What is the Best Attic Ventilation System?
Roofing ventilation helps control temperatures in the attic or eave spaces, but what's the best option?
Proper ventilation plays an important role in prolonging the life of your roof. During winter, attic ventilation is needed to prevent ice dams from forming, and during the hot summer months, ventilation helps to remove hot air which reduces mold growth and protects the shingles from excessive heat.
Ridge vents and turbines
This leads us to the topic of what choices do homeowners have when they discuss ventilation options with their roofing contractor. Genesis Home Improvements has been replacing roofs in San Diego for almost 20 years. We have put together a side by side comparison about Ridge Vents and Turbines.
Turbines:
A turbine system is installed directly on the top of a roof and uses wind power to suck hot and humid air out of the attic. A turbine has a series of vanes that spin as wind passes through them. They are less costly dues to the fact that only a few shingles need to be removed and an appropriately sized hole is then drilled through the roof.
Turbines do cause more air movement than ridge vents and this is due to their moving vanes. However if you do not live somewhere that has winds or are sheltered from them this system may not work as effectively when the weather gets very hot during the Summer season.
Ridge Vents
A ridge vent runs across the top of the roof's peak. Unlike turbines, this venting style does not have any moving parts. A ridge vent is similar to a screen and allows heat to escape up and out of the attic.
Ridge vent systems normally run the full length of the roof. For this system to be installed on an existing roof, the entire peak must be cut away, which can make the installation more expensive than installing a turbine. They cannot be installed on a flat roof or one with a pitch of less than 212 degrees.