The Pros And Cons Of Using A Ridge Vent For Your Roof – Family Roofing

Posted on by David Reid

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The Pros And Cons Of Using A Ridge Vent For Your Roof

Remember that you will need to pair this type of roof ventilation with soffit vents to ensure that there is adequate air flow.  The goal is to achieve 50/50 intake and exhaust in your roof.  Let’s start with the pros that highlight why you would want to consider ridge vents for your roof.  Then the cons.  These do not outweigh the pros at all.

  • One of the great things about a ridge vent is that it is at the topmost point of your roof.  With hot air constantly rising, it is bound to make it way out of the top of your vents.  This will bring in cooler air through your soffit vents and into your roof, cooling it down.  This process also helps to reduce the amount of moisture buildup in your roof avoiding any damage to your roof.

  • This form of ventilation for your roof is amazing for keeping rodents from making their way into your roof.  Rodents are unable to make it through the small gaps in the vent keeping anything stored in your attic safe and rodent free.

  • The visual appeal of a roof ridge vent is absolutely awesome.  The small form factor and fitting onto the apex of your roof is a massive bonus.  You do not need to have hoods or the like sticking out of your roof.

  • Regardless of wind, you will always have continuous air circulation due to the hot air being generated in your roof always rising.  This creates a vacuum that pulls in the cooler and drier air from outside up through your soffit vents and into your roof or attic.

  • The reliability of this system is just amazing. It requires minimal effort to maintain.  Its low running costs put it in a class of its own when being compared to other ventilation options, motorized or not.  There is no risk of problems such a rust and bearing wear and tear.

  • By keeping your attic or roof cool and dry you will use less energy within your house to try and maintain a comfortable home without using external air conditioning equipment. You also save greatly on energy as you are not using any power at all to run this ventilation system.

What Are The Cons?

  • If you were to install about 40 feet of roof ridge vent, the area would span up to 10 turbines.  10 turbines would cost you substantially more to purchase and install.  However, if you were only going to install 3 or 4, the turbines would be more affordable to you.  However, the ridge vent maintenance and running cost is a lot less than for turbines when considering the wear and tear to the turbines bearings and the risk of the turbines rusting after a period of time.  Knowing the low maintenance cost and efficiency of the roof ridge vent puts it in a class of its own.

  • Some roofing types may not allow for the necessary airflow to effectively cool down your attic.  A roof where the gradient is too low would allow hot air to sit in your attic for a long time.

  • The installation of these vents are not very simple and require proper installation.  If done incorrectly, you are at risk of serious damage to your roof.  If you cut the gap too large, you could let water into your attic during heavy rains.  If you cut the gap too small, it can hinder air flow making it inefficient for cooling down your attic.  Always call a Pro!

  • Some roofing materials do not work well with these types of vents.  They are most commonly installed on shingled roofs and perform very well when done so.  You can get ridge vents for tiled roofs, but the price may be a little more.