It would help if you had balanced attic ventilation for your roofing system to work at its best.
Ask your contractor about the ventilation options available for your roof and attic when replacing it. You should be able to choose from various ventilation options to have both intake and exhaust vents.
Talk to your contractor, such as Framingham Roofing MA, about ventilation options. Be sure to understand the various roof vents required to create an attic ventilation system.
Please find out more about attic ventilation and why it is essential for your roof.
Products for Attic Ventilation and Roofing
There are many types of attic and roof ventilation products that you can choose from for your home. You can refer to them as:
- Roof vents
- Attic fans
- Gable vents
- Louvers
You can classify roof ventilation products as either:
- Ventilation for intake
- Exhaust ventilation, or
- Both intake and exhaust
What are the benefits of exhaust and intake vents in my attic?
Each attic ventilation system should include a combination of intake and exhaust vents.
Attic fans and roof vents work all year.
- Warm, moist air should be removed
- Reduce condensation
- Your attic should be kept dry
- Let pressurized heated air escape to ensure it doesn’t try to force its way into conditioned areas.
Proper ventilation means having both. Pressurization problems can be caused by having one or more types of venting.
But it’s only the attic. Who cares?
Depending on the roof design, your attic space can be exposed to either a portion or all of the roof deck.
Many people mistakenly consider attics to be unconditioned storage areas. This may be true for some homes, particularly those with rafter-framed attics. However, some “attics” are just gaps between the roof deck and ceiling. These spaces, no matter how small or large, require venting to control heat and moisture within the structure.
If you don’t balance the amount of exhaust roof ventilation and intake roof ventilation correctly, moisture can build up in your attic. This could lead to many problems, including:
- Mold
- Mildew
- Roof damage to its structural integrity
Tip: Ask your contractor for advice on ventilating an area over a cathedral ceiling or other small attic space.
Ventilators for Intake
The intake vents take in air from outside. This fresh air is pumped into the attic to replace the exhaust air. It helps maintain balanced airflow.
The roof eaves are where the intake vents are usually located. These vents help to reduce energy costs and aid in exhaust venting the attic more efficiently.
There are two types: roof-mounted intake vents and soffit vents.
Soffit Vents
You can commonly find soffit vents in intake roof vents. These vents can be located underneath your roof eaves along the length of your home or between the joists.
Tip: Ensure that your blown-in insulation doesn’t block airflow to the soffit vents.
Roof Vents
A roof-mounted intake vent is a good option if your home does not have a soffit or any exposed rafters beneath the eaves.
These vents blend in with the roofline and have a low profile.
Exhaust Vents
The exhaust vents allow air to flow from the attic to the outside. Exhaust vents can be either ridge vents or attic fans. They are usually located higher up on the roof than the ridge vents. This place is where hot air tends not to gather.
Ridge Vents
As their name suggests, ridge vents are located at the top of a roof’s ridge. They can be found where two sloped portions of a roof meet. They are ideal for catching the wind blowing across the ceiling. In addition, this vent helps to expel moisture from the attic.
Roof Louvers or static roof vents
Roof louvers, also known as static roof vents, allow air to escape from the attic. They are laid flat on the roof and evenly distributed around the ridge.
These might be listed under different names depending on where you live.
- Slant-backs
- Box vents
- Turtle vents
- Half-rounds
- Off-ridge vents
They are often called dormer vents in the west U.S.
Wind or Roof Turbines
Blades and vanes are built into roofs or wind turbines. The wind turns these blades, creating a vacuum that draws in hot and moist attic air.
Attic Fans
The attic fan is usually located against a wall in the attic. They are responsible for pulling air out of the attic and venting it outside. Attic fans can move large quantities of humid or hot air from an attic. This aspect can help to keep your heating and cooling costs down. In addition, homeowners can turn attic fans on and off to give them more control.
Powered Roof Vents
Powered roof vents operate on the same principle that attic fans but are located on the roof.
While they are more costly, powered roof vents can also be set up to run on solar or electrical power. In addition, adding mechanical strength to roof vents can increase air circulation and save you money over the long term.
Tip: Powered vents pull a lot of air. It’s essential to have sufficient intake ventilation to supply enough outside air to balance the airflow. Otherwise, these vents can create an attic vacuum that draws conditioned air out.
Gable Vents
Depending on the wind direction and speed, a few vents (such as gable vents) can serve as both intake and exhaust vents.
How balanced attic ventilation works
Let’s now review the various exhaust and intake ventilation products you can use on your roof or attic.
Imagine that it is a warm day. You have the front door open to unload groceries and bring them in from the car. The breeze is blowing outside, so your house windows are open. The front door suddenly closes, likely scaring you.
What has happened?
Your home was ventilating by drawing in air through its front door to replace the lost air.
Your intake and exhaust vents are precisely what you see in your attic. The exhaust vents allow air to escape from the attic and outside, creating a vacuum. The vacuum is filled with fresh air from outside via the intake vents.
Air may be drawn from your living space to balance the pressure if there aren’t enough intake vents or they’re blocked. Likewise, if you don’t have enough exhaust vents, warm, pressurized air can enter your conditioned living areas. These scenarios can be energy-inefficient and could impact your home’s ability to save energy.
You may need to adjust your thermostat frequently if you have a ventilation problem.
Tip: Kitchen and bathroom fans should vent through the roof or walls, not into the attic. Check your attic for signs of excessive moisture and improper venting.
Roof Vents: The Bottom Line
Balance is the key to roof ventilation. You need the right amount of exhaust and intake vents to achieve balanced airflow throughout your attic spaces. Roof exhaust vents and roof intake combine to remove warm, moist air from the attic and replace it with dry, fresh air. As a result, air pressure is maintained equal throughout the entire process.
Talk to a contractor if you see poor ventilation in your home. They will inspect your home for obstructions in airflow and determine if additional vents are needed. Before starting a roof replacement, you must talk with your roofing contractor about ventilation options.
