A properly ventilated attic requires exhaust ventilation and intake ventilation for your roof vents to be effective. Intake vents are installed at the bottom of the roofline and sometimes in the roof overhang. Exhaust vents are placed near the peak of the roofline.
To determine which roof vent to install, I will give a definitive comparison between the roof and ridge vents for a clear understanding.
What is a Ridge Vent?
A ridge vent is an air exhaust vent installed at the peak of a roof slope to allow airflow across the outer roof. It is established under the final layer of shingles to draw hot, moist attic air out through the vent.
It also pulls fresh air through the soffit vents. This passive system is an efficient way to ventilate your home because it doesn’t require any energy.
For the attic ventilation system to work correctly, air needs to enter the attic and exit. They are designed to help prevent excessive moisture that leads to mold and mildew. For ridge venting to be effective, continuous soffit vents should be present.
A ridge vent is usually made of aluminum or a mesh wire-type material. Some air slots are cut on the roof peak’s roof deck to install ducts, and the ridge vents are placed to cover it. When the air in the attic heats, convection helps push the air to the peak where it escapes through the exhaust vent.
Advantages of Ridge Vents
It increases ventilation by assuring that air circulates continuously to deter the proliferation of mold and mildew from growing in areas like the attic crawl space and underneath the eaves.
- Across the ridge and soffit vents, warm and moist air can escape from the attic and fend off organic growth, resulting in wood rot and other health issues.
- It Enables proper airflow in the attic area of your house and below the roof.
- It uses natural air convection and can operate all year round with less interaction.
- The shape, size, and location of roof ridge vents hinder rodents and pests from accessing your house through the attic.
- Roof ridge vents can reduce indoor air pollution levels by drawing in the fresh air.
- An appropriately installed roof ridge vent is not affected by Weather changes. It will enable air to move all over the attic without roof turbines and fans.
Disadvantages of Ridge Vents
- The shape of the roof determines if the vent can be installed. These vents can be fixed at the peak of a roof. People with flat roofs can not benefit from these roof vents.
- The primary cost remains higher for roof ridge vents, especially when installed in an older home since you will have to install soffit vents.
- Ridge vents do not work well in warmer climates, and it works better for homes in colder environments.
- They do not supply the proper roof ventilation to some homes. The Ridge vent relies on the energy-efficient nature of the structure. If the air movement does not move towards the vents, it may not work as expected.
- During heavy rains, it’s likely to leak water, and these require regular inspection of your attic to prevent dampness.
What are Gable Vents?
Gable vents, also known as louvered vents, are intake and exhaust vents installed on your gable roof’s exterior wall to create proper air circulation during intense climates. They act like two windows on opposite sides of the gable roof.
The inner house can be monitored using heating and cooling systems during extreme climates. While hot air rises, the attic roof space is left prone to those temperature shifts.
Stale air causes condensation in your attic during the winter, putting your living space at risk for mold, mildew, and leaks. Therefore, it is crucial to ventilate your attic to keep the air moving and the temperature regulated.
Advantages of Gable Vents
- Gable vents are cheaper than other types of roof ventilation. Gable vents have an excellent running cost and can also save on installation costs since you can DIY.
- They are easier to maintain than other vents like ridge vents and soffit vents placed on the rooftop.
- They are placed at the front of the gable roof, giving a detailed view of the home’s exterior.
- Gable vent fans can ventilate an ample space, providing roughly 1,300 cubic feet of cooler air every minute. You will only need one for a small attic, while for a large one, you will need more.
- Gable vents are convenient since most are operated from a simple thermostat.
Disadvantages of Gable Vents
- They are vulnerable to wind damage. The rooftop design attracts a cross breeze, and it starts to peel the vents off over time.
- Wind damage will call for extra repairs, thus more costs that can discredit lower installation costs.
- They minimize the attic living space due to the strongly inclined ceiling of gable roofs.
Ridge Vents vs. Gable Vents: Side by Side Comparison
To help you choose between the roof and ridge vents here is a side to side comparison of various aspects;
1. Ridge Vents Vs. Gable Vents on Price
The cost of a ridge vent is $2 to $3 per foot without an installation fee. The average peaked roof requires 40 to 50 feet of material from $80 to $150.
You will also require connector plugs and straps at roughly $6 each to adjoin the vent pieces and $15 and 30$ roofing nails and screws. This makes the average installation cost of material around $200 to $300 plus an installation fee of $200 to $300.
On the other hand, the gable vent’s price ranges from $20 to $180. It depends on your style, with a labor cost of $80 to $300. This makes the gable vents to be cheaper.
2. Ridge Vents Vs. Gable Vents on Usage and Ventilation Mechanism
Ridge vents work when hot air rises naturally and exits from the ridge vent, drawing in cooler air below the roof. They circulate air beneath the structure and prevent the build-up of moisture.
However, gable vents work when the prevailing winds blow perpendicularly to the vents; air exchange occurs within the attic. In case there is no wind, the gable vents are dormant.
3. Between Gable and Ridge Vents, Which one Moves the Most Air?
Since ridge vents are positioned at the roof peak, they allow hot air to escape the attic space. In addition, when combined with intake vents that sit at the bottom of the roofline, it offers them a better chance of vertically ventilating the attic space.
On the other hand, gable vents use cross ventilation to allow air movement through the attic space. Gable vents mainly depend on wind for air to flow from one side and exit on the other.
Regarding airflow, ridge vents are more reliable than gable vents since they are not dependent on wind alone.
