Continuous circulation of air is necessary to keep your home comfortable. Although air can quickly and efficiently circulate across the other parts of the house, this is not the case in the attic. As a result, all the stale air in your house accumulates in the attic.
Thus, it would help if you found a way of letting the damp air escape from the attic and fresh air come in. Ridge vents provide one of the most effective ways of ventilating the attic and the entire house.
What is a ridge vent?
A ridge vent is a special component of the roofing system placed at the peak of the roof of your house. The vent is usually installed at the peak of a sloped roof to provide a passive ventilation system.
Ridge vents come in the form of small components that are carefully placed along the entire length of the roof’s peak. You will have to cut small air spaces or slots on the roof deck before installing your ridge vents.
The ridge vents then cover the air slots on the peak of your roof. You may then have to cover the small pieces with ridge cap shingles. The covering helps to keep a clean finish of the roof of your house. However, if you use metal ridge vents, you will not have to cover them with shingles.
Why do I need a ridge vent?
It would be best if you had a ridge vent to provide a continuous and passive flow of air in the attic of your house. The attic of your house can develop severe problems if there is no sufficient circulation of air.
All the warm and damp air in your house finds its way to the attic. If the warm and damp air does not have a way to escape to the outside, it may cause severe damages.
In addition, the damp air may lead to the growth of molds and mildew. Mold and mildew growth in your attic may damage the roofing components of your house.
However, if you have ridge vents, the warm and damp air will not accumulate in the attic. Instead, the ridge vent system will allow the warm and damp air to escape to the outside.
During winter, ice and water dams may quickly form in the attic. If the attic is warm, the hot air may easily melt the snow that usually accumulates at the top of the roof. The water may then refreeze when it gets to the eaves of the roof.
However, if you have ridge vents, this process will not take place. The ridge vent will keep the attic cool enough to prevent the formation of water and ice dams.
During summer, the hot air that usually accumulates in the attic can cause the temperature in your house to rise. You will be forced to use more energy to keep the temperatures within the desired range.
Having a ridge vent will help cool the air because the warm air in the attic will escape, and cool air from outside will flow in. The ridge vent will help to keep your cooling costs down during the hot weather.
Shingle- over ridge vents + pros and cons
Shingle-over ridge vents are a common form of ridge vents used in houses with sloping roofs. They come in the design of shingles that are used for roofing many houses.
If you decide to install this type of ridge vent on your roof, you will have to cover it with a layer of shingle caps. The shingle caps are made from asphalt, while the shingle-over ridge vents are made from special copolymer resins. The use of the copolymer resins strengthens the ridge vents and makes them last for a long time.
Shingle-over ridge vents have special baffles on the sides. The purpose of the baffles is to deflect the wind and other elements of the weather. The unique filters on this type of ridge vent also keep dust, moisture, and insects off the attic of your house.
Shingle-over ridge vents are pretty common because of their advantages. Here are some of the pros of installing this type of ridge vent in your house.
- They have an excellent aesthetic value because they blend perfectly with the shingles of your roof. In addition, the asphalt shingle caps are barely noticeable if you place them over the ridge vent correctly.
- They are easy to install. You may not need to call a roofing expert to install shingle-over ridge vents on your roof. The procedure is relatively straightforward for anyone to follow.
- They are quite durable. The copolymer resins used to make this type of ridge vents provide them with extra strength and last for a long time.
- Ideal for keeping off insects and the elements of the weather. The shingle-over ridge vents come with special baffles and filters. The filters ensure that insects, dust, and weather elements do not enter the attic of your house.
Shingles-over ridge vents may give you some problems. Here are some of the most common cons of installing shingles-over ridge vents at the peak of the roof of your house.
- One can easily make a mistake when installing them. If not correctly installed, your shingles-over ridge vents will not serve you according to your expectations. You will need to get the job redone at an extra cost.
- Although shingles-over ridge vents come with filters, they can let in weather elements under extreme conditions. For example, if there is a severe storm, moisture may force itself through the filters of your shingles-over ridge vent and get to your attic.
Aluminum ridge vent + pros and cons
Aluminum ridge vents have been around for a long time. They are exceptionally effective in maintaining a constant flow of air in and out of the attic. They have broad flanges that enable them to work quite well when they are correctly installed. They usually sit atop the shingles at the peak of the roof.
There are many reasons why many people prefer aluminum ridge vents. Here are some of the most common advantages of using this type of ridge vent.
- They are relatively affordable. Purchasing and installing this type of ridge vent will cost you much less than choosing another type.
- They are quite effective as a passive form of ventilation for your attic and house. Your aluminum ridge vents will ensure a continuous airflow in your house as long as they are in good shape.
Here are some of the cons of using aluminum ridge vents as a passive ventilation system for your house.
- The costs of maintaining this type of ridge vent are high. The nails used to fasten the vents atop the ridge are exposed to the weather elements. As a result, they tend to rust over time. Thus, you will be forced to replace your aluminum ridge vents whenever this happens.
- They can easily get blown off during strong winds. In addition, the winds can easily remove the aluminum ridge vents if they blow across the peak of your roof and are strong enough.
How to install a ridge vent – step by step
Installing a ridge vent is a reasonably straightforward process. If you are familiar with basic roofing techniques and have all the tools and materials, you can quickly complete them.
However, it may be necessary to get a roofing expert to complete it for you. Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can successfully install ridge vents.
- Removing the shingle caps. This is the first step in the process. Next, you can use your pry bar to remove the nails that hold the shingle caps.
- Cutting the shingle caps. The length at which you cut the shingles back depends on the dimensions of your roof. For many houses, it is proper to cut the shingles back about 0.75 inches.
- Cutting the wooden roof decking. Use a marking device to draw lines on the board. Remember to leave an allowance of 1 inch on both sides of the ridge board. Cut using a circular saw. Remember to be careful enough not to touch the rafters.
- Aligning the vents. Center the first section of the ridge vent on the space you would have made using your saw. Then, align it properly using an end plug.
- Pre-fastening the sections. Use the roofing nails and insert them through the preformed nail holes that are on your shingles.
- Inserting the end plug. If you install shingles over ridge vents, cut off the remaining sections according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Ensure that the end plug is perfectly aligned with the edge of the roof.
- If you install aluminum ridge vents, you will have to apply the polyurethane caulk before aligning all the ridge vents with the markings. You can then fasten the ridge vents using the roofing nails through the flanges.
- Adding end caps on the ridge vents. You can then cover your ridge vents using shingle caps. This applies to shingles-over ridge vents.
Conclusion
There are two main types of ridge vents: shingles-over and aluminum. Both types of ridge events are effective in keeping your attic and the whole house ventilated. Your preference depends on the amount of money that you would like to spend installing and maintaining them.
Aluminum shingles are effective in ventilating your house. However, they tend to wear off easily because the nails are exposed to weather elements and end up rusting. Shingles-over ridge vents are perfect for aesthetic purposes.