Are ridge vents better than box vents?
Roof Ridge Vents It also works better because it creates a vacuum. 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. It is the more expensive vs. Likewise, are ridge vents more expensive?
What are the pros and cons of ridge vents?
- Suppose you’re building a new home or replacing a roof, a ridge vent balances out the hot and cold air in your attic. ...
- Roof ridge vents are sleek and go with the look of your house, and they are hard to notice from the ground. ...
- Ridge vents prevent animals like rodents from getting into your attic. ...
What are gable vents used for?
What is a gable vent? Gable end vents is a roof ventilation system that is placed on either side of a gable roof that assists in cooling down your attic or roof. These vents allow for a cross breeze through your attic, blowing out the warm air and replacing it with cooler less humid air.
How to install a gable vent or fan?
How to Install an Electric Gable Vent Fan
- Tools and Materials
- Preparations. Determine where to install the fan in the gable. ...
- Cut the Vent Opening. Climb up to the location of the opening using a ladder. ...
- Fit the Fan into the Opening. Cut two 2x4 wood to connect to the studs in the gable. ...
- Wire the Device. Run a cable to a nearby switch. ...
- Caulk Around All Holes. ...
Which is better gable vent or ridge vent?
The combination of a ridge vent along with continuous soffit vents gives you a flow through of air similar to the way a chimney works. Even without soffit vents, a ridge vent is much more effective than gable vents.”
Do I need gable vents if I have roof vents?
To summarize: Seal air leaks in your attic floor so that roof venting doesn't suck conditioned air into the attic and cause moisture problems. Adding a ridge vent is a fine idea, and don't worry about it competing with the gable vents. If the gable vents aren't letting in rain or snow, leave them alone.
Do I need a gable fan if I have a ridge vent?
Combining an attic power vent fan with a ridge vent is usually not recommended because: It could reverse the natural flow of hot air out the ridge vent. If air is drawn in through the ridge vent while it's raining, it might pull rainwater in with it, which could lead to leaking or mold in the attic.
Do gable vents interfere with soffit vents?
Having roof vents, turbines, power vent fans or gable vents interferes with the function of the soffit-to-ridge venting system.
Should you cover gable vents in the winter?
You should absolutely leave your roof vents open during the winter – do not cover them! During the winter, roof ventilation works to keep temperatures even. Closing your vents makes the attic space too warm and dry – dangerous conditions for mold as well as pests.
Are gable vents enough ventilation?
Is One Enough? Though gable vents are nice to look at and serve the same function as other ventilation systems (keeping out the rain, preventing leakage, avoiding deterioration of materials in attic, lowering utility costs), they may not be able to do it alone.
Do whole house fans work with ridge vents?
In most homes, it is typically best to have only the ridge vent and remove the fan, as described above, they don't work well together. If you have a hip roof with very little ridge, a power fan with both a thermostat and humidistat (for both temperature and humidity) should be installed, with no ridge vent.
Can you mix roof vents?
Each vent type (box, slant-back and turbine) are designed to move air flow differently through the attic. Mixing vents may cause a short circuit in the system which can lead to weather infiltration and increased energy bills for the homeowner.
Do I need soffit vents with ridge vent?
If there is no soffit venting, the ridge vent has no option but to pull air from the other side of the ridge vent. Now, there is a potential weather infiltration problem. Assuming that there is no infiltration issue, another possible consequence of a ridge vent without intake is a negatively pressurized attic.
Should gable end soffits be vented?
Should I Add Soffit Vents? If your home is fitted solely with small gable-end vents or a ventilator high in the roof, you might want to consider adding soffit vents to increase airflow. These vents allow outside air to enter the attic at the lowest point of the roof—along the underside of the eave.
How do you stop rain from coming into a gable vent?
Adding a baffle is the most effective way to prevent rain from blowing through the gable vents. It allows for the movement of air but not of water. You can use a deflector to redirect rainwater. These are available in various sizes and can fit the vent cover.
Is a ridge vent enough?
A ridge vent along with other vents that draw in colder air is enough ventilation. However, a ridge vent alone without some intake vents wouldn't do as much. We highly recommend installing soffit or gable vents along with a ridge vent or some other form of air intake.
Do you need roof vents if you have a ridge vent?
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.
How many vents should an attic have?
How Many Vents Do I Need? The general rule of thumb in these situations is of roughly one vent per every 300 square feet of attic area if the attic has a vapor barrier. If not, there should be one vent for every 150 square feet. You will need to have 1 square foot of vent area for every 150 square feet of attic space.
Do you need soffit vents if you have a ridge vent?
If there is no soffit venting, the ridge vent has no option but to pull air from the other side of the ridge vent. Now, there is a potential weather infiltration problem. Assuming that there is no infiltration issue, another possible consequence of a ridge vent without intake is a negatively pressurized attic.
Is it OK to have an attic fan and ridge vent?
Combining an attic power vent fan with a ridge vent is usually not recommended because: It could reverse the natural flow of hot air out the ridge vent. If air is drawn in through the ridge vent while it's raining, it might pull rainwater in with it, which could lead to leaking or mold in the attic.
Why block a gable vent?
Now, your question is: what about the gable vent? And the answer is you should block it off, because it does interrupt that flow of air from the soffit, under the sheathing and out the ridge. By having the gable vent, you get some sort of turbulence up there that interrupts that flow. So if you can have a soffit vent and a ridge vent, that’s the best situation. If you’re not going to have a soffit vent, frankly, it really doesn’t matter, because you’re not going to have the pattern that we would like you to have and you just have another hole in the space to let air out.
How do ridge and soffit vents work together?