4. Ridge Vents Vs. Gable Vents When it Comes to Installation
When it comes to the installation process, a ridge vent needs more workforce since it runs through the entire roofline, while you will only need to install two gable vents for the inlet and outlet.
Ridge vents are installed at the highest point, while gable vents are installed at the side of the gable roof.
Moreover, you can only install gable vents on gable roofs. This is because they are not effective on more obscure roof styles; the cross breeze can be blocked by peaks, dormers, and valleys, while ridge vents work with most roofs.
5. Appearance and Design of Ridge Vents and Gable Vents
Gable vents are designed in all shapes and sizes, with the most popular being a triangular shape that sits directly below the peak of the gable roofing system. They are sometimes made of wood or vinyl, but metal is the most popular.
While a gable vent can be installed as a purely decorative measure, ridge vents have an ultimate purpose. The roof’s shingles hide ridge vents since they are positioned at the roof’s peak.
They work as passive ventilation by providing a way for air to flow under the top while also keeping rain from entering the attic space.
A Ridge vent is a continual strip, often four feet in length. It requires two to three inches of opening across the roof’s peak and a constant air supply from both ends to work.
6. When are they Effective – Winter or Summer?
Ridge vents are active all year long. During winter months, since all doors and windows are closed, the moisture from cooking, cleaning, and bathing carries warm air into the attic space; it’s pulled out by the vents to prevent mold, mildew, and wood rot.
In addition, in summer, while intake vents allow outside air into the vents, exhaust vents pull hot, stagnant, and moist air out of the attic.
On the contrary, gable vents allow hot air to flow out of the attic and let in cold air to replace it. During winter, it’s advisable to seal the gable vents to help keep warm air inside.
Proper ventilation is more important during winter than summer since moisture in the house goes to the cold attic and causes condensation, which destroys the roof.
7. Maintenance Between Ridge and Gable Vents
Ridge vents are cost-effective solutions to accomplish favorable ventilation levels for your roof and attic. Additionally, they balance your home air conditions, minimize your energy bills, and extend your roof’s life.
Use a sealant that guarantees impurities and moisture cannot flow into your attic for the ridge venting to last. Also, use materials that can withstand elements like wind, rain, snow, and sun. Plastics are not of good quality since, with time, they end up cracking.
Gable vents should be cleaned and repaired regularly to prevent critters from clogging the louvers. The best way to clean them is by using a compressor to blast away dust, dirt, and any loose insulation that may have fallen.
Add sheet metal of the same thickness as your vent cover to the seam to keep the rain out. Allow 1 inch of overlap at each seam and each corner.
It takes a long time for ridge vents to clog than the gable vents making ridge vents easier to maintain.
Should I have Gable Vents and Ridge Vents?
It is crucial to have either a gable or ridge vent installed in your house to prevent the following from happening;
- Has Poor air quality due to dead air in the attic space, especially during summer.
- Poor roof ventilation will cause ice dams during winter.
- Also, there is the Formation of dry rot on the roof surface and extra moisture in the attic space.
- Overwhelmingly, the air conditioning system is forced to cool the entire house.
Do Gable Vents and Ridge Vents Work Well Together?
Unfortunately, gable vents do not work properly with ridge vents. When gable vents are matched with ridge vents, they disrupt the airflow through the attic. A properly set up exhaust system and soffit vent system do not need to have the power to help move hot air out of the attic.
Gable vents will alter the airflow around the ridge vent, and, especially when the wind is parallel to the ridge, they reverse airflow through the ridge vent, pulling rain or snow into the attic. The cool air outside enters the gable vent and drops to the floor when the wind blows, leaving stagnant air zones.
Ridge vents are the most efficient combined with soffit vents. If gable vents already exist and you want to add ridge vents, seal them up from the inside to avoid leaving a blank gable.
How to Tell if Gable and Ridge Vents are Negatively Impacting Ventilation
For instance, ridge vents cannot work alone; they require baffles to prevent the outside air from entering the vents; they also require soffit vents as the intake vents. You need to hire a professional technician to check if the roof bent is appropriately fixed.
Check your attic space temperature readings to determine which of the two vents works properly with your roof. First, seal the gable vents and test the ridge vent temperature and other relative components.
If there is snow or rainwater in your attic during the respective seasons, know there is something wrong with the ventilation system and hire a professional to look into it.
During winter, if you see condensation in areas where moist air is combined with cold air to form solid materials, it is a sign of leakage.
How to Seal Up Gable Vents for Good
Start by measuring the size of the gable vent to purchase the exact size of the seal, and use a plastic polymer or piece of wood to block the vent.
Cut the sheet according to the size of the gable vent. Secure it with nails or screws on the wall. If you are sealing the roof from the outside, sand it to leave a smooth appearance. Also, seal up the attic side first.
Most importantly, it is advisable to seal gable vents from the attic and leave the outer side open since it’s cost-effective, and also, the vent can act as decoration from the outside.
Note that you can only seal up the gable vent if there is enough room for ventilation. Otherwise, it’s not advisable to close up entirely because the upper will become warm and moist and encourage mold growth inside the attic.
Conclusion
A house without attic ventilation can cause heat trapped in the attic to cause damage. It can even burn up the entire roof system. However, proper ventilation allows air to flow through your roofing system.
When considering which roof vent is best to use for your home, always consult with an experienced roofing specialist before making a final decision. Finally, for your attic vents to keep functioning, maintain them regularly.