Attic Ridge Vent Effectiveness

It has the ability to work with vaulted ceilings and you only need one of them to get the job done for ventilation as compared to multiple box vents.

Attic ridge vent effectiveness.

Danh says ridge vents remain effective in winter because winds generally clear the ridge within a few days of even a heavy snow and because warm air working its way up through the attic will melt snow covering the vent. Attic ventilation fans whether hard wired or powered by their own solar panels seem like a low cost and effective way to help keep your house cool. A ridge vent is similar to a screen and allows heat to escape up and out of the attic. Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool.

That means you have a lower risk of mold or mildew development. Unlike turbines this venting style does not have any moving parts. Or worse the exhaust vents could lead to warm moist air from the house s interior being pulled into the attic which could be problematic. A ridge vent installed along a roof s peak will move hot and humid air up and out of the attic.

Since there isn t any provision for the intake of air the ridge vent is basically ineffective. Figure 5 ridge vent vs. Without baffles blinders that prevent outside air from crossing over the vent a ridge vent may create almost no ventilation at all. You will also discover that this product can work by itself to release moisture from the house which is especially useful during the winter months.

The uniform building code requires that the amount of venting area in the attic be equal to 1 150 of the area of the floor and in most circumstances it allows a ratio of 1 300 if the venting area. The majority of roofing experts agree that ridge vents are the most effective and cost effective roof vents available. Hvi recommends a ratio of 60 to 40 for soffit ventilation to gable or ridge ventilation. A ridge vent runs across the top of the roof s peak.

The downside of attic ventilation fans. Figure courtesy of air vent inc. Continuous ridge vents are more effective because they are installed at the peak of a roof s ridge allowing for warm air to escape from the attic. It also works better because it creates a vacuum.

Roof ridge vents do work well when there are soffit vents or box vents that help to draw air into the attic.