition inside your attic.

During every roof inspection, we measure your attic and calculate the required intake and exhaust ventilation based on the square footage of your attic floor. Many homes in Troy have ventilation systems that were adequate when built but no longer meet current building code requirements or manufacturer warranty specifications.

We install and upgrade ridge vents, continuous soffit vents, individual soffit vents, insulation baffles, box vents, power vents, and attic fans. For homes without overhangs or traditional soffits, we offer edge vent systems that install along the roof edge to provide intake ventilation. Every solution is designed to create a balanced system where intake and exhaust are properly matched. We include ventilation evaluation with every roof replacement and offer standalone ventilation upgrades for existing roofs.