Need advice on replacing an old leaky roof

I used to think powered fans were just an unnecessary expense until I replaced my roof a couple years back. We had constant moisture issues, even after patching leaks and cleaning vents regularly. Eventually, we bit the bullet and installed a powered attic fan. Honestly, it made a noticeable difference—humidity dropped significantly, and the attic felt fresher overall. So yeah, I'd agree that

"powered fans can be a solid solution if you're dealing with persistent moisture buildup."

Powered attic fans can definitely help in some situations, but they're not always the best fix. Couple thoughts from my own experience:

- If your attic ventilation is already adequate (ridge vents, soffit vents, etc.), adding a powered fan might actually disrupt natural airflow. I've seen cases where powered fans ended up pulling conditioned air from the home through small gaps or leaks, raising energy bills.

- Proper insulation and sealing air leaks between your attic and living spaces often do more to control moisture and humidity than an active fan. When we renovated our place a few years back, focusing on sealing gaps around recessed lighting and plumbing vents made a huge difference. We skipped the powered fan altogether.

- Also worth mentioning: powered fans need electricity and maintenance. Not a huge deal, but it's another consideration.

Not saying powered fans can't help—they clearly worked for you. But if someone's replacing their roof anyway, I'd suggest exploring passive ventilation improvements and better insulation first... might be simpler and more cost-effective overall.

Good points overall, but I gotta say, we installed a powered attic fan last summer, and it noticeably cooled our upstairs bedrooms. Passive vents are great, but sometimes they just don't move enough air when it's really hot out... depends on your climate and house layout, I guess.

Fair enough, powered attic fans can help, but they're not always the best solution:

- Powered fans can sometimes pull conditioned air from inside your living space, making your AC work harder.
- If your attic isn't sealed properly, you might actually increase energy costs rather than reduce them.
- I've found that improving insulation and sealing air leaks around attic access points and ducts often makes a bigger difference overall.

Definitely depends on your specific setup, but worth considering before jumping straight to powered ventilation.

Good points about the attic fans, especially the bit about sealing and insulation. Have you checked how well your attic is sealed around vents and ducts? I remember when I replaced my roof a few years back, I thought ventilation was the main issue, but turns out I had some pretty big gaps around the attic hatch and ductwork. Once I sealed those up and added some extra insulation, it made a noticeable difference in comfort and energy bills.

Also, what kind of roofing material are you leaning toward? If you're already replacing the roof, it might be worth looking into reflective shingles or metal roofing to help keep things cooler up there. Might cost a bit more upfront, but could save you headaches (and money) down the road. Just something else to think about...