6 Best Roof Ventilation Options For 2020

 

Ventilation of your home is often overlooked, but it’s an important part of keeping your home healthy. This year, check out the best roof ventilation options to keep your home safe and protected.

Looking to make improvements to your roof this year? Then you need to take a look at improving the ventilation. It’s something that’s very much overlooked, but is vital for keeping your roof in the best possible condition. Here are some of the best roof ventilation options on the market, so you’ll get the most from your vents.

Why Ventilate Your Roof?

When you talk about roofs, you’re often talking about keeping things out of it and keeping it sealed. Water and moisture are severe dangers to the roof. If it gets in, it will create mold and rot that damage the structure. In some cases, it will even necessitate the replacement of the roof itself.

Roofing styles have come a long way, and now they’re more airtight and watertight than ever before. That’s great for keeping water out from the outside, but what about the inside?

As you go about your day you’re going to create water vapor, and that’s going to find its way up to the attic of your home. If there’s no ventilation, it can’t escape out into the atmosphere. If it’s trapped, it’s going to settle in your attic and cause those moisture problems described above. As you can see, it’s vital that you allow the vapor to escape.

Best Roof Ventilation Options

You see how important it is to ventilate your roof properly. Here are some of the best roof ventilation options for you. Check them out and see what would work with your roof.

 1. Box Vents

These are a very common style of vent, and are known by several different names. They may be called Turtle Vents, Flat Vents, Low Profile Vents, or Louvers. They’re a static vent, meaning that they have no moving parts. Instead, they use natural convection to draw warm air out of your attic and into the air outside. They’re often installed close to the roof ridge, in order to be able to draw out as much warm air as possible.

These vents can either be made from metal or hard plastic, and come in all kinds of colors to match your roof. That makes them good if you’re looking for something unobtrusive for your roof. However, be aware that they’re not as effective as other models, so you’ll need to install several of them to get the best effect.

 2. Power Vents

These vents, also known as PAVs (Power Attic Vents) are essentially the motorized version of the box vent. They have a similar low profile as box vents do, but they have a motor that’s designed to pull warm air out of your attic. Some even come equipped with thermostats, that will kick in the motor once your attic reaches a certain temperature. Others will have humidity detectors, that will turn on the motor when humidity levels are too high.

Of course, these vents need power to work. They’re most commonly hardwired into your power supply in order to get them working when needed. They’re seen to be very effective, cooling your attic up to 20 degrees. However, they’re so powerful they can pull out conditioned air too, making it hard to keep your home cool.

 3. Wind Turbines

These are a moving vent that is much more environmentally friendly, as it’s powered by the wind. You’ve most likely seen these vents before, as they look much like a chef’s hat. The fan in the vent is powered by the wind, which works to draw warm air out of your attic.

It’s a great option if you’re looking to go down the eco-friendly route, as it uses no power. It’s more effective than a box vent as it’s not static, so it works hard to get the warm air out of your attic. However, you do need to ensure you buy the right turbine for your roof. Cheaper turbines aren’t constructed to last for a long time, and will often squeak when they turn. You’ll also need to get enough wind where you live to make them feasible. If you don’t get a lot of wind, you’ll need to find another option.

 4. Ridge Vents

These vents, when combined with soffit vents, are considered to be some of the best roof vents on the market right now. As the name implies, the ridge vents sits of the ridge of your roof. For the best results, you need to have ridge vents placed along the entire ridge of your home. This creates a uniform look and allows the vents to blends in better with the roof line.

These vents are static, so they don’t have any moving parts. Despite that, they’re an excellent option as they don’t create hot and cold spots throughout your attic. As they run the entire length of the roof, they create much more even cooling.

 5. Soffit Vents

These are vents you’ll use in conjunction with ridge vents. As the name implies, these vents sit in your soffits and eaves at the bottom of the roof, and act as a method of air intake. They’re often made of PVS or aluminum.

They’re so effective with ridge vents as they’re designed to bring in outside air. That air travels up to the ridge vent, where it travels out again. Having that air flow means your attic stays a consistent temperature, and allows you to keep it free of moisture.

 6. Cupola Vents

These vents are seen as mostly decorative, but can have a function in venting your attic too. They sit high on the roof and can function to allow air to escape the attic. Due to the decorative design though, they’re seen as mostly a support to other ventilation systems in the roof.

There’s lots of different roof ventilation options you can use on your roof, and the one you choose will be unique to you. Pick the style that works best with your home, and ensure that your attic isn’t holding onto hot air. Your roof will last much longer with the right venting.