When it comes to any building, residential or commercial, moisture control is essential for its proper function. In addition to protecting the building itself from chemical or physical damage, moisture control is also vital to protect those living in the building from various health issues. No matter where you live, moisture issues are common in buildings, and often something that can’t be avoided completely.
Whether you live in a tropical region or somewhere where the temperature remains hot and humid most of the time, your building can be affected by excessive accumulation of moisture. Moisture is certainly a big problem for both homeowners and roofing and siding contractors in Medford Township alike. The balance of this article consists of moisture control tips from expert Medford Township roofing and siding contractors.
Moisture Control Tips for Roofing
Unwanted condensation and water intrusion are usually the result of incorrect finishing work of your roof assemblies. This can cause an immense amount of damage to your building and its contents. If your roof has not been designed properly, you will have to face expensive and frequent repairs and maintenance, and also a reduced lifespan of the roofing. To prevent this, the following things should be kept in mind when designing the roof assembly for your building:
- The roof should be designed to be able to collect and dispose rain water.
Rain water from the roof can be effectively drained to reach the collection and disposal areas by properly sloping the roof. The slope of your roof has to be determined based on the various design needs and intended use. For example, if you want your roof to serve multiple purposes, such as containing a deck, you have to make sure that the slope is low enough, for safety reasons. If you are looking for a great visual appeal, or to be consistent with the other homes in your neighborhood, you can also choose roofing with a particularly high pitch. The roofing materials you choose should be right for the slope or pitch. An experienced roofing contractor in Medford Township will be able to help you determining this detail.
- The roof should be designed to prevent condensation
The ransfer of heat and migration of water vapor can be caused by airflow. The best way to prevent this is by designing your roofing assembly to be adequately airtight. Consult a Medford Township roofing contractor about the different options available to seal out air, such as using an additional layer of material in the roofing assembly, installing vented or unvented roofing, etc.
- The roof should be designed with moisture control maintenance in mind
The roofing system should be easy to maintain. The materials used in the roofing assembly should not be costly or difficult to remove and replace. A roofing contractor in Medford Township will be able to help you by developing maintenance documents for your roofing, which includes pre-scheduled inspection and maintenance, warranty, correct repair and maintenance processes, and other such details.
Moisture Control Tips for Siding
Accumulation of moisture and also moisture level fluctuations can greatly impact the lifespan of your siding, especially wood siding. When the moisture conditions get worse, it can lead to warping, rotting, and paint failure.
Once again, proper building design and siding design and installation is considered by an expert siding contractor in Medford Township as the most important aspect in preventing excessive fluctuations in moisture level and moisture accumulation. Following are some of the best practices recommended by our Medford Township siding contractor to prevent accumulation of moisture in your building’s exterior siding:
- Install suitable flashing.
- Make sure that dry materials are used during construction.
- Make sure that there is enough roof overhang.
- Have an interior vapor barrier or retarder installed.
When you have wood siding, rain water can all too often easily enter the space between the sheathing and the siding. Therefore, you may have to use a water resistant barrier like asphalt over the sheathing, and this will prevent damage to the wall caused by rainwater. Another option suggested by many siding contractors in Medford Township is to prime the siding with a water repellent or paint. This technique has been proven to improve performance of wood siding as well as its paint retention capability. When your siding’s lower part is primed, the amount of moisture it absorbs will be considerably less.
If your roofing and siding have been absorbing moisture for quite some time now, the growth of mold will most likely be another problem you can expect to encounter. And when there is mold, it gets more complicated – and fixing the problems with your roofing and siding becomes much more difficult. Therefore, our Medford Township roofing and siding contractor suggests that you take action as soon as you find that the exterior structures of your house are taking in moisture. If you are building a new house, you can start with appropriate preventive measures right from the beginning.