Should i have a ridge vent installed

More importantly, what is a ridge vent and how does it work? A ridge vent is a non-mechanical vent that runs the entire length of the peak of your home.

Compared to other roof vents, they blend well with the profile of the roof and are hardly noticeable. Like other roof vents, ridge vents function to allow rising hot air to release from the attic. Cool air enters the attic from the soffit vents, constantly moving fresh air under the roof deck as the hot, stale air is allowed to escape from the top.

Releasing this hot air extends the life of your shingles, prevents ice damming, lowers cooling costs, and regulates temperature extremes like a cold main floor and a hot upper floor. Other types of roof vents include box vents, turtle vents, and gable vents. Box vents are essentially a square hole cut in your roof. With the help of soffit vents, they allow hot air to escape the attic. Turtle vents are non-mechanical curved vents yep, like a turtle shell that allow hot air to escape the attic space.

If not used with soffit vents, they typically only release air where they are installed. Gable vents are rectangles vents generally found on the front or sides of a house, below the roof ridge. If your home already has box, turtle, or gable vents at the time of your roof replacement, you may be wondering if you need to install a ridge vent.

The truth is, most experts agree that though other roof vents allow some ventilation which is better than none , ridge vents are the most efficient and cost-effective roof ventilation system around. Our recommendation is yes. If you find yourself in this situation, then you must inspect your attic for water damage frequently. The only way to prevent the issue is to take the vents out, replacing them with a product which offers a more water-tight experience for your roof.

If you have insulation in your attic, then the dampness caused in this situation creates even more challenges to face as a homeowner. The initial cost of roof ridge vents is usually higher. Roof ridge vents provide a costly system of ventilation that may not be suitable for the checkbooks of some homeowners. This option might be the updated system which most newer homes use, but if you have an older home, then you might need the soffit vents too. The soffit vents act like the air intake for the home.

That means roof ridge vents are like the exhaust system. They allow the house to breathe correctly. Roof ridge vents and other forms of roofing ventilation work better when homes are in colder climates. The general rule of thumb is that the colder the climate, the more your attic benefits from the use of ventilation.

This option can still reduce your hot air during the summer months in a warm climate, but there are cheaper and more effective ways to handle this solution. If you do live in a colder environment, then make sure you have rigid insulation in place to prevent condensation from forming on your roof sheathing.

This thermal barrier will work to prevent common forms of moisture damage from affecting the home. You must install it at the peak of your roof.

If your home has a flat roof, then you will not benefit from the use of a roof ridge vent. This product works best on homes with a slanted pitch to the roof — but not too steep, of course. The design of ridge vents, however, prevents rodents of any size from entering your attic without the need for additional traps or blockades.

While rodents in your attic may seem harmless at first, they can actually create significant damage. Ridge vents are the best way to achieve the air circulation you need while limiting the risk of further damage. Unlike other types of roof vents, ridge vents are incredibly low-profile. Installed along the ridge of your roof, this type of vent is typically covered by shingle caps. This sleek design is near impossible to notice from ground level. Ridge vents allow for the most natural air circulation.

When wind blows over your roof, there is a change in air pressure. This pressure change allows help to draw the hot air out of your attic. Fresh, cool air then enters through the underside of the vent, creating a natural airflow. Some types of air ventilation systems rely on other pieces of equipment to work properly. While roof ridge vents can work alongside box vents or soffit vents, they also do not need these other vents to operate.

Ridge vents effectively release moisture from your home, greatly reducing the risk of mold or mildew. We know that it is important to take steps towards improving the air quality inside our homes! In fact, did you know that indoor air pollution has been ranked as one of the top dangerous environmental factors?

Luckily, ridge vents installed across your roof helps to improve the air quality inside your home. By allowing damp air to escape, and fresh air to enter your home, you can reduce the risk of pollution-related symptoms and ailments.

Ridge vents are a non-mechanical ventilation system. Because of this, you will never have to worry about eclectic or mechanical failures or expenses! This helps to offset the higher investment cost required when installing a ridge vent.

As great as roof ridge vents are, there are a few disadvantages to this home ventilation design. Here are a few of the things you need to consider before deciding if a roof ridge vent is the best choice for your home. Depending on the age and design of your home, roof ridge vents may not be the most effective ventilation system. Most older homes, for example, still need older ventilation systems that work with how the home was designed. Ridge vents will only work as they should if the rest of the home is designed to promote air circulation.

This type of roof vent works best in homes that have been designed to be energy-efficient. A ridge vent on a metal roof works just the same as one for a shingled roof. The only difference is the material. Ridge vents for metal roofs are made from aluminum and double as both the ridge vent and ridge cap. Space cut out of the roof sheathing ready for ridge vent installation. A ridge vent actually covers a hole running the entire length of the roof. Check out the pic shown above.

That space will get covered in either one of two ways. This allows warm air to escape from the attic and helps draw in cooler air from other vents. It covers this gap in the roof. A roof ready for shingles and a continuous shingle over ridge vent. Roofing manufacturer warranties generally require a minimum of one square foot of ventilation for every sf of attic space but only one square foot of ventilation for every sf when the ridge vent system is used.

That should tell you how efficient a good ridge vent is at expelling heat. There are quite a few good ridge vents on the market but the continuous vent, as opposed to the individual roof vent, is the most effective.

Continuous ridge vents allow hot air to easily escape from the roof peak which controls the climate inside the attic. A ridge vent along with other vents that draw in colder air is enough ventilation. We highly recommend installing soffit or gable vents along with a ridge vent or some other form of air intake. Some form of attic ventilation is necessary. You could use a box vent, gable vent or some other type of roof vent system. There are a bunch of products on the market.

However, ridge vents are the best. So you ask, is a ridge vent necessary? No, but some sort of attic vent is and ridge vents are the best. Ridge vents do, however, need intake to work properly. Mechanical roofing systems can intake and exhaust all by themselves. Ridge vents work for free once installed without requiring any power. All they need are some simple gable or soffit vents to bring fresh air in.

They can run a few calculations to make sure the vent exhausts enough hot air. Keep in mind that to work properly a ridge vent needs fresh air intake. Incoming air pressure causes hot are to vent out the ridge vent. These vents are no big deal. A simple gable or some soffit vents will do the trick and chances are you have them already. Ridge vents can be added to any old home and work best on shingle roofs.