Attic ventilation is extremely important. It keeps heat and moisture from accumulating in your home. Because spinning roof turbines (whirlybirds) have moving parts, they will eventually experience some kind of mechanical failure. You’ll know it is time to take action when you hear the annoying squeak or notice that a turbine is not moving anymore.

To access the turbine and fix the problem, you need to get on top of the roof. Remember to use proper safety procedures and be cautious. Bring along a can of WD-40 and some silicon based lubricant or sprayable lithium grease.

First, spray the pivot point with WD-40. This solvent should free the mechanism. While the problem may seem to be solved, that little squirt will not last for long. You need to grease/lubricate the pivot point for a more permanent solution.

Replacement Options

If this quick fix fails (or you must do it repeatedly), it is time to replace the whole turbine with a newer ventilation mechanism. You don’t necessarily have to purchase another whirlybird. There are some devices such as flat roof vents or Aura Vents that work without any moving parts. You just need to make sure that the product you choose will adequately handle sufficient air volume.

If you do decide to replace your roof turbine with another whirlybird, buy one that has permanently sealed ball bearings or plastic bushings. It is usually the ones with cheap metal bushings that begin to squeak within a few years of installation.

Related posts:

1. 5 Things That Can Damage Your Roof
2. Roof Flashing Maintenance & Repair
3. Hail Damage to Your Roof
4. Has Hail Damaged Your Roof?
5. Do You Need A Lightning Rod On Your Roof?

Tags: Roofing

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 at 10:57 pm and is filed under Roofing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.