And how they work together is that the wind blows and it presses up into the soffit vent, rides up under the roof sheathing and then exits at the ridge. The ridge is always in a depressurized area of the house, because the wind hits that and sort ...
Why is the ridge always in a depressurized area of the house?
The ridge is always in a depressurized area of the house, because the wind hits that and sort of bounces off the roof and goes in a circular motion, which causes a draw at the ridge . And then, so, the positive pressure at the soffit goes under the sheathing, goes out at the ridge.
Can you have a ridge vent and a soffit vent?
So if you can have a soffit vent and a ridge vent, that’s the best situation. If you’re not going to have a soffit vent, frankly, it really doesn’t matter, because you’re not going to have the pattern that we would like you to have and you just have another hole in the space to let air out.
How effective are gable vents?
Reliability and Wind Change. Gable vents with no fans are only effective as long as the wind is working with the vent. If there is no wind or the wind changes direction, you will find that the gable vents stop working.
Where are ridge vents installed?
Ridge vents are installed on the peak of the gable roof. They are small and hidden from sight by shingles. They allow airflow while directing rain away from the attic space.
Why is a gable roof sloped?
The roof is sloped toward the home to stop water, snow, and other debris from pooling on top. These roofs are classic for a reason—by shunting off precipitation, they resist mold, mildew, and rot. Gable vents are located in the front of the gable roof and facilitate airflow in and out.
What type of roof vents are best for a steep peak?
If you own a home with a steep peak, you will run into some issues with the vents you need to use. A high-pitched gable roof is best suited for gable vents because gable vents come in many sizes and some can be trimmed and modified for a proper fit. Ridge vents will not provide enough ventilation.
Do you need to seal ridge vents?
If you install ridge vents you will need to seal off the gable vents because they will cease to be effective. If you have the gable vent attached and working as an avenue for exhaust, you would be throwing away money for the higher electric costs and the escape of heat from the attic.
Do you need a ridge vent on a gable roof?
When you have a gable roof construction you will want to vent the attic area with either gable vents or ridge vents. There are pros and cons to both. Here are the basics of each type of vent to help you choose the best option.
What happens if you mix attic vents?
One of the consequences of mixing attic exhaust vent types can be weather infiltration, such as the snow in this photo. Photo: Ron Bastian
What happens when two exhaust vents are in place?
But, if two or more different types of exhaust vents are in place, it short-circuits the system. Instead of the primary path of air being into the intake vents and out of the exhaust vents, the path is mostly between the two styles of exhaust vents. One of the types of exhaust vents becomes an intake vent because air will always follow the path ...
Why is an intake vent considered an exhaust vent?
One of the types of exhaust vents becomes an intake vent because air will always follow the path of least resistance. Air will always look for the easiest, closest path to take. That path happens to be between the two types of exhaust vents. And that limits the distribution of the air to the upper region of the roof; or worse, ...
What happens when you ask a vent to perform a task it has not been designed to tackle?
When you ask a vent to perform a task it has not been designed to tackle, you’re rolling the dice against Mother Nature. An exhaust vent mixed with another type of exhaust vent that suddenly is pulled into intake airflow duties as a result of short-circuiting is not only pulling in air, but whatever the air is carrying that very moment: rain, snow, debris. Exhaust vents are not designed to ingest anything.
Can you put a power fan in the attic?
Power fans are a good exhaust vent option. So are ridge vents. But not when they are mixed together on the same roof above a common attic. Doing so could lead to inefficient airflow and weather infiltration. Photo: Sean Toms
Can attic vents be mixed?
Too often, attic exhaust vent types are mixed, which can short-circuit the airflow pattern in the attic space. Photo: Jerry Becker. Too often, attic exhaust vent types are mixed , which can short-circuit the airflow pattern in the attic space. Photo: Jerry Becker. Airflow dynamics dictates avoiding it.
Can you mix exhaust vents?
The weather infiltration problems that can result from mixing exhaust vent types may not catch a homeowner’s attention right away. Not many homeowners regularly check their attic.
When do you need rigid vent baffles?
Site-Built Approach to Roof Ventilation — When rafter bays will be filled with dense-packed cellulose, you’re going to need rigid vent baffles.
What happens if a roof vent is not letting in rain?
Improperly designed roof assemblies can lead to a variety of problems, including moisture accumulation and decay.
Why add exhaust vents to roof?
Adding exhaust vents high on the roof can help to accentuate the inflow of air through the soffit vents. It doesn’t matter if these exhaust vents are ridge vents, gable vents, roof vents, or some combination. If windblown rain or snow is frequently entering the gable vents, close them.
Why does air move upwards in soffit vents?
Even with the gable vents open, air continues to enter the soffit vents and to move upward due to the stack effect. While some of it exits through the gable vents and some exits through the ridge vent, these outlets are not in competition with each other.
What happens if you don't seal the attic?
If you don’t seal the leaks in the attic floor, the heat loss can melt snow (causing ice dams) and create condensation and moisture problems. Air leaks can even increase the risk of combustion backdrafting, especially for a fireplace with an exterior chimney.
Do you need to block gable vents?
Here’s what you need to know — t he newspaper guy is wrong; your roofer is right. There is no need to block the gable vents unless they are prone to collecting windblown rain and snow. (This would not be related to adding the ridge vent; that would have already been true before the roof work.)
Do you close gable vents in attic?
According to the guy who writes the home-improvement column in the local paper, if you add a ridge vent, you should close off the gable vents. If not, the air pathway through the attic will be short-circuited, flowing only from the gable vents to the ridge vent and not ventilating the lower part of the attic. The roofer says closing the gable vents isn’t necessary. Who is right?
