Hurricane-force winds can peel ridge vents from the roof peak, exposing large gaps that rain can enter. If you live in an area that often receives high winds or hurricanes, shop for roof vents designed to endure high winds. Some ridge vents feature baffles that allow them to endure wind speeds of mph or more.
Installation is another consideration when determining which vent to buy. Most external vents can be retrofitted onto an existing home. Box vent and wind turbine installation is a manageable job for most DIYers. Installing a ridge vent on an existing home can be a little more challenging because it involves removing the existing shingle caps and cutting a gap along the entire peak of the roof with a circular saw, which is a job best left to the pros, considering the danger of using power tools at a high elevation.
Intake vents, such as drip edge vents and fascia vents, are much more challenging to retrofit because of their location under the shingles along the lower lip of the roof. Installing these types of vents typically requires the removal of all of the shingles along the lower edge. Adding a drip edge vent or an over fascia vent is best completed during a new roof installation.
Soffit vents can be added to a wood soffit fairly quickly by cutting holes in the soffit. This list includes some of the top vents for cooling an attic space based on the type of roof. They feature durable construction that can withstand bad weather and efficient designs for handling large areas.
Once eschewed for the sleeker and more powerful electric fan vents, wind turbines have been making a comeback in recent years thanks to their green electricity-free design. The Whirlybird fan from Lomanco uses wind power to rotate its turbine to flush the attic of damaging heat and humidity. One unit can ventilate about square feet of attic space. A pitch gauge included with the vent allows the turbine to easily set on the roof pitch, making installation relatively easy.
A back-draft damper ensures that warm air exits and does not enter the roof space, while a screen prevents birds and other critters from breaching the home via the vent opening. This model fits into a 5-inch diameter hole. Wide flashing on the sides of the vent allows it to attach to the roof securely while also allowing overlap with shingles to prevent water from leaking between the roof and the vent.
A durable black powder coat finish prevents the vent from rusting. With easy installation and a low-profile design, the Cobra ridge vent from GAF is an option for adding ventilation to an attic space or shed. This vent comes in inch-long sections that can be linked together to handle the square footage of virtually any attic. Three Cobra ridge vents are enough to cover a 1,square-foot attic when paired with the appropriate intake vents.
This ridge cap works with standard inch shingles. A tear-away design enables you to shorten the length of each ridge cap in 3-inch increments to prevent multiple climbs up and down a ladder to make cuts. With a durable design, this ridge cap can withstand winds up to mph. Three-inch ring shank nails come with the kit for installation. It features a watt fan with a brushless motor capable of producing airflow of up to cubic feet per minute CFM.
The fan is rated to handle about square feet of attic floor space. The attached solar panel features swivel and tilt abilities up to 45 degrees to position it for optimal sun exposure. It works best with roof slopes ranging from to to allow for adequate drainage around the vent.
An internal screen keeps small animals from entering the home through the vent. Passing the Miami-Dade County Test. What happens to a wind turbine when subjected to mph wind-driven rain?
Watch us put our inch and inch wind turbines to the Miami-Dade County stringent test. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on LinkedIn. View our YouTube Channel. Powered Automatic Manual. New Company Registration. Wind Turbines A non-electric alternative to ventilation, these vents use the natural force of wind and air pressure to spin and vent out stale attic air.
Exhaust Vents. Description Specifications Warranty Product Photos Installation Video Product Videos Description A non-electric alternative to ventilation, these vents use the natural force of wind and air pressure to spin and vent out stale attic air. Air Vent's Airhawk wind turbines are available in both internally and externally braced styles Dual ball bearing system assures long-lasting, quiet operation Two-piece base Large flashing allows for easy installation Aluminum construction in and inch sizes Benefits: Provide year-round ventilation Low cost and high efficiency make them an extremely popular ventilation component Design Considerations : Like roof vents, turbines must always be used with adequate soffit venting to meet minimum ventilation code requirements Homeowners should not be instructed to cover turbines in winter weather because that would prevent needed ventilation Related Documents pdf Airhawk Internal and External Turbines.
Color Model Part No. The photo below shows an example of these different types of vents, all installed on the same roof, which is a no-no. When different types of roof vents are installed, there is an increased potential for air in the attic to basically short-circuit. In the photo above, the power vent would probably end up sucking in air from all of the other high vents in the photo, while pulling in just a small amount of air from the lower soffit vents.
The solution here is to install only one type of exhaust vent. That bears repeating: do not install turbine vents if the attic has not been professionally air-sealed. Without any low vents, the high vents will tend to pull conditioned house air into the attic through attic air leaks.
One solution would be to install fascia vents , and another less desirable option would be to install a bunch of box vents low down on the roof. Ventilation mostly helps to hide other problems. On the other hand a powered vent pulls MUCH harder when airflow is reduced, static pressures get high really quick. Oddly enough when static pressures are low and there is a mind breeze of mph both vents pull about the same amount of air.
Static vents are only slightly better if the temperatures in the attic are warm enough. Reuben Saltzman December 27, , am. Bob — do you have any photos of clogged filters at ridge vents? Great post! During our recent second floor remodel the insulation guy offered blown in for the same price as rolled fiberglass so we went with that. However it covered up all the vents. Do you think that was a poor decision?
We never had soffit vents so I think we never had decent ventilation to begin with. Also, what color shingles last the longest and shortest?
Dave — blown in insulation is far superior to rolled fiberglass. Charles Buell December 24, , am.
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