In Queensland, roof space temperatures during summer can reach more than 60°C. But instead of cranking up the air-con to get comfortable, natural ventilation can do the trick.

If you’ve got the chance to design and build a new home, think about utilising natural ventilation techniques. It’s a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution to increase the comfort of your home.

Let’s investigate...

What is ventilation?

Ventilation takes advantage of natural air movement and pressure differences to ventilate and cool your home. When done effectively, natural ventilation can move internal hot air out and replace it with cooler external air. 

How does it increase comfort?

Comfort in your home is about feeling neither too hot nor too cold, you’re looking to prolong that ‘just right’ temperature. Home ventilation can’t change the external temperate, but it can help maintain a more comfortable environment for longer and avoid the need for artificial ventilation to heat or cool your house.

It does this by:

• Removing the heat in summer and moisture in winter: Roof Space temperatures during summer can reach in excess of 60°C and, during the colder months, moisture from bathrooms and kitchens can build-up in roof space to form up to 12 litres of moisture. Roof ventilators/whirly birds and skylights that open can help increase ventilation by removing the heat in summer and moisture in winter, making a more comfortable home.

• Using cross ventilation: Uses temperature differences to increase the movement of air around your home. Hot air rises and escapes through openings and cooler air is drawn in from lower openings. Windows, doors, skylights and roof ventilators ridges help increase cross ventilation adding to a home’s comfort.

• Taking advantage of cooler night air: Leaving windows open at night so the hot air of the day can escape and be replaced by the cool night air is an easy and effective way anyone can use ventilation to improve comfort.

• Takes advantage of breezes: Wind doesn't naturally blow through houses, it is sucked towards areas of low pressure. And is utilised  to improve ventilation by placing openings on both sides of rooms or opposite walls. Breezes are effectively drawn into and through a house.

• Building orientation: Depending on the location, a house can be placed in the best position to take full advantage of breezes. Additionally, external structures such as fences and trees can be used to direct breezes for maximum or reduce ventilation.

• Making use of airflow patterns to direct or deflect breezes. The size and design of windows can help to increase comfort by either maximising ventilation or stopping airflow completely.  

Through the use of ventilation, these factors promote a healthier, happier living environment and increase comfort in your home. So, if you’re lucky enough to be building a new home, make sure to include at least a few of these concepts. 

For more information about increasing ventilation in your roof or anything roof related, contact the Roo Roofing team today! Our experienced team of roofing experts can help! Get in touch today.