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As a prospective home owner that is looking to hire a contractor to build his dream house, you probably do not spend much time considering the methods and techniques that your home building contractor employs on your home.

You are most likely picturing your home and the new space you will have to live in. You can imagine the layout you have dreamed of coming to life before your eyes. You may even be able to envision your family gatherings and the wonderful times you will have entertaining company in your newly built castle. If you have a high quality builder, they are spending much time thinking about the different techniques they must employ to ensure that you will be able to do all that entertaining for years to come without having to deal with the unpleasantries that come from a poorly planned build.

What Problems Will Proper Ventilation Prevent?

Homeowners are often concerned with making sure their windows are weather-tight and they are well insulated to prevent the escape of heat or cool. Most home owners do not take into consideration the problems that poor ventilation can cause.

• Mold – When moisture is unable to escape properly from a home, mold and mildew form quickly. This is not only a hassle to clean constantly, but it is unsanitary.
• Shortened Roofing Life – Poorly vented roofing will not last nearly as long as properly vented roofing. The heat from underneath will cause shingles to curl and deteriorate before they should and that will cost the home owner money sooner than it should.
• Insulation Deterioration – When moisture can not escape, insulation will get wet. This not only contributes to the mold and mildew that we mentioned, but the insulation will not do its job well. It will also wear out more quickly. Again, we are looking at it hitting your wallet much sooner than it should.

Don’t Defeat Your Own Efforts

Spending much time and money on the best-sealing windows, water proofing your foundations, putting weather sealant on your doors, doubling your insulation, and choosing the best siding and roofing products to keep the heat in the winter and the cool in the summer will all be undone if you do not have proper ventilation. While most home owners do not spend much time considering this aspect it is worth discussing with your builder.

A good builder will have considered all of this already and will not be offended by the fact that you question him about it. He may even bring it up before you do. Find out what type of ventilation will be used and how effective it is. Decide if you need to upgrade your ventilation or if the standard amount will be sufficient in your home. For the efficiency of your home heating and cooling, as well as keeping future maintenance costs to a minimum, there is no substitute for properly ventilating your home.