

Regardless of where you live in Australia, there is one factor that remains the same across the continent: the brutal intensity of the summer sun. On a 40 degree day, it doesn’t take long for a house to reach unbearably hot levels, especially if it lacks sufficient roof ventilation.
If you are on the hunt for a ventilation solution, it can be hard to understand just how effective roof ventilation can be if done right. In this article, we are going to explain exactly that – how well does roof ventilation really work?
How Does Roof Ventilation Work?
Before we dive into the realistic performance of roof ventilation systems, you must understand how roof ventilation works. In general, any ventilation system aims to replace the hot, stale air trapped in your roof with cool air from outside the house.
To achieve this goal, one must add either powered or unpowered vents and fans to the roof of the house. From whirlybirds to solar-powered ventilators, the goal is always the same. Extract stale air, and replace it with fresh, cooler air.
What Are The Benefits of Proper Roof Ventilation?
Now, there is no cookie-cutter solution to air ventilation because every house has different thermal and airflow properties that affect performance. The effectiveness of any roof ventilation system will also depend on the number of vents and fans used, and the size of the house.
If you get the balance between house size and ventilation proficiency correct, then you can achieve surprisingly high levels of cooling performance in a home.
For example, if you have ever been in a house where one of the rooms or floors feels 10+ degrees hotter than the rest of the house, this is often a symptom of poor roof ventilation. Fortunately, it is easy to prevent this from happening by installing a roof ventilation system that is suitable for the house.
Beyond temperature reduction, there are many benefits of installing a high-performance roof ventilation system. Reduced moisture and mould, longer roof life, lower power bills and greater occupant health are some of the greatest perks of a house with sufficient roof ventilation.
How Much Can Roof Ventilation Cool Your House?
One thing to note before we give any figures is that the cooling performance of any ventilation system will vary as every scenario and home is different. The good news is, the options on the market will be able to provide quality cooling if installed correctly in the right locations and volumes.
Since it is almost impossible to give an exact number of degrees of cooling power that you can expect any solution to deliver, we will have to give a rough estimate.
Firstly, if you are using passive roof ventilation such as RapidRidge, then the cooling performance will be lower than if you were using a powered solution to cool your home.
If manufacturers report that two high quality solar powered ventilation fans can reduce the temperature of your home by a whopping 20C, then it should be safe to assume a passive cooling system will deliver somewhere around 5-10C of cooling depending on what you use.
Discover The Potential of RapidRidge
RapidRidge is an award-winning, energy-efficient roof ventilation system that can reduce the electricity usage and thus, carbon footprint, of all Australians. Want to learn more? Visit our website.