All About Roof Ridge Vents
Roof ventilation is so important to the integrity of a home. Poor air circulation in your home could cause the formation of mold and mildew and become very costly mistakes. The best way to prevent this is to use the proper type of roof vent.
If you live in a climate that gets hot or humid, you need a ridge vent. A ridge vent can lower your cooling bills and lower your attic temperature. A roof ridge vent is the best way to allow damp air to escape your attic, providing proper ventilation. While there are many types of roof vents available, many experts agree that ridge roof vents are the most efficient and cost-effective ventilation system.
Whether you are preparing to replace your roof, or just looking to learn more about the systems throughout your home, educating yourself on proper roof ventilation allows you to care for your home more effectively.
What is a Roof Ridge Vent?
A roof ridge vent is a ventilation system that is installed across the ridge of a roof. Covered by shingle caps, this type of vent not only works well but also has an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Some people may refer to this type of roof vent as a continuous vent.
A ridge vent works best when paired with a vented soffit. The air flowing up through the soffit and out through the ridge allows for vertical ventilation. The only opposing way to ventilate would be to have a horizontal draft by using gable vents. Gable vents are vents through the wall on each side of the attic, allowing a natural breeze through the attic. We do not recommend having both a vertical draft and horizontal, because they will cancel each other out.
Why A Ridge Vent?
A ridge vent on the roof serves a very important purpose. When a ridge vent is installed, the damp, warm air that accumulates in the attic has a way to escape. This ventilation prevents your home from gathering excessive moisture that can lead to the formation of mold and mildew.
Besides allowing air to circulate, a ridge vent on your roof prolongs the life of your roof. It also helps to moderate the overall temperature of your home, increasing your energy efficiency. For this reason, we consider roof ridge vents an essential part of most modern roof designs.
Benefits Of Roof Ridge Vents
There are many benefits that a roof ridge vent provides. Here are just a few of the many ways it improves your home’s overall condition and value.
1. Moderate the Temperature of Your Home
It is a known fact that hot air rises. Because of this, you find that the second story of your home is often much warmer than the first story, even with the most efficient HVAC system.
Installing a ridge vent will help moderate the temperature of your home by allowing this hot air to escape once it reaches the attic. As a result, your home will remain cooler, reducing the need for endless air conditioner cycles. Roof ridge vents not only make your home more comfortable and also reduce your energy bill.
2. Prevent Rodents From Entering Attic
There are many types of roof vents, all with different shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, many older styles of roof vents allow rodents to enter your attic. Unless you install traps in your ventilation system, your attic is likely to become the home to baby raccoons, squirrels, mice, or other rodents.
However, the design of ridge vents prevents rodents of any size from entering your attic with no 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.
3. Ridge Vents Are Aesthetically Pleasing
Unlike other types of roof vents, ridge vents are incredibly low-profile. Installed along the ridge of your roof, shingle caps typically cover this type of vent. This sleek design is near impossible to notice from ground level.
4. Allows for Natural Air Circulation
Ridge vents allow for the most natural air circulation. When the 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 air then enters through the underside of the vent, creating a natural airflow.
5. Ridge Vents Do Not Rely on Other Systems
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.
6. Improves Air Quality Inside Your Home
Who wouldn’t want clean air inside their home? We know 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.
7. No Risk of Electric or Mechanical Failures
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.
Disadvantages of Roof Ridge Vents
As great as roof ridge vents are, there are a few downsides to roof ridge vents. 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.
Roof Ridge Vents Are Not Ideal for Every Home
Depending on the age and design of your home, roof ridge vents may not be the most effective ventilation system. 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.
In an older home, you may be able to install roof ridge vents along with a soffit vent system to allow for proper air intake and exchange.
They Can Be Costly
Another disadvantage to roof ridge vents is the cost of installation. The price tag for ridge vents can be quite high, especially in older homes. While the cost of installing a roof ridge vent varies depending on the size of your roof and your geographical location, you can expect to spend a minimum of $500 on the ridge vent alone.
Do Ridge Vents Leak?
If you live in a region that experiences heavy rains and intense storms, a roof ridge vent may not be the best option for your home. The positioning of your home may also play a role in this decision. If installed properly, ridge vents won’t leak because of normal weather. However, the design of ridge events allows for the potential of rain to blow through the vent opening during extreme weather.
In this situation, you would have to inspect your attic for water damage after every storm. Luckily, several other roof ventilation types provide a watertight seal to protect against heavy rain and prevent roof leaks.
Does Not Work for All Roof Styles
Most traditional roofs have a similar design. With a peak at the top that gently slopes down to the sides of the home, a roof ridge is present. However, if your home has a flat roof or a roof that is too steep, a ridge vent will not prove to be the most effective ventilation solution.
Need One? Call Us!
Let us know when you need new roof ventilation. Call us at 636-699-0449.