In this case you can learn a lot from foam tech s article vented vs.
Vented vs unvented roof.
Inclined along the line of rafters warm roof or positioned within the roof structure to form an insulated void room in roof which can result in warm and cold roof areas.
Let s dive a little deeper into what that means exactly.
Control of ice dams moisture accumulation and heat gain can be successfully addressed by both vented and unvented attic or roof design.
Basically the term cold roof refers to a traditional roof or vented roof while hot roof refers to a roof that is not ventilated and which has foam insulation attached directly to the roof sheathing.
In an un vented roof foam can serve as the air barrier and vapor retarder and prevent moisture from getting in to the roof cavities.
Too many people believe the importance of roof ventilation is to increase energy efficiency during the summer.
In pitched roof construction thermal insulation can be placed horizontally at ceiling level cold roof.
Unvented roof assemblies are not prone to these problems because the ventilation openings have been eliminated.
That said air resistance and interference such as vent grates reduces the area of true ventilation.
The choice of the venting approach is up to the designer.
Because the drying capacity of unvented roof assemblies is inherently lower than vented ones it is especially critical to control built in moisture during construction.
Vented roofs vented roofs serve a number of different purposes and their roles vary from climate to climate.
A vented attic system refers specifically to having working vents in the attic.
Control construction moisture content with tenting or temporary roofing when necessary.
Unvented roofs which provides a detailed explanation of each.
Roof vents are for warmer climates.
In coastal climates wind driven rain can be blown in through these openings with similar results.
When insulating your attic the contractor can either spray the attic floor to keep a vented attic or spray the roof deck for an unvented system.
Vented attic roof designs have the advantage of a long proven historical track record.
In a vented roof foam can seal the openings and serve as an air barrier and a vapor retarder in addition to its insulating function.