Before planning roof ventilation work, start with a specific question: what problem are you asking the contractor to investigate? Describe the concern in your own words, whether that means a recurring ceiling mark, an uncomfortable upstairs room or moisture mentioned during an earlier inspection. Ask the assessor to distinguish your observations from their findings and to explain what remains uncertain.
Use the questions below to organize a conversation with Longhorn about residential roofing assessment and planning. Request professional inspection photographs and explanations; keep your own preparation to notes, existing records and observations from occupied rooms or ground level.
What evidence should the assessment collect?
Prepare a short timeline before the appointment. When did you first notice the concern? Has it changed? Did it follow a bathroom renovation, insulation work or another household change? Provide earlier inspection reports if available, and label older photographs with their dates rather than presenting them as current conditions.
- What was observed directly, and where was it found?
- Which photographs show the condition in context, rather than only a close-up?
- What possible explanations are being considered, and what additional inspection would help distinguish them?
- Which areas could not be inspected, and how does that limit the recommendation?
Request a written distinction between an observation, a possible explanation and a proposed action. This gives you a way to evaluate the reasoning without having to accept a diagnosis based on an unexplained photograph.
Where do bathroom and kitchen exhaust ducts end?
EPA guidance says bathroom exhaust should discharge outdoors rather than into an attic or another interior space. Review its home remodeling and indoor air quality guidance for context.
Ask the assessor to trace each relevant exhaust route and document its destination. Which fan connects to which exterior outlet? Were the connections visible throughout the route? Was any section inaccessible? Request an explanation of how the destination was confirmed instead of relying on the presence of an exterior vent nearby.
According to EPA, a running bathroom fan motor alone does not establish adequate exhaust airflow. Ask whether the assessment includes an airflow check, who would perform it and what result would support the recommendation. This separates a fan that appears operational from a documented evaluation of its performance.
Could indoor air be reaching the attic?
PNNL explains that air leaks around exhaust fan housings and ducts can carry warm, moisture-laden air into an unconditioned attic, where it may condense on cold surfaces. Its exhaust fan air-sealing guide describes this concern.
Ask which ceiling openings were examined and whether the assessor found evidence of leakage. Request photographs showing both the opening and its location relative to the reported moisture concern. If air sealing is proposed, ask which specific locations are included and who will be responsible for that work.
EPA identifies attic staircases, recessed lights, and plumbing and electrical penetrations among common attic air leakage locations. Ask whether those locations are relevant to your home and whether they were inspected. The purpose is to request a deliberate inspection plan rather than treating every ceiling opening as a confirmed defect.
How were intake, exhaust and open vent area evaluated?
For passive attic ventilation, PNNL recommends openings at both lower and upper portions of the roof assembly. See its passive ventilation calculation guide for the underlying concepts.
Ask for a simple sketch identifying existing intake and exhaust locations. Which attic sections does the proposal address? Were separate wings or difficult-to-access sections evaluated? Ask the contractor to explain the assumptions behind the layout and identify any area requiring further investigation.
PNNL defines net free ventilation area as the clear opening remaining after accounting for restrictions such as screens and vent slots. Request the product information and calculations used for the proposed vents. Ask whether the estimate lists that usable area or only the outside dimensions of each product.
PNNL describes baffles as a way to preserve airflow space between insulation and roof sheathing and keep insulation away from vent openings. Ask whether the inspector documented obstructions, whether baffles were visible and what evidence supports any proposed correction. Request the calculation and site findings together before approving a vent quantity.
Why is a powered attic fan being proposed?
If a powered fan appears in the estimate, ask what documented condition it is intended to address. What alternatives were considered? What outcome is expected, and how would the contractor evaluate it afterward? Request an explanation specific to your home rather than a general promise about a cooler attic.
PNNL cautions that powered attic fans can create negative attic pressure that draws conditioned air through ceiling gaps. Its attic ventilation fan guide discusses this concern and alternatives.
Ask how ceiling leakage and available intake were assessed before the fan was selected. If the proposal relies on air sealing, request a defined scope for that work rather than an unspecified allowance. Ask who will review the completed combination of work and what documentation you will receive.
What should the written scope explain?
Request a proposal organized around findings and actions. For every recommended item, ask: which observation supports it, where will the work occur, and what remains outside the assessment? If the answer is uncertain, request the next investigative step before committing to a product.
- Which existing vents are to remain, change or be removed?
- What calculations and product details support the proposed layout?
- Does the scope include exhaust duct evaluation or ceiling air sealing, and who handles each task?
- What concealed conditions might require a separate decision after inspection?
- What photographs, measurements or checks will document completion?
When comparing proposals, ask each contractor to address the same questions. Keep a separate list of unanswered items so that a shorter estimate does not obscure an incomplete assessment.
What is the next useful step?
Send Longhorn your timeline, available photographs and the questions you want answered through the website inquiry form. Request an assessment explaining the evidence, its limits and the proposed scope before deciding on ventilation changes. Your decision should follow a clear explanation of your property's observed conditions.